Housing Developments

The Labor Department has proposed a new rule that will change the way independent contractors are classified. This could have a huge impact on home builders, as they are often called "contractors." We'll see what's in the text.

The availability of water may be a factor in deciding where new homes are built, according to a new poll by Morning Consult commissioned by NAHB. Many homeowners think the location of new homes will be impacted by how much water is available.

State and local governments are beginning to take bold action on the housing crisis. The study referenced in the episode can be found athttps://csba.org/workforcehousing.

Housing affordability is now front and center in the minds of most policymakers, especially as rents rise. Solutions are popping up all over the country. Articles referenced in today's episode: https://www.texastribune.org/2022/10/06/texas-housing-crisis-shelters/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/california-accessory-dwelling-units-legalization-yimby/671648/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/housing-conversions-will-be-a-fix-for-empty-officesbut-not-yet-11664883720 https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/3673397-a-three-point-proposal-for-bipartisan-action-on-affordable-housing/

The labor market is beginning to weaken as the economy slows due to monetary policy, but the construction labor market remains robust. Also, an interesting op-ed in the New York Times today explores what California is doing to address their housing crisis. Read it at https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/opinion/california-housing-crisis.html.

Material prices are declining, but these price drops are happening for a reason - namely, lower spending on single-family construction.

Congress averted a government shutdown late last week with temporary funding, per usual, and damage assessment from Hurricane Ian reveals the importance, and limitations, of building codes.

Weekly wrap up the biggest news in housing, plus the Supreme Court is slated to hear a case involving Waters of the U.S., a big deal for developers.

The impact of Hurricane Ian is just beginning to become apparent as the sun rises. NAHB has disaster response resources to help local HBAs and builders rebuild devastated homes. And the first webinar on the Inflation Reduction Act was held yesterday.

While new home sales were up last month, contract cancellations also spiked. And if the economy does slip into recession, could that help the real estate industry going into 2023?

New single-family home sales surged in August. But there's a pretty big catch with those numbers.

Rents are starting to fall in many areas of the country, following home prices. And Congress focuses on avoiding a government shutdown this week.

A quick recap of a very busy week in housing news.

The day the Fed raised interest rates another 0.75, NAHB CEO Jerry Howard attended a high-level policy meeting at the White House.

Happy Fed interest rate hike day! Everyone knows rates are going up today, but what will Chair Powell say in his remarks? Also, home sales are turning south.

Housing starts increased in August by a surprising amount. What was behind the uptick? It was probably just a correction...and lots of apartments being built.

To kick off a busy week for housing data, the NAHB/Wells Fargo HMI fell for a ninth straight month, and is underwater at 46. Hear more about the economic indicator in today's Daily Drill.

With all the talk of the national housing market, how are individual local real estate markets projected to fare over the next year?

Jerry Howard and Jim Tobin talk with Kevin Harris, of AGS Stainless, about the benefits of offsite fabrication of metal products in home building. Tune in to learn how the innovative products help streamline the construction process during the industry's skilled labor shortage.

What impact would a rail strike have on housing if a deal isn't finalized today? Significant, as home builders rely on railroads to deliver lumber.