Latest Issue of Building Women Magazine is Available to Members
The latest edition of Building Women Magazine, available now to NAHB members, introduces 2024 Professional Women in Building (PWB) Chair Luellen Smith.
The annual magazine features Smith’s mantra of "Building the Future with PWB" where she discusses prioritizing mentorship and growth including ramping up efforts for local council support and encouraging more women to engage in mentorship. It also spotlights how Smith’s early life on a farm helped her succeed in business, her dedication to volunteering, and how she built her career as an entrepreneur.
Other stories include:
- How women entering residential construction are blazing new trails
- How lessons from a mentor have pushed three women’s careers forward
- PWB members share tech tools to help boost your business
- PWB’s 2023 major accomplishments
- How a DIY blogger created a multifaceted business
- The best new clothing for women on the jobsite
Read the magazine and learn about the benefits to having a PWB membership at nahb.org/womeninbuilding.
Are you a PWB Council member? If not, join PWB locally through an HBA near you.
If you local does not have a council, you can join as an at-large member.
Latest from NAHBNow
ConstructionSkillsMap.org, a new nationwide tool funded by the National Housing Endowment, makes it easier to find skilled trades training opportunities in communities across the country.
The newly released 2025 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) provides many options for building more sustainably. NGBS Green Certification provides independent, third-party verification for a home, building, or land development. For those who wish to provide even more value for their clients, NGBS Green+ certifications recognize NGBS Green homes that go “above and beyond” in one or more areas of sustainability. Here are the seven certification options.
Latest Economic News
Existing home sales continued to slow in July as record-high home prices and elevated mortgage rates weighed on buyers. Mortgage rates resumed an upward trend after the ceasefire ended in early July.
Demand for all types of residential mortgages was weaker, while lending standards for most were essentially unchanged in the second quarter of 2026, according to the recent release of the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS).
Wage growth for residential building workers continued to lose momentum in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting softer housing construction activity and weaker labor demand. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, both nominal and inflation-adjusted wages have weakened further, extending the cooling trend that emerged after the strong wage gains of the post-pandemic period.