covington-farmers-marketThe Covington Farmer’s Market

When: Every Saturday, 8:00am – 12:00pm (noon)
Saturday Dates in October, 2013

October 5, 2013
October 12, 2013
October 19, 2013
October 26, 2013

Where: Downtown Covington
600 Block of N. Columbia St.
Covington, Louisiana 70433

What: Click Here for More Information.

covington-farmers-marketThe Covington Farmer’s Market

When: Every Wednesday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Wednesday Dates in October, 2013

October 2, 2013
October 9, 2013
October 16, 2013
October 23, 2013
October 30, 2013

Where: The Covington Trailhead
419 N. New Hampshire
Covington, Louisiana 70433

What: Click Here for More Information.

SMC LogoSt. Tammany/Washington Parishes Home Builders Association’s Sales & Marketing Council (SMC)
Monthly Meeting

When: Tuesday, October 8, 2013
9:00am – 10:00am

Where: Iberia Bank
850 N. Causeway Blvd.
Mandeville, LA 70448

What: Monthly Sales & Marketing Meeting

Click Here for More Information

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St. Tammany/Washington Parishes Home Builders Association Membership Luncheon

When: Tuesday
November 5, 2013
11:45am – 1:00pm

Where: Benedict’s Plantation
1144 N Causeway Blvd.
Mandeville, LA 70471

What: Click Here for More Information.

madisonville-museumMadisonville Historic Museum

When: Every Saturday, 12:00pm – 4:00pm

Saturday Dates in October, 2013

October 5, 2013
October 12, 2013
October 19, 2013
October 26, 2013

Where: 201 Cedar Street
Madisonville, Louisiana

What: Museum Hours Every Saturday and Sunday in Madisonville, Louisiana

Call 985-845-2100 for More Information.

mandeville-trailheadMandeville Trailhead Community Market

When: Every Saturday, 9:00am – 1:00pm

Saturday Dates in October, 2013

October 5, 2013
October 12, 2013
October 19, 2013
October 26, 2013

Where: 675 Lafitte Street
Mandeville, LA 70448

What: A Farmer’s Market and Craft Market held at the Mandeville Trailhead.

For More Information, call 985-845-4515 or E-mail mandevillemarket@gmail.com.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a measurement of all goods and services produced in the United States.  Each quarter, economists and Washington D.C. measure the GDP comparitive to changes in the growth of the GDP each quarter.  These changes are assigned a percentage and reported to the market.  Much of the changes consumers see in investments come from these reports. After a dismal standing of only 1.1% growth in the first quarter of 2013, the GDP grew more than double that amount at 2.5% during the second quarter.  Initial estimates of a growth of 1.7% was offset by a lower amount of imports into the United States and a higher-than-expeted rate of exports of products.

All eyes are on a September 18th meeting of The Fed to determine if this quarterly growth is expected to continue.  The Fed has been buying up “Treasuries” (Treasury bonds) and mortgage-backed securities in order to boost the stagnant economy and keep interest rates low.  The plan was always that once the economy was “back on its feet,” the Fed would cut back and eventually stop the bond buying letting capitalism take over to create a normal, healthy market.  Since this is the first quarter to show growth since the Recession ended, many fear that scaling back on the bond purchases may be jumping the gun on predicting the resurrection of a healthy market.

Meanwhile, business seem to be pulling out of their hiring freezes, even if it is mostly part-time positions that are being filled.  Housing prices are going up, and construction spending grew at an annual rate of 12.9%, in its 4th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.  Interest rates also have climbed slightly, but they are still much lower than they have been over a 10-year period.  AND, new home sales reports have shown an increase in new home sales over the past 6 months.

Government spending shrank almost 1% in the second quarter, and state governments spending also went down .5%.  However, the US economy overall is showing some signs of life, and this is good news for home buyers and consumers alike.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.

fishing-logo

St. Tammany Parish Home Builders Association (STHBA) Fall Fishing Tournament

Where: Rigolets Marina
52250 Hwy. 90
Slidell, LA 70461

When: Friday, September 27, 2013
5:00am – 6:00pm

Registration Deadline: September 25, 2013

Click Here for More Information or Call 985-882-5002.

ST-WHBA logo transparent

St. Tammany Home Builders Association (STHBA) Business After Hours
At Homestead Savings and Loan Association

Where: St. Tammany Homestead Savings and Loan Association
205 North Columbia St.
Covington, LA 70433

When: Thursday, September 12, 2013
5:30pm – 7:30pm

Click Here for More Information or Call 985=882-5002.

chamber

St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce
State of the Nation Breakfast

Where: Clarion Inn and Conference Center
501 North Hwy 190
Covington, Louisiana

When: Tuesday, September 24, 2013
7:30am – 9:00am

Fees/Admission
$15 members only (register before September 11)
$18 members only  (after September 11)
$200 reserved table for 8

Click Here for More Information or Call 985-273-3008.