Builders' improving markets index takes a step up

The National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index for June rose to include 263 of the nation's metro areas.

By Ron Gallagher • June 6, 2013

How green should building codes really be?

No one says net-zero, or at least very efficient, homes cannot be built, but factions are split over how much to mandate and what to leave to the marketplace.

By Ron Gallagher • June 6, 2013

Explore the Trendline➔

Labor

A roundup of articles about issues affecting the workforce.

By Construction Dive staff

House's 2014 spending bill cuts Defense and Veteran Affairs building budgets

The appropriation bill would scale back Department of Defense construction to 94% of 2013 levels while giving Veteran Affairs less for major projects but more for small ones.

By Ron Gallagher • June 5, 2013

Residential construction spending up 18.3% from 2012

Overall spending on residential construction fell 0.2% from March to April, but the annual pace of $308.3 billion was 18.3% ahead of 2012.

By Ron Gallagher • June 3, 2013

Public sector cuts take toll on April nonresidential spending numbers

Nonresidential spending eked out a gain from March but was down from 2012 as private sector expenditures rose but the public sector shrank again.

By Ron Gallagher • June 3, 2013

Home prices, demolition debris and the 'X-tweel': This week's Most Read Construction News

Home prices made their biggest gain in 7 years in another encouraging sign for the state of the economy.

By Davide Savenije • May 31, 2013

Rise in housing prices—too much, too soon?

No one is about to say that housing didn't desperately need to recover from the recession, but some financial analysts worry that the overall economy can't support the pace.

By Ron Gallagher • May 30, 2013

Nonresidential construction accelerates, but can't keep up with economy

The index calculated by consultant FMI and based on an industry panel rose 2 points for the second quarter, but the overall economy index was up 7.9.

By Ron Gallagher • May 28, 2013

Home prices make biggest gain in 7 years

The 20-City Index for March was 10.9% higher than the year before, the biggest 12-month gain since April 2006, and the confidence index reached a mark unseen since February 2008.

By Ron Gallagher • May 28, 2013

As prices rise, new home sales continue upwards trajectory

Even though home prices are rising, buyers are moving into the new-home market, and April sales hit an annual pace of 454,000 units.

By Ron Gallagher • May 28, 2013

Gumenick Unveils Name for West End Project: Libbie Mill

Gumenick Properties, an award-winning real estate development and management company based in Henrico, is developing an 80-acre mixed used neighborhood in Richmond's West End. Recently, the company announced a new name for the project: Libbie Mill.

May 24, 2013

As demand returns, builders limit supply to boost prices

There is little better proof of a housing-market recovery than builders who feel they can safely sell fewer homes than the market wants.

By Ron Gallagher • May 24, 2013

Waypoint Homes files for $100M IPO despite decline of home-builder stocks

Three home-builder stocks are down even though the market is growing.

By Ron Gallagher • May 23, 2013

Survey: Business and mergers will both rise next year

A report based on a survey of high-level executives and managers at construction companies worldwide found that they see good things coming.

By Ron Gallagher • May 22, 2013

Guest Post: The true value of green building

A former contractor dishes on the realities of green building.

By Wade Myer • May 22, 2013

Architects' billings fall in April

But inquiries still increased from March.

By Ron Gallagher • May 22, 2013

U.S. construction backlog down slightly, but regions vary widely

For the first quarter, the national backlog of work slipped from 8 months in the last quarter of 2012 year to 7.9 months in the first quarter of this year.

By Ron Gallagher • May 21, 2013

Better to invest in homes or stocks? Depends on how you measure it

How good a case can be made for the value of investing in a home depends partly on the ruler you use to measure it.

By Ron Gallagher • May 20, 2013

Construction jobs slip in 32 states

The new reflects the uneven nature of the recovery in the construction industry.

By Ron Gallagher • May 17, 2013

In some markets, single-family building starts are up as foreclosure starts fall

There is good news for home builders in RealtyTrac data that show housing starts rose nationally by the same margin that foreclosure starts fell in the first quarter of the year.

By Ron Gallagher • May 16, 2013

Steady national materials prices may obscure volatility for contractors

The wide calculation of prices for construction materials taken together looks pretty steady, but price volatility is rising because of global economic conditions.

By Ron Gallagher • May 15, 2013

Builder confidence rises towards tipping point

Wells Fargo and the National Association of Home Builders' index rose back up to 44 this month, but 50 is the target.

By Ron Gallagher • May 15, 2013

The 10 best—and worst—states for construction jobs

A 12-month comparison found the 10 largest increases and 10 steepest declines in construction employment between March 2012 and March 2013.

By Ron Gallagher • May 14, 2013

Builders' forecast: Good things to come from 55+ single-family buyers

The National Association of Home Builders' confidence index for the market segment is rising.

By Ron Gallagher • May 12, 2013

Looking for a construction job? Head west!

According to Department of Labor numbers, the five states adding the most construction jobs are all west of the Mississippi river.

By Sean Griffey • May 10, 2013