http://www.rdbmagazine.com RDBMagazine.com en-us Copyright 2010 Cygnus Business Media Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:05:05 -0500 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:05:05 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com RDBMagazine.com http://www.rdbmagazine.com/global/rsslogo.jpg 88 31 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Slow-lead-safety-certification-may-derail-Home-Star/1$3975 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Slow-lead-safety-certification-may-derail-Home-Star/1$3975 Rules effective April 22 governing contractors in homes where lead paint may be present could prevent meaningful retrofit work from being done because there won't be enough certified renovation contractors trained in the federal Environmental Protection Agency's new Lead Safe Work Practices. To make such a program work, the April 22 deadline for compliance with the EPA lead rule must be extended, says the NAHB. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:17:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/US-foreclosure-activity-decreases-2-percent-in-February/1$3976 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/US-foreclosure-activity-decreases-2-percent-in-February/1$3976 Foreclosure filings were reported on 308,524 U.S. properties during the month, a decrease of 2 percent from the previous month but still 6 percent above the level reported in February 2009. The report also shows one in every 418 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in February. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:17:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Pending-home-sales-drop-76-percent-in-January/1$3963 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Pending-home-sales-drop-76-percent-in-January/1$3963 The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in January, fell 7.6 percent to 90.4 from an upwardly revised 97.8 in December, but remains 12.3 percent higher than January 2009, when it was 80.5. January pending sales, though still higher than one year ago, remain much lower than expected given that a large number of potential buyers are eligible for the expanded home buyer tax credit. Moreover, the abnormally severe and prolonged winter weather, which affected large regions of the U.S., hampered shopping activity in February. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:12:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Existing-home-sales-down--prices-steady-/1$3951 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Existing-home-sales-down--prices-steady-/1$3951 Existing-home sales — including single-family, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops — dropped 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million units in January from a revised 5.44 million in December, but remain 11.5 percent above the 4.53 million-unit level in January 2009. rss@rdbmagazine.com Sun, 7 Mar 2010 10:43:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/New-home-sales-decline-in-January/1$3950 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/New-home-sales-decline-in-January/1$3950 Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 11.2 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units, the slowest pace on record. This disappointing report highlights just how fragile the economic and housing recovery is right now, and the uncertainties that continue to weigh on consumers, particularly with regard to concerns about job security. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:04:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Consumer-confidence-drops-nearly-11-points/1$3948 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Consumer-confidence-drops-nearly-11-points/1$3948 Consumer confidence dropped sharply in February. Concerns about current business conditions and the job market pushed the Present Situation Index down to its lowest level in 27 years. Consumers’ short-term outlook also took a turn for the worse, with fewer consumers anticipating an improvement in business conditions and the job market over the next six months. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:51:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Housing-starts-rise-in-January/1$3923 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Housing-starts-rise-in-January/1$3923 Nationwide housing production hit its strongest pace in the last six months this January, posting a 2.8 percent gain to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 591,000 units. Builders are starting to see the positive impacts of home buyer tax credits and other favorable buying conditions in terms of consumer demand, and are cautiously increasing production to meet that demand. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:21:00 -0500 Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Confidence-in-home-values-shrinks-to-lowest-level/1$3922 http://www.rdbmagazine.com/web/online/Industry-News/Confidence-in-home-values-shrinks-to-lowest-level/1$3922 American homeowners' confidence in their homes' values during the fourth quarter of 2009 fell to the lowest level in seven quarters, with just one in five or 20 percent believing their homes' values increased during 2009. In reality, 28 percent of homes increased in value during the year. Half of homeowners believe their own homes lost value during 2009, while 30 percent believed their homes' values stayed the same. rss@rdbmagazine.com Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:53:00 -0500 Industry News RDBMagazine.com: Industry News http://www.rdbmagazine.com/online/section.jsp?siteSection=1 http://www.rdbmagazine.com rss@rdbmagazine.com Tue, 1 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500