Market Insights

On Thursday afternoon, it was announced to the entire company of Lebhar-Friedman, publishers of Home Channel News, that one of our colleagues had died suddenly and unexpectedly.

Dave Stewart was 51 years old. He was a salesman for HCN’s sister publication Chain Store Age. It is impossible to adequately celebrate any life with an appropriate degree of eloquence and reverence. But it can be helpful for the writer. So here it goes.

Existing-home sales data released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) declined slightly compared with the previous month but showed gains compared with a year ago.

February existing-home sales came in at a rate of 4.59 million, down 0.9% from 4.63 million in January. Compared with a year ago, completed transactions are 8.8% higher than February 2011.

Sales were up in the Midwest and South, offset by declines in the Northeast and West.

There are two kinds of DIY consumers: High and Low. And they’re not equal.

The Home Improvement Research Institute announced the hiring of Pam Heidel as research analyst based in HIRI’s Tampa office. 

Heidel is a former president of the board of the non-profit HIRI. Also, from 2007 to 2014, she was employed by Generac Power Systems, most recently as marketing director – digital and consumer insights. 

Heidel also worked as marketing planning manager for Broan-NuTone from 2000 through 2007.

In a far-reaching plan that covered everything from foreclosures to new mortgage agreements, President Obama unveiled a “Homeowner Bill of Rights.” Here's the White House's fact sheet. And below are readers' comments.

Lou Holtz, football coach and motivational speaker, stepped on to the stage of the International...

Ivy Zelman says there is plenty of opportunity for growth in the single-family housing market and home improvement.

Pending home sales continued to gain in November and reached the highest level in 19 months, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 7.3% to 100.1 in November from an upwardly revised 93.3 in October and is 5.9% above November 2010 when it stood at 94.5. The October upward revision resulted in a 10.4% monthly gain.