Industry's 'uneven growth' continues as 28 states add construction jobs in July

The AGC reports that contractors are struggling to fill those newly created positions with qualified workers.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 24, 2015

July foreclosure activity rises for 5th consecutive month

RealtyTrac found that most of it involved bank repossessions of homes that had been in the process for up to nearly two years.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 21, 2015

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Top 5 stories from Construction Dive

Construction Dive editors curate some of the industry’s top stories from this year.

By Construction Dive staff

Share of 1st-time buyers slides despite overall July existing-home sale growth

Some real estate agents have reported waning demand as tight inventory and rising prices have kept entry-level buyers out of the market.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 21, 2015

NAHB economist: Proposed DOL overtime regulations would exacerbate industry's labor woes

In a guest post, Robert Dietz examines the proposed new rules state-by-state and brings up concerns regarding their impact on stakeholders in the sector.

By Robert Dietz • Aug. 21, 2015

'Real estate to the rescue': Public builders rally in shaky stock market

Investors have warmed to homebuilder stocks in response to spikes in industry optimism and housing starts.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 19, 2015

Volatile nonresidential construction starts plummet 27.7% in July

Nearly all sectors of the industry slowed down last month, with the only bright spots in government office and warehouse construction, the CMD Group found.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 19, 2015

Single-family construction boosts July housing starts to near 8-year high

The Commerce Department reported a 12.8% increase of single-family groundbreakings, while multifamily fell 17%.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 18, 2015

Zillow: First-time homebuyers renting for 6 years before buying

They are also older, less likely to be married and tend to spend more of their annual incomes on their first homes.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 18, 2015

'Slow but steady': Homebuilder optimism rises slightly in August

An NAHB measure of industry confidence exceeded July’s number, which was the highest in nearly a decade.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 18, 2015

Building material prices fall despite rising construction spending

That paradox is "unprecedented," an ABC economist said.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 17, 2015

Americans spending a record-high percentage of income on rent

Even if interest rates climb to 6% next year, it will still be easier to pay a mortgage than a monthly rent, according to Zillow.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 14, 2015

Construction job vacancies slide in June but remain high

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the industry currently has 143,000 empty positions.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 13, 2015

CoreLogic: Despite slight bump in June, foreclosure inventory at near 8-year low

Those properties account for about 1.2% of homes with a mortgage.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 13, 2015

Private construction industry's contribution to GDP dwindles

2014 proved to be a more difficult year for the industry than forecasters had initially predicted.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 12, 2015

Draining the talent pool? Construction sector adds 6K new jobs in July

Despite the seemingly positive report, the AGC cautions that filling those new positions continues to be a struggle, as unemployment in the industry dips to a 14-year low.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 10, 2015

Fannie Mae: Consumer optimism toward housing market stumbles

Americans are pessimistic about their finances and the economy. But the survey did offer some good news regarding the number of people who would prefer to buy rather than rent.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 10, 2015

NAHB: Housing markets in 75 metros back to 'normal'

The number of building permits lags behind the progress of home prices and local employment.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 7, 2015

Study: Student debt causes millennials to delay homeownership

A survey from Bankrate and a new book from the University of Kansas revealed that taking out loans for college has a long-term impact on the borrowers’ life decisions.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 6, 2015

The buyers are coming: 5 signs more applicants will qualify for mortgages

Fitch Ratings predicts "a steady easing" of credit requirements will allow more loan applicants to become first-time homeowners — which means good news for builders trying to reach the coveted customers.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 4, 2015

Oil slump fails to dampen Texas real estate prices, sales

Home values in the Lone Star State reached a record high in the second quarter. But will the effects of the struggling economy soon catch up to the market?

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 4, 2015

Floundering power sector cripples June construction spending growth

The monthly number changed little since May, but year-over-year, spending reached near-record levels.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 4, 2015

ABC: Construction unemployment dips below 10% in all 50 states

But as contractors continue to struggle to fill jobs, they are creating fewer of them, the association reported.

By Sharon O'Malley • Aug. 3, 2015

Boston named 'healthiest' U.S. housing market

Las Vegas took last place in WalletHub's comparison of the ease of buying a home in 25 major metros.

By Sharon O'Malley • July 31, 2015

AGC: 127 cities lost construction jobs in past year

Still, 180 metros bolstered contractor payrolls, despite lack of congressional action on a long-term highway bill.

By Sharon O'Malley • July 30, 2015

Homeownership plummets to 48-year low

If the rate slips just a little further — as economists warn is likely — it could set a new record low.

By Sharon O'Malley • July 29, 2015