MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Huttig Building Products, Inc.
Acquires BenBilt Building Systems
Huttig Building Products, Inc., one of the nation’s largest wholesale distributors of millwork and specialty building products used principally in new residential construction and home improvement, announced the acquisition of BenBilt Building Systems (“BenBilt”), a leading wholesale distributor and door fabricator serving customers in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Read more at HUTTIG
HOUSING INDUSTRY
Study: 33 Million Homeowners
Plan Renovations this Year
A survey from Bankrate.com released Tuesday reports 36 million homeowners are planning to renovate their homes in the next 12 months. The most mentioned plans in the survey involve work on driveways, decks, patios, pools, landscaping or fencing; next were new flooring, new windows, roofing or siding.
“With more homeowners deciding to make upgrades to their homes this year, it’s a sure sign that they’re generally feeling more secure about the economy and in the housing market as well,” said Mike Cetera, Bankrate.com’s personal loans and credit analyst. “It’s refreshing to see, especially since it wasn’t too long ago that the housing market crashed.”
Read more at BUILDER
Construction Employment
Grows Faster in New England and the Pacific
According to the Regional and State Employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall construction employment is growing relatively faster in states in New England and the Pacific Division.
The number of new residential housing starts depends on both supply and demand considerations. Housing demand supports rental and owner-occupied residential construction. However, housing supply is dependent, in part, on the ability of builders to obtain and contract with workers. These employment effects in turn generate economic benefits for local economies.
Read more at NAHB Eye On Housing
Efficiency, Sustainability
Top Goals of 2015 Texas Remodeling Projects
The most popular Texas home remodeling projects in 2015 were those that increased a home’s sustainability, according to the Texas Remodel Valuation Report released today by the Texas Association of Realtors. The report analyzes the project recoup costs in 2015 for 30 different remodeling projects nationwide, in the West South Central U.S., and in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, McAllen and San Antonio.
Read more at REMODELING
OSHA’s Silica Rule Faces Legal Challenge
The construction industry is not going away quietly regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) controversial final crystalline silica rule.
Read more at DWM
CoreLogic: Home Prices Nationwide
Continue To Rise
Home prices nationwide, including distressed sales, increased year over year by 6.8% in February 2016 compared with February 2015 and increased month over month by 1.1% in February 2016 compared with January 2016, according to the most recent report from housing data services provider, CoreLogic.
Read more at HOUSINGWIRE
Federal Open Market Committee
March Meeting – Expect an April Freeze
The minutes from the March meeting of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy setting committee, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), provide details of the deliberations regarding assessments of the current state of the economy and the anticipated pace of future increases to the target range for federal funds rate. April is off the table, the funds rate will be frozen at the December level until at least the June meeting.
Read more at NAHB Eye On Housing
WMA WEBSITE TIP OF THE WEEK
RECRUITMENT PROGRAM
Join the dedicated members who are already participating in WMA’s Membership Recruitment Program. Membership growth provides great opportunity to strengthen the WMA and broaden business relationships.
Membership Recruitment Incentives
- Complimentary Convention Registration
- Complimentary Hotel Room Nights
- Exhibit Booth Space Rebate
- Complimentary Booth Space
