Lawmakers Signal Last Action on Home Buyer Tax Credit
In a major victory for NAHB that will boost the fledgling housing recovery and help struggling business owners nationwide, Congress last week approved legislation that will extend the first-time home buyer tax credit beyond its Nov. 30 deadline and expand it to a wider group of home buyers. The bill also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs).
T…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on November 23, 2009 at 4:00pm —
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Consumer interest has grown significantly over the years for homes that offer energy-efficiency and cost-savings — that also have minimal environmental impact on the earth. But will they pay for it?
According to a recent survey of more than 500 builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the answer is, not necessarily.
“Although we are seeing significant interest in green building, cost effectiveness is clearly a key concern among home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson,…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on November 23, 2009 at 12:50pm —
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 - Nationwide housing production fell 10.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000 units in October as builders awaited word on whether an important home buyer incentive would be extended, according to data released today by the U.S. Commerce Department.
"As of October, the deadline for starting a home that could be completed in time for purchasers to take advantage of the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit had come and gone, and builders had no clear sig…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on November 18, 2009 at 12:52pm —
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 - The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is spreading the word to consumers about an important new law that extends and expands an attractive tax incentive for potential home buyers. The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, signed into law by President Obama on Nov. 6, extends the deadline for the first-time home buyer tax credit and gives a larger group of home buyers the chance to take advantage of this government program.
"The tax credit h…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on November 17, 2009 at 11:37am —
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - Nationwide housing production remained virtually unchanged in September, edging up half of a percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 590,000 units, according to U.S. Commerce Department figures released today. Meanwhile, issuance of new building permits, an indicator of future construction activity, fell by 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted 573,000 units.
"Builders are being extremely cautious right now in their efforts to maintain a modest inventory of new home…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on October 21, 2009 at 9:31am —
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 - In order to create hundreds of thousands of badly needed jobs and move the economy to higher ground, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to extend and expand the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit set to expire at the end of next month.
Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe warned that builders are reporting that business generated by entry-level buyers is already declining because it is…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on October 21, 2009 at 9:30am —
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Get 2 free tickets to the Showcase of Remodeled Homes when you become a friend of the HBAGTA on Facebook! Visit
www.facebook.com/hbagta Continue
Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on October 2, 2009 at 11:26am —
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By Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D.
NAHB Senior Economist, Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D., gave a presentation to the Home Builders Association of Peoria, Ill., about the economic benefits of the remodeling industry.
While I often give presentations to builders and politicians about how important new home building is to the local economy, last month I had, for the first time, the pleasure of extolling the many virtues of remodeling and how important it is! The event was the summer meeting of the Remodelers of…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on September 28, 2009 at 12:45pm —
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 - Following four months of solid gains, sales of newly built, single-family homes edged up by less than one percent in August as the window for an important buyer incentive began to close, according to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department today. Sales posted a meager 0.7 percent gain to a seasonally adjusted, annual rate of 429,000 units for the month.
"With the $8,000 home buyer tax credit set to expire at the end of November, prospects for being able to purchase…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on September 28, 2009 at 12:42pm —
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 - Nearly two-thirds of single-family home builders are reporting a severe lack of credit for housing production, threatening the fragile housing recovery before it has time to take hold, according to a new builder survey of acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) financing conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
"Across the country, home builders and developers are reporting a deterioration in credit availability and intensifying pressure…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on September 28, 2009 at 12:41pm —
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Showcase of Remodeled Homes Contract
The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area announced they are planning a new event this year showcasing Remodeling Projects. The event is scheduled for October 3 & 4, 2009 in the Greater Grand Traverse Region and is open to all types of remodel projects including kitchens, bathr…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on July 16, 2009 at 3:30pm —
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Learn about these top 10 energy wasters and savers.
Compact Fluorescent Lighting
One of the easiest things you can do is to change your light bulbs. It’s best to switch out incandescent bulbs with CFLs in areas that are lit for extended periods of time, typically two hours or longer. Switching a CFL on and off too frequently will shorten its life.
CFLs are four times more efficient (using 50 to 80 percent less energy) and last up to 10 times longer than typical incandescents, which hav…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on July 1, 2009 at 11:24am —
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Participating in a June 2 business roundtable hosted by Vice President Joe Biden to promote the benefits of the economic stimulus package enacted into law earlier this year, NAHB Chairman Joe Robson said that the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit has helped to arrest a slide in housing sales, but much more needs to be done to get back to anything resembling a healthy housing market.
The event, which took place at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business in New York, also featured New Yo…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 29, 2009 at 12:49pm —
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WASHINGTON, June 22 - Using foreclosed and distressed sales as comparables with appraisals on single-family homes without adequately reflecting the differences in the condition of the respective properties is needlessly driving down home values, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
"Any home buyer can recognize the difference between a well-kept home and a distressed property that is damaged or not properly maintained. So it only makes sense that an appraiser should be…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 22, 2009 at 8:31pm —
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Leaders in the movement toward sustainability in housing and other industries told last month’s NAHB Green Building Conference in Dallas that the marketplace is in a period of transition and that home builders should be gearing up to fill demand fo…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 15, 2009 at 7:02pm —
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WASHINGTON, June 15 - New regulatory guidance designed to streamline the Federal Housing Administration's approval process for condominiums nationwide is expected to have an immediate impact in the state of Michigan, where single-family projects are frequently developed under a condominium structure, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
While most of the new rules announced on June 12 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will not take effect until Oc…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 15, 2009 at 5:21pm —
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Upgrade Your Deck or Patio
The backyard barbecue was designed to exude friendliness and informality. But don't let appearances fool you-sophisticated outdoor kitchens like this one offer many of the same conveniences as the indoor variety.
A gas-fired, covered grill on your patio can easily handle spareribs, salmon steaks, shish kebabs, or anything else you fancy, while separate burners allow companion dishes to heat up at the same time. There's a refrigerator to keep foods at ready and…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 11, 2009 at 12:27pm —
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Michigan Consumers Cannot Take Advantage of First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit
Until Bureaucratic Roadblocks Are Removed
LANSING AND FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – June 4, 2009 – US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced this week that the agency has implemented rules that will allow first-time homebuyers to use an $8,000 tax credit to help cover closing costs on an FHA-insured home. That’s great news for homebuyers across the country but may be just one mo…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 10, 2009 at 3:13pm —
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Everything seems to be "going green" these days - from cars, to companies, to coffee. However, sometimes it can be hard to tell what that really means, especially when it comes to your current or future home.
Building green means incorporating environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the home building and land development process to minimize environmental impact. During the design, construction, and operation of a home, energy and water efficiency, lot development…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 10, 2009 at 3:07pm —
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The most important part of any remodeling project is making sure you don't go over your budget. Doing so can lead to settling for unexpected options, disagreements with contractors and worst case, an unfinished room!
This is why the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is providing homeowners with a few simple guidelines to follow when remodeling, especially during National Kitchen & Bath Month this October. Follow the steps below from the NKBA to make sure your remodel is everyth…
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Posted by Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area on June 10, 2009 at 8:00am —
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