Print-All Page: November 25, 2008

Home builders with outstanding construction loans are reporting that they are having to stop work on new housing developments and are losing sales as the result of failed banks and thrift institutions being taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

“Builders with outstanding loans that are placed under FDIC control are frequently unable to contact a decision maker to deal with routine but time-sensitive matters related to loan draws or extensions,” NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard said in a Nov. 20 letter to FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair.

“Some builders have encountered what seem to be arbitrary criteria on whether or not loans receive continued funding,” Howard added. “Again, these developments are unnecessarily turning good loans into problem assets that will significantly exacerbate the losses that must be absorbed by the FDIC and the building and banking industries.”

Reports of severe financing problems stemming from FDIC bank takeovers have started proliferating among builders in Texas, a part of the country whose housing markets have been performing notably better than the national average.

One builder, for example, complained that he has been unable to receive a draw on his construction loan for more than four weeks and, as a result, has been unable to finish work on homes that have already been sold. He said that there is a possibility that the FDIC will also require another appraisal of his homes, which would cause more delays and further jeopardize the viability of his project.

In his letter, Howard praised the efforts of the FDIC to limit mortgage foreclosures, but noted that housing production loans are now experiencing the same kind of severe stress afflicting the home mortgage credit sector.

“Home builders are having extreme difficulty in obtaining credit for viable projects, and those with outstanding construction and development loans are experiencing intense pressure as the result of requirements for significant additional equity, denials on loan extensions and demands for immediate payment,” he told Bair. “In many cases, performing loans are rendered nonperforming as a result of these actions.”

Howard asked for an opportunity to meet and work with the FDIC to address “this serious and urgent issue.”

In a Nov. 24 press conference by the Florida Home Builders Association, builders in the state said that solvent, credit-worthy businesses are being forced “to the brink of disaster” by lending institutions that are making additional capital calls to maintain lines of credit, calling in loans not in default and altogether eliminating credit.

Jay Carlson, the association’s president and a builder in Port Charlotte, said that the state’s housing industry has been “struck hard” by the economic downturn and that things are getting worse.

For the year ending in September, Carlson said, Florida lost more than 75,000 construction jobs and at the end of that period had 54,000 homes in some stage of foreclosure and a 20-month supply of unsold properties. Since then, he noted, there has been further deterioration.

Lending institutions are reappraising the value of underlying assets on construction loans, he said, requiring builders and developers to come up with large amounts of cash to restore loan-to-value ratios. Lenders are taking adverse action on good loans, forcing builders into insolvency. “The current method to recapitalize is exacerbating the problem,” Carlson said.

Earl Snyder, a veteran FHA/VA home builder in Englewood, said that he has run into problems finishing eight homes in various stages of construction ranging from slab to almost finished. Six of the homes have already been sold to buyers with FHA mortgages. Although he was never late on loan payments, after being taken over by the FDIC his bank gave him 60 days to repay a $2.5 million construction loan. Snyder has subsequently sought credit from 15 other lenders, and not one of them would make him a loan.

Snyder said he has building material, employee and subcontractor costs to pay, yet he cannot receive an approved and authorized draw from his loan and is in jeopardy of losing his business because he is being forced to suddenly pay off his loan before maturity.

A meeting with representatives of the FDIC was not productive. “We are in dire straits,” Snyder said. “We’ve got to do something.”

“The industry is on its knees and asking for help, and in return will help the economy,” said Chuck Fowke, the Florida HBA’s first vice president and a custom builder in the Tampa area. “We want to stop foreclosures on builders’ lines of credit when they are in compliance” with the terms of those loans, he said.

No Radon Health Risks Uncovered in Granite Countertop Study

“Quantities of radon and radiation emitted by stones included in the analysis all fell well below average background levels commonly found in the United States,” the institute said.

The study included more than 400 tests of 115 different varieties of granite countertops — including stones cited in media reports as being potentially problematic, the most common types of granite used in countertops in the U.S. and the more exotic stones that represent a tiny share of the market. The types of stones tested comprise about 80% of those used in domestic countertops.

“Unlike some media reports of questionable scientific accuracy, this study evaluated a large variety of stones and used a number of complementary, well-established scientific techniques to assess the exposures that people could have to radon and radiation in real-world environments and to determine whether the presence of these specific stones could compromise consumer health,” the Marble Institute said.

“Our study included detailed mapping of radiation emitted from various stones that had areas that we identified as being elevated above levels for typical granite countertop material,” said Dr. John F. McCarthy, president of Environmental Health & Engineering, the independent environmental testing firm that conducted the study.

“We found that it’s easy to get what appear to be high readings of radon or radiation from a small fraction of granite countertops, but those readings do not reflect the actual risk to consumers because they do not assess the real exposure, only isolated, extreme measurements,” he said.

“As with any other type of environmental measurement, assessing the real risk to consumers must take into account more than isolated readings from small spots on a countertop,” McCarthy said. “It must reflect real-world exposure scenarios and be interpreted using well-established principles of environmental health.”

For more information on this issue from NAHB, e-mail Ken Ford, or call him at 800-369-5242 x8228.

Buffalo Builders Find Sales Among Mid-30s, 40s Buyers

The Western N.Y. housing market hasn’t experienced the peaks and valleys of the housing market as dramatically as some other markets across the nation. Like the tortoise in Aesop’s fable, new home production and prices in the area have moved at a slow and steady pace.

“Like everyone, we’ve taken some hits and consumer confidence has been affected, but overall we’re a market that has bucked the trend,” said Joe McIvor, executive vice president of the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association.

The association has turned that theme into a promotional campaign, displaying the “Bucking the Trend” message on banners, print advertising and other promotional material in conjunction with their Horizons Home Show and Parade of Homes events.

Single-family permits are down 19% in Buffalo, significantly lower than the 40% average decline nationally. Part of the reason local builders haven’t had to substantially scale back production is that they didn’t ramp it up during the housing boom years. The area’s population has been slowly declining as the local economy has had to adjust to the loss of blue collar jobs.

The HBA, however, has continued to find active purchasers of single-family homes in one segment of the population, and it has targeted that group in some of its promotional efforts.

According to McIvor, families in the area are most likely to want to move into a single-family home when they reach their mid-30s to mid-40s.

“This group is seeing that homeownership looks like a safer long-term investment than the stock market, with local prices continuing to appreciate at a modest but consistent 3% to 5%,” he said. “So they’re still going forward with their purchases.”

McIvor added that people are losing confidence in what they’re being told — for example, that rising gas prices would never come down again — but historical appreciation in home values is something they can see for themselves.

The BNBA has also taken steps to get positive coverage of the housing industry in the local newspapers. In October, it brought in NAHB economist Elliott Eisenberg to conduct an economic impact analysis and report to local representatives from the economic development and home-building industries.

This was followed in early November with a Sunday Buffalo News business section front page article headlined “Home-building crash is muted in WNY.” The article featured quotes from area builders, including one from Philip J. Nanula, the president of Essex Homes in Clarence, N.Y.: “In the past two weeks, as the stock market was falling 900-some points, we sold three homes and signed contracts for another five. Our phones are still ringing and we’re still building.”

Go to www.nahb.org/mythbuster or contact NAHB Public Affairs, x8447 to learn more about the promotional efforts of HBAs around the country and about the resources available from NAHB.

Read More in Nation’s Building News — Win a Full IBS Registration

Click on and read five or more stories in this issue of Nation’s Building News and you automatically will be entered in a contest to win a full registration to the 2009 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 20-23.

Full registration — $425 for members and $575 for non-members — gives attendees access to four days of exhibits on one million net square feet of exhibit space, all the educational sessions at IBS and new, daily-featured speakers who will give you pointers on how to navigate the downturn.

There are no forms or paperwork to fill out to enter this contest. Just read more about what’s important to you and your business in Nation’s Building News each week.

One avid reader will be selected randomly each week through the Dec. 22 issue. So read more in every issue until then to improve your chances of winning — and to put your business in a better position during the downturn.

Each issue of Nation’s Building News brings your the latest information on what policymakers are doing in Washington, economic forecasts, business management, lumber prices, problem-solving floor plans, sales and marketing, the Builder’s Show and more.

Nation’s Building News brings housing news you can use to your desktop each week, and by reading more of it, you’ll be automatically entered in the IBS registration contest.

Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published Dec. 1

Nation's Building News will not be published on Dec. 1, the Monday following Thanksgiving. It will return to its regular weekly schedule on Dec. 8.

Federal GSE Backing Needed to Reduce Mortgage Rates

To support the mortgage markets and bring down mortgage interest rates, the nation’s home builders on Nov. 24 called on federal officials to clearly affirm that the government will provide long-term guarantees for the debt and securities purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Investors are confused over the extent of federal support for long-term obligations held by the housing government sponsored enterprise (GSEs) and that uncertainty has pushed spreads on GSE debt in relation to Treasury yields to record highs, Jerry Howard, president and CEO of NAHB, said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James Lockhart.

“As a result, mortgage rates are at unacceptably high levels, which is forestalling recovery of the housing market and creating a major drag on the economy,” Howard added.

Under the provisions of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), the Treasury’s temporary and unlimited authority to purchase GSE debt and equity and ensure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have continuous access to liquidity on an as-needed basis, will end on Dec. 31, 2009.

Markets are unsure of the extent of federal support for the GSEs beyond that date. Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s recent guarantee program for senior, unsecured debt has caused investors to view those obligations as more secure than GSE debt.

“This misperception has resulted in wider long-term senior debt spreads for the GSEs, which has, in part, raised mortgage rates to unnecessarily high levels,” said Howard.

To bolster investor demand for GSE securities and thereby reduce mortgage rates, NAHB is calling on the Treasury to resolve investor uncertainty by explicitly guaranteeing GSE debt in the same way the FDIC has provided guarantees for bank debt. In addition, the Treasury should increase its purchases of mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as authorized under HERA.

For more information, e-mail David Ledford at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8265.

Home Starts Sink to Record Low Level in October

In a month racked by extreme volatility and uncertainty on both Wall Street and Main Street, home builders in October responded to deteriorating housing market conditions by bringing new construction to its slowest monthly pace on record, according to figures released by the Commerce Department on Nov. 19.

“Builders are doing everything in their power to address the overhang of unsold homes on the market through aggressive inventory management, including reining in production of new homes and offering substantial home buyer incentives,” said NAHB Chairman Sandy Dunn. “But this simply isn’t enough. More must be done, and Congress and the Administration need to step in with measures that will help get consumers back into the marketplace and revive economic growth.”

“Today’s record low numbers are in sync with results of our latest home builder surveys, and are clear evidence of the need for both fiscal and monetary stimulus efforts by the federal government,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

“In particular,” Crowe said, “Congress should consider significant consumer incentives such as expanding the first-time home buyer tax credit and providing a government buy-down of mortgage interest rates for home purchasers — policies modeled after a successful use of the same dual stimulus to housing demand in the 1974-1975 recession. Without a consumer kick-start, the downward momentum will continue longer and deeper.”

Housing starts overall declined 4.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 791,000 units in October, the lowest level since the government began tracking these statistics in 1959.

Single-family starts were down for a fifth consecutive month, falling 3.3% to 531,000 units, reaching their lowest point since October of 1981. Multifamily dropped 6.8% to 260,000 units.

Double-digit declines occurred in two out of four regions — with a 31% plunge in the Northeast (which may have been exacerbated by a recent building code change in New York City) and a 13.7% slump in the Midwest.

Meanwhile, starts in the South eked out a gain of 1.5% and the West rebounded by 7.5% following a major tumble in September.

The issuance of building permits, which can be an indicator of future building activity, was down across the board in October. Total permits registered a sharp 12% decline to 708,000 units — another all-time monthly low.

Single-family permits skidded 14.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 460,000 units in October, the lowest level since February of 1982. Multifamily permits receded to 241,000 units for the month, trailing September’s yearly pace by 12.3%.

Regionally, permit issuance was off 23.7% in the Northeast, 3.7% in the Midwest, 13.5% in the South and 8.8% in the West.

The webcast fee includes access to the webcast archive and electronic copies of the conference handout and presentation materials. Multiple viewers in one office can purchase the webcast for one fee.

The on-demand webcast also gives viewers complete flexibility in their viewing experience — pause, skip forward and backward, or jump directly to your topics of interest.

Get the metro forecast with in-depth analysis, overviews and downloadable Excel tables.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

To help members navigate the uncharted waters of this slowdown, NAHB has compiled a comprehensive “Back to Basics” online toolkit — the best of the basics, the tried and true and the truly new. To access the toolkit, click here.

To access the “Back to Basics” toolkit, you must be an NAHB member and have a login to www.nahb.org. To create a login, go to www.nahb.org/login or click on the log-in button on the main menu bar.

Builder Confidence Plunges as Consumers Hunker Down

As consumers continued to retreat in the face of growing uncertainties over the financial markets, jobs and the economy, builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes plunged five points this month to a reading of 9 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), the lowest level recorded since the series was created in January of 1985.

"The November report shows that we are in a crisis situation. If there's any hope of turning this economy around, Congress and the Administration need to focus on stabilizing housing," said NAHB Chairman Sandy Dunn.

"Tremendous economic uncertainties have driven consumers from the housing market, and it's going to take some major incentives to bring them back,” Dunn said. “Beyond the work that is being done to help reduce foreclosures, Congress must immediately incorporate such incentives for qualified buyers in a new economic recovery package."

"The housing downturn has already cost America three million jobs in construction and related industries, and this downward momentum cannot be stemmed without substantive government intervention," agreed NAHB's new chief economist, David Crowe.

"Congress should consider significant consumer incentives such as expanding the first-time home buyer tax credit and providing a government buy-down of mortgage interest rates for home purchasers,” he said. “Both policies were successfully combined in the 1970s to stimulate home buyer demand and could get housing and the national economy moving again."

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for more than 20 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo HMI gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales, sales expectations for the next six months and traffic of prospective buyers. Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

Two out of three of the HMI's component indexes declined in November. The index gauging current sales conditions fell six points to a record low of 8. Builder confidence in prospective buyer traffic skidded four points to a record low of 7.

The index gauging sales expectations for the next six months held firm from the previous month at a record low of 19.

Builders in every region lost confidence in November. The Northeast, South and West each registered five-point declines to 11, 11 and 6, respectively, while the Midwest saw a six-point decline to 7.

The webcast fee includes access to the webcast archive and electronic copies of the conference handout and presentation materials. Multiple viewers in one office can purchase the webcast for one fee.

The on-demand webcast also gives viewers complete flexibility in their viewing experience — pause, skip forward and backward, or jump directly to your topics of interest.

Get the metro forecast with in-depth analysis, overviews and downloadable Excel tables.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Requirements Announced for HCEM Home Purchases

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently outlined its requirements for persons who are at least 62 years old to use a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, or HECM, to purchase a home.

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which was enacted earlier this year, allows HECMs to be used to buy homes after Jan. 1, 2009.

For further details on the new rules, click here to read FHA Mortgagee Letter 2008-33.

Only properties where construction is completed before the closing of the HECM are eligible. In addition, the home must serve as the principal residence of the borrower and the borrower must occupy the home within 60 days of the loan closing.

Real estate that is used to secure the HECM can be held in fee simple or by leasehold, provided that the lease meets certain requirements.

At closing, HECM borrowers must provide cash that will be applied to satisfy the difference between the HECM principal limit and the sales price for the property, plus any HECM loan-related fees that are not financed or offset by other allowable FHA funding sources. Lenders will be required to verify the source of the home buyer’s funds prior to closing.

Click here for information on HUD’s Web site for prospective HECM borrowers, including various investment/cash flow scenarios.

For further information, e-mail Bill Renner at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8597.

The webcast fee includes access to the webcast archive and electronic copies of the conference handout and presentation materials. Multiple viewers in one office can purchase the webcast for one fee.

The on-demand webcast also gives viewers complete flexibility in their viewing experience — pause, skip forward and backward, or jump directly to your topics of interest.

Get the metro forecast with in-depth analysis, overviews and downloadable Excel tables.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends

The following are links to useful information from government agencies and NAHB that will enable you to monitor the housing market.

The webcast fee includes access to the webcast archive and electronic copies of the conference handout and presentation materials. Multiple viewers in one office can purchase the webcast for one fee.

The on-demand webcast also gives viewers complete flexibility in their viewing experience — pause, skip forward and backward, or jump directly to your topics of interest.

Get the metro forecast with in-depth analysis, overviews and downloadable Excel tables.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Builder Completes New American Home on Time

It was a race against the clock, but the family-run building company Blue Heron and some of the most experienced tradesmen in Las Vegas completed The New American Home 2009 on Oct. 27, just in time for a scheduled photo shoot.

“The last month was very challenging and very satisfying," said Kris Oesterling, the Blue Heron project manager on the home. “We were working with a lot of great people in the building trades and National Council of the Housing Industry (NCHI) members who provided the products that went into the home. There was a real sense of teamwork.”

“Everyone was driven to do this correctly and within the spirit of The New American Home,” Oesterling said. “They supported the green construction in a big way. They supported the build. This is more challenging than most people realize.”

It also helped that Oesterling had experience working on a labor-intensive, high-stakes project before. In 2004, he was involved in building a home for the television show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

“That was a blur,” Oesterling said. “To build a home in five days was a big challenge.”

“While ‘Extreme Makeover' is about helping one family, and that is great, building The New American Home was every bit as satisfying,” Oesterling said. “The New American Home is about helping the housing industry move forward with the latest technologies.”

Oesterling said the home included many products that he had not worked with before, and he was particularly interested in the home’s solar energy systems ― particularly its photovoltaic cells and the solar water system.

“We’re finding that ‘green’ has a domino effect if you do it well,” Oesterling said. “When you have state-of-the-art insulation, a state-of-the-art HVAC system, state-of-the-art solar systems and energy-efficient appliances, it all works together to make a very energy-efficient home.”

Tucker Bernard, NCHI executive director, said images from the photo shoot last month are excellent. “The photographer did a great job. But as good as the photos are, they don’t begin to do justice to the home. You have to see this home.”

Oesterling said he looks forward to seeing visitors tour the home during the 2009 International Builders Show in January. He’ll be around, working on other homes in the same community. And he had nothing but praise for Tyler Jones and the folks at Blue Heron.

Members who book their Las Vegas hotel reservations through the NAHB hotel block on the International Builders’ Show Web site are guaranteed the lowest block rate available, even if a lower rate becomes available after they have booked their rooms.

Under an agreement NAHB reached with all the hotels involved, if a lower NAHB room block rate becomes available after a member has reserved his room, the member will receive the lower rate at hotel check-out.

For more information about the Builders’ Show and to register, visit www.buildersshow.com.

Las Vegas Dining, Shopping and Sightseeing Guides Available at BuilderBooks.com

These comprehensive guides offer expert advice and trustworthy information on dining, shopping and entertainment for every budget.

Online registration for the 2009 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas on Jan. 20-23 — the single, most important and largest industry event of the year — is now available.

Full registration provides attendees with access to four days of exhibits on one million net square feet of exhibit space, all the educational sessions and new, daily-featured speakers.

Exhibits-only registration for non-members is $200 after and $70 for their spouses.

Exhibits-only registered attendees can purchase tickets to individual IBS education sessions. Individual tickets are $50 for members and $70 for non-members. Registrants can purchase packages of four tickets and get one free or seven tickets and get three free.

(Attendees who purchase full registrations do not have to purchases education session tickets or exhibits-only registration.)

For the latest IBS information — including floor plans, renderings and construction photos of The New American Home — visit the 2009 International Builders’ Show Web site at www.buildersshow.com.

Las Vegas Dining, Shopping and Sightseeing Guides Available at BuilderBooks.com

These comprehensive guides offer expert advice and trustworthy information on dining, shopping and entertainment for every budget.

IBS Education Focuses on Staying Ahead in Tough Market

Every savvy home builder knows that success requires far more than simply being good with a hammer and saw.

The more than 250 educational sessions being offered at the upcoming International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas on Jan. 20-23 will focus on the information industry professionals need to remain successful in today’s difficult housing marketplace.

Builders will have the opportunity to hear about what will attract new business and learn how to manage more profitable jobs, respond to changing consumer needs and capitalize on the growing green building trend.

To make schedule planning easy for the tens of thousands of builders who will be coming to the show from across the country, IBS workshops and sessions are arranged in nine “tracks” or topic areas:

IBS programming has been designed to help builders no matter what their industry niche or how far along they are in their careers. For example, in addition to pre-show courses on dozens of topics, some of the IBS sessions provide credits toward professional designations such as MIRM, CAPS and RCS. The IBS will also include a broad array of advanced-level educational sessions, with the most popular sessions offered multiple times.

Among widely-recognized industry leaders who will be presenting educational sessions:

Builders attending the IBS will also be able to pick up a variety of useful ideas in less formal settings than the educational sessions. The New American Home will showcase the latest in green building technology, the hottest trends in outdoor living and the most up-to-date building techniques. And the IBS exhibit hall will display the newest home building products and solutions from more than 1,700 suppliers and industry partners.

Many builders are using today’s slowing home building market as an opportunity to retool their skill sets so that they are well prepared to lead the competition when the market bounces back. Recognizing this need, NAHB is introducing new pricing options for registered attendees at this year’s show. NAHB members can buy individual tickets to attend IBS education sessions for as little as $50 ($70 for non-members); buy four tickets and get a fifth ticket free; or buy seven tickets and get three free. (For more on IBS cost-saving education options, click here).

The 2009 IBS is expected to draw more than 90,000 attendees from around the U.S. and more than 100 countries, representing every facet of home building and related industries.

Las Vegas Dining, Shopping and Sightseeing Guides Available at BuilderBooks.com

These comprehensive guides offer expert advice and trustworthy information on dining, shopping and entertainment for every budget.

Builders’ Tip: Accurately Cut I-Joists With a Cutoff Fixture



	Click for larger image.

Because my crew and I frame our floors exclusively with I-joists, we needed to find a quick and efficient way to cut them to accurate lengths.

Using a regular framing square to mark them isn’t as accurate as I like, and using a speed square requires several steps to accurately mark a line across the recessed web of an I-joist.

Since neither square was quick or accurate enough for the job, we made our own cutoff fixture to mark and cut the I-joists to length.

To cut an I-joist to length, I align the cut mark on the joist with the tongue of the fixture. The saw table rides atop the tongue, with the edge of the table placed hard against the top piece I’m working on.

Over the years, I have scribed a ruler — that reads right to left ― across the bottom edge of the fixture to help when cutting blocks.

With the fixture, I cut blocks to the right length by simply lining up the left end of the joist with the measurement of the block and run the saw across the joist.

Join the ranks of the nation’s top building industry professionals with the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) designation. The “Builder Assessment Review” (BAR) is your first step towards obtaining the CGB.

This comprehensive assessment measures your expertise in the four key areas of the building industry: building technology, business and finance, project management and sales and marketing.

Your results will show the areas where your knowledge is strongest and weakest and will help determine the courses required for you to obtain your CGB.

To learn where the next BAR will be held, visit NAHB’s education listings, or call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154.

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.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Builders Can Work With Banks to Survive the Credit Crunch

In weathering the current housing downturn and credit crunch, builders can negotiate more effectively with their bank by understanding that they have a different set of priorities from their lender and by pursuing proposals that meet the needs of both parties, according to banking experts participating in a Nov. 18 NAHB audio seminar, “Builder Financing: Working with Your Lender in the Credit Crunch.”

“Lenders are not your partners. They are invested in your success only to the extent that their loan is repaid in full,” advised Bill Rothman, Major Builder Group president for IndyMac Federal Bank in Irvine Calif.

Rothman said that builders have several misperceptions about lenders. For example, it is commonly held that lenders don’t want to own real estate, but that isn’t always true when they have other customers who are able to build out the project. And lenders will sue loan guarantors who they believe have assets.

In crafting a successful survival plan, the builder’s priority is to find a way to continue operating under current market conditions while ensuring that the lender gets repayment on the loan in a way that minimizes losses and holds up to regulatory scrutiny, he said.

As a contractor and project manager for the lender, the builder should present a plan that:

The package of information conveyed to the lender at the meeting should include, at a minimum:

Once a builder has completed the hard work of developing a plan, there are a number of things that can be done to ensure the best circumstances for negotiating with the lender:

The audio seminar was hosted by The NAHB University of Housing and NAHB’s Housing Finance and Housing Policy Department.

The full audio program with many more tips and insights — including potential legal issues and actions — will be available for purchase on the NAHB Web site soon.

For more information on housing finance issues, e-mail John Dimitri at 800-368-5242 x8529.

For more information on NAHB University of Housing audio seminars, e-mail Mary Knowles, x8057.

The “Cost of Doing Business Study, 2008 Edition,” available through BuilderBooks.com, enables home builders to compare their business operations with like-sized builders across the country so they can fine-tune their businesses and boost profits.

The study analyzes several operational business categories ― including volume, operation type and land vs. no land costs ― and enables builders to identify their strengths and weaknesses, increase efficiency, set realistic budget targets and improve business practices.

The categories have been analyzed, where applicable, by average and by the top and bottom 25% of performers by net profitability.

Builders can use the the study to develop proven strategies to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.

To view or order the “Cost of Doing Business Study” online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.

Explore ‘Green’ Building Markets in Asia With U.S. Trade Mission

Applications for an upcoming federal trade mission are available to U.S. companies involved in “green” building and sustainable development and considering expanding their businesses to Asian markets.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is organizing the U.S. Building Products Trade Mission to Asia from April 20-28, including visits to Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, Thailand.

The mission’s goal is to promote U.S. building industry firms that offer environmentally friendly design, including energy-efficient building systems, lighting and HVAC systems, as well as green building products.

The Commerce Department will select between seven and 15 companies for the trade mission. Applications are open to U.S. companies already doing business in these countries as well as U.S. companies seeking to enter these markets for the first time.

Details about the mission were first published in the Federal Register on Friday, Nov. 21.

The trade mission is designed to help U.S. firms explore supplier opportunities or expand existing exports through business-to-business introductions, market briefings and networking. Selected applicants will also receive embassy briefings from government officials on conducting business in each country.

For more information on this opportunity, visit the trade mission Web pages by clicking here. The mission Web site also contains commercial guides and fact sheets for Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand with detailed information on doing business in each country.

U.S. companies and individuals must submit an application, including supporting documentation about their company, and meet certain requirements. If accepted, applicants will have to pay a participation fee and be responsible for travel, lodging, meals and incidental costs.

For more information, e-mail or call the mission project officers at the Commerce Department:

For more information on this article, or for information on building materials or the work of the NAHB Building Materials Subcommittee, e-mail Felicia Watson at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8229.

One in Four Boomers Plans to Move, AARP Survey Reports

One in four boomers age 45-64 expects to move from their current home and most will look for a home that’s more comfortable or convenient, according to a recent AARP survey.

While 79% of boomers in the survey said they would like to stay in their current home for as long as possible, many of those who indicated they would move said they wanted a better house or better climate or to be closer to family and friends.

Fifty-nine percent of those boomers who are planning to move said they wanted a home that’s on one level. Half the boomers planning to move said they wanted a newer home and 49% said they wanted a smaller home.

“While boomers will reflect the patterns of earlier generations and mostly age in place, the sheer number of boomers will increase demand for a whole variety of home and community options,” said Elinor Ginzler, AARP senior vice president.

Older boomers are significantly more likely than younger boomers to think that they will move into a single-level home — 68% vs. 54% of those planning to move ― but age is not the only factor that affects expectations, according to the survey.

Boomer men (61%) are more likely than boomer women (42%) to believe that they will move into a newer home, according to the survey. Forty-one percent of boomer men who planned to move said they would move to a warmer or better climate compared to 25% of boomer woman.

However, more boomer women planning to move (54%) indicated they would move to a smaller home than men (41%).

Plan to attend the 2009 Building for Boomers and Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium on April 27-29 in Philadelphia and revolutionize thinking and working in the 50+ housing market.

The symposium includes information and educational sessions covering all aspects of the 50+ market, as well as a special housing tour of 50+ communities in the greater Philadelphia area.

For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/Build4Boomers.

Improve Your Focus on the 50+ Market With Publications From BuilderBooks.com

The 50+ market provides some great opportunities for builders today. BuilderBooks.com brings together the essential resources for builders seeking to grow their businesses while bringing high-quality product to this demanding, often affluent consumer group that has planned well and is ready to build or buy.

BuilderBooks.com also offers publications on customer service so builders can start building strong relationships before breaking ground and turn these experienced consumers into enthusiastic sales people.

To view or purchase these and a wide variety of industry publications online, click here or call 800-223-2665.

The Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation gives housing professionals serving the rapidly burgeoning 50+ market the essential knowledge, tools and skills that will help them succeed — from conducting initial research to design considerations and features to serving the customer.

For more information, call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154 or e-mail CAASHinfo@nahb.com.

Four Honored for 2008 AARP-NAHB ‘Livable Communities’

Four winners ― a remodeler in Brea, Calif.; a builder in Tampa, Fla.; and developers in Bainbridge Island, Wash. and Winooski, Vt.— were recently named the 2008 recipients of the Livable Community Awards. The winners will be honored in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 10.

The awards, co-sponsored by AARP and NAHB, were created to shine a spotlight on builders, remodelers and developers who build homes and communities with features that improve everyday comfort, safety and personal independence for those who live in them.

“The winners of the 2008 Livable Communities Awards have clearly taken note of the increasing demand for more accessible, livable homes and communities, and are on the leading edge of change,” said NAHB Chairman Sandy Dunn. “The trend-setting homes and communities we honor with the 2008 Livable Communities Awards meet the demands of both today's and tomorrow’s home owners by combining easy living with inviting design.”

“The 2008 Livable Communities Award winners offer some great examples of appealing, user-friendly design,” said Elinor Ginzler, AARP senior vice president. “The sheer number of boomers will increase demand for a whole variety of home and community options.” The number of persons 65 and older is expected to grow to 70 million by 2030.

The winners will be featured in "AARP The Magazine" and upcoming issues of Nation's Building News. For more information, and to see photos and video clips of the winning projects, visit www.aarp.org/livablecommunitiesaward.

Judging criteria varied from category to category, but points were awarded based on universal design features, ease of maintenance, energy efficiency, exterior desisign and landscaping/site design, Livable Community design features and stakeholder involvement.

Plan to attend the 2009 Building for Boomers and Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium on April 27-29 in Philadelphia and revolutionize thinking and working in the 50+ housing market.

The symposium includes information and educational sessions covering all aspects of the 50+ market, as well as a special housing tour of 50+ communities in the greater Philadelphia area.

For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/Build4Boomers.

Improve Your Focus on the 50+ Market With Publications From BuilderBooks.com

To view or purchase these and a wide variety of industry publications online, click here or call 800-223-2665.

For more information, call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154 or e-mail CAASHinfo@nahb.com.

Cohousing an Emerging Market Niche for 50+ Builders


	Eastern Village in Silver Spring, Md.

Cohousing — a type of collaborative housing in which residents actively participate in the design and operation of their own neighborhoods — provides an emerging niche opportunity for 50+ developers and other home builders.

At the heart of every cohousing community is the “common house,” which almost always has a large dining room and kitchen, lounge, recreational facilities and children’s play areas. Many cohousing communities also include a guest room, workshop and laundry room. Communities usually serve optional group meals prepared by community members on a voluntary basis in the common house at least once or twice a week as well as many “pot lucks” and celebrations of all kinds.

There are 113 completed cohousing projects in this country and another 111 in various stages of development, according to the Cohousing Association of the United States. California leads the way with 27 completed communities. Other states in the cohousing vanguard include: Washington (13 projects), Colorado (12) North Carolina (seven), Oregon (six), and Michigan and Virginia (five each).

Cohousing first took root in either Denmark or Sweden and the concept made its way to the U.S. in the late 1980s. It is not for everyone. Some people don’t want to be that intimately involved with their neighbors. Many others just don’t care that much about how their community is designed or managed.

But for those who do want to live close to friends and to have more input in shaping their community, cohousing is an attractive option, says Ann Zabaldo, a cohousing advocate and principal in Cohousing Collaborative, LLC.

Zabaldo lives in Takoma Village, a cohousing community in the Takoma Park area of Washington, D.C.

Eastern Village consists of 56 condominium units ranging in size from about 650 to 2,000 square feet. Shared facilities in the community include a large dining hall for meals, a living room, kids’ playroom, game room, yoga room, library, workshop, hot tub and a green roof with a playground for children. Eastern Village also has three guest rooms available to visitors for a nominal fee.

“It took 29 months from conception to completion,” Zabaldo said. “Don Tucker told me in October 2002, ‘I think I have a site.’ Then he said ‘go.’ We were putting a group together and moving ahead with design at the same time.”

The site was an abandoned office building built in 1957 that even in its best days had not been pretty. When prospective residents came to see the site, Tucker and Zabaldo had to sell them on ECO Housing’s vision for the community.

“We had been looking for a condominium for a while when we saw an ad in The Washington Post about a new co-housing community,” said Ed King, an Eastern Village resident. "The ad said ‘for more information contact Ann Zabaldo,’ so we did."

King and his wife, Joan, brought friends to the site before the redevelopment began, and the friends “were not impressed.” King’s friends saw an old building with broken out windows. In the central parking lot, surrounded on three sides by the U-shaped building, weeds grew up through the decaying asphalt.

“There is a stark contrast between how it looks now and how it looked before it was redeveloped,” King said. “It took a great deal of vision to see what could be done with this place. Now our friends are very enthusiastic.”

Ed and Joan King got involved in the community’s design and governance issues. “By the time we moved in it felt like it was the culmination of a growing friendship,” he said. “I know everybody in this building. I know them by face and by name, and I know a little something about everybody here.”

“It has been such an interesting experience,” King added. “There are good aspects and some negative aspects to this community. But there is a vibrancy to it — a sense that you like what you have but at the same time you believe you can improve on it.”

Tucker, an experienced affordable housing developer, had to find financing for the project. And even though Eastern Village was a market-rate development, he had to make seven of the 56 units affordable under Montgomery County’s Moderately Price Dwelling Unit program.

Zabaldo, who served as a cohousing consultant on the project, had to find residents for the new community. She did the marketing outreach and conducted orientation sessions to explain cohousing to newcomers. The key was finding a few committed individuals, because “they’re better at finding their future neighbors than I am,” she said.

And there were other stakeholders who had to be convinced. “The city [of Silver Spring] really liked the green and sustainability stuff,” Zabaldo said. “And we really won over the neighbors with our vision of what this cohousing community could add to the neighborhood.”

Eastern Village Cohousing reduced the impervious surface area at the site from 95% to 65% by replacing the central parking lot with landscaping and pathways and by replacing the asphalt rooftop with a green roof system.

The building’s Extensive Garden Roof from American Hydrotech includes a concrete surface conditioner, a membrane covering, a moisture retention system and a water storage and drainage system. Roughly two-thirds of the 12,000 square-foot roof has been planted at a cost of approximately $36 per square foot.

Cohousing can work for families of all ages, but the idea may appeal most to those in or nearing retirement, Zabaldo said. As folks make major life decisions about where they will live in retirement, the desire to live in a supportive community where neighbors are friends is often a key consideration. And these are people who have time on their hands and a strong sense of what they want in a community, she said.

Zabaldo said she sees real opportunity in cohousing for 50+ developers. “It’s a little niche,” she said. “But it’s a growing niche.”

To help explain cohousing, Zabaldo worked with Mid Atlantic Cohousing to produce a DVD that outlines the cohousing concept and discusses sustainability features found in many projects. The DVD also presents the stories of three nationally recognized experts in cohousing development — including Jim Leach, president of Wonderland Hill Development Company; Kathryn McCamant, Cohousing Partners, and ECO Housing Corporation’s Tucker.

For more information about cohousing, or to obtain a free copy of the DVD, e-mail Blake Smith at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8583.

Improve Your Focus on the 50+ Market With Publications From BuilderBooks.com

To view or purchase these and a wide variety of industry publications online, click here or call 800-223-2665.

For more information, call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154 or e-mail CAASHinfo@nahb.com.

Apply for the 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards by Dec. 5

Apply for the 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards ― the industry’s most prestigious national awards programming honoring excellence in building design and marketing housing for the boomers and beyond market.

Launched by the NAHB 50+ Housing Council to encourage quality and innovation in the 50+ housing market, the awards highligh innovation, emerging trends and quality housing, the awards showcase the best in active adult and service-enriched communities across the country.

Awards are presented in three categories: completed 50+ housing projects, projects in the design or construction process, and marketing efforts.

To apply for the award or for more details on eligibility requirements and categories, visit www.nahb.org/50plusawards.

For more information on the awards program, e-mail Lynn Basso at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8130.

Revolutionize Your Thinking About 50+ Housing

Plan to attend the 2009 Building for Boomers and Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium on April 27-29 in Philadelphia and revolutionize thinking and working in the 50+ housing market.

The symposium includes information and educational sessions covering all aspects of the 50+ market, as well as a special housing tour of 50+ communities in the greater Philadelphia area.

For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/Build4Boomers.

Improve Your Focus on the 50+ Market With Publications From BuilderBooks.com

To view or purchase these and a wide variety of industry publications online, click here or call 800-223-2665.

For more information, call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154 or e-mail CAASHinfo@nahb.com.

Builder Confidence Slips in Rental, Condo Markets

The component of the MRMI gauging supply moved dramatically lower during the third quarter for both market-rate and affordable apartments, to 22.2 and 15.7 respectively, down from 43.8 and 44.3 for the same period of 2007.

NAHB's Multifamily Market Indexes are derived from a quarterly survey of multifamily builders and developers in which their responses are rated on a scale of 0 to 100, with a rating of 50 generally indicating an equal number of positive and negative responses.

The MCMI, which gauges current and expected supply in the condominium market, sank into single-digits during the third quarter for the first time ever. The component of the index measuring current conditions dropped to 8.1, down more than five points from 13.5 in the third quarter of 2007. Builder confidence in the condo market over the next six months slumped from 20.8 in the third quarter of 2007 to 9.9 in this year’s third quarter.

Confidence among apartment builders in the six-month supply outlook declined to 19.1 in this year’s third quarter, down sharply from 47.1 a year earlier. Affordable housing developers were also downbeat, with their six-month supply index slipping from 39.1 to 20.3 over the same period.

Even in markets where rental apartment demand has been keeping up with or exceeding supply, multifamily developers have been unable to start new projects because of ongoing credit problems in the capital markets, according to NAHB economists.

Since early this year, NAHB has ratcheted down its forecast for multifamily housing starts substantially.

For more information on multifamily resources available from NAHB, e-mail Ann Marie Moriarty, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8350.

Learn About Utility Allowances for Affordable Housing on Dec. 3

Panelists on the audio conference will give an overview of the new methods and practices allowed under the regulation, including an in-depth discussion of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development utility schedule model and hiring qualified contractors to run energy consumption models.

HCCP designees will earn one hour of continuing education credit by particpating in the conference.

Market Realities, Emerging Trends at Pillars Conference in March

The fluctuating economy and risky credit markets have even the savviest multifamily developers rethinking their business plans, strategizing new ways to finance current deals and positioning their companies for future opportunities.

Developers, multifamily owners, lenders, capital investors, architects, designers, sales and marketing professionals and other attendees will receive:

They will also have the opportunity to network with peers, potential partners, capital sources and essential product and service providers.

Brush Up on Lead Paint Rule by Purchasing Audio Seminar

Remodelers, home builders associations and local NAHB Remodelers councils who missed last month’s NAHB audio seminar examining the new lead paint rule governing the work of professional remodelers where lead paint is involved can now purchase the seminar online.

The cost of the seminar is $79, and includes access to the streaming audio file of the original broadcast, handout materials and a marketing bonus until Oct. 28, 2009 (one year after the seminar was held).

For general information about the rule and what NAHB Remodelers are doing to help their members comply with it, visit www.nahb.org/LeadPaint.

The Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation emphasizes business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.

Remodelers who earn the CGR become members of an exclusive national program and gain recognition as industry leaders.

To learn more about the CGR designation, visit www.nahb.org/CGRinfo, or call The Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154.

The brochure guides consumers from the dream to the reality of having their homes remodeled by skilled and trained professionals. Sections include what to look for in a professional remodeler and what questions to ask.

To view or puchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665 to order.

Log Home Systems: Eco-Friendly and Going Greener

The idea that log and timber homes are eco-friendly can come as a shock to many environmentalists, but trees are a renewable resource. Building with logs and timber effectively takes the carbon from decomposing trees out of circulation for the life of a home — and some log structures in Russia are more than 800 years old.

Like many critics whose understanding of forestry is based on emotion rather than ecology, several first-year students of Ed Burke, a professor of wood and forest science at the University of Montana College of Forestry and Conservation “think that any cutting of trees is bad.” In truth, however, harvesting is the only controlled alternative available to maintaining a healthy forest.

A large number of log home manufacturers only use standing dead timber that has been killed by insects. Other companies harvest living trees responsibly, either maintaining their own tracts of land or buying from producers who are certified as sustainable.

The NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and the upcoming National Green Building Standard assign points to a variety of sustainable wood certification programs. Additional information on these can be found at www.nahbgreen.org.

“There is a book titled ‘Best Logging Practices’ that most of us in the industry follow,” said Chris Wood of Hearthstone Homes, a log and timber frame manufacturer in Dandridge, Tenn.

“We don't practice clear cutting,” Wood continued. “The general public has little idea how well the U.S. Forest Service manages its land. There are restrictions and guidelines in place to protect this valuable renewable resource.”

Log home manufacturers invariably welcome questions from consumers and environmentalists. It gives them a chance to explain how their companies behave responsibly as environmental stewards of the land.

For example, Kuhns Bros Log Homes of Lewisburg, Pa. manages more than 2,200 acres of private woodlands with a full-time staff of foresters to ensure the company will have an adequate supply of logs short- and long-term.

Also, as a corporate supporter of the Arbor Day Foundation, Kuhns Bros. plants thousands of trees annually in the country’s national forests and gives each of its home buyers a foundation membership.

“I'm very proud of the way we do business. Sound forestry management will always be a vital part of our operation,” said Tom Kuhns.

A visit to any log home milling facility also can convince even the very skeptical that every ounce of wood is utilized to maximum effect.

“For all practical purposes, we don’t have any waste,” said Jay Foster of Real Log Homes, one of the largest log home producers in the country, with log milling facilities in Vermont, Montana and Arkansas.

Shavings from milling are either sold to paper or cardboard producers or to farmers as bedding for animals or to landscapers for use as mulch. “Every byproduct in our operations is recycled,” said Foster.

Other log home producers sell the sawdust and shavings to the producers of pellets used in pellet stoves. Still others may burn the material in kilns that dry their logs or cants.

The recycling doesn’t just generate good PR, it’s vital to their economic survival.

“There is very little waste because it’s a very expensive raw material,” said the University of Montana’s Burke. “Whether it is a chunk of wood, a pile of sawdust or a full log, log home manufacturers can’t afford to waste it because it costs them the same amount per pound to extract it from the forest and truck it to their mill. So it becomes a matter of simple economics and bottom-line survival.”

Michael Gingras, of Seven North Log Homes in New Haven, Vt., said that, because of thermal mass, log homes are a great way to create an energy-efficient home.

“You can also make them extremely tight,” he said. “We use heat recovery ventilators in all our homes to maintain good air quality. The key to creating a tight envelope is to pay attention to the construction details between log courses — where the walls meet the roof, around windows and doors and in the roof system.”

Gingras builds his homes to the stringent requirements set forth by the Vermont Star Homes program, a statewide energy efficiency program that mirrors the federal Energy Star program.

Katahdin Cedar Log Homes in Oakfield, Maine has adopted a number of innovative programs to position itself as one of the greenest log home companies in the industry.

This certification enables the log home manufacturer to offer Northern White Cedar from responsibly managed forests. While it is the only log home manufacturer in the U.S. to hold SmartWood certification, many log home companies purchase their logs from third-party certified, sustainably managed forests ― FSC or similar programs like the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and American Tree Farm System.

“We felt that taking this positive step to certify our source forests was an important component to Katahdin’s progressive approach to conserving the environment,” said David Gordon. “This enables us to meet the growing demands for green building practices in a competitive market, and will also enable us to reach green building standards as they are approved for home construction in the near future.”

The company’s certified products include interior and exterior trim, decking, log wall stock, log siding and cedar support posts.

To cut fuel costs in its mill vehicles, Katahdin has installed a commercial ethanol distiller at its milling facility, which ferments culled potatoes from nearby farms into ethanol. The company produces about 100 gallons of ethanol a day as a supplement at a cost of under $1 per gallon.

“We continue to look for new ways to lower our dependence on fossil fuels and keep our costs down,” said Gordon. Earlier this year, Katahdin completed construction on a 14 million BTU biomass boiler to recycle wood waste into steam heat for the mill buildings.

Gastineau Log Homes of Bloomfield, Mo. was the first in the industry to develop a solar forced-air kiln to dry its oak logs. The company has been using solar kilns for four years

“In keeping with our desire to be environmentally conscious and our trademark of being a leader and innovator in the log home industry, we designed a drying system that is unique in the log home industry — solar forced-air kilns,” said Lynn Gastineau.

The solar kilns “are environmentally responsible and use virtually no energy except the electricity to run the computers that monitor the system and the air turbines,” Gastineau said. “It is kiln drying for the 21st century. With our process, the logs are in the kiln from four to five months at a lower temperature. This is better for the wood — less damage and checking — better for home buyers, less costly and better for the environment.”

Designations Can Give You an Advantage in 2009

NAHB professional designations can give you a decisive advantage under any market conditions.

Designations can help you learn how to improve yourself, your team and your company — and provide a lasting return on your investment.

The NAHB University of Housing is offering nearly 30 pre-show courses at the 2009 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas that will provide management tools and techniques that you can apply directly to your business.

For more information on the course offerings at IBS and to register for them, visit www.BuildersShow.com.

Education Calendar

Interested in attending a University of Housing conference or learning more about NAHB designation programs? Visit www.nahb.org/notifyme, and sign up to receive more information.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

EPA Effluent Rules Would Add Billions to Development Costs

The long-awaited proposal for Effluent Limitation Guidelines for the construction industry released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week would add about $1.9 billion annually to the cost of developing property, according to EPA estimates.

As they now stand, effluent guideline standards (ELGs) apply to municipal sewage treatment plants and wastewater discharges into surface waters. As a result of a National Resources Defense Council lawsuit, the EPA was directed in 2006 to write ELGs for the construction industry as well.

One EPA proposal would require all job sites to use erosion and sediment control best management practices (BMPs) to reduce pollutants in storm water discharges. Construction sites disturbing 10 or more acres at a time would also be required to install sediment basins to treat their storm water discharges. NAHB will support this proposal in its comments.

Sites that comprise 30 acres or more in rainy areas of the country or where soils have high clay content would be required to meet a numeric limit for turbidity, a measure of sediment in the water. As a result, many builders and developers would have to treat and filter their stormwater discharges if the proposal becomes law. NAHB is still studying this proposal.

In an alternative plan — one that NAHB opposes — the turbidity limit would be required of sites that disturb 10 acres or more.

The turbidity limit is intended to remove fine-grained and slowly settling or “non-settleable” particles contained in stormwater, according to the EPA.

“Particles such as clays and fine silts contained in stormwater discharges from construction sites typically cannot be effectively removed by conventional stormwater BMPs (such as sediment basins). In order to meet the proposed numeric turbidity limit, many sites would need to use chemical treatment and filtration of their stormwater discharges,” the EPA said on its Web site.

NAHB has advocated better training and education programs for construction site managers on complying with EPA’s existing rules and regulations rather than implementing numeric limits for ELGs — which presents additional compliance issues because rainfall amounts are difficult to predict.

NAHB will prepare additional comments on the 201-page proposal over the next several months.

For more information, e-mail Ty Asfaw at NAHB, or call her at 800-266-5242 x8124.

The publication has been prepared to help builders comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's storm water requirements, and includes information on state permitting programs and more than 50 of the most commonly used Best Management Practices.

Also included are tips on compliance, including how to handle visits from inspectors.

NAHB Certifies 1,500th Green Building Professional

NAHB’s Certified Green Professional educational program reached another milestone last week as Ralph Pagnucco Jr., a builder and remodeler in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, became the 1,500th CGP designee. The announcement was made by Ray Tonjes, chair of the NAHB Green Building Subcommittee.

The designation program recognizes builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who are able to incorporate green building principles into homes and provide green-building expertise for consumers.

The designation is part of the NAHB National Green Building Program, which includes a green home verification and certification service through the NAHB Research Center. So far, 69 homes have received National Green Building Certification and another 160 are awaiting inspection.

To qualify for the individual designation, applicants must complete 24 hours of instruction in green building and business management, have two years of industry experience, commit to continuing education requirements and sign the CGP code of ethics.

“The CGP designation helps assure home buyers that their builder or remodeler can help them negotiate the path to a green-built home — as green as the home buyer wants it to be,” Tonjes said. Designers, bankers, home sales agents and other industry professionals can also bring added value to their clients with the CGP designation, he said.

Pagnucco said the classes leading to the CGP designation have helped him become a better informed green builder — and to stand out from the competition. He said that he is incorporating more green remodeling practices into his business — including upgraded insulation and efficient windows and doors — and conducting cost analyses of heating and cooling equipment to help his customers determine how much money they may be able to save with a more energy-efficient unit.

Pagnucco’s company is submiting its first new single-family home for green certification from Green Built Michigan, an affiliate of the NAHB National Green Building Program. All of the company’s homes will be green-certified from now on, Pagnucco said.

Consumers can click here to find Certified Green Professionals in their home states by using the Builder and Remodeler Designation Directory.

To learn more about the NAHB National Green Building Program, click here. (nahbgreen.org).

The Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation teaches builders, remodelers and other industry professionals techniques for incorporating green building principles into homes using cost-effective and affordable options.

Earning the CGP demonstrates to clients and peers your commitment to the best and latest in green building practices and techniques. More than 1,000 people have earned the CGPdesignation to date.

Attend the 2009 National Green Building Conference in Dallas on May 10-13 to learn more about the critical paths to green building, and to participate in interactive sessions and be part of the driving force for the green building and remodeling markets.

Planned Community Combines Green With Universal Design

In Clarksburg, Md., Winchester Homes, Inc. is putting the finishing touches on the first of the hundreds of units it will be building over the next few years in the planned community of Clarksburg Village.

In addition to meeting National Green Building Certification requirements, the home is designed to incorporate the “Live-Ability” features of Design for Life Montgomery, a voluntary Montgomery County program aimed at increasing the supply of homes with basic universal design features.

For Winchester, the opportunity was ripe for this project, said Steve Nardella, senior vice president for the company. In addition to its growing interest in green building certification, Winchester entered the active adult market earlier this year with its 2,130-unit Shenandoah at Lake Frederick in rural Virginia.

Winchester reasoned that the universal design features of its Virginia homes would also be useful for many buyers in Clarksburg Village and other future developments. “We have a home customization program called ‘Your Home. Your Way.’, and expanding it to include voluntary programs for green building and visitability offers more choices for our customers,” Nardella said.

The Clarksburg home includes a number of common universal design features increasingly requested by more mainstream home buyers, such as a first-floor owner’s bedroom suite, a curbless spa-like shower and first-floor laundry.

Wall outlets and switches on the first floor are positioned to be reached easily and doorways are wider than is standard. The electrical panel box and main water shut-off valve are located on the first floor rather than in the basement, and there is easy roll-in, no-step access between the garage and the main floor of the home.

Because it will be used to demonstrate universal design principles beyond basic “visitability,” the home also features a no-step entrance from the front door and the back deck — which may not work for every home, depending on the lot’s topography, buyer preferences and other variables. “Every family's needs vary. Thus, universal design is not best served by taking a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Randy Melvin, Winchester’s director of research for standards and design assurance.

Melvin also served on the consensus committee for the National Green Building Standard, which has been submitted to the American National Standards Institute for approval. His involvement with the standard — and his familiarity with NAHBGreen and the NAHB National Green Building Program — helped lead the company to consider green building certification for the Clarksburg home.

The roofs over the home’s entrances help protect against water infiltration — important for universal design features like no-step entrances and low-threshold doors — and they’re also recognized as being green because they enhance the home’s durability, Melvin said.

A camera over the front door enables the occupant to see who is knocking, and a remote-control lock allows the door to be opened easily — a “gee-whiz feature,” Melvin said, that’s useful for home owners who might have a condition or circumstance that makes it difficult for them to reach the door.

The home’s universal electronic features extend to a programmable thermostat that is easier to operate and that reduces energy expenditures.

The home is Energy Star-rated and includes blown-in foam insulation at the rim/band board and a high-efficiency furnace with a cartridge media filter.

The exterior decking, insulation and carpet padding contain recycled material, and the home was built using pre-cut/pre-manufactured framing components and engineered wood — all eligible for points under the NAHBGreen rating system.

The project also highlights the importance of flexible voluntary programs — both for green building and for visitability, Melvin said. “It takes some looking to get an affordable, dual-flush, residential toilet that is also accessible, and such a feature may not be feasible for a production builder,” he pointed out.

In addition, the cost-effectiveness of a combination of requirements for adequate drainage away from the home, minimal impervious area and accessible no-step entrances will likely force “value judgment-based trade-offs,” Melvin said, that wouldn’t be easily accommodated under more rigid mandatory measures.

“That’s why it’s so important to keep these programs market-driven, because there is no absolute answer — with green, storm water management, universal design and budget constraints, the builder, design professionals and the customer require flexibility to balance all these needs,” he said.

For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132.

Earning the CGP demonstrates to clients and peers your commitment to the best and latest in green building practices and techniques. More than 1,000 people have earned the CGPdesignation to date.

The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters.

Commercial Green Building Standard Back on Track

The consensus process was derailed in October when ASHRAE moved to disband the consensus committee developing the standard.

ASHRAE announced on Nov. 14 that membership on the committee is being “reconstituted” in order to better address the varied areas covered in the proposed standard.

“The market will benefit from the lead taken by ASHRAE and its cosponsors in developing this most challenging standard, which addresses ever-evolving technology,” said ASHRAE Presidential Member Kent Peterson, who has been named as chair of the committee that will be considering Proposed Standard 189.1.

“As we have proceeded down this path, we recognize that the proposed standard would benefit from additional expertise and more involvement from interested parties,” he said. “We are committed to developing this green building standard with accurate and appropriate technical content through a rigorous, transparent and fair standards development process.”

ASHRAE noted that the proposed standard has generated much public interest, with more than 900 comments received during each of the two public reviews.

ASHRAE said it expects the standard to receive a new full public review in the near future as technical guidance and input is offered by new committee members.

For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132.

EnergyValue Housing Award Finalists Named

The 2009 EnergyValue Housing Awards ceremony and dinner kick off the International Builders' Show on Monday, Jan. 19 at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel.

The awards are designed to challenge builders to elevate standards for energy-efficient construction, provide educational opportunities for home builders and foster the adoption of energy efficiency principles.

For more information about the awards, e-mail Debra Sagan at the Research Center, or call her at 800-638-8556.

NAHB Offers New Trenching, Excavation Safety Resources

The handbook and video include easy-to-follow instructions in an English-Spanish format in order to provide the most effective training possible.

“The trenching and excavation safety video and handbook provide our industry with critically important information for maintaining a safe work site environment,” said NAHB Chairman Sandy Dunn. “The two products work together as easy-to-use resources for both English- and Spanish-speaking employees.”

The handbook explains in simple language how to comply with OSHA excavation standards on residential job sites, provides guidelines for conducting safe trenching and excavation operations and identifies safe work practices that can prevent serious accidents and injuries.

Builders can use the 30-minute “Trenching and Excavation Safety Video” to train workers — in English and Spanish — to reduce accidents and injuries related to trenching and excavation operations on home building job sites.

The video shows how to safely perform the most common trenching and excavation operations in residential construction, highlighting general requirements for complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s excavation standard and identifying key prevention measures that address the most common hazards on the job site.

Listening Can Lead to Stronger Sales, New Book Says

Listening to prospective buyers’ wishes and needs will help new-home salespeople develop a stronger rapport and potentially shorten the selling process, according to a new book available at BuilderBooks.com.

“ValueMatch Selling for Home Builders” by William Nowell, CAASH, presents a selling process that focuses on selling feelings rather than product in today’s market.

“People buy products to get something else they want,” said Nowell. “No one wants a home just for the maintenance and monthly mortgages. They want the feelings associated with homeownership.”

Many homes on the market have all the popular upgrades, but to exceed the average sales rate, Nowell said salespeople have to get away from selling granite countertops and understand what the buyer truly wants.

“You need to know the prospect’s objections so you can understand and start to alleviate the prospect’s concerns and fears,” Nowell writes in “ValueMatch Selling.” “If you don’t ask for a check, you won’t get the opportunity to convince the prospect to buy.”

To view or purchase “ValueMatch Selling” online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.

Disaster Relief Trainees Hone Skills in Community Projects

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) recently joined local home builders in Mississippi for an introduction to Operation Reconstruct and a tour of the program’s facility in Gulfport.

Operation Reconstruct was established by the Home Builders Institute (HBI) and partner The Paxen Group in 2006 to assist with disaster relief efforts in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The program — which provides out-of-work youths with Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT), training at various community service projects and employment placement services — was later replicated in Gulfport and Jackson, Miss.

On the heels of Sen. Wicker’s visit, Gulfport hosted a graduation ceremony for 20 students. The event was well-attended by local builders and Operation Reconstruct partners, and Gary Holliman, a councilman for the City of Gulfport, delivered the commencement address.

Nine students graduated this month from Operation Reconstruct Jackson, which has been particularly noteworthy for its contributions to local organizations in need.

In late October, Jackson students completed a weeklong renovation project for the Holy Temple Church. Students applied their training in patching concrete at the church’s entrance and throughout the week caulked cracks in plaster walls and hung molding in the restrooms. The bulk of their time, however, was spent stripping and replacing tile in the dining hall.

Jackson’s community service activities also included building a mobile trailer for a local Boy Scout troop. The trailer is used to transport tents and supplies on camping trips.

“Operation Reconstruct has been a great program in the Gulf Region and New Orleans, Gulfport and Jackson are incredibly appreciative of the work completed by HBI students,” said HBI Chairman John Moffitt.

“The goal of HBI training programs is to make a discernible difference on multiple levels,” he said. “Operation Reconstruct is accomplishing this by finding jobs for out-of-work youths and donating their skills for the betterment of the community.”

For more information on Operation Reconstruct, e-mail Dennis Torbett at HBI, or call him at 800-795-7955 x8908.

Lennox Web Tool Helps Select HVAC Products

The new Smart Select product selection tool from Lennox enables contractors and engineers to save time selecting HVAC products that best meet their design requirements and eliminates the need to continually update selection software.

The software is a real-time, Web-based tool that contains the most up-to-date product information for all of Lennox’s residential and commercial packaged units and split systems.

Available to building professionals who are registered users of Lennox’s DaveNet portal, the Smart Select intuitive interface allows the user to quickly and efficiently choose the appropriate HVAC system to best meet each project’s needs.

Users of the DaveNet system interested in the Smart Select product selection tool, as well as industry professionals who would like to receive access to the DaveNet system, should contact their local Lennox sales office for more information.

For more information about Lennox commercial products or services, click here, or call 800-9-LENNOX.

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 DIY, Fine Living and HGTV

The NAHB Production Group produces weekly television shows on DIY, Fine Living and HGTV for consumers. The following is the latest lineup:

HGTV is seeking developers, builders and architects to create dream homes for the network’s Dream Home Sweepstakes. To learn more, click here.

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.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Grant to Help Fund Student-Built Home in Missoula, Mont.


	Missoula high school students, under the direction of Missoula HBA members, build a playhouse while learning fundamental construction skills as part of the association's "Building Futures" program.

Missoula, Mont.-area high school students will build the area’s first student-built home as part of a program by the Missoula Building Industry Association to teach students the fundamentals of residential construction and to help answer the area’s long-term need for qualified construction industry professionals.

The students will be able to build the house through a Challenge/Build/Grow matching grant initiative from the National Housing Endowment. Through the initiative, state and local home builders associations can receive matching grants of up to $5,000 to bolster their education and labor shortage/worker training programs.

The Missoula HBA used the grant initially to create a 10-week “Building Futures” course for area high school students to teach them safety, framing, roofing, window installation, siding, electrical work, assembly and painting.

As part of the program, the students used their construction skills to craft a playhouse at the local Army Reserve facility.

“Due to the program enhancements through the grant, we have now a partnership with our local high schools and the University of Montana College of Technology to build Missoula’s first student built-house in 2009,” said Sage Grendahl, EO of the Missoula HBA. “The National Housing Endowment truly makes a difference in the lives of today’s youths and strengthens the building industry as a whole.”

As part of the 10-week course, members volunteered as guest speakers and as teachers to train the students and tell them about the job opportunities in the building industry.

“Building homes for the nation is too important a priority to neglect the education and training that will be needed to support the residential construction industry,” said Gary Garczynski, endowment chairman and 2002 NAHB president. “Through the Challenge/Build/Grow matching grant initiative and other grants, the endowment is answering the call by meeting the industry's long-term challenges with bold thinking and action.”

Since Challenge/Build/Grow began in 2001, the endowment has awarded more than $165,000 to state and local associations nationwide to support local education and land use and labor shortages/worker training initiatives and to help build new partnerships at the state and local levels.


	Missoula high school students put the finishing touches on a playhouse as part of a program that will soon focus on creating the area's first student-built home.

Lee S. Evans Scholarship Deadline Extended to Dec. 1


	Lee and Virginia Evans

The deadline for applications for the Lee S. Evans/National Housing Endowment Scholarship, awarded to exemplary students who major in construction-related fields, has been extended to Monday, Dec. 1

The scholarships award graduates and undergraduates pursuing degrees in residential construction management in two- and four-year colleges and universities up to $5,000 each year.

“Lee and Virginia Evans started this scholarship to provide the most outstanding students studying construction management with industry recognition for their hard work and academic achievements,” said Bruno Pasquinelli, chair of the Lee Evans scholarship committee. “This scholarship has come to mean so much to the recipients, many of whom would not be able to pursue their educations without such financial assistance.”

Fifteen students were awarded $52,000 in scholarships for the 2008 academic year. Since the Lee Evans scholarship fund was founded in 1993, 170 students have been awarded more than $437,000.

The Lee Evans scholarship recipients for the 2009 academic year will be announced in January at the 2009 International Builders' Show in Orlando.

The National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of NAHB, administers 12 scholarship programs and annually awards more than $350,000 to students pursuing careers in residential construction and related fields.

Few Spots Remain for ‘Presentation Skills’ at IBS

In “Presentation Skills,” members will learn how to confidently prepare and deliver dynamic presentations to any audience. The session focuses on how to organize and deliver a speech and presentation ― with accompanying question and answer sessions.

Members can register securely online with a credit card for the session on the NAHB Web site.

Registrations are limited to 12 participants for each course, so spots will fill up quickly.

Each seminar is led by professional communication consultants who have more than 30 years of experience training NAHB members on the critical issues they face every day.

The fee to attend is $495 per person. More than 15,000 NAHB leaders have taken Spokesperson Training since the program began in 1979.

For more information, e-mail Brooke Fishel at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8061.

Members, Combine GM $500 Private Offer With Red Tag Event

NAHB members can combine the GM $500 Private Offer with GM’s Red Tag Event for even bigger savings through Jan. 2.

During the Red Tag Event, participating GM dealers are offering special sales prices on select, red-tagged vehicles and displaying the prices customers will pay — including all cash back incentives.

As participants in the GM Private Offer, NAHB members can take an additional $500 off the GM Red Tag price.

For example, members buying a 2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 4WD can save as much as $8,000 or more on the MRSP.

2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 4WD
Red Tag Price
Cash Back Offers
GM NAHB Member Private Offer
Red Tag Price, cash back and Private Offer
NAHB member savings

$29,480
$27,397
$5,500
$500
$21,397
$8,083

MSRP

or less
(Compared to MSRP)

The Red Tag Event provides special pricing and “Customer Cash” from $0 to $7,250 to customers purchasing an eligible new 2008 or 2009MY vehicle, while supplies last. (The Red Tag offer excludes the Cadillac CTS-V series, Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 and medium-duty trucks.)

The Red Tag Event is available through Jan. 5. The GM Private Offer is available through Jan. 2. Visit the NAHB Member Advantage Web page for complete details.

For information on the Member Advantage discount program and all its participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

UPS Offers Up to 30% Discount to NAHB Members on Shipping

NAHB and UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, have joined forces to offer NAHB members discounts of up to 30% on shipping.

The NAHB shipping discounts include domestic air and ground, international export and international import.

Association members can also take advantage of hassle-free on-line shipping, 24/7 access and advanced package tracking at your fingertips.

NAHB members are eligible for discounts up to 30% to help manage costs with no catch — and no minimums.

The shipping discounts — which increase the more packages or letters the user sends — will be applied once enrollment is complete.

The enrollment process is fast and easy and is available to NAHB members through the Web site: www.savewithups.com/nahb.

For more information on UPS savings and the complete Member Advantage program, visit www.nahb.org/MA.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Save $25 on Hertz ‘Green,’ ‘Fun’ or ‘Prestige’ Weekly Rentals

NAHB members can save $25 on weekly rentals of Hertz “Green,” “Fun” or “Prestige” collection vehicles in the U.S. No blackout dates apply.

All collection vehicles can be reserved by make and model. Fun vehicles include SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Green Collection vehicles are fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly. Prestige vehicles include NeverLost® in-car satellite navigation.

For information about this offer and Hertz collection vehicles, click here. This $25 offer is valid through Dec. 31, 2008.

For information on special NAHB member savings with how NAHB members can join Hertz #1 Club Gold® with the fee waived for the first year (a $60 value), click here.

For information on the Member Advantage discount program and all its participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Williams Scotsman Offers One Month Free Rent, $50 Gas Gift Card

Williams Scotsman is offering NAHB members one month free rent for each mobile office, storage container or specialty trailer leased for six months or longer, plus a $50 gas card for each mobile office, section modular complex, executive/sales office, or GoSpace™ leased for seven months or longer.

These offers are available through Dec. 31 and delivery must be accepted by Jan. 15.

For information on the Member Advantage discount program and all its participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Calendar of Events

Interested in attending a University of Housing conference or learning more about NAHB designation programs? Visit www.nahb.org/notifyme, and sign up to receive more information.

What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.

Nation's Building News Online: November 25, 2008

FDIC Bank Takeovers Hurting Home Sales, Builders Report

No Radon Health Risks Uncovered in Granite Countertop Study

Buffalo Builders Find Sales Among Mid-30s, 40s Buyers

Read More in Nation’s Building News — Win a Full IBS Registration

Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published Dec. 1

Federal GSE Backing Needed to Reduce Mortgage Rates

Home Starts Sink to Record Low Level in October

Builder Confidence Plunges as Consumers Hunker Down

Requirements Announced for HCEM Home Purchases

Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends

Builder Completes New American Home on Time

Register for IBS Hotel Room Block Rates by Dec. 12

Register Online for the 2009 Builders' Show in Las Vegas

IBS Education Focuses on Staying Ahead in Tough Market

Builders’ Tip: Accurately Cut I-Joists With a Cutoff Fixture

Builders Can Work With Banks to Survive the Credit Crunch

Explore ‘Green’ Building Markets in Asia With U.S. Trade Mission

One in Four Boomers Plans to Move, AARP Survey Reports

Four Honored for 2008 AARP-NAHB ‘Livable Communities’

Cohousing an Emerging Market Niche for 50+ Builders

Apply for the 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards by Dec. 5

Builder Confidence Slips in Rental, Condo Markets

Learn About Utility Allowances for Affordable Housing on Dec. 3

Market Realities, Emerging Trends at Pillars Conference in March

Brush Up on Lead Paint Rule by Purchasing Audio Seminar

Log Home Systems: Eco-Friendly and Going Greener

Designations Can Give You an Advantage in 2009

Education Calendar

EPA Effluent Rules Would Add Billions to Development Costs

NAHB Certifies 1,500th Green Building Professional

Planned Community Combines Green With Universal Design

Commercial Green Building Standard Back on Track

EnergyValue Housing Award Finalists Named

NAHB Offers New Trenching, Excavation Safety Resources

Listening Can Lead to Stronger Sales, New Book Says

Disaster Relief Trainees Hone Skills in Community Projects

Lennox Web Tool Helps Select HVAC Products

NAHB-Produced Programs on DIY, Fine Living and HGTV

Grant to Help Fund Student-Built Home in Missoula, Mont.

Lee S. Evans Scholarship Deadline Extended to Dec. 1

Few Spots Remain for ‘Presentation Skills’ at IBS

Members, Combine GM $500 Private Offer With Red Tag Event

UPS Offers Up to 30% Discount to NAHB Members on Shipping

Save $25 on Hertz ‘Green,’ ‘Fun’ or ‘Prestige’ Weekly Rentals

Williams Scotsman Offers One Month Free Rent, $50 Gas Gift Card

Calendar of Events