Happy Labor Day Weekend from Housing Chronicles

Happy Labor Day weekend from The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence!

So just what is the history of this holiday marking the end of summer?  Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”

But Peter McGuire’s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887.

During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

September column for Builder & Developer magazine now online

My column for the September issue of Builder & Developer magazine is now posted online.

For this issue, entitled "Mortgage Interest on the Rise," I reviewed the current state of how green mortgages can help soften the blow of rising interest rates to aspiring homeowners.  An excerpt:

As the concern about rising interest rates have many people in our industry wondering about the potential impact on housing demand and prices, an often overlooked alternative for additional financing is the green mortgage, especially for the latest energy efficient new homes. 

Although they can be difficult to obtain, most energy efficient mortgages (or EEM) programs let buyers qualify for bigger loans than they would otherwise by folding in the additional cost of making improvements for energy efficiency or of purchasing an already energy efficient home. Another version of the green mortgage provides discounts on loan fees or interest rates for homes that are certified as energy efficient. 

Because mortgage interest payments are tax deductible, an energy efficient mortgage can be a more cost effective way to finance home energy improvements than using a credit card, bank loan or cash, which usually offer no tax benefits. 

To read the entire column, click here.

To read the entire September 2013 issue in digital format, click here.

Happy Easter and Passover from Housing Chronicles

The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence Real Estate & Economic Advisors would like to wish our readers, clients and colleagues a very Happy Easter! For our Jewish friends, colleagues and clients, we’d also like to wish you a very Happy Passover. So what exactly are the histories of these two holiday periods? Read on for more details…

Live blogging from IBS

Later today I'll be leaving for Las Vegas to attend the International Builders Show.  Although I expect to be pretty busy while there, I'll also try to live blog about any important announcements, ideas or new products that I see.

I've also been asked by Peninsula Publishing, publisher of Builder & Developer magazine, to contribute daily updates from the show floor to BuilderBytes, their email newsletter which is sent three times per week to 130,000 professionals in the building industry.

If you do see me at the Peninsula Publishing booth, at an education session or at a party, please be sure to say hello.  I'd love to hear how you're faring during this stage of the housing rebound.

Happy New Year from MetroIntelligence

Happy New Year 2013 from The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence!  Did you know that civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia?  Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day). Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays.  Read on for more of the history of celebrating the New Year…

Merry Christmas from The Housing Chronicles Blog

Happy Hanukkah from Housing Chronicles

We at MetroIntelligence and The Housing Chronicles Blog would like to wish our Jewish friends, colleagues, neighbors and clients a very Happy Hanukkah. Ever wonder what this 8-day celebration really means for your Jewish friends, neighbors and colleagues?  The joyous festival of Hanukkah begins on 25 Kislev of the Jewish calendar. It celebrates two miracles –a great Jewish military victory and a miraculous supply of oil for the Temple…click here to read on

10 tips for a greener holiday season

Wondering how you can make your holiday season more sustainable this year?

Fortunately, the folks at Greenpeace have come up with a list of 10 things you can do to make your own holidays even more green this year.

 Read on…

Last day to register for the 2012 Riverside San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference

Online registration is almost closed for the 2012 Riverside/San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference!  As in years past, MetroIntelligence has written the sections on residential and commercial real estate for the conference book handed out to all attendees.  Discounts available for clients and blog readers!

2012 Riverside/San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Ontario Airport

222 North Vineyard Ave

Ontario, CA 91764

Registration and Breakfast: 7:00 AM

Program: 8:00-11:00 AM

Tickets:

$110 /Individual

$85 /Discount Affiliate Rate

$650 /Table of 8

Seating is limited so register today!

Click here to register.

Use code metrorsb12 to save $25 on registration! 

What's next for the Riverside/San Bernardino, California, and U.S. economies?

Where are housing prices heading and how fast will they get there?

Employment is recovering slowly in Riverside/San Bernardino. What is the latest jobs forecast for 2013?

Which of Riverside/San Bernardino's industries are poised for growth?

For over 40 years, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has been in place as a statewide policy of environmental protection. Has the process become abused? Or is it working the way it should?

Is CEQA really one of the greatest barriers to investment in the state as some critics claim? Is economic growth being affected?

Will removing or altering CEQA protections threaten California's environment? How can that be prevented?

Featured Speakers

Christopher Thornberg

Principal

Beacon Economics

International and U.S. Forecast

Jordan Levine

Director of Economic Research

Beacon Economics

California and Riverside/San Bernardino Forecast

Honorable Michael J. Rubio

California State Senator, 16^th District

Keynote Address

Click here to register.

Use code metrorsb12 to save $25 on registration!

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

Happy Thanksgiving from The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence!  In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nation's first Thanksgiving. Historians have also recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Virginia in 1619.

The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived the centuries, as the event became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday.

Here at Housing Chronicles, you may have noticed that we like our statistics.  So, in honor of Thanksgiving 2012, here are some interesting stats about the day:

Registration now open for the 2012 Riverside San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference

Registration is now open for the 2012 Riverside/San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference!  As in years past, MetroIntelligence has written the sections on residential and commercial real estate for the conference book handed out to all attendees.  Discounts available for clients and blog readers!

2012 Riverside/San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Ontario Airport

222 North Vineyard Ave

Ontario, CA 91764

Registration and Breakfast: 7:00 AM

Program: 8:00-11:00 AM

Tickets:

$110 /Individual

$85 /Discount Affiliate Rate

$650 /Table of 8

Seating is limited so register today!

Click here to register.

Use code metrorsb12 to save $25 on registration! 

What's next for the Riverside/San Bernardino, California, and U.S. economies?

Where are housing prices heading and how fast will they get there?

Employment is recovering slowly in Riverside/San Bernardino. What is the latest jobs forecast for 2013?

Which of Riverside/San Bernardino's industries are poised for growth?

For over 40 years, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has been in place as a statewide policy of environmental protection. Has the process become abused? Or is it working the way it should?

Is CEQA really one of the greatest barriers to investment in the state as some critics claim? Is economic growth being affected?

Will removing or altering CEQA protections threaten California's environment? How can that be prevented?

Featured Speakers

Christopher Thornberg

Principal

Beacon Economics

International and U.S. Forecast

Jordan Levine

Director of Economic Research

Beacon Economics

California and Riverside/San Bernardino Forecast

Honorable Michael J. Rubio

California State Senator, 16^th District

Keynote Address

Click here to register.

Use code metrorsb12 to save $25 on registration!

Housing Chronicles thanks our veterans

Yesterday was Veterans Day (but the national holiday is today), and The Housing Chronicles Blog, as well as MetroIntelligence, would like to thank our veterans for their sacrifices on behalf of the U.S. 

So just what is the history of Veterans Day?  World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” (Read more...)

Happy Friday the 13th!

Happy Friday the 13th from MetroIntelligence! Have you ever wondered about the history of Friday the 13th and the superstitions attached to it? According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century.

The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards‘ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on a Friday 13th.

He [Rossini] was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that one Friday 13th of November he died.^[4]

Several theories have been proposed about the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition.

One theory states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

• In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, the 12 successors of Muhammad in Shia Islam, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
• Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century’s The Canterbury Tales,and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys, begin new projects or deploy releases in production. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s.
• One author, noting that references are all but nonexistent before 1907 but frequently seen thereafter, has argued that its popularity derives from the publication that year of Thomas W. Lawson‘s popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, in which an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.
• Records of the superstition are rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common. The connection between the Friday the 13th superstition and the Knights Templar was popularized in the 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code and in the 1989 work “Born in Blood: The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry“. On Friday, 13 October 1307, hundreds of the Knights Templar were arrested in France, an action apparently motivated financially and undertaken by the efficient royal bureaucracy to increase the prestige of the crown. Philip IV was the force behind this ruthless move, but it has also tarnished the historical reputation of Clement V. From the very day of Clement V’s coronation, the king falsely charged the Templars with heresy, immorality and abuses, and the scruples of the Pope were compromised by a growing sense that the burgeoning French State might not wait for the Church, but would proceed independently. However, experts agree that this is a relatively recent correlation, and most likely a modern-day invention.

Source: Wikipedia

Happy Easter and Passover from Housing Chronicles

The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence Real Estate & Economic Advisors would like to wish our readers, clients and colleagues a very Happy Easter! For our Jewish friends, colleagues and clients, we’d also like to wish you a very Happy Passover. So what exactly are the histories of these two holiday periods? Read on for more details…

Easter

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, is Christianity’s most important holiday. It has been called a moveable feast because it doesn’t fall on a set date every year, as most holidays do. Instead, Christian churches in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox on March 21. Therefore, Easter is observed anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar to calculate when Easter will occur and typically celebrate the holiday a week or two after the Western churches, which follow the Gregorian calendar.

The exact origins of this religious feast day’s name are unknown. Some sources claim the word Easter is derived from Eostre, a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. Other accounts trace Easter to the Latin term hebdomada alba, or white week, an ancient reference to Easter week and the white clothing donned by people who were baptized during that time. Through a translation error, the term later appeared as esostarum in Old High German, which eventually became Easter in English. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques. These words are derived from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, for Passover. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.

Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus’ last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

In addition to Easter’s religious significance, it also has a commercial side, as evidenced by the mounds of jelly beans and marshmallow chicks that appear in stores each spring. As with Christmas, over the centuries various folk customs and pagan traditions, including Easter eggs, bunnies, baskets and candy, have become a standard part of this holy holiday.

Source: History.com

Passover

One of the Jewish religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays, Passover (Hebrew: Pesach) commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt, which appears in the Hebrew Bible’s books of Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, among other texts. Jews observe the weeklong festival with a number of important rituals, including traditional Passover meals known as seders, the removal of leavened products from their home, the substitution of matzo for bread and the retelling of the exodus tale.

One of the most important Passover rituals for observant Jews is removing all leavened food products (known as chametz) from their home before the holiday begins and abstaining from them throughout its duration. Instead of bread, religious Jews eat a type of flatbread called matzo; according to tradition, this is because the Hebrews fled Egypt in such haste that there was no time for their bread to rise, or perhaps because matzo was lighter and easier to carry through the desert than regular bread.

On the first two nights of Passover, families and friends gather for a religious feast known as a seder. During the meal, the story of the exodus from Egypt is read aloud from a special text called the Haggadah (Hebrew for “telling”), and rituals corresponding to various aspects of the narrative are performed. For example, vegetables are dipped into salt water representing the tears Jews shed during their time as slaves, and bitter herbs (usually horseradish) symbolizing the unpleasant years of their bondage are eaten. A seder plate at the center of the table contains Passover foods with particular significance to the exodus story, including matzo, bitter herbs, a lamb shankbone and a mixture of fruit, nuts and wine known as charoset, which represents the mortar Jews used while bonding bricks as slaves in Egypt. Other typical menu items include matzo kugel (a pudding made from matzo and apples), poached fish patties called gefilte fish and chicken soup with matzo balls.

Children play an important role in the seder and are expected to take part in many of its customs. At one point during the meal, the youngest child present recites the four questions, which ask what distinguishes this special night from all other nights. In many households, young people also enjoy participating in the traditional hunt for the afikomen, a piece of matzo that is hidden early in the evening. The finder is rewarded with a prize or money.

Source: History.com

Happy Valentine's Day from Housing Chronicles

The Housing Chronicles Blog and MetroIntelligence would like to wish you (and yours) a Happy Valentine's Day.

A bit of history: Saint Valentine’s Day, often simply Valentine’s Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentinus. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. It is celebrated in countries around the world, mostly in the West, although it remains a working day in all of them.

The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“).

Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Source: Wikipedia

Happy Holidays from MetroIntelligence and Housing Chronicles

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, the Yule or simply enjoy the music and lights which characterize this time of year, at MetroIntelligence and Housing Chronicles we’d like to wish you Happy Holidays and hope you have a great 2012! Following are some tips we found on how to best enjoy this time of year from the folks at the American Council 0n Exercise (ACE):

The holidays can be a joyous time of year shared with family and friends, but they can also bring stress and anxiety as we struggle to keep up with often-unrealistic demands and expectations.

That’s why it is so important for all of us to relax and take good care of ourselves.

ACE’s top tips for surviving the holidays are great for increasing your energy and reducing your stress, this season and all year long.

1. Take time for yourself. Although spending time with friends and family is essential, it’s also important to have at least five minutes to yourself to relax. Try practicing deep breathing exercise when you feel stressed out.
2. Don’t set unrealistic exercise goals. Aim to exercise 20 minutes a day instead of an hour. You’ll be sure to get at least 20 minutes of exercise per day without feeling disappointed if you do not complete an hour.
3. Enlist a friend or family member to exercise with you. Walking and talking with a friend can be a great way to burn extra calories and reduce your stress level.
4. Create new, more active traditions. Instead of throwing a dessert or cocktail party, try snowshoeing or ice-skating as an alternate holiday event. Play powder puff football or build a snowman.
5. Don’t try to lose weight or stick to a restrictive diet this holiday season. If you enjoy your favorite foods in small portions, you’ll feel more satisfied. Trying to stay away from certain foods may leave you feeling deprived, which may cause you to eat more than you intended to.
6. Drink plenty of water. Although the cold weather may make you less inclined to grab a glass of water, it is just as important in the winter as it is during the summer. Water helps counter the dehydrating effects of travel or drinking alcoholic beverages, and it may also help satiate your appetite since thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
7. Spread out meals. Don’t feel like you have to eat everything at once. Try eating dinner early and then taking a walk before sitting down for dessert.
8. Don’t overdo it with alcohol or caffeine. These stimulants will only cause you more grief in the end by adding to your feelings of stress. Try drinking hot herbal tea instead of coffee, and keep the number of alcoholic drinks to a minimum.
9. Don’t aim for perfection, and enjoy the imperfections. There is no such thing as the perfect party or the perfect decorations or the perfect way to spend the holidays. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment by placing unrealistic demands on yourself.
10. Laugh. Laughing is a great tension reliever. It burns calories, reduces stress and usually means that you’re enjoying yourself.

Quoted on public radio's "Marketplace" regarding Lennar's NextGen homes

Last week, I was interviewed by correspondent Sarah Gardner for the "Marketplace" program, which runs on public radio stations nationwide, for the "NextGen" series of homes now being built by Lennar. This program was aired this afternoon nationwide. Although other builders such as Standard Pacific and Taylor Morrison have also built homes with multiple generations in mind, Lennar's been getting most of the press regarding this trend lately (including a story in the L.A. Times).

You can listen to this segment via podcast or read a transcript by clicking here. On Friday morning the rest of my interview will run along with the latest stats on new home sales.

So is this the beginning of a big trend for the industry? Way too early to say, but it certainly merits watching.

It's also not a product that would work just anywhere: you'd need enough of a customer base which thinks intergenerational housing is a good thing. Want to get a handle of the demographics of specific areas you're considering? Contact us at MetroIntelligence!

December column for Builder & Developer magazine now online

My column for the December 2011 issue of Builder & Developer magazine is now posted online.

For this issue, entitled "2011 in Review: Unemployment and Low Consumer Confidence Postpone the Recovery" I reviewed the reasons why the long-awaited recovery in the housing market has been postponed.

An excerpt:

Whether due to poor consumer confidence, tighter credit standards, high unemployment, delayed foreclosures or some combination of the above, it’s become clear that millions of potential households have delayed the move to their own, private abodes until the economy -- and their aspirations -- improve...

...However, aside from continued troubling signs from Europe, the economic news is gradually beginning to improve. For example, U.S. GDP, which squeaked along at 0.4% and 1.3% in the first and second quarters of 2011, respectively, accelerated to 2.5% by the third quarter. Retail sales are up, led mostly by gains in cars and electronics. Both business sales and industrial production are rising, and the consumer price index recently declined, suggesting that inflation is being kept in check...

To read the entire column, click here.

To read the entire December 2011 issue in digital format, click here.