Author Archives

• Lumber, OSB, and Gypsum Prices Fall in September

  By David Logan on October 10, 2018 • (0)

  

  Residential construction goods input prices reversed course in September, increasing 0.2% after declining each of the prior two months, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index for inputs to residential construction has risen 5.2% in 2018 and is 10.2% higher than it was in January 2017. Gypsum prices also reversed… Read More ›

• Lumber, OSB Prices Retreat in August as Gypsum Reaches New High

  By David Logan on September 13, 2018 • (0)

  

  Residential construction goods input prices declined, on average, in August as large monthly increases and decreases offset each other, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although the index for inputs to residential construction fell by 0.5% (not seasonally adjusted), it has increased more than twice as much in 2018 (+4.9%) as… Read More ›

  Tags: building materials prices, construction costs, Gypsum, inflation, osb, ppi, producer price index, producer prices, softwood lumber

• A Closer Look at the 20% Pass-Thru Deduction and Proposed Regulations

  By David Logan on August 30, 2018 • (0)

  

  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law in late 2017, created a new section of the tax code—199A. Section 199A provides a 20% deduction for “qualified business income” generated by pass-thru entities such as LLCs, partnerships, and S-corporations. The law went a long way to help small business owners compete, but left a bevy of unanswered questions…. Read More ›

  Tags: 199A, income tax, regulations, tax policy, tax reform

• Price Index of Goods Used in Residential Construction Holds Steady

  By David Logan on August 9, 2018 • (0)

  

  The prices of residential construction materials were unchanged in July, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Increases in prices paid for OSB (+7.0%, not seasonally adjusted) and gypsum products (+2.0%, seasonally adjusted) were offset by declines in softwood lumber (-2.5%, NSA) and ready-mix concrete (-1.5%, SA). July marked the first time… Read More ›

  Tags: canadian lumber, Gypsum, inflation, osb, ppi, producer price index, producer prices, ready-mix concrete, softwood lumber

• Share of Conventional Mortgages Continues to Rise

  By David Logan on July 26, 2018 • (0)

  

  NAHB analysis of the most recent Quarterly Sales by Price and Financing published by the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that conventional loans accounted for 74.2% of new home sales in the second quarter of 2018, a 0.4-percentage-point increase over Q1 2018 and the highest share in a decade. Conventional loans financed over three-quarters of new home sales in the second… Read More ›

  Tags: conventional loans market share, FHA, financing, new home cash purchases, new home sales, sales by financing, VA

• Lumber Prices Increase While Gypsum Falls in June

  By David Logan on July 11, 2018 • (0)

  

  The prices of building materials generally increased in June, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the second consecutive month, softwood lumber (+4.0%) led the way, followed by oriented strand board (+2.2%, not seasonally adjusted). Similarly, the indexes for ready-mix concrete (-0.3%) and gypsum products (-0.6%) both declined for the second… Read More ›

  Tags: construction costs, Gypsum, inflation, osb, ppi, producer price index, producer prices, ready-mix concrete, softwood lumber

• AMT Changes Made in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

  By David Logan on July 2, 2018 • (0)

  

  As tax reform negotiations pressed forward last year, there were high hopes that the dreaded individual alternative minimum tax (AMT) would be repealed. While the corporate AMT was abolished permanently, unfortunately, the individual AMT still exists under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). However, the AMT rules are now more taxpayer-friendly, and other changes to the tax code reduce… Read More ›

  Tags: alternative minimum tax, AMT, income tax, individual income tax, tax reform, tax reform toolkit

• Expiring Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

  By David Logan on June 15, 2018 • (0)

  

  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) added numerous temporary provisions to the tax code. Temporary tax law can be difficult to track and compliance can be expensive. Earlier this year, the Joint Committee on Taxation released a guide to expiring tax provisions, sorted by year of expiration. The table below shows how many items in the tax code will… Read More ›

  Tags: expiring tax provisions, income tax, tax reform, tax reform toolkit

• Softwood Lumber and OSB Lead Price Increases in May

  By David Logan on June 13, 2018 • (0)

  

  The prices of building materials generally increased in May, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Softwood lumber (+6.4%) led the way, followed by oriented strand board (+4.7%, not seasonally adjusted). The indexes for ready-mix concrete (-0.1%) and gypsum products (-2.6%) both declined, but the aggregate index for goods inputs to residential… Read More ›

  Tags: Gypsum, osb, ppi, ready-mix concrete, softwood lumber

• Tax Reform Toolkit: Understanding Changes to the Net Operating Loss Deduction

  By David Logan on June 7, 2018 • (0)

  

  Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) went into effect, a business’s net operating losses (NOLs) could generally be carried back two years and carried forward 20 years to offset taxable income. Tax reform, however, repealed the two-year carryback allowance and other special carryback provisions for losses arising in tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017. The TCJA also… Read More ›

  Tags: business tax, income tax, net operating loss, NOL, tax deductions, tax reform, tax reform toolkit, taxes