Articles

U.S. floor coverings demand could increase in the fourth quarter due to the steep drop in interest rates in the second and third quarters of 2019. Declining interest rates has given a boost to U.S. home sales in the third quarter of 2019 for the first time in over a year. Rising home sales, especially in the important re-sale market, has historically stimulated residential floor coverings sales. Read More

Sales of newly built, single-family homes increased 7.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 713,000 units in August off a revised upward reading in July, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. On a year-to-date basis, new home sales for 2019 are 6.4 percent higher than the same period in 2018. Read More

Led by a surge in multifamily production, total housing starts rose 12.3 percent in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million units from an upwardly revised reading in July, according to a report from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development and Commerce Department. This is the highest level since May 2007. Read More

"Low interest rates and solid demand continue to fuel builders' sentiments even as they continue to grapple with ongoing supply-side challenges that hinder housing affordability, including a shortage of lots and labor," said NAHB chairman Greg Ugalde, a home builder and developer from Torrington, Conn.   Read More

More and more companies are offering their employees the option of regularly or occasionally telecommuting. While this trend presents a lot of advantages to both employees and employers, there are also some emerging concerns. However, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting often obscure the real reason that it is growing in popularity, which is that employers need to attract workers, but often have limits to the compensation that they can offer. Instead, what they can provide is quality of life benefits, and telecommuting is one of these popular but affordable options Read More

Flooring Market Value to Surpass $450 Billion by 2024 September 6, 2019 from Floor Trends Selbyville, Del. — The global flooring industry is expected to cross $450… Read More

Pending home sales fell in July, reversing course on two consecutive months of gains, according to the National Association of Realtors. Of the four major regions, each reported a drop in contract activity, although the greatest decline came in the West. Read More

In a possible sign of economic softening in the industrial heartland, home construction in the nation's major manufacturing areas registered declines on a year-over-year basis in the second quarter of 2019, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Home Building Geography Index (HBGI). When the manufacturing sector was exhibiting stronger growth in 2017, the rate of home construction in counties with relatively high shares of local manufacturing employment outpaced the rest of the nation. Read More

Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 12.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 635,000 units in July off a strongly revised upward reading in June, according to recently-released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. On a year-to-date basis, new home sales for 2019 are 4.1% higher than the same period in 2018. Read More

"Overall, builders and developers are reporting increased confidence in the multifamily housing market," said Gary Campbell, CEO of Gilbert G. Campbell Real Estate in Lowell, Mass., and chairman of NAHB's Multifamily Council. "However, they still have to deal with the high cost of land, labor and regulation, which could impact future production." Read More