Welcome to the Athens Area Home Builders Association
The Athens Area Home Builders Association is a non-profit professional trade association made up of member companies, representing residential and light commercial builders, subcontractors, suppliers, and many other service providers to the building industry throughout Athens-Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Stephens, and Walton Counties. Together we are the foundation for the local home-building industry - building pride in our community through interaction, commitment, professionalism, education, community service, and environmental responsibility.
NAHB Now
- Remodeling Market Sentiment Edges Down but Remains Positive in First QuarterThe National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the first quarter, posting a reading of 62. While this reading is down two points from the previous quarter, it is still solidly in positive territory.
- Watch Livestream of Virtual Spring Board of Directors MeetingThe NAHB Board of Directors will convene virtually on Tuesday, April 14, at 10 a.m. ET. A livestream is available on nahb.org for NAHB members and HBA executive officers who would like to observe the meeting.
- Tuition-Free Alabama Trades Academy Backed by Key Community SupportAs part of a statewide effort to expand trades education, the Home Builders Association of Metro Mobile (HBAMM) launched the South Alabama Homebuilding Academy (SAHA), an eight-week, tuition-free program to prepare adults for careers in residential construction.
- ICC Public Comment Hearings on Proposed Building Code Changes Begin April 19The International Code Council (ICC) will hold its combined Public Comment Hearings for the 2024-2027 code cycle beginning April 19 in Hartford, Conn. NAHB members interested in building codes are encouraged to attend or watch a livestream of the hearings.
- Trump Seeks Nearly $11 Billion Cut to HUD ProgramsPresident Trump has proposed a budget that would cut non-defense discretionary spending by $73 billion for fiscal year 2027, which runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. The spending reductions include a $10.7 billion cut — about 13% — for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Upcoming Meetings & Events
New Members
Eye On Housing
- Remodeling Market Sentiment Edges Down but Remains Positive in First QuarterIn the first quarter of 2026, the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 62, down two points compared to the previous quarter. Despite this decline, the overall reading has been solidly in positive territory since Q1 2020. Remodeler sentiment remained generally positive in the first quarter, even as many remodelers are still working […]
- Remodelers Saw Profit Margin Gains in 2024Profitability for residential remodelers reached its highest level in more than two decades in 2024. Industry-wide profit benchmarks are important because they allow companies to evaluate their financial performance in context with the industry. Doing so can guide resource allocation, budgeting, and target setting for costs and expense lines, leading to a more successful business […]
- Rising Rates Weigh on Mortgage ActivityMortgage application activity decreased month-over-month as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, declined 4.3% from February on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 30.8% higher than a year earlier. Applications for adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) also decreased 4.5% month-over-month, while their […]
- Which States and Construction Trades Depend the Most on Immigrant Workers?Immigrants’ share of the construction workforce reached a record high in 2024, with foreign-born workers accounting for more than a quarter of the industry’s labor force (26.3%). The share is even higher among construction trades, for which one in three craftsmen is foreign-born. In several states, reliance on foreign-born labor is especially pronounced: immigrants make […]
- Job Growth Rebounds in MarchThe U.S. labor market showed signs of a modest rebound in March following a weak February, as payroll employment increased and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.3%. Job growth was led by healthcare, construction, and transportation and warehousing. However, signs of cooling are emerging. Job openings posted their largest decline in nearly a year […]
