Journal of Light Construction: Marketing & Selling

Investors Start Snapping Up New Houses for Rentals, Not Just Foreclosures

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:25:13 EST

Big private equity firms that started out buying up foreclosures as investment properties are now moving into the new home market.

California Builders Say Help is Getting Harder to Find

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:03:10 EST

Economic health is returning to the California homebuilding industry. What’s not returning? The skilled workers.

Social Skills

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:24:05 EST

The hottest marketing tools out there are in social media. Think of it as word-of-mouth on steroids.

Florida: Are Small Builders Being Squeezed Out?

Thu, 2 May 2013 09:34:28 EST

Small independent builders say they can’t get equal access to land or financing in Florida’s hot housing market.

California Foreclosures Plunge In First Quarter

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:34:43 EST

A new “homeowner bill of rights” law in California appears to have cut the state’s foreclosure rate significantly.

$700 Million in Katrina Elevation Grants Unaccounted For

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:37:29 EST

An Inspector General report says more than half a billion dollars in Hurricane Katrina relief money may have been misspent. Most Katrina victims who were awarded $30,000 apiece to elevate their houses never documented that the work was done.

Sandy Aid Money Not Yet Flowing

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 01:51:00 EST

Congress authorized funding for Hurricane Sandy emergency relief in January. But the actual money hasn’t started flowing yet.

Builders Hampered By Labor Scarcity As Demand For Homes Surges

Thu, 4 Apr 2013 09:52:16 EST

Sales and prices are up, and inventories are low. Builders need to boost production, but the supply of skilled trades is tight.

Materials Prices Jump As Housing Takes Off

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:17:42 EST

As homebuilding starts to surge, materials prices are surging too.

Savannah Builders See a Warm Spring Season Ahead

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:43:28 EST

”PVC farms” at the stalled developments around Savannah, Georgia, may finally start bearing fruit this spring.

Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit Extended

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:36:22 EST

The New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit was extended to the end of 2013.

Labor Shortages May Stifle Construction Rebound

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:31:30 EST

It’s early yet, but signs of a tight labor market are already starting to show.

Gauging Sandy's Economic Impact

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 09:50:13 EST

Sandy has been a drag on the U.S. economy. But will the long-run effect be good for the region?

Sandy Aid Package Passes, But Money Flows Slowly

Tue, 5 Feb 2013 09:50:30 EST

After months of political maneuvering, Congress has acted on a relief package for the region impacted by Superstorm Sandy, but there is no telling when the money authorized by Congress will actually reach the people who need it.

Dogged by Slow Foreclosures, Florida Rebound Lags

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 10:52:12 EST

Florida is the slowest of the so-called “sand states” to emerge from the housing recession. One reason is the sluggish pace of court action on foreclosures.

South Carolina: Coastal and Inland Counties Compete for Scarce Road Funds

Mon, 7 Jan 2013 03:27:01 EST

South Carolina’s upcoming legislative session could feature a battle over funding for highway and bridge construction and maintenance.

Arizona: Builder Sets Up Showroom In Phoenix Airport

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 10:49:51 EST

Call it a “snowbird feeder.” Hoping to attract buyers from among the thousands of travelers who visit sunny Phoenix, Arizona during the winter, area builder Fulton Homes has set up a showroom right in the airport.

Congress Fails to Pass Sandy Aid Package

Wed, 2 Jan 2013 11:05:33 EST

The House of Representatives recessed on Wednesday without acting on emergency aid for the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Sandy Recovery Effort Struggles In a Political Season

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 04:02:28 EST

Emergency legislation to provide funding for hurricane recovery is bogged down in the lame-duck Congress, as Democrats and Republicans spar over the details

New York City Still Struggling to Recover

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:23:51 EST

Almost six weeks after Hurricane Sandy slammed into New York City, parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island are still reeling from the blow.