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Building Industry News

Data shows jobless claims drop, retail sales rise

WASHINGTON - A weak economy got a little lift Thursday with new data suggesting companies aren't pursuing mass layoffs and stores are a little busier.

Mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.32 percent

WASHINGTON - Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, as investors worried about the economy.

Number of Foreclosures in August, 2010 Still Falling

MIAMI, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Foreclosure Deals, an online leader in the foreclosed homes for sale listings and information industry, announced today that foreclosures increased by 4% nationwide during July and still have fall in the month of August.

July unemployment up in about half of US cities

WASHINGTON - The unemployment rate rose in nearly half of the nation's 372 largest metro areas in July, as the pace of hiring slowed from earlier this year.

From Show Floor to Reality: BUILDER 2009 Modular Show Home Earns LEED-Platinum Green Rating

Concept home puts down roots and becomes the first LEED-Platinum house in Newport Beach, Calif.

Pending Homes Sales Rose Unexpectedly in July

But National Association of Realtors’ chief economist thinks homes sales will remain soft for “months ahead.”

Construction activity declines 1 percent in July

WASHINGTON - Construction spending tumbled in July to the lowest level in a decade, as the housing market struggles in the weak economy and without a popular home-buying tax credit.

Fed officials discussed further stimulus steps

WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve officials signaled at their August meeting that they would consider going beyond a modest program to purchase government debt if necessary to boost the economy.

Banks to allow local groups to buy foreclosures

WASHINGTON - Major banks are agreeing to give local governments and nonprofit groups the ability to buy foreclosed homes before they are sold to private investors.

Americans' economic confidence ticks up slightly

NEW YORK - Americans' confidence in the economy improved slightly in August from July, but they're still roughly as gloomy as a year ago.

Aggressive Marketing and Discounting Drive McBride Homes’ Success

St. Louis-area builder positions itself as a housing “retailer.”

Bald Eagle Factors Into Delaware Development Plan

Wharton’s Bluff receives National Green Building Standard recognition for avian habitat preservation.

Builders Seek New Work in Older Homes

Historic preservation training program teaches valuable skills in a bad economy.

Existing-Home Prices Rose in June

The S&P/Case-Shiller Indices show a 3.6% gain compared to the same month a year ago.

Home values rose in second quarter

The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. said Monday home values rose in all nine U.S. Census divisions in the second quarter compared with the first.

Mortgage rates hitting record lows

Aug. 31--For anyone under the age of 57, mortgage rates are at the lowest point ever in their lifetime.

2 new programs planned to help homeowners

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration's top housing official says several new programs are in the works to help try to revive the housing market.

Structural Insulated Panels Have Many Fans, So Why Don't More Builders Use Them?

SIPs offer superior energy efficiency to conventional stick-frame building.

Case Study: Post-Katrina, Mississippi Habitat Chapter Sets Its Sights on Green Building

Five years after the hurricane leveled much of the region, this ultra-green home is part of the Bay-Waveland chapter’s commitment to building sustainable, affordable dwellings.

More Prime Real Estate is Coming Back on the Market in Southern California

An auction for nearly 750 finished lots in the Rosedale community is expected to fetch between $50 million and $70 million.