NBN Online for the week of February 19, 2007

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

In This Issue:

Front Page
Housing Expected to Improve as the Year Progresses
Grants Available to Local HBAs for ‘Buy-Now’ Campaigns
Big Builders Prepare for an Acquisition ‘Feeding Frenzy’
Share Nation's Building News With Your Staff. It's Free.
Coast to Coast
Wanted: Home Builders for the Moon
Politics & Government
Dodd Supports Work Opportunity for Immigrants
Jackson Says President Committed to Increasing Homeownership
Builders Focusing on Energy Efficiency, Congress Told
Economics & Finance
With Unsold Homes to Sell, Builders Slow January Starts
Builders Gain Confidence in Prospects for Home Sales
Hard-Line Critics Would Damage GSEs, Says Freddie Mac CEO
Eye on the Economy: The Inventory Overhang Is Heavier Than It Looks
Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends
Tips
Builders’ Tip: How to Make Invisible Drywall Butt Joints
Design
Smaller Homes, Outdoors Spaces: Hot Stuff in 2007
Toilet Tank Aquarium Brings New Bathroom Twist
Sales and Marketing
Aiming for Satisfied Customers Is Not Good Enough
Builders Advised to Rev Up Competitiveness in Down Market
Best in Sales and Marketing Honored at The Nationals at IBS
50Plus Housing
Utah Developer Tippets Named 50+ Housing Council Chair
Education
Seventeen Winners Fuel Up on Education at IBS
Education Calendar
Green Building
Green Building Standard to Be Based on NAHB Guidelines
Participants Sought for Green Building Standard Committee
Green Building Seminar Looks at ‘Building With Trees’
Regulation
Weak Levees, Updated Flood Maps Bad News for Builders
With Wetlands Permits Expiring, Delays Expected
Legal
Siding With Builders, District Court Rejects Wetlands Rule
Construction Safety
OSHA Chief Says Builders Are Reaching Out and Saving Lives
Safety Awards Recognize Housing Industry Job Safety Efforts
Workforce housing
Cisneros Tells Builders to Prepare for Latino Surge
Labor
Tampa Builder William Paul to Chair Home Builders Institute
Building Products
Owens Corning Products Boost Sales in Down Market
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV and DIY This Week
Endowment
Georgia Builder Earns Top Honor for Community Service
Jacksonville HBA Honored for Building Needed Homeless Shelter
Association News
California Builder Brian Catalde Elected NAHB President
Michigan Builder Robert Jones Elected NAHB Senior Officer
Florida Builders Help Tornado Victims Rebound
Office Depot Deals: Music to Your Ears
GM Business Choice, Lowe’s Team Up to Reward NAHB Members
Lock in 2006 Visa/MC Processing Rates Before Increase
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Related Articles

California Builder Brian Catalde Elected NAHB President

Michigan Builder Robert Jones Elected NAHB Senior Officer

Florida Builders Help Tornado Victims Rebound

Office Depot Deals: Music to Your Ears

GM Business Choice, Lowe’s Team Up to Reward NAHB Members

Calendar of Events

Lock in 2006 Visa/MC Processing Rates Before Increase

Year after year MasterCard and Visa have consistently announced nationwide interchange processing rate increases each April. If your HBA and members accept credit cards for payment, you know how much these changes impact your association's and your members' bottom lines.

Industry experts anticipate another rate increase this spring.

NAHB has negotiated an exclusive deal for members to avoid this potential increase. Members who enroll in the NAHB Credit Card Processing Program through Solveras Payment Systems before Wednesday, Feb. 28 will lock in 2006 rates.

That means if MasterCard and Visa raise rates in April, your processing rates will not increase with the rest of the country, but instead remain at the same 2006 levels.

Add that to the program’s regular discounts on credit card processing, simplified monthly billing and an easy-to-read account statement, and you’ll find an excellent opportunity for you to keep more profit on every credit card sale.

Take advantage of the free savings analysis to see in writing how this program can cut your monthly costs and streamline your billing process. This tool consistently uncovers savings for two out of three businesses — finding average projected savings of 17%.

You and your members should take a moment to see how this program could impact your bottom line.

For Your Free Solveras Savings Analysis

Simply fill out the form linked to the Solveras Payment Systems Web page (scroll down to the linked PDF) and fax the form to 800-297-3405 for your free analysis, or call 800-613-0148.

Other Member Advantage Discounts

For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.



Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips in Cooling Market

With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of the year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive online toolkit geared to providing association members with information that will help them prosper in today’s changing business environment.

To access the “Back to Basics” toolkit, you must be an NAHB member and have a login to www.nahb.org. To create a login, go to www.nahb.org/login or click on the log-in button on the main menu bar.

For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242.


 

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Construction

 
 
> Find and manage projects right from your desktop.
> Get your company listed in the new McGraw-Hill Construction Directory.
 
 

Sponsored by
NAHB

 
 
> GM Business Choice and Lowe's Team Up to Reward NAHB Members
> Office Depot: Music to Your Ears
> Lock in 2006 Credit Card Processing Rates