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
On the latest episode of NAHB podcast Housing Developments, NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz joins CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez to discuss the latest economic forecasts and how they have changed this year due to geopolitical turmoil.
The New American Remodel 2027 will be much more than a beautiful show home. It will highlight just how far building products and techniques have advanced in a relatively short period of time.
Latest Economic News
The share of new single-family homes built with individual wells and septic systems increased in 2025 compared to the previous year. According to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), approximately 10% of single-family homes started in 2025 were served by individual (private) wells, and 17% relied on individual septic systems.
In the third quarter of 2026, the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 62, up one point compared to the previous quarter. The RMI has remained within a narrow band between 59 and 70 for the past four years.
Mortgage application activity declined as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, decreased 7.7% month-over-month in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were lower by 35.4%.