NBN Online for the week of March 5, 2007

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

In This Issue:

Front Page
Procrastinating Home Buyers May Lose Price Advantage
Conference Puts Green Homes on Tour in St. Louis This Month
Apply for ‘Buy Now’ Advertising Assistance Grants From NAHB
Share Nation's Building News With Your Staff. It's Free.
Coast to Coast
Toll Brothers CFO Optimistic on Housing, Eventually
Politics & Government
2008 Budget Process Likely to Be Drawn-Out
Economics & Finance
New Home Sales Slow in January, But Inventories Drop
Home Price Gains Continued to Moderate in 2006 Fourth Quarter
Freddie Mac Toughens Subprime Lending Standards
Eye on the Economy: Inventory Overhangs Weigh on Prices
Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends
Tips
Builders’ Tip: Easing Your Load With a Simple Roof-Rack Roller
Business Management
Boost Your Business With Free Biztools Business Guides
Warning: IRS Stepping Up Scrutiny of Passive Real Estate Losses
Legal
New Laws Could Require Checking Worker ID Online
Research
Mold-Resistant Gypsum Tops Housing Technologies List
50Plus Housing
Inaugural CAASH Designees Inducted at Builders' Show
Register Early for 50+ Housing Symposium and Save
Multifamily
Confidence of Condo Builders Is on the Rise
Toolkit Addresses Excessive Taxes on Affordable Housing
Remodelers
Vigorous Growth to Follow Current Remodeling Lull
Apply for the NAHB Remodeler of the Month Award
Sales
Hal Von Nessen Named 2007 IRM President
Inaugural Class of IRM Fellows Inducted at IBS
St. Louis Sales Professional Receives IRM’s Ripley Award
International
HBI-Mexico to Develop Spanish-Language Training Material
Education
Design Matters. Register Now for the Design Institute
Education Calendar
Green Building
Applications Due for Green Building Standard Committee
Regulation
San Diego Builders Contest Costly Water Permit
Labor
Students Turn Out in Record Numbers for Builders’ Show
Building Products
Distinctive Doors Key to Custom Builder's Success
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV and DIY This Week
Endowment
Star Home Builders Honored for Building Homeless Shelter
Endowment Funds Dunlop Lecture Series for Three More Years
Association News
Free 'New Homes Month' Resources Available Online
Public Tours of New American Homes Help Local Charity
GM Business Choice, Lowe’s Team Up to Reward NAHB Members
Office Depot Deals: Music to Your Ears
Lock in 2006 Visa/MC Processing Rates By March 31
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Related Articles

Warning: IRS Stepping Up Scrutiny of Passive Real Estate Losses

Boost Your Business With Free Biztools Business Guides

These Biztools business guides are available free to NAHB members.

Three new builder business guides — created to help NAHB members manage their businesses more effectively and increase their profits — are available free from NAHB. 

Available to members only and downloadable from the NAHB Web site, www.nahb.org, the guides offer members tips on technology, business planning, ensuring the financial health of their businesses and more.

Produced by NAHB’s Business Management and Information Technology Committee and found in the NAHB Business Management Resources section of the Web site, the 2007 Biztools builder business guides include:


All three concise guides — which include lists of other valuable NAHB Biztools resources — can be downloaded free by clicking here, or by clicking the individual titles above.

The guides are downloadable in a PDF format only.

Free 2006 Builder Business Guides Also Available

The 2006 Biztools builder business guides are also available free to NAHB members and can be downloaded from the NAHB Web site.

The three 2006 guides provide business tips on technology, human resources and measuring profits.

To view or download the 2006 guides, click here.



NAHB Has More Than 300 Resources to Help You Run Your Business More Profitably

Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to more than 300 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more.

Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources.

Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed.



Implement Procedures and Standards to Increase Quality

Standardize each step of the construction process by implementing the tools and procedures in “The Scopes of Work Program: Procedures and Standards to Increase Quality,” available through BuilderBooks.com.

Field tested by builders concerned with quality issues, this program has proven to significantly reduce warranty work. "The Scopes of Work Program" will help you:

  • Standardize your business
  • Gain accountability from field personnel and trade contractors
  • Ensure 100% completion by each trade
  • Reduce wasted material
  • Control your construction costs
  • Reduce warranty work
  • Increase your bottom line


You can adapt the scopes to meet the demands of your business or codes for your state or county.

To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800- 223-2665 to order.



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.

With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of next year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive 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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