When it comes to securing capital, much like dancing partners, both builder and investor should work in synch without stepping on each other’s toes

Three recent studies that address the advantages of energy efficiency on home ownership could have a significant impact on the way buyers finance home purchases.

Buoyed by rising home prices throughout much of the nation, both single-family and multifamily housing starts are expected to post double-digit gains in 2013 compared with last year.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 1.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000 units in March, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The pace of housing starts in March tipped a milestone, posting an annual rate of 1.04 million units, an increase of 7 percent from February and up 47 percent from a year earlier.

William Lyon Homes became the latest home builder looking to cash in on the housing recovery when the company filed on April 9 with the SEC to raise up to $200 million in an initial public offering.

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Taylor Morrison raised $526 million in its initial public offering of 28.6 million shares. Analysts say interest in the home builder's shares indicates investors’ demand to cash in on the nation’s housing recovery.

Following seven consecutive months of gains, the list of improving U.S. housing markets remained virtually unchanged in April, with 273 metros on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI).

When it comes to specifying window systems for new-home projects, energy efficiency and price were always the top two drivers of purchasing preference.