Activity in the nation's home building industry is expected to hold up fairly well against a general decline in economic growth during the final two business quarters of 2001, economists and various housing representatives told the news media at the National Housing Center in late October.

While the terrorist attack on America has had a negative impact on consumer confidence, speakers reported that a healthy number of prospective home buyers remain in the marketplace, and that low mortgage interest rates are helping to moderate the housing slowdown that is now occurring.