Construction companies give back feature article — Nov. 21

Thanksgiving is typically a time when charities kick into high gear in order to provide meals and other items to those in need during the holiday season. From food drives to walkathons to house-building forays in Mexico, construction companies across the nation give back to their communities — and beyond — all year. In our feature article on Monday, Nov. 21, we'll round up stories of how global and local companies are giving back.

Future of the Field feature article — Nov. 22

In the next installment of our interview series with emerging professionals in construction, we talked with Eliza Horstman, 32, a project manager for real estate development and construction firm Lendlease. Horstman touted the importance of mentorship and diversity in helping get her own career off the ground, and called on AEC businesses to focus on those areas to attract and retain younger workers.

Existing-home sales — Nov. 22

The National Association of Realtors will release its October existing-home sales numbers on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Last month, the NAR reported that sales of previously owned homes rose 3.2% from August to September, continuing the category’s stop-and-go upward trend in 2016.

September’s gains came on the strength of first-time buyers, which accounted for their largest share of sales (34%) in more than four years. Similarly, Realtor.com noted that more than half of individuals looking for a home in September were first timers, and that category typically targets previously-owned homes. Will October’s report show this group — which still hovers below its pre-recession sales share — continuing to buy homes?

New-home sales — Nov. 23

Single-family home sales have been on the rise this year, ebbing in August following a robust July and increasing again in September. But the overall picture is one of uncertainty, as single-family continues to lag the other construction categories in recovery. Homebuilders are confident that the market for single-family homes will continue to grow and have cited the incoming presidential administration’s proposals around tax and housing finance reform and deregulation as a potential boon for new construction.