NBN Online for the week of March 9, 2009

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

In This Issue:

Front Page
Energy Tax Credit to Generate $6 Billion in Remodeling Jobs
Learn to Market Housing Tax Credit at Free Teleconference March 16
NAHB Provides One-Stop Stimulus and Tax Credit Information
Coast to Coast
Cranes Are Ready, Financing Isn’t
Politics & Government
House Bill Allows Bankruptcy Judges to Modify Home Loans
Administration Releases Details of Foreclosure Relief Plan
New Pew Report Shows How States Can Stabilize Economy
HBAs Receive Funds to Support State and Local Efforts
Attend Crucial Legislative Conference on March 24
Economics & Finance
Builders See Little Doom and Gloom in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends
Downturn
Free Business Survival Tips Online Till March 13
Tips
Builders’ Tip: A Cloud-Free Way to Collect and Dispose of Dust
Sales
Build Trust, Protect Value With Online Branding
50Plus Housing
Award-Winning Community Nestled on Former Vineyard
CAASH in on Active Adult Market at 50+ Housing Symposium
Multifamily
HUD Frees Up FHA Insurance for Multifamily Refinancing
Remodelers
Who Says You Can’t Trim ‘Fixed’ Overhead Costs?
Building Systems
ICF Wall Systems Can Achieve a Tight Thermal Envelope
Log Homes a Custom Home Niche Worth Exploring
Education
Earn Professional Designations at NAHB Spring Conferences
Education Calendar
Green Building
Arizona Builders Use Wind Power to Print Magazine
NAHB, 25 Top Cities Recognized for Energy Star Buildings
T. Boone Pickens to Address Green Building Conference
iLevel by Weyerhaeuser Products First to Be ‘Green Approved’
Consumers Look for Energy-Efficient Appliances, Survey Finds
Learn to Green Your Business at Green Building Conference
environment
Obama Memo Restores Costly, Lengthy ESA Consultations
Dust Busting Not Just the Burden of Builders, Court Says
hbi
Job Corps Students Participate in ‘Extreme Makeover’
Building Products
A 10th Energy Star Award Goes to Whirlpool Corporation
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on DIY, Fine Living and HGTV
Endowment
‘Strategies for Success’ Applications Due March 14
Applications for Centex ‘Build Your Future’ Scholarships Due April 6
Challenge/Build/Grow Initiative Proposals Due April 7
Free Webcast Explains ANSI Green Building Standard
Association News
Avoid Credit Card Processing Increases With Solveras
Register Online for Spring Spokesperson Training
Pitney Bowes Postage Meters Offer Convenience, Savings
Members Can Save 10% on Vacation Rentals Worldwide
Drive Away With a Shiny New $500 GM Offer
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Related Articles

ICF Wall Systems Can Achieve a Tight Thermal Envelope

Log Homes a Custom Home Niche Worth Exploring

Part of a series on how building systems can help builders navigate and survive the housing downturn.

A new, free video by the Log Homes Council and Building Systems Councils introduces traditional home builders to log home construction and points out the benefits of diversifying into a niche custom home market that appeals to consumers in almost every home price range.

The video, available at www.nahb.org/logvideo on the NAHB Web site, shows builders how diversifying their operations to include log homes will enable them to offer their customers more housing options. Log homes offer consumers striking designs and the latest technologies, such as solid-wall “green" techniques, blended with rustic charm and nostalgic appeal.

“The log home market can be a high-end outlet for any builder looking to capture a growing segment of the custom home market,” said Jim Young of PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes in Meridian, Idaho and 2009 president of the Log Homes Council.

Young said builders considering diversifying with log homes should explore the opportunity through the Log Homes Council because the council’s membership aligns log manufacturers’ products with builders’ and buyers’ needs.

“Because Log Homes Council manufacturers are required to grade their logs, provide a comprehensive construction manual and subscribe to a rigid code of ethics, council members can help transition a builder into the log home building industry,” said Young. “The goal of the Log Homes Council is to promote the log home industry, so our members work hard to help all parties have a positive buying and building experience.”

To learn more about the log home industry, visit www.loghomes.org.

For a list of Log Home Council member manufacturers, visit www.nahb.org/logdirectory.

Subscribe to the Systems-Built Advantage

Members who want to learn more about the systems-built industry can subscribe to the NAHB Building Systems Councils free e-newsletter, the Systems-Built Advantage.

The e-newsletter provides:

  • Monthly reports from industry experts that detail how systems have brought them success in the home building marketplace
  • The latest trends in systems building
  • Information on how building all or part of a home in a controlled manufacturing plant can reduce waste, decrease construction time and trim carrying costs


To subscribe, click here.


 

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