American dream for homeownership staying strong

JP Chase Morgan's mortgage subsidiary surveyed the potential market and reports that desire for homeownership is growing along with the recovery.

By Ron Gallagher • March 18, 2013

Latest builder confidence report takes a step back

Home-builders' confidence, as measured by the monthly National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), has hit bumps on the road to recovery.

By Ron Gallagher • March 18, 2013

Is the D.C. apartment building bubble about to pop?

The federal government's sequester spending cuts may impede Washington's "recession-proof" apartment boom.

By Ron Gallagher • March 18, 2013

Why home builders should care about college students' debt

The Consumer Financial Protection Board sees a clear link between the two: mortgages.

By Ron Gallagher • March 17, 2013

Missouri bumps up sales tax to fund road construction

Everyone is concerned that traditional funding sources for highway and other projects are shrinking in the face of rising fuel economy, and the Missouri Senate has backed a penny sales tax rise.

By Ron Gallagher • March 17, 2013

McGraw-Hill Construction Receives Six Neal Awards

McGraw-Hill Construction's Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record (ENR), and GreenSource received six Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards from American Business Media at its 59th annual awards luncheon in New York City. Hailed as "the Pulitzer Prize of business journalism," t...

March 15, 2013

Most Read Construction News of the Week: A green Walgreens and federal funds

Here's your weekly short and snappy briefing on our most popular news reads of the last few days.

By Brian Warmoth • March 14, 2013

Wells Fargo subsidiary bullish on construction in 2013

The bank's subsidiary that finances contractors' purchases has an Optimism Quotient that is in positive territory this year.

By Ron Gallagher • March 14, 2013

Jan. boost in highway construction may not pave way for turnaround

Highway construction put in place rose 4% in January from 2012, but the industry is still smarting from a annual decline of 4% for all of 2012.

By Ron Gallagher • March 14, 2013

Report: Green buildings can make more money for real estate investors

The World Green Building Council lays out reasons it believes sustainable, efficient buildings make for better real estate investments.

By Ron Gallagher • March 14, 2013

Feb. materials price increase steepest in almost two years

Soft lumber prices stood 27% above February 2012, offsetting some commodities that were down over the last 12 months, for a 1.3% overall rise.

By Ron Gallagher • March 14, 2013

Recovering economy gives contractors hope — but is it just an illusion?

At AGC's annual meeting, words of encouragement were accompanied by words of caution.

By Ron Gallagher • March 13, 2013

Program financing nursing-facility makeovers may benefit contractors

A new national program by CapitalSource targets nursing facility renovations and repairs in an aging U.S. could bring construction work .

By Ron Gallagher • March 13, 2013

Senate hopes to restore highway funds

The Senate's version of the "continuing resolution" to fund the government – what the U.S. has come to do instead of passing a budget every year – seeks to protect transportation.

By Ron Gallagher • March 12, 2013

What will highway building look like without federal funds?

Politicians do not cut ribbons on repair projects, and the Highway Trust Fund is dwindling, so what might transportation construction might look like down the road (or rail, or bike path).

By Ron Gallagher • March 11, 2013

Nonresidential index hits 100 for first time in 34 months

McGraw-Hills Dodge Momentum Index of what's in the works in nonresidential construction reached a mark last month that it has not seen since April 2010.

By Ron Gallagher • March 7, 2013

Without immigrant buyers, U.S. home market would've looked far worse

Increasing their homeownership much more rapidly than people born in the U.S., immigrants provided activity that helped offset some of the decline in the U.S. market.

By Ron Gallagher • March 7, 2013

Transportation officials fear loss of infrastructure funds in budget deal

A Republican funding proposal floating about in Congress is not going to bring the promised support for transportation infrastructure, state officials warn.

By Ron Gallagher • March 6, 2013

Index: Confidence among commercial contractors good, not great

Consulting company FMI is out with its first quarterly index of confidence among contractors in the commercial sector, saying it is up 2.6 points from the fourth 2012 survey but is right where it was a year ago.

By Ron Gallagher • March 5, 2013

States' road, bridge contracts dropped 2.7% over past year

Figures show that the states issued contracts worth $54.3 billion in the last 12 months through January, down about 2.7% from the year-before period, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association says.

By Ron Gallagher • March 4, 2013

Residential sector to feel sequester's bite with sluggish FHA action

Commercial contractors who work for federal agencies could see reductions of $4 billion or more as the sequester's impact is felt, but residential builders may be hit, too, as buyers' commitments are slowed.

By Ron Gallagher • March 4, 2013

Nonresidential construction already hit slump before sequester

Nonresidential construction slid from December to January, while public sector work dropped over the last year as its contraction continued.

By Ron Gallagher • March 4, 2013

Sequester ax slashes federal construction

Several programs including defense construction are taking a hit while others, including highway aid programs, are exempt from what could total up to $4 billion in reductions.

By Ron Gallagher • March 2, 2013

Execs: Tech-savvy consumers drive business, demand value

Shopping-center trade group execs see a world that is moving faster, giving brands less shelf life and being led by consumers who use technology to search for value.

By Ron Gallagher • March 1, 2013

Will new-home sales' pace burn out as inventory shrinks?

New-home sales had a 15.6% jump in January, but inventory is not growing at the same pace.

By Ron Gallagher • March 1, 2013