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NAHB Resources on Hand to Drive New Home Sales
With the spring home buying season moving into full view, this issue of Nation’s Building News features NAHB resources that association members can use now to get the most out of a marketplace that has been hammered by the worst conditions in living memory.
The housing market has begun to show signs of new life in recent weeks, led largely by first-time buyers. Builders across the country have been reporting that historically low mortgage rates, affordable home prices and the $8,000 tax credit are reviving interest in home buying.
In the latest development, home builders received encouraging news on May 12 when HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced that FHA-approved lenders; federal, state and local government agencies; and FHA-approved non-profit organizations would be allowed to supply first-time home buyers with short-term or “bridge loans” up to the amount of the tax credit.
“The biggest obstacle for first-time buyers is coming up with a downpayment,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “This will help to stimulate homes sales, stabilize housing and get the economy back on track.” (For more information on the HUD decision, click here.)
The NAHB resources in this issue of NBN begin with tackling the biggest issue at hand — stimulating home sales and reducing the new home inventory. They go on to include materials that NAHB members can apply directly to a wide range of business activities — with information that will see them through the final stages of the downturn and prepare them for the recovery.
NAHB Resources to Help Sell Homes
NAHB resources to promote home buying and homeownership range from print ads to radio scripts, from a tax credit Web site to brochures and flyers.
Most of these materials are multi-purpose and can be used by individual members to promote their own business. However, the items marked with an asterisk (*) are intended primarily for use by home builders associations to promote homeownership or to familiarize members with association benefits.
Note that many of these resources are for “members only.” To access them, you must be logged in as a member at NAHB.org. To set up a login, go to: www.nahb.org/login.
The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
- FederalHousingTaxCredit.com — tax credit cosumer Web site. Created by NAHB, FederalHousingTaxCredit.com is the definitive Internet source of information on the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and also the place to refer trade-up buyers who need to sell their existing home before they can buy a new home. This comprehensive site includes an overview of the tax credit, information about the eligibility requirements, responses to frequently-asked questions and links to helpful resources. A Spanish-language version of the site is also available.
- Replay of March 16 teleconference: "How to Use the $8,000 Tax Credit to Sell New Homes"
- HUD Action Allows Buyers to Use $8,000 Tax Credit For Downpayments on FHA-Insured Loans. NAHB’s press release explains how HUD is planning to allow FHA-approved lenders to issue short-term loans to advance the credit amount for use in purchasing the home.
- 2009 "Opportunity Knocks" brochure for consumers. A four-page, in-depth brochure provides reasons why buying a home is a good investment and examples of typical savings home buyers can expect to realize with or without the first-time home buyer tax credit. The brochure can be reprinted and distributed at sales offices.
- 2009 tax credit Web banner ads. Graphics promoting the tax credit can be used as e-mail signatures or posted on your company Web site and linked to FederalHousingTaxCredit.com.
- 2009 tax credit print ads for consumers. Four-color print advertisements in two different sizes promote the tax credit and NAHB’s Web site, with space where contact information can be added.
- Q&A on the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit. Responses to frequently asked questions about the tax credit can be used as a reference when buyers ask questions.
- Consumer flyer: Top Reasons You Shouldn't Wait to Buy a NEW Home — With New 2009 $8,000 Tax Credit. This color one-page flyer lists the top benefits of buying a new home.
- 2009 first-time home buyer tax credit fact sheet. A one-page fact sheet provides basic information on the credit.
- First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Talking Points.
- Tax credit advance loan programs to help with downpayment and closing costs. Information from the National Council of State Housing Agencies explains how state housing finance agencies are helping tax credit buyers fund downpayment and closing costs.
Reaching Prospective Home Buyers
Advertising
Customizable print advertisements and radio spot scripts feature consistent messages about the benefits and opportunities of homeownership, exclusive of the tax credit. The ads focus on low interest rates, stabilizing prices and a great selection.
Getting Your Message Out
These talking points on a variety of current issues provide useful background information and will help you understand and better communicate with your customers about the realities of today’s housing market and the great opportunities that it provides for home buyers.
Advice From the Pros
Sales and marketing pros offer invaluable advice on everything from overcoming buyer objections to building a more effective Web site.
You’ve Got Questions, They’ve Got Answers
- Ask a MIRM (Member, Institute of Residential Marketing) These pros can answer the tough questions that are inevitable in a tough market. All submitted questions will be answered by a MIRM.
- Use the IRM Hotline to find experts in specific aspects of new home sales and marketing and ask them questions relating to your career and business. (Use the IRM Hotline Expert field at the bottom of the NAHB Professional Designations Directory.)
- The Sales and Marketing Channel is a great resource for information about many different aspects of the new homes industry, including market research and public relations. Updated weekly with original content not available anywhere else, it is free to members of the National Sales and Marketing Council. For other NAHB members, a subscription costs $45.
- Sales & Marketing Ideas magazine provides a wealth of information on the latest trends, market research, advertising, marketing plans, model merchandising, sales management and more. Free for members of the National Sales and Marketing Council. Subscriptions cost $59 for NAHB members and $70 for non-members.
Marketing Through Social Networking and New Media
Home builders can reach out to technology-savvy potential home buyers by taking advantage of the popular social networking communication channels they are comfortable with and use frequently. You can link to these channels from your own Web site to help home buyers find the information they need about the credit.
Miscellaneous
Background Information/Resources
- New research from NAHB economists looks at the tax benefits of homeownership — including deductions for mortgage interest and real estate taxes, the capital gains exclusion for the sale of a principal residence and the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit.
- Housing and economic data from NAHB provide a wealth of information — ranging from local market permits to the cost of framing lumber and NAHB’s long-term forecast.
- E-Learning: Audio Seminars & Web Events gathers teleconferences, webinars and other electronic information and learning products from throughout NAHB in a single location.
*Primarily for Use by HBAs
*NAHB Public Relations Toolkit
This overview guide reviews the basics of public relations to better leverage the many resources available from NAHB to help sell homes, or create your own resources. Learn how to develop a comprehensive public relations plan, what tactics you can use to implement it, resources available from NAHB and external sources, and how to measure whether your plan is successful.
*Press Releases
NAHB regularly issues press releases on housing issues, and members and HBAs are encouraged to customize them with local information and send them to local news media. For example, use the search feature to find releases on issues you want to promote in your local community, such as the tax credit, affordability and more.
*Column Service Articles
Two column service articles are created each month on topics of interest to consumers. HBA staff and NAHB members can submit these articles under their president’s or executive officer’s name to their local newspapers, magazines, newsletters and Web sites to provide home building industry news and timely consumer information to the community.
*Online Toolkits
In addition to a toolkit to promote the tax credit NAHB has toolkit resources (i.e. column service articles, print and radio ads, talking points, etc.) to help HBAs and NAHB members highlight their local housing industry during National Designations Month in March, New Homes Month in April, National Remodeling Month in May and Homeownership Month in June.
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