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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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The
housing market is in a slump, but the basic need for shelter is a constant.
Enter Habitat for Humanity International - which placed sixth in Builder
magazine's survey of the largest U.S. homebuilders, with 6,032 home closings
last year. Despite the many relatively inexpensive homes for sale Habitat is
filling a big gap in affordable housing. Observes Stephen Melman, economist for
the National Association of Home Builders: "Affordability is close to an
all-time high because of historically low interest rates and home prices rolled
back about 10 years or more." But, he adds, the requirement for
"near-perfect credit scores and large down payments" are shutting out
buyers… "These services are critical right now," observes Dan
Immergluck, professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "We face a glut of
vacant homes, and Habitat buyers are one of the few sources of buyers able to
purchase in many markets."
Read more ...
