Residential construction company owners have a lot to lose sleep over these days. First, there’s the decrease of work — a year ago, business may have been booming. Now, it’s barely limping along in many parts of the country. Then there are the building costs — many materials have gotten more expensive, which isn’t helping. And reports keep pushing the end of the housing slump further and further into 2008, showing no relief on the immediate horizon. Which is why many construction small business owners may be wondering what things they can do to help business run as smoothly as…

We waited and we watched … we heard progress reports about the pilot program and whisperings that a final set of guidelines would be announced in fall … and finally, our LEED for Homes wish was supposed to be granted last Friday when the U.S. Green Building Council was set to unveil the official LEED for Homes program at the Greenbuild conference. But did they? The USGBC has launched a new LEED for Homes Web site — that I can confirm. And while it appears the site still needs a bit of work — I had problems downloading the program…

They’ve hinted at it before, using terms like " will likely slow." But yesterday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a speech — after months of a sluggish housing market, inconsistent spending and other brow-furrowing economic events — that the economy is expected to noticeably slow in the coming months. Just in time for the holidays! That should thrill the retail industry (sorry, guys.) The immediate result? The dollar hit a new low against the euro today and dropped further from the British pound, CNNMoney.com reported. That brings the dollar down more than 11 percent against the euro since the…

Apple’s iPhone was a huge hit — 1.1 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter. And while it may not appear to be a likely way to sell real estate, REALTOR.com is ringing up potential homebuyers using what may be this season’s hottest tech accessory. REALTOR.com, the National Association of Realtors’ Web site, decided to utilize the iPhone’s popularity and create a search capability compatible with the iPhone. Using their phone browser, iPhone owners can access listings at http://iphone.realtor.com, search by neighborhood, view photos, property info and listing agent contact information. This isn’t the site’s first foray into cell phones:…

Yesterday we started to discuss how several U.S. cities — and studies — indicate remodeling may be rosier than anyone expected. The Sunshine State Swells. In Florida — one of the states hardest hit but the housing decline — the Manatee County Building Department in August reported that 88 percent of its issued building permits were for additions and other home renovations. Those projects included new pools, fencing, air conditioners, additions — and that number does not include redecorating/remodeling projects that do not require a permit (basically new structures, according to the city of Bradenton) the Bradenton Herald reports. The…

New home construction: Down. New home sales: Also down. They dropped 1.5 percent at the end of September to the fewest amount since early 2006. But before you start thinking the only happening real estate in the U.S. involves tents and lean-tos, consider the recent slightly hopeful remodeling news. Yes, it seems somewhat unlikely that has home values decrease, owners would pour money into fixing up their abodes. But that’s what some recent numbers indicate. Take, for example, the 2006 survey of home electronics installing/dealer firms that found 52 percent of their revenue came from new construction and 48 percent…

Yesterday, we discussed some ways to cut costs and improve real estate agents’ profits. Increasingly, that involves going online. For example, the Baltimore Sun reported recently that one in five agents/brokers say they have a blog; one out of four use social-networking site like MySpace, according to a real estate advertising survey released in October by Classified Intelligence and Realty Times. (And by the way, neither strategy even showed up last year on the survey.) On the heels of that chat, I came across a press release on BusinessWire about agents and marketing. According to survey company Constant Contact, Inc.,…

This week, Denver, Colo.-based Real Trends, a residential brokerage analysis company, released a report that said real estate agent commission rates had risen last year — and are likely higher this year, too, although it’s too early to offer finite data. If your reaction to that was "How is that possible?" — well, so was mine. All the agents I know are having one of their worst-ever years, dealing with hesitant buyers who will get to the bid stage and decide to "just hold off for another six months;" willing buyers with credit issues that are blocking them from getting…

The Fed late today announced another quarter-point rate cut, bringing short term rates to 4.5 percent. It was a move widely expected by the financial community — but not necessarily among the Fed, who did not vote unanimously for the cut. (For the record, Bernanke supported it.) Why? Well, for one, growth isn’t slowing — and neither is consumer spending, according to recent Commerce Department data, which, despite the dour housing situation, makes home value, price and sales declines less of a concern for the Fed. And yet — there is concern the economy will slow, hence the rate cut….

McGraw-Hill Construction, in conjunction with the National Association of Home Builders, recently released a report on residential green building trends. And it seems green building may be one of the most successful word-of-mouth marketing campaigns of the past few years, according to the CNNMoney.com article talking points. The major findings of the report include: The green homes market is expected to rise from $2 billion to possibly $20 billion over the next five years(!) Pre-existing home remodeling jobs are including 40% green products. Green homeowners are recommending their sustainable home offerings much more than other industries are being recommended. Operating…