Nation's Building News Online: June 5, 2006Print All Articles Text Version |
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Eminent Domain a Hot Topic in State LegislaturesOn a hot topic with various implications for builders, more than 40 state legislatures have considered revising their eminent domain statutes since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo v. City of New London decision last year, and NAHB has developed resources to help local and state home builders associations address the issue when it arises. Alabama, Delaware, Michigan, Ohio and Texas enacted some form of eminent domain legislation in the immediate aftermath of the court decision, which allowed the city of New London to take private property and transfer it to another private party to further local economic development. So far this year, more than a dozen states — including Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin — have enacted legislation revising their eminent domain statutes. Legislative Strategy Toolkit Now Available An “Eminent Domain Legislative Strategy Toolkit” now available to NAHB members discusses a broad spectrum of options that associations can decide to pursue with their state legislatures in order to produce a desired interpretation of public use. Before a government exercises its powers of eminent domain, including condemnation, the NAHB paper notes that “there must be some assurance that the exercise serves the public welfare. A primary way to ensure that a government agency is acting in the public interest is through comprehensive planning. Throughout the majority opinion in Kelo, Justice Stevens emphasized that proper planning must precede the exercise of eminent domain to satisfy constitutional requirements.” States Take Several Approaches The new state laws that have been enacted this year fall into several categories:
The toolkit also provides a state-by-state breakdown of eminent domain statutes, court cases and constitutional language. To access the toolkit online, click here. For more information about eminent domain legislation across the country, e-mail Gerry Keegan at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8326. Membership Day Brings in a Record 9,550 New NAHB Members
National Membership Day brought in a record 9,550 new members to the federation, including affiliate and council members. Membership Day was May 23. Five hundred state and local builders associations participated and pledged members, as did the more than 800 viewers of the three-hour Membership Day Webcast — also a new record. The Webcast was broadcast live from the National Housing Center in Washington, D.C. The Webcast was hosted by Larry Stege and Duane Bickett, the chair and co-chair of the NAHB Membership Committee, and featured live interviews with NAHB Senior Officers and others about the relevance and benefits of NAHB and local association membership, as well as updates on the “Driven to Be the Best” membership pledge drive. NAHB President David Pressly; Brian Catalde, NAHB first vice president; and Joe Robson, NAHB vice president/secretary, as well as representatives from Whirlpool Corporation, NAHB’s exclusive membership sponsor, participated in the Webcast. Final competition winners will be announced in the coming weeks, but the preliminary results are in. Visit www.nahb.org/membershipday for complete competition details and to view clips from this year’s Webcast.
Climb in Home Prices Slows, With More Slowing to ComeThe long-awaited slowdown in real estate appreciation has begun with a whimper, according to the latest house price statistics released on June 1 by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). While OFHEO reported that some meaningful deceleration in prices during this year’s first quarter has now become evident, appreciation across the U.S. held up to a still vigorous annual rate of 8.12% during the three-month period and home prices were up 12.54% for the year ending on March 31. By comparison, the cost of non-housing goods and services on the Consumer Price Index increased 4.2% for the 12 months running through the end of the first quarter. However, economists at NAHB expect to see further downward movement in national rates of home price appreciation in coming quarters and are projecting that annual gains should level off in the 5%-6% range, close to the average rate of growth in housing values experienced over the long term prior to the boom of the past few years. Also, OFHEO’s House Price Index includes home refinancings, which tends to push appreciation rates higher than if only home purchases were included. The 2.03% increase in home prices during the first quarter represented a decline of roughly one full percentage point below the final quarter of 2005 and was the lowest rate since the first quarter of 2004. “These data show average housing prices still growing stronger than some might have expected,” said James Lockhart, OFHEO’s acting director. “They do indicate, however, that price growth is moderating in some parts of the country, particularly in areas where prices have been rising the most.” “Increasing sales inventories are apparently giving buyers greater bargaining power, while increasing interest rates are dampening demand,” added OFHEO Chief Economist Patrick Lawler. Although price growth has dropped significantly in Arizona, it had the greatest appreciation rate of any state in the country — 32.81% — for the one-year period ending on March 31, according to the OFHEO report. But appreciation in the state dropped sharply in the first quarter, from 7.4% to 3.8%, which was still higher than the national average. Quarterly appreciation rates were down significantly in the Tucson area, which dropped to 2.65% in the first quarter, and Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, which was down to 3.75%. Over a one year period ending on March 31, those areas saw appreciation of 28.70% and 36.52%, respectively, putting them in 11th and fourth place nationwide. Housing prices continued to advance rapidly in Florida, at a 4.29% rate for the first quarter and 26.62% for the year, making it the second strongest state for appreciation on a one-year basis. Florida accounted for half of the nation’s 20 strongest markets for housing appreciation for the year ending on March 31. The closely watched Miami area saw average price gains of 4.8% during the first quarter and the city ranked in 13th place for the year, with a gain of 28.03%. For the third quarter, price gains were particularly robust in some areas still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, including New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, up 4.34%, and Hattiesburg, Miss. On a yearly basis, following Arizona and Florida, the top 10 states for home price gains, including the District of Columbia, were:
OFHEO pointed out in its latest report that its House Price Index (HPI) includes refinancings, which tend to inflate housing prices. “Homes with cash-out refinances likely are disproportionately those that have experienced the most appreciation,” because higher appreciation rates give owners more equity from which they can take cash out, the report noted. “Thus, the HPI dataset, which includes appraisals used for cash-out refinances, may have relatively more rapidly appreciating houses than the purchase-only index.” Over the past year, OFHEO’s purchase-only index rose 10.04%, 2.5 percentage points lower than the increase indicated by the House Price Index. Share Nation's Building News With Your Company's EmployeesMake your business click. Share Nation's Building News with your company's employees and trade partners (but not with your competition). With each issue filled with valuable news and information on every aspect of the home building industry, Nation's Building News is the simplest way for your entire company to stay on top of the industry — and ahead of your competition. How? Just forward this issue to your employees and trade partners and ask them to subscribe. Nation's Building News, it's free to them — invaluable to you. Don't delay, have your employees subscribe today. To subscribe, click here. Reality Hits Investors of Vacation PropertiesAlthough baby boomers haven’t abandoned their interest in second homes, the feeding frenzy among investment purchasers has cooled and market conditions are returning more to normal, according to David Hehman, chief executive officer of EscapeHomes.com, which has about 250,000 visitors monthly. According to the experts, anybody hoping to finance their purchase by picking up occasional rental income should carefully check the supply and demand for rental units, because investors who can’t sell are likely to rent. A recent survey of its members by the Vacation Rental Managers Association found that the inventory of rentals has increased an average of 12.73% this year, up from an average annual increase of 7.3% over the past five years. With some 1 million Americans now living in Mexico, where the cost of living is 15%-30% less, Rita Feinberg, executive director of the international department at NAHB, advises that even with more American-based mortgage providers and title companies establishing offices south of the border, U.S. buyers considering purchases there need to exercise “serious due diligence” because of Mexican laws on foreign ownership. (www.chicagotribune.com)
Goodbye, Garage; Home Owners Park Their Cars ElsewhereSince all a home owner has to do is park the car somewhere else, the garage is the one place in the home that can be easily transformed into a practice space, art studio or woodshop. Home owners spent $3 billion on their garages in 2004 and an estimated $3.5 billion in 2005, according to Gopal Ahluwalia, vice president of research at NAHB. Garages are the last frontier for home rehab and restoration, and home owners have been installing custom cabinets, designer work benches and name-brand tool chests in them. And some have transformed their garages from places to park into mother-in-law apartments, offices, yoga studios and gyms. “I say it’s the id of the house,” says Kira Obolensky, author of “Garage: Reinventing the Place We Work.” “You can kind of see what people are really up to. It’s got the obvious function of storing cars and also storing stuff, but people tend to go to the garage as a place to let their hair down.” (www.sacbee.com)
The Suburbs Under Siege: Home Owners Love Cul-de-Sacs, Planners Say They’re PerilsWhile large numbers of homes are still being built on cul-de-sacs and continue to fetch premiums from buyers who appreciate the absence of through automobile traffic, opposition against them has been growing from city planners, traffic engineers, snowplow drivers and local governments. About 90% of the cities in Oregon have changed their laws to limit cul-de-sacs, while 40 small municipalities outside Philadelphia have restricted or banned them. Traffic is the most common complaint against cul-de-sacs because most of the roads in cul-de-sac neighborhoods are dead ends, forcing drivers to navigate on peripheral roads that are already overcrowded. A recent study by transportation planners in Charlotte, N.C. found that almost all of the city’s heavily congested intersections were located near residential developments from the 1960s through the ’80s that are filled with cul-de-sac neighborhoods. Suburban cul-de-sac design became popular during the housing boom following World War II, according to NAHB land planner Ed Tombari, when many families turned away from the congested grids of central cities to live on quiet cul-de-sacs with lawns and winding roads more reminiscent of the countryside. The number of roads leading in was limited by developers to ensure privacy. (www.wsj.com)
House Fight: Urban Neighborhoods Battle the Razing of Bungalows to Build MansionsThe growing practice of razing older, smaller homes in in-town neighborhoods to build suburban-sized 4,000-square-foot mansions is raising controversy and spurring government intervention. While most people still tend to move to the suburbs, there has been a recent infill trend from those who want to return closer to downtowns, especially in large metro areas like New York, Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco. Topping the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2002 list of most endangered places was what the group called an “epidemic” of home teardowns in historic neighborhoods. Despite the protests, bigger homes are in demand. According to NAHB, nearly one in five homes built in the U.S. by 2003 was larger than 3,000 square feet. “When they build these houses, it makes everybody’s house look bad,” said Bill Ferrigno, president of the Home Builders Association of Connecticut, where towns along the so-called Gold Coast, nearest to New York City, are struggling with the issue of in-town home owners buying for the lots, not the homes, which they eventually demolish. (www.macon.com)
Trying Out Some New Sides to SidingWith the nation’s homes now at a median age of 33, according to NAHB, and a hot housing market starting to simmer down, exterior makeovers are gaining importance and home owners are finding exciting developments in the siding industry. Manufacturers are coaxing customers with new formulations and textures, expensive synthetics that replace real wood or stone and characteristics such as mildew resistance. Among the latest options are imported faux-brick veneers that cost twice as much as real brick and premium vinyl in colors such as “peach dip.” Debuting at the International Builders’ Show in January, CertainTeed’s CedarBoards are made from vinyl that is grained to look like cedar and have a rigid foam backing to increase energy-efficiency and dent-resistance. It costs about $2 a square foot uninstalled, about twice as much as traditional vinyl. Cement-based Cultured Stone (at $4.50-$5.50 a square foot) from Owens Corning is molded from real rocks, and then colored with pigments to appeal to designer tastes. One new color, “pheasant,” blends khaki, olive, gold and plum. (www.theglobeandmail.com)
Print Struggles for Share in Online Real Estate, Part 1The print newspaper stronghold on classified advertising has undergone dramatic change in recent years. And while the real estate category for newspaper classifieds has shown annual increases in the past decade, dot-com advertising is quickly picking up market share. In just a few years the number of online classified services has mushroomed, creating a new fragmented market where newspapers are still trying to find their place. With more than 1,000 company-owned real estate offices operating under the banners of Coldwell Banker, ERA, The Corcoran Group, Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sunshine Group, brokerage company NRT Inc. hasn’t pulled the plug on print classifieds, according to Judy Reeves, its chief operating officer. “We don’t say we are pulling dollars from one (medium) and pushing to another,” she said. “We are watching the trend and putting dollars where we feel they need to go.” Of the roughly $9 billion in total annual real estate advertising, about $4.5 billion is in daily newspapers, $1.5 billion is in homes magazines, $1 billion is in television advertising, $400 million is online and about $2 billion is tied up in things like broker promotional activities, according to New York-based Corzen, which tracks online real estate listings. (www.inman.com)
Flood Insurance Bill Advances in the SenateThe Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee passed legislation on May 25 to reform the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In a victory for NAHB, the bill does not expand the current 100-year flood plain to the 500-year level. This expansion was attempted by the Senate last year, but defeated by decisive NAHB action. However, the bill does mandate the purchase of flood insurance for properties located behind flood control structures once the current 100-year mapping effort is complete. NAHB sent a letter to Senate Banking Committee members prior to the markup expressing the association’s opposition to this provision, noting that it would penalize communities that have opted to install flood control structures by requiring residents who have already paid taxes for these facilities to purchase flood insurance. Rather than taking such a broad approach, NAHB urged the committee to first investigate how this action would affect property owners and local communities, and then to demonstrate that the increased premiums are necessary. In the coming weeks, NAHB will urge the full Senate to overturn this provision in favor of language included in legislation approved by the House Financial Services Committee that calls for enacting a comprehensive study of this proposal before instituting a policy change. For more information, e-mail Scott Meyer at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8144. State Legislatures Grapple With Ethics ReformsWhile ethics reform has taken center stage in the nation’s capital in the wake of scandals involving prominent lobbyists and members of Congress, state legislatures are responding to improprieties of their own. In the current session alone, state legislators have introduced almost 200 bills dealing with gift bans, disclosure filings, lobbyist-funded trips and “revolving door” or “cooling off” periods for retiring lawmakers and their staff members. Although most of these measures have failed to be enacted before adjournment or are still being debated, a few have become law:
Although the going has not been easy for these initiatives, it appears that state legislatures will continue to be grappling with reform issues next year. For more information about lobbying and ethics-related legislation, click here. Eye on the Economy: 'Soft Landing' Will Have Rough SpotsThe Commerce Department’s preliminary estimate of real gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year showed robust 5.3% growth, up from the “advance” estimate of 4.8% and well above sustainable trend growth. Consumer spending was the major driver of first-quarter growth, and solid contributions also were provided by nonresidential fixed investment, exports and spending by the federal government. Residential fixed investment made a modest contribution to GDP growth. GDP growth is definitely slowing toward a more sustainable pace in the second quarter. NAHB’s forecast currently shows 3.0% growth, reflecting a major slowdown in consumer spending along with less exuberant business investment and a swing of residential fixed investment into the negative zone following an extended period of highly impressive growth. The Growth Slowdown Will Extend the Economic Expansion We’re still projecting a pattern of below-trend GDP growth — a bit above 3% ― in the second half of this year and in 2007, and we continue to view this pattern as a mid-cycle correction that will extend the economic expansion for at least several more years. Nearly three years of average above-trend GDP growth have generated solid growth in employment and systematically reduced the degree of slack in U.S. labor markets — demonstrated by a falling unemployment rate from the cyclical high in mid-2003 to an expansion low of 4.7% in April. The evolving (and projected) slowdown in GDP growth will prevent the unemployment rate from falling much (if any) further in the near term, and NAHB’s forecast shows an upward drift during the second half of this year and in 2007. Indeed, loosening of labor market conditions is essential to maintenance of an economic expansion with low inflation in coming years. Core Inflation Is a Growing Threat to the Economic Expansion The extended period of above-trend GDP growth and the associated shrinkage of slack in U.S. labor markets have generated growing concern on the inflation front. The Fed is quite worried about upward pressures on “core” inflation (excluding prices of food and energy) from tightening labor markets as well as from soaring energy prices that inevitably have been making their way into the core through business cost structures. Core inflation readings for the first quarter of 2006 were reasonably well contained, at least on a year-over-year basis, although various measures definitely firmed up on a quarter-to-quarter basis. Furthermore, available data for April show further acceleration. The core consumer price index (CPI) definitely is on an upward path, showing annualized increases of 3.6% in both March and April, and the April reading was up by 2.3% on a year-over-year basis — not far below our estimate of the upper bound of the Fed’s tolerance zone for this inflation measure (2.5%). The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, the core price index for personal consumption expenditures (PCE) rose at an annual rate of 3.0% in April and was up by 2.1% on a year-over-year basis — slightly above our estimate of the upper end of the Fed’s tolerance zone for this measure (2.0%). The evolving slowdown in economic growth, and the associated loosening of the labor market, should relieve upward pressure on core inflation before long. We expect the key PCE price index to drift back within the Fed’s tolerance zone by late this year. The Fed Is Being Pulled by Opposing Forces The Fed raised the federal funds rate target to 5% at the last meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on May 10, taking the “real” (inflation-adjusted) funds rate to about 3% — slightly restrictive by historical standards. With respect to future policy moves, the FOMC statement said that “some further policy firming may yet be needed to address inflation risks,” but the statement also emphasized that future policy moves will be highly data-dependent. Our forecast continues to assume that the Fed will maintain the current policy stance for some time. However, evidence of slowing economic growth and limits on core inflation will have to be convincing to hold off yet another quarter-point rate hike at the next FOMC meeting on June 29. The April readings on core CPI and PCE inflation tilted the odds toward at least one more rate hike this year, while the obvious slowdown in GDP growth in the second quarter argues for policy stability. Only time will tell. Long-Term Rates May Now Be Range Bound Long-term interest rates have been hanging around four-year highs for several weeks, as upward pressures generated by surprisingly high core inflation readings have been roughly neutralized by some tepid economic indicators (including a downshift in consumer spending in April) and an associated flight of capital from the stock market to the bond market. The 10-year Treasury yield has been close to 5.1% for more than a month, and the long-term home mortgage rate has been holding around 6.6%. Expectations of future monetary policy adjustments, as well as inflation expectations, are built into the current yield structure, and the future course of long rates will depend on how well actual developments square with those expectations. NAHB’s forecast allows for a slight further rise in 10-year Treasury yields this year (to 5.2%), and we’re showing a similar rise in the fixed-rate home mortgage yield (to 6.7%). This forecast is contingent on a slowdown in economic growth, a slowdown in employment growth, an uptick in the unemployment rate, containment of core inflation and maintenance of a 5% funds rate. Indeed, if things fall perfectly into place, long-term rates may hardly move at all. The ‘Moderate’ and ‘Orderly’ Housing Slowdown Appears to Be on Track NAHB’s national housing forecast shows a moderate and orderly cooling-down process that began late last year and extends into the middle of 2007. In this regard, the forecast currently shows a 14% decline in total housing starts from the third quarter of 2005 to the third quarter of 2007. It’s noteworthy that both the former Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, and the current chairman, Ben Bernanke, basically concurred with this type of pattern in public statements issued in May, using words like “moderate,” “orderly” and “cooling” when referring to the evolving path of home sales, housing production and house price appreciation. The national “soft landing” scenario views the evolving housing slowdown as a downward adjustment from unsustainable rates of activity in 2005 rather than as a classic cyclical contraction. In this regard, the current slowdown looks a lot like the 1994-1995 episode rather than the deep housing recessions of the early 1980s or the early 1990s. With respect to causes, the current slowdown largely reflects serious affordability problems caused by systematic increases in the interest rate structure on top of years of rapid home price appreciation. The projected slowdown also reflects a pullback by investor/speculators that spurred the market to new heights last year. Investors/speculators have not only been cutting back on new purchases but also have been cancelling sales contracts and reselling single-family homes and condo units closed on earlier. The ‘Soft Landing’ Will Have Some Rough Spots NAHB’s forecast of a “soft landing” for the U.S. housing market in 2006 and 2007 recognizes that the landing will feel pretty rough in some areas of the country. The rough spots will include places that soared into the stratosphere in 2005 as well as places that hardly got off the ground following the national economic recession of 2001. The national housing boom that topped out late last year was concentrated in markets in the West, the Northeast corridor and Florida. Many of the high-flying metro markets now are heading back toward earth, and a pullback by investors/speculators is hastening the process. Rough landings for single-family and/or condo markets are possible in places like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Orlando, Miami and Washington, D.C. Furthermore, bumpy conditions are developing in other Florida markets, in much of California and in other parts of the Northeast corridor. The national economic expansion has left some parts of the country far behind, and housing markets in those areas face downside pressures that are entirely different from the issues faced by the high flyers. The “earthbound” housing markets are in structurally weak economies concentrated in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest, in New England and in the storm-ravaged Louisiana-Mississippi area. The structurally weak economic areas have little hope for rebound in 2006-2007 as the national economy slows toward trend. Furthermore, rising interest rates now are weighing on these economies, and the Federal Reserve has no way to regionalize the effects of monetary policy. While builders in the earthbound markets don’t have to deal with violent swings in home buying/selling by investors/speculators, weak fundamentals loom large. This reality has already prompted geographic diversification by a number of larger companies headquartered in places like the industrial Midwest. NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders analyzes the economy from the point of view of the housing market every other week in the free e-newsletter, “Eye on the Economy.” The preceding is a reissue of his May 31 edition. To subcribe to “Eye on the Economy,” click here. Want to Know Your State and Metro Forecasts for 2006? Anticipate the trends, make better decisions and improve your bottom line. HousingEconomics.com, the online publication from NAHB Economics Group, is your single source for market analysis, forecasts, housing statistics and more. In-depth analysis and detailed Excel tables and overviews are available for all the state and metro forecasts. HousingEconomics.com combines unique scientific research with practical applications providing insights that are original and useful. This interactive Web site at the executive level provides critical data and information quickly, easily and frequently, and includes the following features:
Latest on the NAHB Economics Blog: 'Builders Have Not Lost Touch With Demand' NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders says that "builders have not lost touch with demand" on NAHB's economics blog, “Seiders on Housing” — an informal Internet-based forum dealing with economic issues, housing trends, survey research and other topics affecting the housing sector of the economy. Log onto the blog at http://nahbblog.blogs.com and get direct access to Seiders' expert opinions, projections and responses. Then let Seiders know what you think by giving your perspective. Builder’s Tip: Landscape Fabric As Tarp for Power-WashingPressure washing painted siding can leave millions of unsightly paint chips strewn around a house. And there hasn't been a really good way to pick up any but the largest pieces — until now. When one of my clients was adamant about not wanting any chips around his home, I came up with the following solution. I had planned to lay down tarps to collect the chips when we hand-scraped his house, but the tarps would be flooded by the water during the preliminary wash. Instead, to catch the flakes and let the water pass through, I spread some landscaping fabric left over from another project. We placed the fabric about 6 feet out from the house. Although the water puddled up initially, it passed through the fabric soon after we shut off the equipment. As a tarp, the landscape fabric worked great. It caught even the tiniest particles. — Mike Guertin, East Greenwich, R.I. Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
To request a reprint of this feature, e-mail Mary Lou von der Lancken at Fine Homebuilding. BuilderBooks.com Offers More Than 250 Books That Help You Build Your Business
BuilderBooks.com is your source for training and education products for the building industry. The official bookstore for NAHB, BuilderBooks.com offers award-winning publications, software, brochures and more available in both English and Spanish. To view these publications online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Log In and Explore www.nahb.org
Explore the latest housing industry news and information on www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. With an expansive "For Consumers" section, www.nahb.org provides a credible source of information on home building and remodeling for your customers. The Web site also provides a wealth of member discount programs and business resources developed for you. Plus, to make it easy to get what you need, the Web site has built in time-saving features like My NAHB to customize the site to your interests, My Favorites so you can select specific links to appear on your www.nahb.org Home page and online Staff Directories so you can find NAHB housing industry experts quickly and easily. Use www.nahb.org to stay on top of the latest housing industry news, access your council and committee materials, register for courses and events and stay abreast of NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. Log in today to start taking advantage of this free NAHB member benefit. Understand Profitability With 10 Best Management ReportsMonitoring your business operations on a regular basis will help you improve your business, according to Bob Whitten, executive vice president of SMA Consulting, a firm that offers financial and operational management consulting services to the construction industry. The records you keep for your lending partners and the IRS are useful for those needs, but they are useless for helping you understand your company’s profitability and growth (or lack of it). Instead of relying on those records, Whitten encourages builders to take snapshots of their business operations through regular business management reporting — items such as cash flow analysis, customer satisfaction and cost-per-square-foot analysis. Whitten suggests that builders use his “10 Best Management Reports” as a guide to monitoring critical aspects of their businesses. The 10-report guide is available to NAHB members in the business management resource section of the NAHB Web site and will help keep builders focused on what needs to be monitored. “Don’t fool yourself with land profit,” said Steve Maltzman, president of SMA. While that will help your bottom line, it will cloud over your company’s production operations. If you are a production builder, you are in the manufacturing business and you should always view your operation and profit numbers in that light. In fact, you should protect your land assets by keeping your land development business in a separate company altogether. To read more about Whitten’s “10 Best Management Reports” in the members-only business management resource section at www.nahb.org/biztools, click here. NAHB Has More Than 250 Resources to Help You Run Your Business More Profitably Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to more than 250 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more. Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources. Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed. Subscribe to NAHB’s Business of Building e/Source NAHB’s Business of Building e/Source is your monthly electronic guide to the hot issues and emerging trends in home building business management. You’ll find practical advice, tricks of the trade and sound business guidance — all delivered monthly, straight to your desktop, in a quick and easy-to-read format. Business of Building e/Source is available free to NAHB members and their employees. To subscribe, visit www.nahb.org/BoB on the Members Only side of the NAHB Web site. NAHB Technology Solutions Directory Now Online NAHB’s Technology Solutions Directory — an easy-to-use directory that enables builders, remodelers, contractors and other industry professionals to find information on software and IT solutions and services for their businesses — is now online. The directory is sponsored by the Business Management & Information Technology Committee. Software and technology solutions providers interested in being listed can sign up for:
The Technology Solutions Directory is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing in the directory should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the listed software, IT service or the software/IT vendor. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained in this directory. Register for Custom Builder Symposium in Las Vegas
Register now for the 2006 Custom Builder Symposium so you don't miss the Aug. 18 early bird registration deadline. The symposium will be held Oct. 27-29 in the Lake Las Vegas Resort, Nev. Featuring world-class education, plenty of networking opportunities and a practical take-home workbook packed with tips on marketing, management and customer service, the Custom Builder Symposium is a can't-miss opportunity for custom builders to learn from peers who build high-end homes for demanding customers. In addition, the symposium's Andersen Home Tour will be featuring homes in all phases of construction created by leading Las Vegas custom home builders. Learn From Peers and Other Industry Experts in Concurrent Sessions The Custom Builder Symposium will feature education programs tailored to the needs of builders whose specialty is the discerning, high-end home client. The following are just a few of the sessions offered:
Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to more than 250 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more. Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources. Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed.
NAHB’s Business of Building e/Source is your monthly electronic guide to the hot issues and emerging trends in home building business management. You’ll find practical advice, tricks of the trade and sound business guidance — all delivered monthly, straight to your desktop, in a quick and easy-to-read format. Business of Building e/Source is available free to NAHB members and their employees. To subscribe, visit www.nahb.org/BoB on the Members Only side of the NAHB Web site.
NAHB’s Technology Solutions Directory — an easy-to-use directory that enables builders, remodelers, contractors and other industry professionals to find information on software and IT solutions and services for their businesses — is now online. The directory is sponsored by the Business Management & Information Technology Committee. Software and technology solutions providers interested in being listed can sign up for:
The Technology Solutions Directory is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing in the directory should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the listed software, IT service or the software/IT vendor. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained in this directory. Urban Boomers: New Wave of Buyers Heads to the CityBy Peter F. Dennehy, Sullivan Group Real Estate Advisors The resurgence of urban areas as residential neighborhoods is a nationwide trend. Vibrant cities like Chicago, New York and San Francisco always have appealed to those who seek housing with access to cultural and entertainment options. Over the past decade, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle have emerged as thriving urban housing markets. The history, architecture and density of central areas create a “sense of place” that outlying suburban areas simply can’t match. Public and private investment to increase the quality and safety of cities — tied to generating tourism and commerce — has made urban areas more comfortable, secure and interesting. The media and marketing professions have portrayed the urban lifestyle as appealing, not only in home designs but in the design motifs of trendy restaurants, clothing stores and houseware companies (i.e., Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel). Today’s “senior” buyers, particularly the oldest boomers, readily will accept urban housing options for retirement homes, second homes and investment properties. Many consumers are shifting their priorities, fueling the demand for more diverse housing options for affluent, active retirees. These buyers favor the restaurants, shopping, cultural offerings, quality medical care, views and ease of lifestyle found in cities. Downtown Market About to Explode Everyone understands that boomers are individualistic and act young. For many, this means embracing the renewed vitality of city living and moving back to the urban core. According to data from Sullivan Group Real Estate Advisors, an affiliate of The Ryness Company, a sales, marketing and research company, more than 6,000 urban housing units have been developed in downtown San Diego since 2000, with empty nesters in their 40s to 60s accounting for 30% of all new households. This figure jumps to as high as 50% in some projects with view-oriented settings and/or larger units. According to United States Census data, the peak year for births in the boomer generation was 1957, putting most of these consumers in their mid-to-late 40s. The popularity of urban housing will continue to soar as more households rethink their housing options and as new residential developments continue to transform cities. Urban Housing Trends Today’s buyers are choosing urban housing for the following reasons:
Hot Buttons for Today’s Buyers The Metropolitan project and others illustrate the types of product hot buttons that attract senior buyers to urban housing projects. They include:
Between 1990 and 2000, the U.S. population of those 60 and older increased by approximately 3.5 million. According to Census projections, this age group will grow by another 10 million over the next 10 years — almost three times greater than the past decade. By 2030, people ages 65 and older will number about 70 million, which is double the total in 1987. Urban housing already is attracting many boomers by giving them the opportunity to buy a unit that offers little or no maintenance as well as a lifestyle and more active environment. To attract more of these affluent, individualistic consumers, builders should offer urban housing products that provide a new lifestyle and well-designed, functional layouts. The most successful projects are market-driven and rely on market and consumer research. The revitalization of downtowns across the nation is a well-established trend that should provide builders with plenty of opportunities in the future. Peter F. Dennehy is the senior vice president for San Diego-based Sullivan Group Real Estate Advisors, a division of The Ryness Company. Dennehy oversees the division’s daily operations and has expertise in consulting on a broad spectrum of residential and commercial properties, including rental housing, master-planned communities, detached for-sale housing, urban and infill housing developments and business/industrial parks. For more information, e-mail Dennehy, or call him at 858-523-0946 x227. A version of this article originally appeared in the summer 2005 issue of 50+ Housing Magazine, available free to members of NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council. Non-members can subscribe for $95 a year. Find Out What the 55+ Market Wants “Boomers on the Horizon,” available through BuilderBooks.com, can help you better build and market homes to this age group. Capitalize on the niches, needs and opportunities of this rapidly growing market by learning their preferences. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Home Owners, Contractors Sound Off About Each OtherThe worst nightmare for a contractor is a customer who continually asks for work to be changed or redone, and for a customer, it’s shoddy workmanship, according to surveys conducted by Opinion Research Corporation in March, on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Professional, to find out what the two think of each other. Other nightmares for contractors, in descending order, include:
Only 2% of the customers who were polled said that they would choose contractors based on their good looks, but a small number of the contractors participating in the surveying, all of whom were male, said that customers chose them because they’re “hot and everyone knows it.” Tied for the least favorite part of the home improvement experience for customers were negotiating prices and “feeling weird about having a total stranger in their home.” A close third was “feeling like you have to watch them all the time.” Contractors said that the most unpleasant part of their job was dealing with customers who change their minds, followed by “constant complaints and nitpicking,” having to negotiate prices and feeling like they’re being watched. When contractors don’t like a customer, they most commonly try to get out of the job by overpricing it, but one-third said they will simply say “thanks, but no thanks.” The surveys delved into the issue of personal hygiene, homing in on bathroom privileges and where contractors answer nature’s call and how home owners feel about their facilities being used:
There were 401 participants in the contractor survey, including home remodeling contractors, painters and carpenters, electrical contractors, landscape contractors, plumbers, handymen, tile and flooring contractors, roofers, HVAC workers and others. Fifty-one percent of the respondents were owners, 34% were employees, 14% were managers and 1% held other positions. CFA Summer Meeting to Examine Residential MarketHow the residential market is taking shape and what opportunities exist will be examined during the summer meeting of the Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) on July 19-22 at the Kalahari, an African-theme waterpark at Wisconsin Dells, Wis. A discussion on the residential market will be conducted on Thursday, July 20. Education sessions at the meeting will focus on the following trends and topics:
To reserve rooms in the CFA room block, call 877-254-5466 by Sunday, June 18.
Plan to Attend the Building Systems Council SHOWCASE Mark your calendars now for the Building Systems SHOWCASE at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa on Nov. 5-8 in Miami, Fla. The Building Systems Councils SHOWCASE is the ultimate NAHB resource for the systems-built housing industry. For more information, click here. First Women’s Summit Meets to Form Construction CoalitionTo form an industry-wide coalition, representatives of six women’s construction-oriented groups, several manufacturers and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) met last month in Washington, D.C. during an inaugural women’s summit. The NAHB Women’s Council hosted the summit. Participating organizations also included Women Construction Owners and Executives, the National Association of Women in Construction, the Women’s Council of Realtors®, Chicago Women in Trades and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Also participating were Roger Carson Enterprises, Inc., a natural gas distributor based in Northern Virginia, and Whirlpool Corporation. “It was great to have all of these important organizations representing women in building and construction gathered together,” said Nicole Goolsby, chair of the Women’s Council. “I felt like we all learned a lot about each other’s organization and learned that even though we are separate entities, we’re all fighting for many of the same issues.” At the summit, the group resolved to create a collective platform, the initial stepping stone to forming a coalition, and hopes to create a Web site that will celebrate the careers of women in the building industry, include profiles of exemplary women in the field and provide links and resources for young women considering a career in the building industry. The meeting was sponsored by the Merillat Corporation, a custom cabinet manufacturer. Safety Handbooks Available in English and SpanishJune is National Safety Month. The failure to properly train workers is one of the top 15 most frequently cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards in residential construction and could cost a company up to $7,000 for a single serious violation. OSHA requires employers to train their employees to recognize and avoid safety hazards on the job and to understand the applicable safety regulations. To help meet this need, BuilderBooks.com offers numerous safety publications in both English and Spanish. The “NAHB-OSHA Jobsite Safety Handbook: English-Spanish Edition” is a pocket-size manual that covers the key safety issues on which residential builders need to focus to reduce injuries and fatalities. Topics include:
Available as a Video, Too A companion "English-Spanish Jobsite Safety Video," based on the handbook and also available through BuilderBooks.com, provides an overview of the key safety issues on which residential builders and workers need to focus in order to reduce accidents and injuries and to comply with OSHA regulations. Two 20-minute videos — one in English, the other in Spanish — are included on one DVD. To purchase the video online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. To view or purchase other safety publications available at BuilderBooks.com, visit www.builderbooks.com/Safety. Want to Know More About Designations? Ask an ExpertThe NAHB University of Housing recently implemented “Ask an Expert,” a new service on the NAHB Web site for members seeking or earning designations. "Ask an Expert" allows members to e-mail designation program graduates with questions that will help then earn their CSP, Master CSP, CMP or MIRM designations. The graduates will field questions and concerns ranging from course content, to the designation process, to how the designation has benefited them. So, if you're thinking about enrolling in the CSP, Master CSP, CMP or MIRM designation programs or have already started the necessary course work and have questions or concerns, visit “Ask an Expert” on the NAHB Web site. A variety of designation holders will provide you with guidance and help you navigate the ins and outs of the program. Learn More About The NAHB University of Housing
Whether you’re new to the industry, hope to make your next career move or want to improve your company’s bottom line, The NAHB University of Housing can assist you in your educational pursuits. Visit www.nahb.org/education for a comprehensive listing of courses throughout the country. Be sure to visit often in order to view the most up-to-date information in your area.
Log In and Discover www.nahb.org The NAHB Web site, www.nahb.org, gives you access to nearly 5,000 pages of housing industry information and exclusive members-only resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access is fast, easy and free to NAHB members. To take full advantage of the exclusive NAHB members-only resources on www.nahb.org, however, you must log in. To create your login:
By logging onto the NAHB Web site, you will have access to twice as much information as non-members — information that will help you stay ahead of your competition. You will be able to view and read entire sections of content developed just for members, and you will be able to personalize the site to your specific interests. To learn more, log in and visit the "How to Use" www.nahb.org section in My NAHB. For questions or help logging in, call 800-368-5242 x0; or e-mail your name, company name, state and phone number to login@nahb.org. Education Calendar
Learn More About The NAHB University of Housing Whether you’re new to the industry, hope to make your next career move or want to improve your company’s bottom line, The NAHB University of Housing can assist you in your educational pursuits. Visit www.nahb.org/education for a comprehensive listing of courses throughout the country. Be sure to visit often in order to view the most up-to-date information in your area.
Log In and Discover www.nahb.org The NAHB Web site, www.nahb.org, gives you access to nearly 5,000 pages of housing industry information and exclusive members-only resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access is fast, easy and free to NAHB members. To take full advantage of the exclusive NAHB members-only resources on www.nahb.org, however, you must log in. To create your login:
By logging onto the NAHB Web site, you will have access to twice as much information as non-members — information that will help you stay ahead of your competition. You will be able to view and read entire sections of content developed just for members, and you will be able to personalize the site to your specific interests. To learn more, log in and visit the "How to Use" www.nahb.org section in My NAHB. For questions or help logging in, call 800-368-5242 x0; or e-mail your name, company name, state and phone number to login@nahb.org. Brad Pitt Seeks Sustainable Design for New OrleansFriday, June 9, is the last day for online registration to participate in the Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans. Sponsored by Global Green and Brad Pitt, the goal of the competition is to generate ideas for sustainable redevelopment of the devastated city that discourages the use of non-renewable resources, helps lower the dependence of its residents on fossil fuels and their byproducts, and interweaves natural and human systems. “Competitors are urged to think outside the box, but to remember that the box must still be buildable at an affordable price,” according to the contest sponsors. “To serve as a catalyst for the sustainable rebuilding process, this competition asks participants to address several components of neighborhood design, including housing, community facilities and planning.” There are two stages to the competition. In the first stage, participants are asked to provide a sustainable urban design on a 1.25-acre site that focuses on a green, healthy multifamily housing building with community center features, along with siting of single-family homes and other environmental features. Submissions will be asked to achieve several sustainable design and green building goals, including net-zero energy goals (e.g., meeting all energy needs for buildings on the site through passive and active strategies). Competitors will provide an architectural design for the apartment complex/daycare center only, in this stage, and the deadline for submissions is July 6. In the second stage, three to six finalists identified from the first round will draw on their submissions, working with local architects and community groups, to create a plan for selected areas in different neighborhoods of the city. They will design single-family housing and a community facility in the neighborhood, as well as environmental and community features, and will receive $25,000 to complete this phase. In both stages, competitors are challenged to:
The competition is open to architects, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers, industrial designers, artists and students. Entrants may submit as individuals or as a part of a team, and multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged. To register or for more information, click here. San Diego Builders Overturn Inclusionary Zoning LawSan Diego’s controversial inclusionary zoning ordinance was declared unconstitutional and invalid in a May 24 decision by the San Diego Superior Court, which has shut down the program and put in question the approximately $7 million collected from more than 20,000 home owners under the ordinance. The law forced builders to rent or sell a portion of the homes in their projects at reduced prices to low-income households or pay a fee, in effect taxing the remaining buyers with the cost of the subsidy. “This ruling makes the city do the right thing,” said Paul Tryon, chief executive officer of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County. “Our customers — today’s new home buyers — will no longer be illegally taxed to pay for someone else’s home.” Home builders sued because the city ignored the direction of the city council when it changed language in the ordinance. “We tried to work with the city on a compromise that preserved the city’s ability to implement inclusionary zoning lawfully but also respected the direction from the city council vote in 2003,” said Tyron. The city agreed to settle in 2004, but never finalized that agreement and failed to provide an amended ordinance for public comment or action by the city council. The San Diego association has worked with academic institutions, chambers of commerce and the city’s own task force on affordability to identify better alternatives for providing housing for low-income families than inclusionary zoning. For a list of these approaches, click here. ‘Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Inclusionary Zoning for Affordable Housing,” available through BuilderBooks.com, describes best practices and techniques for creating an effective inclusionary zoning program based on the experiences of industry experts; evaluations of state, regional, and local programs; and case studies of 15 communities across the nation. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Legal Action Fund Helps Litigate on Housing ConcernsSix home builders associations have received grant approval from the NAHB Executive Board to pursue litigation on a range of issues of concern to the nation’s home building industry. The grants from the NAHB Legal Action Fund were awarded based on recommendations from the Legal Action Committee, which met in Washington, D.C. on May 12 during the association’s spring board. The committee reviews applications for funding three times a year in conjunction with the NAHB board meetings. Assistance has been provided on the following issues:
For more information on these grants, e-mail Mary Lynn Pickel at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8485. For information on filing a funding application, contact Felicia Watson, x8229. New Hampshire Adds IRC to Its Building CodeJoining with local building code officials and legislators, representatives of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of New Hampshire participated in a May 15 ceremony at which Governor John Lynch signed SB 234, a law that adds the International Residential Code 2000 to the state’s building code. “Overregulation of the housing market, especially by local governments, continues to be a major cost driver for housing in New Hampshire,” said Ed Steward, president of the builders association. “The enactment of a statewide residential building code is a major step in helping reduce overregulation,” he said. “The law encourages greater consumer safety by ensuring that building codes are up-to-date, improves the ease of compliance and enforcement and reduces administrative costs associated with having to comply with a myriad of local building codes.” In hearings on the bill, municipal code officials testified that there were approximately 12 different residential building codes being used in towns across the state. In addition, builders testified that they had to contend with significant variations from town to town in requirements for many aspects of construction projects, such as building stairs. Steward noted that the work of the bill’s sponsors, Sen. Bob Clegg and Rep. Will Infantine, “not only has improved safety for consumers, but provides a major step forward in bringing affordability to the state’s housing market.” The new law goes into effect on July 8 and will be administered by the New Hampshire Code Review Board. For information on NAHB's role in the codes and standards process, e-mail Jeff Inks, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8547. ‘2006 International Residential Code’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “2006 International Residential Code,” available through BuilderBooks.com, establishes minimum regulations for three-story one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. It brings together all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for one- and two-family residences. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Innovative HBI Program Builds Housing WorkforceHome Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of NAHB, will be among the presenters at Workforce Innovations, the annual conference being hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training Administration, July 11-13 in Anaheim, Calif. A session entitled “Build Off Their Success: Highly Effective Construction Programs for Youth” will highlight HBI’s “Building Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow” program, which has been funded by DOL under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative. An hour-long learning lab will focus on the program’s effectiveness in recruiting, training, educating and preparing students for careers in residential construction. While one goal of “Building Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow” is to introduce students to employment opportunities in the building industry, another is to disseminate its success stories so that the program can be implemented on a wider scale. The learning lab will discuss implementation of the HBI program at a site in rural Idaho and how it has helped attract students to careers in the home building industry. “We are delighted to have a chance to tell workforce development stakeholders about the home building industry and how we are tapping its enormous potential through this program,” said HBI Chairman Mike Sivage. “When you look at the different groups we’ve been able to bring together in all 10 states, it’s truly innovative. The great thing is that ultimately the students, the communities and our industry all benefit — it’s an ideal venue to share this kind of success.” The $4.2 million grant has enabled home builders associations to lead local efforts to partner with K-12 school districts, community colleges, Job Corps Centers, workforce development boards and area employers where students learn craft skills, obtain their high school diplomas and pursue an associate’s degree or equivalent credential. The HBI program is being conducted at rural, urban and suburban sites in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, and successes at those locations will be used to develop a model program that can be replicated nationwide. HBI is a gold sponsor at Workforce Innovations, which is attended by more than 3,000 professionals involved in education and workforce development. For more information on the “Building Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow” grant, e-mail John Shortt at HBI, or call him at 800-795-7955 x8935. Lighthouses Being Restored With New Windows and DoorsWith lighthouses nationwide falling into disrepair due to a lack of funding, JELD-WEN is helping to restore some of the nation’s most reliable landmarks through its Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative. Headquartered in Klamath Falls, Ore., JELD-WEN is a member of the National Council of the Housing Industry — The Supplier 100 of NAHB. The manufacturer of windows and doors has completed its first restoration project, the Umpqua River Lighthouse, which was built in 1894 on the Oregon Coast, and is now in the process of selecting a second location based on nominations from the public. After 111 years in a harsh coastal environment, it was apparent that the lighthouse, Oregon’s first, was in need of repair, and JELD-WEN set out to bring back the original beauty of the building, incorporate the latest technologies for withstanding extreme conditions and help protect its outer layer. The existing front door of the lighthouse was warped and deteriorating, so it was replaced with a new JELD-WEN IWP® Aurora™ Custom Fiberglass door that is visually indistinguishable from wood, helping to restore the original appearance of the front entrance. The original wood, arch-top window openings in the lighthouse were filled in during the 1980s with replacement aluminum rectangular windows. JELD-WEN installed custom wood arch-top double hung windows to bring the original architectural style and grace back to life. The windows were made to order based on original photos and drawings provided by the previous lighthouse keeper and the U.S. Coast Guard. Before the restoration, the door and the old aluminum, anodized bronze windows darkened the lighthouse and were not historically accurate. JELD-WEN responded by installing pine wood windows made with AuraLast™, a revolutionary wood treatment process developed by the manufacturer, which offers a 20-year warranty against wood decay and insect damage. The windows tremendously lightened the building and changed its appearance. Lighthouse enthusiasts, owners and operators who would like to make a nomination have until Sept. 15 to tell JELD-WEN why they believe it is important to preserve the lighthouse and how it benefits the local community. Click here for the online form that is being used to make nominations. Finalists will be posted on the JELD-WEN Web site later this summer, and visitors can vote for their favorite. The popular vote will be one of the factors used to select a winner. The manufacturer also says that it will be announcing soon details of its American Lighthouse Photo Contest. This feature is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing on this page should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the featured product or the product manufacturer. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained on this page. NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV & DIY This WeekThe NAHB Production Group produces four weekly television shows on HGTV and DIY for consumers. The following is this week's lineup: "I Want That" on HGTV
"Dream Builders" on HGTV
"Rock Solid" on DIY
"Assembly Required" on DIY
Episode: "Deltec Round Kit Home (Part 2)"
The NAHB Production Group is a full-service, self-contained, media production unit creating programming for cable television, broadcast television, non-profit, museum and corporate clients. Productions range from magazine format shows for general audiences to museum-installation videos for specialized use. The production group includes award winning journalists, writers and photographers with experience in broadcast, documentary and corporate television. Log In and Explore www.nahb.org Explore the latest housing industry news and information on www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. With an expansive "For Consumers" section, www.nahb.org provides a credible source of information on home building and remodeling for your customers. The Web site also provides a wealth of member discount programs and business resources developed for you. Plus, to make it easy to get what you need, the Web site has built in time-saving features like My NAHB to customize the site to your interests, My Favorites so you can select specific links to appear on your www.nahb.org Home page and online Staff Directories so you can find NAHB housing industry experts quickly and easily. Use www.nahb.org to stay on top of the latest housing industry news, access your council and committee materials, register for courses and events and stay abreast of NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. Log in today to start taking advantage of this free NAHB member benefit. Endowment Awards 10 Associations Matching FundsThe National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of NAHB, has awarded nearly $28,000 to 10 local home builders associations through the Challenge/Build/Grow matching funds initiative. Since the program was launched in 2001, more than $95,000 has been awarded to associations to support local initiatives ranging from education, land use and labor shortage/worker training and to help build and grow new partnerships at the state and local level. The following are the latest recipients of the Challenge/Build/Grow grants: Student Training and Career Opportunities Awareness Programs
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