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Federal Code Mandates Costly and the Wrong Approach to Boost Energy Efficiency
NAHB today urged Congress to oppose any federal mandates that require the adoption of more stringent building codes because it would harm housing affordability, prevent healthy competition in the marketplace and may not achieve the intended results.
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced on Energy Tax Incentives
Two NAHB-supported bipartisan bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to update and extend two expired energy tax incentives frequently used by home builders and remodelers. These provisions are part of a broader group of temporary tax incentives, known as tax extenders, that expired at the end of 2017.
Harvard Report Cites Growing Housing Inequality Among Older Adults
Harvard report highlights growing affordability challenges facing the nation with respect to housing its increasing older adult population.
Big Builders Continue to Gain Market Share
The top 20 builders produced 29% of all the homes constructed in the country in 2018, according to data from BUILDER magazine. That share is a notable gain from 2017, when the largest 20 builders were responsible for 26.8% of all completions.
Highest Paid Construction Trade Occupations in 2018
Half of payroll workers in construction earned more than $47,290 in 2018. In comparison, the U.S. median wage last year was $38,640.
Trump Signs Executive Orders to Combat Government Overreach
President Trump this week signed two executive orders that the White House said “will improve the transparency and fairness of government agencies and ensure that they are held accountable.”
Younger Generations Seek Larger Homes
The median square footage millennials (those born in 1980 or after) want in a home is 2,407 square feet, slightly higher than the Gen X generation (2,280 sq. ft.), and significantly more than baby boomers (1,913 sq. ft.) and seniors (1,869 sq. ft.).
Treasury and FHFA Allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to Boost Capital Reserves
The Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) have announced an agreement that temporarily stops the net worth sweep by Treasury of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s (the Enterprises) profits and allows them to increase their capital reserves to $25 billion and $20 billion respectively.
White House Launches Opportunity Zones Website
The White House has announced a new website designed to serve as an information hub for the opportunity zones initiative established as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
New Rule Exempts Appraisals on Certain Homes Sold for $400,000 or Less
Federal regulators issued a final rule to raise the threshold from $250,000 to $400,000 for residential real estate transactions that would require an appraisal.
Members of the offsite construction community gathered last week in Pittsburgh for NAHB's Building Systems Housing… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 
Eye on Housing Blog