Although the sales of new and pending homes in July were disappointing for analysts, they don’t necessarily show a pattern of decline for the housing recovery overall. As the labor market expands with the overall economy, the demand for homes will increase with it. Builders are still showing low inventories, which points to a continued […]
Improving Markets Improve
The Improving Markets Index (IMI) from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and First American reached a new high in September with a number of 291. The index also added the largest number of new markets (49) to the list since December 2012, where 84 markets were added. Five markets were dropped from the […]
Construction Employment Update: Unfilled Jobs
According to government employment data, the amount of available jobs in construction has reached a level last seen in 2008, though there has only been a small increase in the numbers for total employment. The increase in unfilled positions is consistent with the increase in activity in the construction sector, with a particular emphasis on […]
Does a Roof Need a Ridge Vent?
This article focuses around a person who read that ridge vents are unnecessary and even detrimental to houses with gable and soffit vents. Their sister, whose house has gable and soffit vents, is getting a roof renovation and being advised by the contractor to install a ridge vent. Is it okay for her to tell […]
GDP Growth in the Second Quarter, Second Estimate–Gaining Strength
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently released its second estimate on real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of 2013. Their estimate shows a GDP growth of about 2.5 percent, with is an upwards revision from the first estimate of 1.7 percent. This revised estimate came mostly from stronger than expected […]
A Heat Pump Using Carbon Dioxide as the Refrigerant
The writers at GreenBuildingAdvisor.com have many opportunities to cover new breakthroughs and experiments in products and technologies relating to environmentally friendly construction. Some, more than others, are particularly exciting. For writer Alex Wilson, one of the more exciting technologies is the heat pump that can use carbon dioxide as a working fluid. To fully understand […]
Construction Spending: Improving at a Slower Rate
U.S. Census estimates show that the total amount of private residential construction slowed in July 2013, increasing only slightly to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $334.6 billion, with a 0.5% increase in single-family spending and a 0.8% increase in home improvement. Spending has been improving, but it is not quite approaching the peak pace […]
Rates Rise Again on Loans for New Homes
Mortgage rates on new homes raised for the second time in two months in July, according to new data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The average contract interest rate increased by four tenths of a percent to 3.94 percent. With initial fees largely unchanged, the effective rate on loans matched the interest rate […]
DIY Safety Tips
DIY home projects are not particularly dangerous, but there are enough dangers to them to land thousands of people in the emergency room every year from incidents involving power tools, ladders, and home tools. This article features six tips to keep yourself safe if you’ve got some DIY projects in mind for your home. To […]
Technology for Energy-Smart Homes is Here. Why Aren’t More People Using it?
Marita Mirzatuny notes that the news is full of futuristic innovations that seem just on the horizon, from self-driving cars to smart houses. The problem she finds with this is that smart houses are already here in some capacity, in the form of home energy management systems (HEMS). HEMS are visualized as a platform that […]