Industry News
November 12, 2010
Realtors at the annual conference in New Orleans got a sobering reminder that the housing boom is gone for good, The Wall Street Journal reported.
November 12, 2010
So-called “jumbo” mortgages are back in vogue. Although still far below 2007 levels, more smaller and regional lenders, as well as some big banks, are issuing more large loans, The Wall Street Journal reported. The increase in jumbo mortgages could...
November 12, 2010
The Department of Energy launched a new pilot program to give homeowners straightforward information about their homes’ energy efficiency. The Home Energy Score report will provide consumers with an energy performance rating based on a 1 to 10 scale...
November 11, 2010
Nearly half of the metropolitan areas tracked by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed modest increases in single-family home prices compared to last year. NAR’s latest survey showed that 77 of 155 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)...
November 8, 2010
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Assocation (CEDIA) announced last week that they formed the Remodeling and Home Technologies Council. The new council’s mission is “to...
November 5, 2010
Last year, the Obama administration was committed to mitigating the wave of foreclosures. Now, CNNMoney reports that officials are highlighting the need for foreclosures, calling them “an important part of ensuring longer-term stability in the...
November 5, 2010
The percentage of households that owned their home hit its lowest level since 1999. The rate for the July-September quarter remained unchanged at 66.9%. Homeownership reached its peak in 2004, with more than 69% of households owning their home.
November 5, 2010
As the economy continues to tread water, the number and popularity of reverse mortgages has skyrocketed 166% over the past few years. The mortgages have been especially popular among older, cash-strapped homeowners. Part of the surge is due lower...
November 5, 2010
It’s almost like working with giant LEGOs. The first home made out of shipping containers, which are typically use to carry freight across the country, will be built in Oregon.
November 5, 2010
The single-family housing market will grow 27 percent in dollars in 2011. That translates into a 25 percent increase in the number units to 565,000, according to the McGraw-Hill Construction Outlook report. Multifamily housing is also expected to...
November 5, 2010
Pulte suffered nearly $1 billion in losses in the third quarter as orders fell and charges racked up on its $1.3-billion purchase of Centex a year ago, the Wall Street Journal reported. To combat the losses, the company plans to reduce costs by...
November 5, 2010
A new study from environmental marketing agency TerraChoice found that 95 percent of green claims on home and family products were misleading. Of nearly 5,300 products reviewed, only about 240 were considered “sin free” when it comes to...
November 5, 2010
The mid-term elections are over, but there are still several issues that will have a real impact on home builders. Here are four points for strategic perspective that John Burns Real Estate Consulting says will influence business planning in 2011...
November 5, 2010
ServiceMagic.com, a website that connects homeowners to prescreened, customer-rated contractors nationwide, released its annual Home Modeling & Repair Index for the third quarter of 2010. The company used its own data, plus surveys of service...
November 4, 2010
The results of Tuesday’s elections could have a major effect on the 50-state probe into the country’s foreclosure issues. Two of the investigation’s key proponents, Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray and Florida Rep. Alan...
November 3, 2010
The U.S. homeownership rate is at its lowest level since 1999, said a report by the Wall Street Journal. According to the Census Bureau, 66.9 percent of households owned their homes. In 1999, the rate was 66.7 percent.
November 2, 2010
American homeowners may not spend significantly on home improvements in the near future, according to report by the Wall Street Journal. Americans tend to spend more on home improvement as home prices rise, since they are likely to see a return on...
November 1, 2010
Fannie Mae’s new policy of running a last-minute credit check on borrowers during the last few weeks before closing a mortgage may cause added issues for consumers, according to a report by the New York Times. The guidelines, which were...
October 29, 2010
Owens Corning, a housing materials manufacturer, said its third quarter revenue fell 12 percent to $1.19 billion, Fox Business reported. Wall Street had predicted revenue of $1.26 billion.
October 29, 2010
North Carolina is considering revising its building code to require new energy-saving measures. Local home builders are protesting the potential changes, saying they would add costs in a tight housing market.
