News

Technology continues to transform communications and information sharing, enabling construction firms to be more efficient and save money. Cell phones are one of the first innovations to enable better communication between office, job site,...

Contractors performing work for public entities may be leaving significant tax savings on the table by not considering the Section 179D deduction for energy efficient buildings. This relatively unknown provision of the tax law allows for a...

Small appears to be the trend of the year as interest in downscaled living and work spaces rises. Builders and landlords, especially those who invested in high-end real estate, are beginning to take notice as metropolitan areas like New York are...

For most taxpayers, mortgage interest is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, tax deduction that they take. Home mortgage interest is deductible on Schedule A of your tax return if it is secured by your “qualified residence” –...

Construction supervisors and other employees who travel between different permanent job sites might want to take note of a recent Tax Court decision in California. Lonnie Bartley, a construction supervisor for Far West Contractors Corp. in...

When you think of dangerous occupations, firefighters, police, high-rise construction workers might come to mind. But, real estate agent? The person selling you your house? Not typically an occupation near the top of the list. But maybe it should...

Members of the Millennial Generation are getting tired of living with their parents or renting apartments with roommates. As the young adults are starting to breathe after surviving a difficult recession, more and more of the 35-and-under age...

Despite a 12 percent increase forecast by a consensus of market researchers, a slow start in early 2015 shows that construction growth in the office sector is far from a sure thing. The American Institute of Architects consensus forecast blends...

Home sales in 2015 are expected to increase over 6 percent, with the price of houses increasing about 5 percent nationwide, according to the National Association of Realtors. How can sellers who have been waiting for the market to recover be sure...

Hotel occupancy is on the rise across the nation as post-recession leisure and business travelers are hitting the road again in high numbers. Travelers are paying a little more for their lodging as average daily room rates have increased to the...

Strong cash flow is important for every business. While the economy appears to be rebounding and companies are experiencing success, having enough money on hand to operate competitively could mean the difference between success and bankruptcy for a...

As apartment vacancy rates dipped to the lowest levels this century last year, 2015 is expected to remain strong in the multifamily market, though construction is expected to level off a bit. The national vacancy rate of apartments dropped to 4.2...

Too many questions, not enough answers. Sounds like the title of a bad song, right? Business owners continue to hear that an excellent risk-mitigation vehicle is to start a captive insurance company. But what is a captive insurance company, and...

A Richmond real estate developer who defrauded the state and federal governments out of millions in historic restoration tax credits and then tried to flee after his conviction has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Billy Gene Jefferson Jr.,...

The IRS requires that some costs of building a house or other structure must be treated as a cost of the building rather than an expense. This has the effect of reducing expenses in the current period and increasing the cost of inventory of...

Home builders should have a good year in 2015, says the National Association of Home Builders, as pent-up demand, continued low mortgage rates, improved employment rates and a growing economy are forecast. The home builders group announced that it...

Who are the typical homebuyers of 2014 – and where are they buying? Half buy a home in the suburbs, while 20 percent buy in a small town, 16 percent in urban centers and 11 percent in a rural area. The typical purchase is a...

“Who likes money?” It sounds like a cheesy line you’d hear watching a late night infomercial when you’re having trouble sleeping. Hopefully most business owners would agree that they like money and are trying to conserve...

Any type of company is vulnerable to fraud, and construction contractors are among the most at risk. Contractors have money constantly coming into and going out of their office for equipment, tools, supplies and other job costs. They have...

A business exercising an option to buy property that it was already leasing may deduct a portion of the amount tendered in the transaction as a lease termination payment, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled, affirming an earlier...