Archive for April 2008
U.S. Housing Disaster–Unfortunately–Likes to Travel
An article in today’s New York Times discussed the impact that the U.S. housing crisis has had on the world–and it’s not a good one. In countries like the U.K. and Spain, housing is starting to suffer. Much has been written in recent months about British housing woes, and Ireland is experiencing a correction, as…
Read MoreDaltile’s ‘Metro Leather’ Porcelain Tile Offers Many Multifamily Applications from Flooring to Pool Linings
Combining the look of worn leather with a cement-like visual, Daltile’s new Metro Leather porcelain tile can be used for floors, walls and backsplashes, countertops and pool linings. Durable and slip-resistant, Metro Leather is available in five colors–Florence Russet, Hong Kong Brown, Milan Beige, New York Noir and Paris Gray. Decorative accents and trim pieces,…
Read MoreRecycled Surfaces from DuPont
The DuPont Corian Terra Collection of surfacings contains pre-consumer recycled material and can be used in a variety of applications including kitchen and bathroom countertops, backsplashes, wet bars, tub decks and tub and shower surrounds. Corian is non-porous and with proper cleaning resists growth of mold, mildew or bacteria.Available in 25 colors, the collection includes…
Read MoreAmericans Not Anxious to Buy Homes
Washington, D.C.–Unsure about the housing market, an increasing number of Americans say they won’t purchase a home in the near future, according to a new poll.More than a quarter of homeowners are concerned that their home will lose value in the next two years; one in seven homeowners are worried they will be unable to…
Read MoreBad Home Loans Cause $393 Million Quarterly Loss for Fourth Largest U.S. Bank
Charlotte, N.C.–Wachovia Corp.–the fourth-largest bank in the U.S.–blamed California home loans for its surprise loss and said it will increase capital by selling $7 billion of stock and cutting the dividend.After the Charlotte, N.C.-based company announced it would sell shares for $24 each–a 14 percent decline from last week’s closing price–it fell by the largest…
Read MoreU.S. Housing Wounding Real Estate, Economies in Other Countries
Dublin–The U.S. housing crisis is spreading around the world–to Ireland’s capital city, Spain and northern India–and cramping global economic growth, the New York Times reports.Irish, Spanish and British housing markets skyrocketed over the past decade, but prices are now falling–and some analysts say the countries could be in for a housing decline more severe than…
Read MoreU.S. Retail Sales Rose in March
Washington, D.C.–Retail sales in the U.S. increased last month; however, due to a sharp rise in gas sales, concern about consumer spending remains, the Financial Times reported Monday.Providing a bleak outlook for new orders, U.S. business inventories increased in February, and business sales fell by the biggest amount in more than a year, according to…
Read MoreDEAL OF THE DAY: BP America Invests $1.1 Million in Affordable Housing Grant
By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorLa Plata County, Colo.–BP America is giving a $1.1 million grant to Regional Housing Alliance of La Plata County (RHA) to establish the BP Neighbors Fund, a mortgage assistance program for families in Durango’s La Plata County, Colo.The grant from BP, to be made over two years, will finance the…
Read MoreSSJ Development Breaks Ground on Two Brooklyn Waterfront Developments
By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorNew York–SSJ Development LLC, a New York-based developer focused on waterfront living, has broken ground on two developments in Mill Basin and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. Construction is expected to be complete in one year.“I’m not changing anything. I’m revitalizing and redeveloping the waterfront, which has been abandoned in these areas,”…
Read MoreEnterprise, National Green Communities Partners Win ‘Bridge Builders’ Award
By Anuradha Kher, Online EditorColumbia, Md.–Enterprise and its national Green Communities partners were recently honored with the “Bridge Builders” Award, given in recognition of their joint efforts toward creating and preserving environmentally sustainable affordable housing.Partners for Livable Communities, a nonprofit leadership organization working to improve the livability of communities by promoting quality of life, economic…
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