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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.

RSS NAHB Now

  • Key Environmental Review Reforms in the ROAD to Housing Act
    The recently enacted 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes a key NAHB-backed provision that will streamline environmental reviews, reduce permitting delays and provide greater certainty for builders.
  • NGBS: An Alternative Energy Code Compliance Option
    As energy efficiency mandates are becoming more difficult and costly to meet, the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) is emerging as an attractive alternative. Alternative code compliance options - like NGBS Green - are beneficial to local jurisdictions and builders alike, as they provide compliance flexibility without compromising energy performance, and can streamline permitting processes and timelines.
  • Fall Recruitment Competition Set to Begin Sept. 1
    Builder and Associate members will work to recruit as many new members as they can by Nov. 30. Winners can earn prizes including LG laundry products and 2027 International Builders' Show perks.
  • 2027 Building Codes Finalized: Big Changes Ahead for Off-Site Construction and Flood Resistance
    The International Code Council recently released the final results of the Public Comment Hearings and Online Governmental Consensus Vote. This marks the final stage of the 2024-2026 code development cycle leading to the 2027 International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC) and the other 2027 I-Codes.
  • 3 Ways to Maximize Your 2027 IBS Registration
    Registration for the 2027 International Builders’ Show (IBS), taking place Feb. 2-4 in Las Vegas, opens Sept. 1. Make the most of your IBS experience by adding education courses, special events and more when you register.

Upcoming Meetings & Events

New Members

RSS Eye On Housing

  • Multifamily Absorption Rate Remains Below 50%
    The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion was down five percentage points in the first quarter, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA). An apartment or condo unit is considered absorbed into the market when it is […]
  • Small Decline for Single-Family Home Size
    New single-family home size had been falling since 2015 in response to declining affordability conditions. An exception occurred in 2021, when new home size increased as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as mortgage interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023 and affordability worsened, demand shifted back toward smaller homes. This trend appears to be […]
  • PCE Inflation Remains Sticky
    The latest report shows the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge remains sticky in July, complicating the Fed’s path to its long-term 2% target. Meanwhile, consumer spending remains resilient but is showing signs of slowing, with real consumer spending unchanged in July. Households are pulling back on spending amid persistent inflation. The headline Personal Consumption Expenditure […]
  • Multifamily Missing Middle Falls Back
    Multifamily missing middle construction declined during the second quarter of 2026. The missing middle construction sector includes development of medium-density housing, such as townhouses, duplexes and other small multifamily properties. The multifamily segment of the missing middle (apartments in 2- to 4-unit properties) has generally disappointed since the Great Recession. For the second quarter of 2026, there […]
  • Economic Uncertainty, Affordability Challenges Weigh on New Home Sales
    Elevated borrowing costs, rising inflation and broad economic uncertainty continue to curb buyer demand and hold back new home sales. Sales of newly built single-family homes declined 10.5% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 607,000, following a sharply upwardly revised June estimate, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of […]