Industry groups' economists modestly optimistic for rest of 2014

Some sectors are seeing more growth than others, according to the number-crunchers at Associated Builders and Contractors, the American Institute of Architects and the National Association of Home Builders.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 7, 2014

Survey supports claims about tight-credit effects on mortgages

Housing interests who have been saying that federal lending rules imposed after the housing crash are inhibiting the recovery got some vindication when the Federal Reserve surveyed banks.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 5, 2014

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Labor

A roundup of articles about issues affecting the workforce.

By Construction Dive staff

Home prices edge up in CoreLogic survey

House prices nationally were up 1% from May to June, the firm said.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 5, 2014

A house in San Francisco is worth...how much?

In July, the median home price put the city in a league with the world's most expensive.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 4, 2014

Why there's a construction labor shortage despite high jobless rate

Many different local trends combine to paint a potentially misleading national picture.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 4, 2014

June construction spending down, but May better than reported

Construction spending reported by the Commerce Department illustrates why no one should panic over one month's data.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 3, 2014

U.S. construction unemployment hits lowest rate since 2007

In the report on July job creation were 9,100 new jobs in nonresidential work and 13,000 in residential.

By Ron Gallagher • Aug. 3, 2014

Predicting U.S. housing market is like handicapping a horse race

Fannie Mae says consumers are eager, but the Fed is glum.

By Ron Gallagher • July 31, 2014

One economist sees headwinds for U.S. housing market

A big problem in trying to sustain housing growth at recent levels is that median income in the U.S. has gone down.

By Ron Gallagher • July 30, 2014

Latest GDP numbers are good, but construction figures are even better

Widespread relief greeted the report of 4% growth in GDP and fixed investment in nonresidential projects grew 5.5%.

By Ron Gallagher • July 30, 2014

Renaissance in civil, heavy work is benefiting job-seekers

As necessity drives government to find ways to finance infrastructure work, civil companies are trying to expand to meet the demand.

By Ron Gallagher • July 29, 2014

Some U.S. cities have recovered nicely while others still struggle post-recession

The recovery from the recession has been a good time to be in several Texas cities and many others, but not all cities.

By Ron Gallagher • July 28, 2014

Construction labor shortages becoming more severe

Two out of three home builders said they are paying higher wages than last year, and three out of five nationally see a labor shortage.

By Ron Gallagher • July 28, 2014

D.R. Horton uses incentives to boost sales, but investors don't like what they see

The stock market did not like how D.R. Horton grew sales by 25% last quarter, but the company may just be ahead of what all builders will have to do.

By Ron Gallagher • July 27, 2014

10th-largest U.S. electrical contractor files for bankruptcy

The company did a lot of work in the Washington, D.C., area, but it's unclear how many jobs it had in progress.

By Ron Gallagher • July 25, 2014

A bad day for new-home numbers

With a groan, the home-building industry found out that new-home sales in June fell 8.1% and that revisions to May's figures shaved 60,000 units off the annual pace as well.

By Ron Gallagher • July 24, 2014

NAHB: Remodelers feeling love of improving economy

Sales of new homes may be lagging, but an index of how remodelers are feeling rosy in the second quarter of the year for current work and coming months. 

By Ron Gallagher • July 24, 2014

Nonresidential construction up 12% in June

The start of some large manufacturing facilities put the trend back on the positive side, with an annual pace of $549.7 billion.

By Ron Gallagher • July 23, 2014

Vets are rising portion of home buyers thanks to VA mortgages

The program for veterans has helped them rise to 8.1% of mortgages made in the first three months of this year.

By Ron Gallagher • July 22, 2014

Existing-home sales jump 2.6% in June

That's the best rate since last fall.

By Ron Gallagher • July 22, 2014

Home sales could suffer if banks walk away from FHA

The National Association of Realtors says the Federal Housing Administration is the only way for qualified buyers to put down 3.5% to get into houses.

By Ron Gallagher • July 21, 2014

Bank foresees only slow growth in home building

RBC Capital Markets does not think the U.S. market will be ready for several years to get back to its 50-year average of 1.46 million new units every year.

By Ron Gallagher • July 21, 2014

NAIOP sees commercial growing nicely in latest economic report

The organization says Texas, Louisiana and New York were the states with the most spent on nonresidential, commercial construction in 2013.

By Ron Gallagher • July 21, 2014

Some numbers suggest housing performance approaching typical levels

Four statistics indicate that housing is about back to its historic normal performance.

By Ron Gallagher • July 21, 2014

Builders turn optimistic in latest survey

The latest Builder Confidence Index climbed above 50 for the first time since January, though one component – buyer traffic – remains low.

By Ron Gallagher • July 20, 2014