NBN Online for the week of November 20, 2006

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In This Issue:

Front Page
News Stories Not the Driving Force Behind Home Buying
IBS to Feature Two Showcase Homes, Ted Koppel
Advice From Industry Experts: Ramp Up Sales and Marketing
Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published Nov. 27
Coast to Coast
Housing Decline Pushing Down the Price of Lumber
Politics & Government
Lawmakers Elect Leaders for 110th Congress
It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint, NAHB Tells Congress
Katrina Cleanup, Political Wrap-Up Highlight SGLA Conference
Economics & Finance
Starts, Permits Decline in October
Moving Pumps $170 Billion a Year Into the Economy
Builders Confidence Buoyed by Stabilizing Shift in Market
Eye on the Economy: Long-Term Interest Rates to Remain Favorable
Tips
Builder's Tip: Making Low-Cost Crown-Molding Clamps
IBS
More Than 100,000 Expected at International Builders’ Show
Business Management
Try Technology Before You Buy, at IBS Computer Labs
Environment
FEMA Retooling Flood Maps for Uniformity, But at What Price?
Multifamily
Multifamily Stock Index Jumps Again in October
Enter Pillars to Be 'Best of the Best' in Multifamily
Remodelers
Concrete Counters, Safety Lighting Top Trends in 2007
Downturns: Fertile Ground for Great Ideas
Home Depot Finds Aging Baby Boomers Want to Stay Put
Sales and Marketing
Flipping Houses Is Not as Easy as It Looks on Television
Education
Remodeling Puzzle Solvers Win PREP Exams
Education Calendar
Safety
OSHA Considering Costlier Standard for Paints, Chemicals
Regulation
Panels Knock Up to Five Weeks Off Building Schedule
Legal
Illegal Immigrant Charges Against Home Builder Dropped
Settlement Proposed for Steel Tubing Lawsuit
Workforce housing
Business Leaders Help Florida Teachers Buy Homes
Labor
Student Successes Bolster Growth of Training Programs
Building Products
Software Lets Owners Check Their Business at a Glance
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV & DIY This Week
Endowment
Scholarships Help Boost Twins’ Home Building Careers
Association News
Play Builders' Free Online Pro Football. Don't Drop the Ball.
Vegas Developer Turns Reality TV Into Charitable Giving
New York Builders Recognized for Pediatric Respite House
GM $500 Off Exclusive Offer for NAHB Members
UPS Offers Up to 30% Discount to NAHB Members on Shipping
Calendar of Events
Share Nation's Building News With Your Staff. It's Free.
NAHB Career Center

Top Story

News Stories Not the Driving Force Behind Home Buying

The nation’s prospective home buyers may derive some of their information on the housing market from the news media, but at the end of the day the things that matter far more when they are deciding whether to make a purchase include the price of the new home, mortgage interest rates and their housing needs, according to a new nationwide survey commissioned by NAHB.

“While the majority of the households we polled indicated that they found the media a reliable source of information on the housing market, what they read in the newspaper, saw on television or heard on the radio was no substitute for actually going out and shopping the market,” said Thomas Riehle, a partner in RT Strategies, which conducted the research for NAHB.

“When people are actually thinking about buying a home, they are driven by the details of how it will impact their family budget and lifestyle and contribute to their long-term wealth, and that gives them a much closer perspective on the market than what can be conveyed in news coverage,” Riehle continued.
[MORE]

Lumber Prices Provided by Random Lengths

Framing Lumber Composite $ 278 up $ 9
OSB Composite $ 195 up $ 6
Southern Pine Plywood Composite $ 385 up $ 24
With Permission from: RandomLengths.com
 

IBS to Feature Two Showcase Homes, Ted Koppel

The 2007 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, Fla. will feature two showcase homes for the first time ― one “new” and one “remodeled” — that reflect the challenges and advantages of the “re-gentrification” movement with in-city housing. In addition, Ted Koppel, former anchor of ABC’s “Nightline” and a 42-year veteran of ABC News, will be the keynote speaker at the grand opening ceremonies.

Set for Feb. 7-10 at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center, the IBS also will feature a record 1,800 exhibitors, 450 of them for the first time, and more than 290 education sessions covering every facet of the home building industry.

[MORE]

Advice From Industry Experts: Ramp Up Sales and Marketing

Tom Stephani, S. Robert August and Bill Becker ― industry veterans who have been through market shifts more than once ― will discuss what changes you should make to your sales and marketing in order to thrive in today’s market during an upcoming audio conference.

The hour-long teleconference, “Ramp Up Your Sales & Marketing in a Changing Market,” will begin at 2:00 p.m. EST, Jan. 9 and is available free to NAHB members. 

[MORE]

Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published Nov. 27

Nation's Building News will not be published on Nov. 27, the Monday after Thanksgiving. It will return to its regular weekly schedule on Dec. 4.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Housing Snapshot

Interest Rates  
  30-Yr. Fixed: 6.24% 15-Yr. Fixed: 5.94% 5 Yr. ARM: 6.04%
  1 Yr. ARM: 5.53% Libor (3 months): 5.37% Prime: 8.25%
Housing Starts*  (October 2006)
  Total: 1.486 million Single: 1.177 million Multi: 309,000
Home Sales*  (September 2006)
  New: 1.075 million Existing: 6.18 million  
Median Home Prices  (September 2006)
  New: $217,000 Existing: $220,000  
* Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate

 

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