This year we saw a record low number of natural-disaster events in the U.S., despite a few highly publicized storms – such as the twisters that ravaged Central Illinois – according to CoreLogic’s annual Natural Hazard Risk Summary and Analysis. … Continue reading
Yearly Archives: 2013
Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 25.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 444,000 units in October, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The government … Continue reading
There are four categories of electric industry consumers traced by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); residential, commercial, industrial and transportation. Residential consumers account for the largest share of electric sales at 37.2% with commercial consumers a close second at … Continue reading
Builders are blaming lawmakers in Washington, D.C. for the mounting challenges facing the new-home sector. “Policy and economic uncertainty is undermining consumer confidence,” says NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. Despite the challenges, builder confidence held steady in November, with slightly … Continue reading
Final actions on more than 2,000 proposed code changes for the 2015 editions of the International Code Council’s International Residential Code (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and other I-Codes were decided in Atlantic City, NJ in late October. The … Continue reading
As the weather changes and the temperature begins to fall, the importance of home insulation and energy efficiency becomes a priority for many homeowners. We are happy to provide some advice on how best to use cellulose insulation along with … Continue reading
Minimizing air movement in and out of a house is key to building an energy-efficient home. Controlling air leakage is also critical to moisture control. It is always best to use techniques and materials identified as best practices for your … Continue reading
The housing market is finding its center again, showing signs of greater balance, according to the National Housing Trend Report. The analysis finds year-over-year trends revealing strong gains in median list prices and declines in days on the market. “Our … Continue reading
With home prices and household formations rising and household balance sheets healing, the ongoing housing recovery is expected to gain momentum next year as several challenges remain. Helping spur the housing rebound was a double-digit increase in home prices over … Continue reading
In 2005, Congress established a number of energy-efficiency tax incentives related to housing. These policies include the tax code section 45L credit for construction of energy-efficient homes, the 25C credit for retrofitting homes, and the 25D credit for the installation … Continue reading