Bank of America Agrees to Purchase Countrywide Financial (BUILDER Online) Bank of America will become the country's largest mortgage lender and servicer if its agreement to purchase the beleaguered Countrywide Financial is approved by both companies' shareholders and regulatory agencies.
Fischer Homes Expands Into Columbus, Ohio (BUILDER Online) Cincy builder buys 300 lots from Centex in Columbus area, also agrees to build homes for 96 existing Centex home buyers.
Centex Executive Joins Pro-Build Holdings (BUILDER Online) Paul Dodge, with a wide-ranging background in distribution, will oversee supply-chain management for this giant pro dealer.
Fed Is Ready to Cut Interest Rates Again (AP/Associated Press) Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pledged Thursday to slash interest rates as needed to prevent housing and credit problems from plunging the country into a recession.
M/I Homes' Deliveries Off 24 Percent in 4Q (BUILDER Online) On the plus side, the big builder cut backlog 51 percent during 2007.
Brookfield Homes Takes 4Q Charge (BUILDER Online) Builder's net orders slid 50 percent in fourth quarter and 23.4 percent for 2007.
KB Home Will Reduce Communities by 25 Percent in 2008 (BUILDER Online) Despite $929 million loss last year, builder takes solace in its cash position and debt reduction strategies.
NAR Forecasts Stable Home Sales in 2008 (BUILDER Online) Trade group says housing market will gradually improve later this year.
Paulson: No Simple Answer to Mortgages (AP/Associated Press) The Bush administration is working on a number of fronts to combat the country's severe housing crisis but there is no simple solution to the problem, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday.
Fighting Shape (BUILDER Online) Agree or disagree with the thoughts of BUILDER Editorial Director Boyce Thompson.
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Take the BUILDER Poll (BUILDER Online) What effect will Bush's mortgage plan have on the housing crisis?
From the Pages of BUILDER: A Tale of Two Master Plans (BUILDER Online) The redevelopment of a blighted waterfront neighborhood in Virginia and the grounds of a state mental hospital in Oregon show just how much public-private partnerships can accomplish. Check out more from the current issue of BUILDER.
Robb Crocker is the senior editor for BUILDER Online. Please e-mail any comments, questions, suggestions, and news tips to rcrocker@hanleywood.com.