Why Do Business With a Member?
NAHB’s flourishing membership of more than 140,000 Builders and Associates uplift the home building industry through advocating for the industry on Capitol Hill, educating the next generation and uniting to solve issues in their communities.
With so many commonalities, it’s no wonder so many members of the Federation turn to each other to do business.
“Giving back to the industry is of paramount importance to me, as I view it as an act of philanthropy,” said Mark Fournier, owner of the Sonrise Companies in Oklahoma. “Working with member Associates builds trust, camaraderie, and assures mutual respect for each other’s business. This bond with Associates has strengthened the referral network between us, too, as we all benefit from a constant stream of referrals.”
Fournier is well aware of the benefits of member-to-member networking and collaboration. He won the 2023 NAHB Builders Engaging Associate Members (BEAM) Award, which is given to a builder who embodies the motto “It’s good business to do business with a member.” The award is also meant to encourage Builder members to use goods and services offered by member companies.
“In 25 years of building my business, one of the keys to our tremendous success is our Associates,” said Fournier. “Our company has worked with many dozens of them for more than 15 years. If a Builder member is not working with Associate members, they are not displaying much wisdom or intelligence.”
If you know a builder who deserves recognition for their efforts working with other NAHB members, please nominate them for the BEAM award. Applications are due by Oct. 7.
Latest from NAHBNow
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.
The overall labor market continued to lose momentum in July, with nonfarm payrolls falling by 23,000 and previous job gains revised sharply lower.
Latest Economic News
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 latest homeownership rate declined to 65% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS). The homeownership rate was unchanged from a year ago, and not statistically different than the rate in the first quarter of the year (65.3%).
Led by declines in gasoline and diesel prices, inflation eased for the second consecutive month after reaching a three-year high in May. As energy prices moderated, shelter resumed its role as the largest driver of headline inflation, accounting for one-third of the annual increase and over two-thirds of the monthly increase.