| What has really changed in the housing market with | | | | national product has 5% written over the new housing |
| regards to timber dumping from Canada, lumber costs | | | | market. This is significant and in 2000, 34% of all the |
| since the Professional Building Magazine issue in Sept. | | | | lumber for the new housing starts came from Canada, |
| 2001. How is this affecting the housing market or the | | | | in 2001 37% and it is expected to be 30% even in |
| predicted housing bubble burst which was suppose to | | | | 2002 with the newest tariff in place for anti-dumping |
| cripple the economy. We have seen the Federal | | | | duty of nearly 40%.These tariffs are too high and are |
| Reserve raise rates, lumber prices go up, still America | | | | anti-competitive. Canada should have policed them |
| was buying up new homes and joining the ownership | | | | selves a little better and not taken such advantage of |
| society faster than at any other time in the history of | | | | the situation, but today we are all to blame. What I think |
| our nation.Unfortunately the ease to buy a house was | | | | is the funniest thing as I read the old articles in the |
| truly too easy judging by the current foreclosure rates | | | | building industry is that Enron was selling lumber futures |
| and one might wish to ask why should young couples | | | | during this time and they would have been the ones |
| with only two to five percent down be buying a home | | | | who took the bath as companies like US Homes, Pulte |
| anyway? That is not fiscally responsible. These buyers | | | | Homes and other major players had their prices locked |
| will be upside down in these homes in some markets | | | | in earlier. You want to hear something else? The |
| almost as before the ink is dry. In other markets they | | | | Canadians now wish to retaliate with less cooperation |
| will be growing equity extremely fast as long as their | | | | of the pipeline for natural gas from Alaska, after all |
| local market holds out, but when things change; there | | | | they sell us natural gas and oil (1 billion barrels) and any |
| will be more over all foreclosures. And they cannot | | | | pipeline easement situation cuts into their perceived |
| realize their equity because they will not be able to sell | | | | right to further offset our already 85 Billion Dollar per |
| their homes. If they use the equity to pay off credit | | | | period trade deficit. In British Columbia there are many |
| cards by re-financing before the prices stabilize they | | | | towns out of work where the mills are located. Oh |
| will alleviate high interest rates but have also | | | | really and what do you think happened to our towns in |
| committed themselves to more over all debt?With | | | | WA, OR, ID and other places. If the free market |
| increased costs of interest rates, building materials; if | | | | system could be evenly placed with proper |
| the houses cost an estimated $1000-2000 more, and I | | | | cooperation then we would not have had to take the |
| am talking about you basic starter home of modest | | | | hit in our towns and now they had to take the hit in |
| size 1400-2000 square feet; then fewer will qualify to | | | | their towns. With the big builders locked in and the US |
| buy a home and chances are those who have not yet | | | | Lumber and Truss companies forced to honor these |
| bought a home may not be able to secure financing | | | | contracts by companies like Enron (ha ha), Pulte, etc. it |
| anyway; if they do, they pose a higher risk of loan fall | | | | will be the little lumber companies and builders who get |
| out rates being thrust upon the mortgage arena. Our | | | | hurt the most. So who wins? No one, see the |
| Commerce Department Imposed a 19.3% | | | | problem? I do.Will builders try to shave prices by not |
| countervailing duty on timber from Canada. It should | | | | pressure washing finished homes, yes the smaller ones |
| have been 10-14% max and only for 9 months, so US | | | | will. Will they withhold payments to sub contractors |
| companies could get back on their feet without pissing | | | | too? Yes, will they cut corners to further cut their |
| off the envi-moron-mental-lists (someday I will explain | | | | losses due to increased prices, yes. So what |
| exactly how we came up with that term). Our gross | | | | happened? |