NBN Online for the week of April 10, 2006

(Plain Text Version) for full graphical version, click here.

In This Issue:

Front Page
Multifamily Builders Snapping Up Land to Offset Costs
FHA Reforms Needed to Spur Homeownership Opportunities
Coast to Coast
Are Our Kitchens Making Us Fat?
Housing Forum
Letter to the Editor: My Love-Hate Affair With Money
Politics & Government
Congress Still Wrestling With Fate of Immigrant Workers
Economics & Finance
Second Home Buyers Account for 40% of 2005 Resales
Eye on the Economy: Fed Policy Shifting Out of Neutral
Tips
Builder's Tip: Self-Made, Low-Cost Crown-Molding Clamps
Business Management
Don’t Be Hard-Headed About Investing in Software You Need
Rumors of Termite-Infected Mulch Untrue
50Plus Housing
Experts to Tell All at Building for Boomers & Beyond
Multifamily
Condo-Hotel, National Condo Developer Earn Top Honors
Construction Safety
OSHA Focusing on Home Builders in Many Locations
Building Systems
Modular the Way to Build on Remote Sites, Brochure Shows
Sales
Listen to Your Moms — Your Primary Customers
Education
Education Calendar
Green Building
Production Home Builders Ready to Build Green
Texas Builder Sees Baby Boomers Turning to Green Building
Research
Public Ready for Zero Energy Homes as Early as 2012
Workforce housing
Web Site Adds Resources on Social Services for Renters
Labor
Trustees Visit Construction Training Programs in Tucson
Building Products
Natural Disaster Survival Helped by Renewable Energy
Builder's Engineer
Getting Paid
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV & DIY This Week
Endowment
Deadline Nears for Matching Funds Grant Applications
Association News
NAHB Has Free 'New Homes Month' Resources for You
Get Double Discounts on Dell Computer Products in April
GM $500 Exclusive Offer for NAHB Members
Find Employees Through New NAHB Online Career Center
NAHB Spring Board Meeting May 9-13
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Top Story

Multifamily Builders Snapping Up Land to Offset Costs

To counteract the rising land costs prevalent in most active housing markets these days, multifamily builders and developers have begun acquiring larger tracts than they need and selling off the excess land to other builders.

As a solution to escalating construction costs, some builders, developers and equity partners addressing NAHB’s Pillars of the Industry multifamily conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. last week also suggested buying building materials in the commodities markets.
[MORE]

Lumber Prices Provided by Random Lengths

Framing Lumber Composite $ 358 no change $ 0
OSB Composite $ 324 down $ 12
Southern Pine Plywood Composite $ 483 no change $ 0
With Permission from: RandomLengths.com
 

FHA Reforms Needed to Spur Homeownership Opportunities

To help spur housing opportunities for America’s working families, the nation’s home builders on April 5 called on Congress to support the Bush Administration’s efforts to reform and revitalize the Federal Housing Administration's single-family mortgage insurance programs.

Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee's Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee, Jerry Howard, NAHB’s executive vice president and CEO, said that statutory and regulatory constraints have limited the FHA’s ability to respond to the needs of borrowers.

[MORE]

Housing Snapshot

Interest Rates  
  30-Yr. Fixed: 6.43% 15-Yr. Fixed: 6.10% 5 Yr. ARM: 6.11%
  1 Yr. ARM: 5.57% Libor (3 months): 5.04% Prime: 7.75%
Housing Starts*  (February 2006)
  Total: 2.12 million Single: 1.8 million Multi: 320,000
Home Sales*  (February 2006)
  New: 1.08 million Existing: 6.91 million  
Median Home Prices  (February 2006)
  New: $230,400 Existing: $209,000  
* Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate

 

Sponsored by
McGraw Hill
Construction

 
 
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Sponsored by
Freddie Mac

 
 
> Freddie Mac, Louisiana HFA Help Hurricane Victims Repair, Rebuild Homes
> Montana State Representative Bob Lake Cautions Against Extensive GSE Reform
 
 

Sponsored by
NAHB

 
 
> Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium 2006
> NAHB Multifamily Pillars of the Industry Conference and Gala
> Construction Forecast Conference - Spring 2006