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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

  • HUD Releases New HOME and HTF Energy Standards Following NAHB Win
    Following key code victories secured by NAHB earlier this year, HUD has revised the energy standards that HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) Participating Jurisdictions and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) grantees must meet for newly constructed housing.
  • Affordability Pressures Keep Builder Confidence Low
    Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes inched up one point to 35 in August, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.
  • Administration Acts on 3 Key NAHB Deregulatory Priorities
    Two regulations will become effective under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Aug. 20, and a third final rule rescinding the ESA’s 45-year-old “harm” regulatory definition becomes effective next month.
  • Key Land-Use and Zoning Provisions in Landmark Housing Law
    The newly enacted 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop voluntary federal guidelines for state and local zoning best practices. Although not mandatory, the guidelines will help shape how communities are evaluated for federal grants and give states a model for developing their own enabling legislation.
  • Construction Employment Rises Amid a Cooling Labor Market
    The overall labor market continued to lose momentum in July, with nonfarm payrolls falling by 23,000 and previous job gains revised sharply lower.

Upcoming Meetings & Events

New Members

RSS Eye On Housing

  • Consumer Credit Slowed in Q2 
    In the second quarter of 2026, consumer credit growth slowed over the quarter and was lower than a year ago. According to the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit Report, total outstanding U.S. consumer credit reached $5.17 trillion in the second quarter of 2026. This marked a 2.60% increase at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) from the first quarter. Compared to a year ago, the total outstanding credit amount was 2.43% higher.  Nonrevolving Credit   Nonrevolving credit, which is primarily made up of student and auto […]
  • Affordability Pressures Keep Builder Confidence Low
    Builder sentiment remains muted from economic and geopolitical uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates and rising construction costs. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes inched up one point to 35 in August, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). August marked the 16th straight month that […]
  • Single-Family Permitting Declines Through June in Contrast to Multifamily
    Single-family permitting activity continued to weaken through the first half of 2026, while multifamily permitting remained somewhat stronger compared with the same period last year. Over the first six months of the year, the number of single-family permits issued nationwide reached 465,301. Compared with the same period in 2025, this represents a 4.2 percent decline […]
  • Cost of Credit for Builders Up Since the End of 2025
    Credit conditions on loans for residential Land Acquisition, Development & Construction (AD&C) were still tightening in the second quarter of 2026, according to NAHB’s quarterly survey on AD&C Financing. The net easing index derived from the survey posted a second-quarter reading of -12.0 (the negative number indicating net tightening). This marks the eighteenth consecutive quarter […]
  • Building Material Prices Show Growth In July
    Residential building material prices, excluding energy, rose 0.4% in July and were up 5.0% from a year ago. Energy prices fell again in July but remained significantly higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, prices for services were down 0.3% over the month but were 6.2% higher than a year ago. The Producer Price Index for […]