Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose one point in August to its highest level in more than a year, according to the latest reading of the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), which was released on Aug. 17. Building on a two-point gain in July, the HMI reached 18 this month, its highest point since June of 2008.

       “Home builder expectations have been buoyed by the success of the first-time home buyer tax credit and its anticipated boost to buying activity leading up to the Nov. 30 expiration date,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “The question is what happens after that — whether there will be enough momentum to keep us moving toward a recovery, particularly in light of significant headwinds such as the severe credit crunch for housing production loans and inappropriate appraisal practices that are scuttling a quarter of all new-home sales. Unless Congress and the Administration focus their attention on housing right now, this improvement may well be short-lived,” he said.

       “One very positive aspect of today’s report is the big gain registered in the component gauging home builders’ expectations for the next six months,” noted NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This reflects anticipated sales stemming from the tax credit as well as recent signs that an economic recovery has begun. There is definitely a sense of hope among builders that the worst of the downturn is over and that a turning point is near at hand. Meaningful action by Congress could ensure that this upward momentum continues and that housing can help push the economy back onto solid ground.”

       NAHB is calling on Congress to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit for another year and to offer it to all income-eligible buyers. In addition, NAHB is urging Congress to help eliminate the credit crunch, correct faulty appraisal practices and expand Net Operating Loss tax provisions that can help avoid more layoffs. Each of these actions would generate thousands of new jobs and provide a much-needed boost to economic recovery.

       Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for more than 20 years, the HMI gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales, sales expectations for the next six months and the traffic of prospective buyers. Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

       Two out of three of the HMI’s component indexes recorded substantial gains in August. The biggest boost, of four points, was for sales expectations in the next six months, which rose to 30. The index gauging traffic of prospective buyers climbed three points to 16 and the index on current sales conditions held unchanged at 16.

       Regionally, all but the South recorded HMI gains in August. The index rose eight points to 24 in the Northeast, two points to 16 in the Midwest and three points to 17 in the West. The South posted a one-point decline to 18.

       New official state projections indicate the populations of Livingston, Ascension and St. Tammany parishes are expected to more than double by 2030. But here's the most startling prediction: In just 20 years, St. Tammany may have more residents than East Baton Rouge. If projections bear true, St. Tammany could be home to 459,160 people - up from 219,870 in the year before Katrina.Livingston's population is projected to climb to 242,780 - up from 109,030. And Ascension could expect 196,140 residents - up from 90,450 before the storms. Moderate growth over the next 20 years is projected for Lafayette Parish - about 25,000 people.

       Meanwhile, the population of East Baton Rouge Parish is projected to reach a high of 433,700 in 2010 before losing 12,200 people by 2030. Population is also expected to decline somewhat in Calcasieu.

       Dr. Troy Blanchard, an associate professor of sociology at LSU who produced the projections, says the numbers are based on birth, death and migration trends in those parishes from 2000 to 2005, using the 2000 Census and 2005 Census estimates. However, he cautions that when looking at projections this far out, birth and death rates typically remain fairly constant, while migration patterns - which can be influenced by everything from hurricanes to the economy - are unpredictable and could significantly alter the numbers.

       "What we're saying is that if these measurements stay exactly the same as they were during that particular period, this is what will happen," Blanchard says. "Right now, our best guess at what will happen in the future is what has happened in the past." The state projections indicate that from 2005 to 2010, Ascension, Livingston, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and St. John the Baptist will emerge as the fastest-growing parishes. Between 2010 and 2020, Livingston, St. Tammany, Ascension, St. John the Baptist and Plaquemines likely will enjoy the highest growth.

       State demographer Karen Paterson says the projections are used by state agencies to plan things like new programs, transportation and schools. Businesses also consider them in selecting optimum locations.

Listed below are some websites containing additional resource information for homebuyers in the Northshore region:

St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation

Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation

Washington Parish Economic Development Foundation

Click Here for the Source of the Information.