Wednesday, April 1, 2026

April 2026

 President's Message 

BANNJ President, Alan Archuleta


 

Thank you to chef Eva Hajek, Jessica Cioletti, John Cioletti and the Reno’s Appliance team for generously hosting the Professional Women in Building Council initial recruitment Pizza Making Team Building event on March 12th!  We had a enthusiastic turnout, and everyone enjoyed learning about the mission of our newly chartered NAHB PWB and how membership in the Council leads to invaluable industry connections and information. All attendees had a great time making their own pizza with toppings in the pizza oven featured by Event Sponsor Monogram®.    

For more information on joining our PWB and having exclusive access to special events, contact kathleen@bannj.org.   

View photos from the PWB Pizza Party and all events at https://www.bannj.org/image-gallery/.  

It was great to see so many members at the Atlantic Builders Convention at the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City on March 25-26th.  Congratulations to the BANNJ members who won at the Sales & Marketing Awards including Russo Development, WA Construct and The Marketing Directors.  See the list of all winners and categories here https://njba.org/sam2026/

Member Dinner at The Atlantic Builders Convention 

 

 










Register Today!

 

 

Builder:

Joseph Nicoletti
J. Nicoletti Properties LLC.
295 Bergen Turnpike
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
201-906-2753
jnicolettiproperties@gmail.com
Sponsor:  Kristie Davida

Associates:

Lowe’s
Michelle McKeown
109 Stack Drive
Staten Island, NY 10312
917-984-5356
Jessica.carpentieri@lowes.com

Tayrn Byron Realtor
Tayron Byron
1018 Closter Dock Road
Alpine, NJ 07620
732-362-1523
tarynbyron@gmail.com



 

 

Housing starts jumped 7.2% in January to an annual rate of 1.487 million, 9.5% higher than January 2025. But single-family home starts fell 2.8% to an annual rate of 935,000, 6.5% lower than last year. Single-family permits were also down. 

 

Panic at the Jersey Shore over new rule





2026 Housing Outlook: Ongoing Challenges, Cautious Optimism and Incremental Gains

Micro Markets Lone Bright Spot for Single-Family Home Building in Fourth Quarter


 
Lumber Today
 



As of late March 2026, the lumber market is entering its seasonal spring construction window with prices showing a modest upward trend despite broader housing market cooling. While futures have recently dipped below $600 per thousand board feet (MBF) due to a slowdown in single-family housing starts, supply constraints from mill closures and high import duties are providing a price floor.
Market Summary & Pricing (April 2026 Forecast)
  • Current Spot Price: The Madison’s Lumber Prices Index stood at US$518 MBF for the week ending March 27, 2026, reflecting a 1% weekly increase as builders began stocking inventory for spring.
  • Futures Outlook: May 2026 contracts are trading around $594–$596, while July 2026 contracts sit near $637, indicating that the market expects prices to climb as the peak building season progresses.
  • Regional Divergence:
    • United States: Considered a "buying opportunity" with prices remaining relatively soft through April before an expected 6–8% rise by year-end.
    • Canada: Facing a "crisis mode" with anticipated price spikes of 25% or more by mid-2026 due to extreme 45.6% combined duties and ongoing mill closures.
Key Market Drivers
  • Seasonal Construction Peak: Large US home-builders typically make their primary purchases in February and March for April projects, which is currently driving the steadying of prices.
  • Supply Contraction: North American capacity is projected to drop by 1.3 billion board feet in 2026. Sawmill closures in British Columbia and the US South have significantly tightened available supply.
  • Interest Rate Influence: While the Federal Reserve held rates steady recently, 30-year fixed mortgage rates have climbed to 6.22%, dampening new housing starts and neutralizing some seasonal demand gains.
  • Trade Policy: High tariffs on Canadian softwood (up to 45%) remain a major inflationary factor, forcing Canadian producers to look for offshore markets and tightening the supply available to the US.
Projections for Remainder of Q2 2026
  • Price Recovery: Analysts expect a gradual recovery in the second half of 2026 as demand from a stabilizing housing market begins to catch up with reduced production capacity.
  • Inventory Levels: Field inventories remain historically low because of past volatility (2020–2022), which could lead to sharp price spikes if a sudden surge in building activity occurs.



 





 
 

Wednesday April 29th 6:30pm to 8:30pm- Professional Women in Building Event at Ornare Luxury Showroom in Paramus.

Monday, May 11th 10:30AM -Annual Golf Outing & Scholarship Awards at Edgewood Country Club - Don’t miss this wonderful event and join us to play on this exclusive, private course.  Sponsorships are available to showcase your company to Northern NJ industry professionals.  Dinner/cocktail only tickets are also available to join us for networking.  More information will be available soon. 

Wednesday, June 3rd Board of Directors / Educational Seminar to follow.

Thursday July 9th 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Reno's 75th Anniversary Industry Networking Party

Don't miss this special summer event impeccably hosted by the Reno's Appliance Team. Celebrate Reno's milestone with industry colleagues and make new connections!

See information and register for all events at https://members.bannj.org/events



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by at