Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Under Government Takeover
It was announced this week that the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship and that the Treasury Department would provide financial support to the companies in order to stabilize the mortgage and financial markets, improve affordable housing opportunities and speed a housing recovery.

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Web Site Draws More Than 100,000 Visitors
A newly launched Web site, www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, has attracted more than 100,000 visitors, indicating that there is a strong interest among consumers to take advantage of a temporary $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of a first home, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

New-Home Sales Rise 2.4 Percent In July
Sales of newly built single-family homes rose 2.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 515,000 units in July, the Commerce Department reported recently.

Mungo Companies Makes Commitment to Environment
Mungo Companies, the Carolina’s largest family-owned home builder, is proud to announce its newest green initiative, the creation of the Congaree Creek Mitigation Bank, located in Lexington County.

Local HBA Wins NAHB Incentive
Congratulations to the Horry-Georgetown HBA for being the winner in the NAHB Certified Green Professional (CGP) incentive for having the highest number of CGP applications returned in which individuals actually qualified to receive their CGP!

Number of Certified Green Professionals in SC Increasing
The number of Certified Green Professionals is on the rise. The NAHB reports there are 56 CGP designation holders in the Palmetto State.

NAHBGreen: Open for Business with Your HBA
The NAHBGreen Affiliation Enrollment Form is now available to all state and local EOs and HBA green building program managers.

DEWALT Recalls Cordless Brad Nailers
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in cooperation with DEWALT Inc. of Towson, Md., recently issued a safety recall notice advising consumers to stop using the DEWALT DC608 Cordless Brad Nailer immediately.

Dell to Give Double Discounts in September
Dell is offering double discounts to NAHB members — and staff — from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 on an array of products designed to meet the technology needs of your company.

Omaha Steaks is Now Part of the Member Advantage and Revenue Sharing Programs
Just in time for tailgate parties, autumn cookouts and the upcoming season for family get-togethers and gift-giving, Omaha Steaks® is standing by with scrumptious values all year round.

Register to Attend the State & Local Government Affairs Conference
The State & Local Government Affairs Conference is coming up November 20 – 22 at The Peabody in Memphis, TN.

NAHB Offering 50% Discount on Courses in November!
During the month of November, The NAHB University of Housing is offering a 50% discount on student course fees.

Use Escalation Clause to Manage Pricing Increases
Staying afloat is a major concern for many of us in today's housing industry. Not only do we have to worry about business, competition, labor shortages, subcontractors and collecting our payments, we also have to worry about price increases — and not just one or two increases, but multiple increases.