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Energy Tax Credit to Generate $6 Billion in Remodeling JobsEnergy Star has published comprehensive information on how the housing industry and consumers can take advantage of the federal tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements in the new economic stimulus package. The credits are expected to significantly increase demand for green renovation projects this year and next, according to federal officials. Congressional economists project that the new provisions will generate an estimated $6 billion in remodeling work by the end of 2010. The credits will be the centerpiece of new marketing efforts for remodeler Scott Sevon, CGR, GMB, CAPS, GMR, CGP of Sevvonco Inc. in Palatine, Ill. “We will be featuring information for consumers on our Web site, brochures and other promotional materials,” he said. “We want to make sure they can come to us for accurate information.” Remodelers trained in and experienced with making energy-efficient upgrades are well-positioned to take advantage of increased consumer interest in consuming less power. They can also use the tax credits to encourage home owners to undertake a more complete renovation that can be certified under the National Green Building Standard as part of NAHBGreen, the NAHB National Green Building Program. The Internal Revenue Code Section 25C for existing homes, which had expired at the end of 2007, was reinstated as part of the economic rescue package passed by the Bush Administration last fall. Installing energy-efficient windows, doors, roofing and insulation as well as furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps all qualified for the credit. But remodelers found that the terms of the 25C credit — equal to only 10% of the cost of each product and with a lifetime cap of $500 — weren’t quite strong enough to get home owners off the fence and into a contract. Under the stimulus legislation signed by President Obama, the percentage of the cost and lifetime cap have been tripled to 30% and $1,500, respectively, and the deadline for installing them has been extended through the end of 2010. In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the IRS 25D credit for renewable energy products has also been expanded and is even more generous for specific improvements — including geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. The 30% tax credit applies to these products but there is no cap on their cost through 2016. In addition, these credits also apply to new construction, as well as to remodeling and renovation projects. The newly expanded tax credits are in alignment with industry research showing that remodeling and retrofitting the nation’s older homes will have a far more significant impact on reducing residential energy consumption than meeting even the most aggressive efficiency goals for new homes, according to Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, chairman of NAHB Remodelers. A December 2008 survey by Whirlpool Corporation revealed that 84% of consumers said that energy efficiency is significantly more important than water use or other potential savings when it comes to home appliance efficiency. Seventy-two percent of respondents seek the Energy Star label when making purchasing decisions. (Click here to read a related story in this issue of NBN.) “These new tax credits are another way that the home building industry can combat the potential effects of global climate change by encouraging home owners to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes,” said Miedema. A 2008 California study showed that homes built before 1983 were responsible for 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to single-family envelope energy consumption. The study also found that spending $10,000 to retrofit a 1960s home could save 8.5 tons of carbon at a cost of $588 to $1,176 per ton, depending on existing tax credits and incentives. By comparison, increasing the energy efficiency of a new home 35% over current state requirements would cost about $5,000 and would reduce emissions by 1.1 tons at a cost of $4,545 per ton. The bottom line is that retrofitting existing homes with energy-efficient features is four to eight times more carbon- and cost-efficient than adding further energy-efficiency requirements to new housing, the study showed. Tax Credit How-to Details on qualifying improvements are available on the Energy Star Web site. Remodelers should familiarize themselves with the model types and products that qualify for the tax credit so they can advise their customers. However, they do not need to give their clients the product sales receipts to verify the claim. Certification statements in the manufacturer's product information may suffice. Home owners can claim the 25C and 25D credits on Form 5695 when they prepare their income tax returns. They should also retain records that include:
Learn to Market Housing Tax Credit at Free Teleconference March 16NAHB is hosting a free teleconference for builders and sales and marketing professionals on how to effectively market the recently-passed first-time home buyer $8,000 housing tax credit to prospective buyers. The teleconference will begin at 2:00 p.m. EST on Monday, March 16. Featured speakers include NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard; Rob Dietz, NAHB’s director of tax issues; Gaye Orr, MIRM, CMP, of Coldwell Banker Advantage New Homes in Raleigh, N.C.; and residential development strategist Dan Levitan, MIRM, CMP, of Levitan and Associates in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. During the teleconference, Howard will provide an overview of the recently enacted federal stimulus package and its housing-related provisions. Dietz will explain the $8,000 tax credit in detail, including eligibility requirements, how to claim the tax credit and how the new tax credit differs from the credit offered in 2008. Orr and Levitan will discuss how to market the housing tax credit to prospective buyers. “The economic downturn is forcing all of us in the housing industry to work harder and smarter,” said Orr, president of the Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM) and a past chair of NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC). “The winners will be those who learn to do more with less." "That’s why everybody is trying to figure out how the stimulus package can be used to sell homes," Orr continued. "And that’s what this teleconference is all about.” “We’re pushing the tax credit very hard with our clients,” said Levitan, a past president of IRM and the first IRM Fellow to be inducted. “So much can be done with electronic and Web-based communication.” To Register To register for the conference, visit http://services.choruscall.com/links/nahb090316.html and enter the confirmation number 428766. Registered participants will be given instruction and the toll free number to join the teleconference when they register. For more information, e-mail Blake Smith at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8583. More Information About the Tax Credit and Other Stimulus Provisions For more information about the federal housing tax credit for first-time home buyers, visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. For information about other housing-related provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus plan, click here. Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market. NAHB Provides One-Stop Stimulus and Tax Credit InformationNAHB has created a Web page at www.nahb.org/2009stimulus with links to everything association members need to know about the $787 billion economic stimulus package that was signed into law in February. NAHB members are encouraged to use the site to find information and resources on what is in the stimulus package, what it means to their customers and their business, how to promote the $8,000 tax credit to first-time home buyers, and how to take advantage of the many provisions that benefit the housing industry. All of the promotional resources to help builders market the home buyer tax credit feature NAHB’s consumer Web site www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The site has attracted nearly 1 million visitors in just the last five weeks. The site’s explanation of the tax credit eligibility requirements, comprehensive Q&A and links to homeownership resources are helping potential home buyers understand the advantages of buying a home today. Analysts at NAHB anticipate that the tax credit will result in about 160,000 additional home sales in 2009. NAHB has also updated the popular consumer brochure, “Opportunity Knocks for Home Buyers,” which provides real examples of typical tax savings through the first five years of homeownership, explains the power of leveraging and provides other compelling and accurate information to consumers who are considering whether to purchase a home. HBAs and members are encouraged to print this resource and distribute it in sales offices, at home shows and anywhere they have a consumer audience. Download the brochure PDF at: www.nahb.org/opportunitybrochure. For more information on these resources, e-mail NAHB Public Affairs, or call Gwyn Donohue at 800-368-5242 x8447. Cranes Are Ready, Financing Isn’tNot a single office building has been started in the District of Columbia since October, a sign that the slowdown that began in the far-out suburbs has now reached prime city locations. “Things are frozen. Nobody’s doing anything,” said Gerry Widdicombe, director of economic development for the city’s Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District. It is the first time in nine years that there’s been such a long period with no groundbreakings, according to the brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield. The construction cranes that still thrust above the skyline belong to buildings financed before the money for commercial construction disappeared. A few small deals are still getting done, but they often require owners and investors to put more money into the project than before. Longtime developer Douglas Jemal has tried to get $400 million in financing to turn several blocks next to the new convention center into restaurants, shops, offices and housing, but says he can’t get a loan. “I went to everyone out there,” he said. “It’s ugly.” For a project to move forward, it has to get money from investors and lenders. In contract to past downturns, it’s not just over-the-top projects in far-out suburbs that are hurting. Well-located projects with deep-pocketed developers are having trouble getting financing, according to analysts, brokers, lenders, investors and developers. “If anything could get money, it is trophy projects, but now you’re seeing projects at Main and Main in good locations that aren’t getting money,” Widdicombe said. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Is the Green-Building Market Recession-Proof?A Turner Construction Company survey conducted in November found that 75% of the more than 750 real estate executives surveyed said the credit crunch would not make them any less likely to construct green buildings in the future. Moreover, a report this year by McGraw-Hill Construction found that the green building market “seems to be somewhat insulated” from the construction slump. Reasons cited for the market’s stability include increased awareness that green buildings are often cheaper to operate, and governmental policies that promote or even mandate eco-friendly features. A focus on retrofitting, rather than new construction, is likely to be one way in which the recession affects the green-building movement. Sally Wilson, global director of environmental strategy at CB Richard Ellis, thinks there will be few opportunities to do “sexy work” in the U.S. in the coming years. Instead, she says, “the architectural community needs to quickly change gears into the existing-building side of things.” Fluctuating energy prices and uncertainty about the economy’s future notwithstanding, there is a general feeling among industry professionals that the recession will prove more beneficial than harmful to the green-building movement. Sustainability expert Robin Guenther, a principal of Perkins + Will, thinks initiatives such as the 2030 Challenge, which advocates carbon neutrality in all new buildings by the year 2030, will continue to gain steam and drive innovation in green materials and construction. (www.archrecord.construction.com)
Green Companies Do Better During DownturnA new study by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney indicates that firms with “true commitment to sustainability” outperform industry peers in the financial markets. “The most sustainability-focused companies may well emerge from the current crisis stronger than ever,” said the authors of the analysis. The study looked at 99 firms on the Down Jones Sustainability Index and Goldman Sachs SUSTAIN focus list of green companies and tracked stock performance for six months through November last year. In 16 of 18 industries included in the review, businesses deemed “sustainability-focused” outperformed industry peers over three- and six-month periods and were “well protected from value erosion,” the paper said. The report acknowledged that many corporate drives to reduce waste and emissions, use renewable energy and produce goods that have less of an impact on the environment have seemingly become “me too” efforts in recent years. “Yet companies with a history in green innovations have reaped the most benefits,” the authors wrote. “And those that continue to make meaningful investments will continue to prosper, both in terms of business results achieved and public perception.” (www.greenbiz.com)
Obama Budget Seeks to Shrink Tax Benefits of OwningHousing and banking trade groups are worried that the proposal in the Obama Administration’s first budget to cut back on the ability of upper-income families to write off mortgage interest and other expenses is just the opening move in a longer-range effort to reform the federal tax code. They also argue that because tax subsidies are now embedded in home prices in most segments of the market — not just the upper end — removing them even partially would cause housing values to drop across the spectrum. Obama has not referred to a broader agenda, but some of his top economic advisers have advocated major reforms of the federal tax system. For example, his budget director, Peter R. Orszag, is on record favoring scrapping current tax deduction incentives and replacing them with a system of “refundable tax credits.” The credits would provide the identical dollar amounts to home owners at all income and price brackets. The advantage of a uniform tax-credit approach, Orszag argued in a 2006 paper for the Brookings Institution, is that it is usable by lower-income and higher-income taxpayers alike, whether they itemize or not. The credits would be “refundable” in that households who pay little or no income taxes could receive them as income supplements. Given how deeply rooted the breaks are in politics and the economy — plus the fragile state of housing — the odds would appear to be against Congress agreeing with this year’s budget proposals on tax write-offs, says columnist Kenneth Harney. “But Obama is at the height of his game, and he needs to come up with revenue to pay for health-care reform from somewhere. So don’t count him out.” (www.washingtonpost.com)
Outside Buyers Drawn to Detroit’s Foreclosed HomesOutside buyers from as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia are the latest in a long line of landlords taking over the deteriorating housing stock in Detroit, a city that because of its once mighty auto industry boasted one of the highest owner-occupied housing rates in the U.S. And unlike many large cities, Detroit’s single-family homes dominate its landscape, not high-rise apartment buildings. The outside investors aren’t only interested in Detroit, but it’s been targeted because of the sheer volume of homes and the fact that values have fallen so much more than elsewhere. Even the sale of U.S. Housing and Urban Development homes has been impacted by the poor housing climate in Detroit. The average sales price of such homes plunged from $46,702 in 2003 to $8,692 last year. Through the first month of 2009, average sales were $6,035. “In the past few months, I’ve picked up 10 new clients from out of state that are buying in bulk,” said Mike Shannon, a suburban Detroit real estate agent who specializes in foreclosures. “They’re coming to us, saying, ‘Look, I want to buy 50, 100, 1,000.’ They want to own every decent and cheap house they can find.” The winners in this city — whose population has plummeted to half its size since the 1950s — might be renters lucky enough to live in a home that’s been fixed up by a legitimate landlord. Darren Veness, who lives near Brighton, England, said he sent 10 e-mails to Detroit-area real estate agents after learning about the city’s real estate bargains. He promptly heard back from Shannon, whose firm invited him to Detroit for a tour. Veness came for three days, and he and his colleagues bought their first two homes. Veness said they have considered other U.S. cities, but so far Detroit is it because the homes are cheap and plentiful. “Do the math, you can buy and rehab a home for $20,000, then rent for $900 a month,” he said. “Three to four months of the year, rent is going to pay the taxes….We just want to build our portfolio as big as we can. I know Detroit has been in a mess…and I think now is the time. The next 10 years, it’s going to change.” (www.chicagotribune.com)
Buffet’s ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’; Manufactured-Home Lending Mess Predicted Housing CrisisIn his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Warren Buffett, chairman of the board, said that the bad experiences of family-run manufactured home builder Clayton Homes, which his company acquired in 2003, “should have served as a canary-in-the-coal-mine warning for the far-larger conventional housing market.” Based in Maryville, Tenn., Clayton has been building manufactured homes since the 1930s, but its overall sales have been down since peaking in 1998. “At that time, much of the industry employed sales practices that were atrocious,” said Buffett. “To begin with, the need for meaningful downpayments was frequently ignored. Sometimes fakery was involved,” he said, pointing to lucrative commissions for salespersons if the loans were approved. “Moreover, impossible-to-meet monthly payments were being agreed to by borrowers who signed up because they had nothing to lose.” Buffett explained that those mortgages were typically bundled and peddled by Wall Street to investors and that this mortgage securitization contributed to the late 1990s “fiasco” in manufactured housing. Conseco, which filed for bankruptcy in 2002, had large exposure to manufactured-home mortgages that went bad. Conseco bought Green Tree Financial Corp. — which specialized in manufactured-housing mortgages and was later called Conseco Finance — in 1998, when sales of mobile homes were booming, thanks in part to loose lending standards. Investors, the government and rating agencies “learned exactly nothing from the manufactured-home debacle,” he said. “Instead, in an eerie return of that disaster, the same mistakes were repeated with conventional homes in the 2004-07 period: Lenders happily made loans that borrowers couldn’t repay out of their incomes, and borrowers just as happily signed up to meet those payments. Both parties counted on ‘house-price appreciation’ to make this otherwise impossible arrangement work.” He said the consequences are now making their way “through every corner of our economy.” (www.marketwatch.com)
House Bill Allows Bankruptcy Judges to Modify Home LoansThe House on March 5 passed H.R. 1106, legislation that would allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages for primary residences. The bill would allow judges to reduce the value of a loan, extend the terms of the loan, lower the interest rate, delay the effective date of an adjustable rate increase and make other similar changes to a mortgage in order to save the home from foreclosure. NAHB urged Congress to narrow the bill so that it only focuses on those mortgages responsible for today’s surge in defaults and said that any changes to the bankruptcy code must be limited in scope, temporary and apply only to current mortgages. Moving in this direction, the House limited the measure to existing mortgages and changed the legislation to ensure that it does not have a negative impact on mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would also deny relief to individuals who can afford to repay their mortgages without judicial modification and allow lenders to collect a portion of the profit if a home were sold within five years of modification. The bill also would discourage bankruptcy judges from reducing the value of a mortgage if lowering the interest rate alone would result in affordable payments.
The legislation would permanently lock in the current $250,000 insurance limit for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and index the limit to inflation starting in 2015. The limit was temporarily raised from $100,000 to $250,000 after the $700 billion financial bailout legislation was enacted last fall. The FDIC’s borrowing authority would be boosted from $30 billion to $100 billion. Finally, the legislation is designed to shield lenders from lawsuits by providing mortgage servicers that rework mortgages a “safe harbor” from lawsuits if a home owner defaults on a revised loan or appears likely to default. To read the legislation, click here and enter H.R. 1106 in the box at the center of the page. For more information on the legislation’s bankruptcy provisions, contact J.P. Delmore at 800-368-5242 x8412. For information on other provisions in the bill, contact Scott Meyer at x8144. Attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 Builders and housing industry professionals should attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on Tuesday, March 24 in Washington, D.C. to tell members of Congress that housing deserves 100% of their ongoing attention so housing can once again lead the nation out of this troubled economy. With policymakers in Washington confronting the most difficult financial crisis since the 1930s, attending this year’s conference could be one of the most important decisions that builders make this year — especially considering the growing downward momentum in housing and the nation’s job market. This year’s NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 will take place earlier than the NAHB spring board of directors meeting because of the depth of the downturn and the need for a solution. For more information and to register for the legislative conference, click here; or e-mail Molly Murray at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8282. Administration Releases Details of Foreclosure Relief PlanDetails of the mortgage refinance and modification initiatives unveiled last month by President Obama were released on March 4 as the Making Home Affordable (MHA) program. Aimed at preventing millions of foreclosures, the plan has three main elements:
Attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 Builders and housing industry professionals should attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on Tuesday, March 24 in Washington, D.C. to tell members of Congress that housing deserves 100% of their ongoing attention so housing can once again lead the nation out of this troubled economy. With policymakers in Washington confronting the most difficult financial crisis since the 1930s, attending this year’s conference could be one of the most important decisions that builders make this year — especially considering the growing downward momentum in housing and the nation’s job market. This year’s NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 will take place earlier than the NAHB spring board of directors meeting because of the depth of the downturn and the need for a solution. For more information and to register for the legislative conference, click here; or e-mail Molly Murray at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8282. New Pew Report Shows How States Can Stabilize EconomyA new Pew Center on the States report — “Trade-off Time: How Four States Continue to Deliver” — shows how Indiana, Maryland, Utah and Virginia are using the downturn in the national economy as an opportunity to rethink how they do business and assess how their programs measure up. “States that make good budget decisions now can help stabilize the economy, soften the impact of the crisis on families and spur a recovery that benefits the entire nation,” said Susan Urahn, managing director of The Pew Center on the States. “In the midst of economic downturn, there is an opportunity to re-think how to run state government.” The trend toward “performance-driven budgeting” is growing, the report observes. Thirty-nine states now include performance measures in agency budget requests, and 42 states report some level of these measures online; 22 legislatures reported using performance measures in their budget decision making, according to recent budget analyses. Among the steps that the states in the study are taking to ensure that they get the most out of the dollars they are spending:
Attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 Builders and housing industry professionals should attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on Tuesday, March 24 in Washington, D.C. to tell members of Congress that housing deserves 100% of their ongoing attention so housing can once again lead the nation out of this troubled economy. With policymakers in Washington confronting the most difficult financial crisis since the 1930s, attending this year’s conference could be one of the most important decisions that builders make this year — especially considering the growing downward momentum in housing and the nation’s job market. This year’s NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 will take place earlier than the NAHB spring board of directors meeting because of the depth of the downturn and the need for a solution. For more information and to register for the legislative conference, click here; or e-mail Molly Murray at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8282. HBAs Receive Funds to Support State and Local EffortsApplications for the NAHB State & Local Issues Fund are due April 24, 2009. In conjunction with the upcoming NAHB spring board meeting in May, the NAHB State and Local Government Affairs Committee will be reviewing applications from home builders associations for funding to deal with legislative, regulatory or ballot issues that hold national significance for the housing industry. Applications are reviewed three times a year during the association’s board meetings. The following applications were considered and received funded during January’s International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas:
Attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 Builders and housing industry professionals should attend the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference on Tuesday, March 24 in Washington, D.C. to tell members of Congress that housing deserves 100% of their ongoing attention so housing can once again lead the nation out of this troubled economy. With policymakers in Washington confronting the most difficult financial crisis since the 1930s, attending this year’s conference could be one of the most important decisions that builders make this year — especially considering the growing downward momentum in housing and the nation’s job market. This year’s NAHB Legislative Conference on March 24 will take place earlier than the NAHB spring board of directors meeting because of the depth of the downturn and the need for a solution. For more information and to register for the legislative conference, click here; or e-mail Molly Murray at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8282. Attend Crucial Legislative Conference on March 24Builders looking to send a message to Congress that housing deserves 100% of their ongoing attention to lead the nation’s troubled economy back to higher ground should mark their calendar now for the most important grassroots event of the year — the 2009 NAHB Legislative Conference — which will take place on Tuesday, March 24 in Washington, D.C. The timing of this year’s Legislative Conference — which, for the first time will take place independently from the NAHB spring board meeting — is particularly significant considering the growing downward momentum in housing and the nation’s job market. With policymakers in Washington confronting the most difficult financial crisis since the 1930s, attending this year’s conference could be one of the most important decisions that builders make this year. Builders are encouraged to travel to the nation’s capital and to urge their representatives and senators to support policies that will stabilize home values, mitigate foreclosures, bolster consumer confidence and get the economy moving forward. The annual NAHB conference provides an ideal opportunity for association members to share their concerns on housing-related issues with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Especially in these challenging times, participation by NAHB members can make a huge difference as various interest groups compete to push their agendas in Washington. A strong builder turnout on March 24 will send a powerful message to members of Congress that housing must remain a top national priority. For more information and to register for NAHB’s 2009 Legislative Conference, click here; or e-mail Molly Murray at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8282. Builders See Little Doom and Gloom in Cedar Rapids, IowaThe housing market in Cedar Rapids, Iowa showed the highest price appreciation in the country last year, First American CoreLogic reported last month. While the attention of the news media to the statistics from the data collection company was drawn primarily to areas of the country showing the most substantial declines in housing prices, Cedar Rapids posted a 12-month increase in home values of 8.83%. The findings were based on First American CoreLogic’s LoanPerformance HPI, which incorporates more than 30 years worth of repeat sales transactions, representing more than 45 million observations. Tracking increases and decreases in sales prices for the same homes over time provides a more accurate “constant-quality” view of pricing trends than basing analysis on all home sales, the company says. The good news was not confined to Cedar Rapids. The 10 Core Based Statistical Areas with the strongest home price gains all experienced appreciation of greater than 6%. And the state of Iowa also scored in the plus column, although just barely, with a gain for the year of 0.28%. “Permits pulled have been stable for the last three years after a significant drop in 2005,” said Drew E. Retz, president of the Greater Cedar Rapids Area Home Builders Association and vice president of Jerry’s Homes, Inc., Iowa’s largest active builder. “As a result, our market is seeing that supply and demand are fairly well balanced. We never saw the price escalations in land or in home sales prices that they saw on either coast, and as a result, we have not seen the bubble burst.” Iowans are fairly conservative, Retz noted. “Builders live and work closely with their neighbors and are here for the long haul. As a result, we are always trying to ensure that we provide the best value and quality for our clients, neighbors and friends. We just haven’t had the experiences you hear about in many other markets with inflated prices, and as a result we have experienced almost normal appreciation.” That doesn’t mean that everything is rosy for everyone in Cedar Rapids, he said. Some builders have experienced some of the competitive difficulties that are inherent in the home building industry, he said. However, “I just spoke with a builder earlier this week that had their best year ever in 2008. This is the greatest industry in the world to be in. The limitations are only our imagination and guts. There is always room for another builder willing to provide a better product and services for the buyer.” With economic conditions darkening considerably across the country in recent months, Margaret “Midge” Barvinek, executive officer of the association, said that she is hoping to see the area remain relatively stable this year. “With our association working with the City of Cedar Rapids, the Chamber of Commerce, Priority One and other entities that can help shape the local economy, I think we will be in a positive mode for future growth.” In constant contact with her members, Barvinek reported that, “Some say they can feel a small slowdown, some say they are holding steady and a few say they can feel the economic crunch hit their business. Most seem to be in the ‘holding steady’ category for now. We are not in the same economic situation as some parts of the East and West coasts and some spots in the South.” Remodeler Wayne W. Winn, of Home Town Restyling in Hiawatha, Iowa, said that the local market for home improvements remains favorable. “In the past two months our sales have increased more than 30% over the same time period as last year,” he said. “We are very fortunate to do business in a market with good credit and where home values have appreciated.” According to First American CoreLogic, besides Iowa, states that saw home values increase in 2008 included: Texas, up 1.83%; Vermont, 1.86%; South Dakota, 2.14%; New York, 3.05%; North Dakota, 4.04%; and West Virginia, 5.69%. Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market. Plan to Attend Construction Forecast Conference and Webcast Plan to attend or watch the 2009 Spring NAHB Construction Forecast Conference & Webcast on Thursday, April 23 in Washington, D.C. to get the latest facts, insights and analysis of the housing industry. Panels of nationally recognized experts at the day-long conference will discuss economic trends, government policies, developments in the housing industry and the results from NAHB's recent surveys. For more information and to register, visit www.nahb.org/cfc. Want to Know the Housing Starts Through 2017? Find out in HousingEconomics.com's Long-Term Forecast. Subscribe and get downloadable Excel tables that feature the housing starts forecast, gross domestic product (GDP), demographics and more. To learn more, visit www.housingeconomics.com. Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing TrendsThe following are links to useful information from government agencies and NAHB that will enable you to monitor the housing market. To access the latest information available, simply click the links.
Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
Plan to Attend Construction Forecast Conference and Webcast Plan to attend or watch the 2009 Spring NAHB Construction Forecast Conference & Webcast on Thursday, April 23 in Washington, D.C. to get the latest facts, insights and analysis of the housing industry. Panels of nationally recognized experts at the day-long conference will discuss economic trends, government policies, developments in the housing industry and the results from NAHB's recent surveys. For more information and to register, visit www.nahb.org/cfc.
Want to Know the Housing Starts Through 2017? Find out in HousingEconomics.com's Long-Term Forecast. Subscribe and get downloadable Excel tables that feature the housing starts forecast, gross domestic product (GDP), demographics and more. To learn more, visit www.housingeconomics.com.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. Free Business Survival Tips Online Till March 13Through Friday, March 13, NAHB members can get free business survival information on such issues as bankruptcy, reorganization, liens, subcontractor disputes, partnership issues and more that will help them survive the downturn. The information, prepared by the Texas-based international law firm Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, will be available on the NAHB Web site in a "Frequently Asked Questions" format that will address a variety of topics, including: Bankruptcy/Reorganization
Members whose questions are not answered on the Web site posting will be able to call or e-mail the law firm for more information. For further information on this program, e-mail David Jaffe at NAHB.
Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
Builders’ Tip: A Cloud-Free Way to Collect and Dispose of Dust
Rather than continue spreading dust during clean-up, I fabricated a solution that virtually eliminates the dust-disposal problem. As shown in the accompanying illustration, I created a system that empties the dust in a 33-gallon, heavy-duty plastic bag and doesn’t generate unwelcome clouds of dust. Here’s what I did:
With this setup, the lower dust bag acts as a chute that sends its dusty contents into the plastic bag. When the drum is full, I loosen the strap, cinch the bag and replace the full bag with an empty one. By the way, I don’t lift the bag out of the drum. It’s a lot easier and cleaner simply to lift the bottomless drum off the bag. — Corry M. Dodson, Careywood, Idaho Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
To contact Fine Homebuilding, e-mail Christina Glennon.
Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
Set Yourself Apart With CGB Designation 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. To view these publications online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Build Trust, Protect Value With Online BrandingBy Stephen Feltner, CSP and Tyler Waite, CSP, Move But builders who are seeking to build their brands online should consider building “brands of value,” rather than going down the traditional path of trying to create successful brands that are often viewed as blending advertising and hype. It’s All About Them “In order to get people to pause, you have to offer or provide something of value,” says author and branding expert Tom Asacker. Successful branding is not about getting the right slogan, the right colors or the right messaging, Asacker points out in his book, “A Clear Eye for Branding,” and in an online presentation available by clicking here. Instead, he says, branding is about understanding what expectations your customers have and crafting satisfying solutions that draw buyers with subtlety. First and foremost, value-oriented branding reassures current and potential customers that they are making the right decision by placing their trust — and their money — with your company. Build a Strong Brand Online Before the Internet, building and maintaining a trusted brand was a long-term process for home builders. Now, builders’ Web sites — with their product images, glowing client testimonials and lists of awards — can significantly reduce the time needed to build a brand. Meredith Oliver, MIRM, CSP, president of Meredith Communications, sees the Internet as “the great equalizer, when it comes to branding. A compelling Web site can level the playing field — but it is the starting point, not the ending point.” “Branding takes place when you can be found in a lot of places,” Oliver says. “The more sites that link to you, the better. Internet listing services, sponsored searches, display ads, third-party referrers — all are important to putting a builder on the Internet map.” One way to gain more linking is by using Web site sub-domains, because they can open up new territory for site indexing, improve the consumer experience and increase the branding footprint in a given market. For example, a home builder going by the name of Elegant Homes could expand its Internet presence, provide strategic local content and improve its performance on Google and other search engines by creating such company- and mission-related sub-domains as www.ElegantHomescastlepines.com, www.ElegantCustomHomes.com and www.ElegantHomeCommunities.com. Blog On With tens of thousands of new Web logs (blogs) going online and hosting millions of posts every day, setting up a blog is fast becoming an important online branding and search engine optimization strategy that builders should not ignore. But, as Oliver points out, “most builders do not have the staff or expertise to build and maintain their own blog. Home builders usually have to hire a company to write the blogs and figure out where to post them. It takes at least one post per week to be effective.” Effective blogging also requires developing a comprehensive strategy that encompasses more than just maintaining your own blog. A successful blog strategy should include:
Given its vast and unrelenting reach, the Internet has the ability to make or break a brand with startling speed. The Internet can provide home builders with a unique opportunity, their worst nightmare or a mediocre online presence somewhere in between. Builders must also be aware of the emergence of Web sites and blogs dedicated to airing home buyer grievances and how these blogs can affect their branding and marketing. These grievance blogs thrive on the viral and instantaneous nature of online communication, posting the latest builder blunders to bolster rants. Some builders who have been targeted by these blogs have experienced the power of naysayers to undermine their brands and negate the millions that they have spent on marketing. Home builders have been able to persuade some of these gripe-site operators to give up their causes when the builders initiated dissenting blogs that countered the gripes. In addition, savvy builders have made Internet protocols a vital part of their brand protection. Tom Crandell, CEO of Ayowahr Interactive, points to trademark protection provisions and the use of sub-domains in search engine marketing as effective methods to fight brand dilution and safeguard your brand. “Every search engine has a unique policy to mitigate trademark infringement,” says Crandell. “For example, Google will allow you to eliminate the ability for third parties to use your trademarks in the title and copy of ads.” The Road Ahead With good planning, proper provisions and expert help, Internet marketing and online branding can help home builders establish successful brands based on value and trust. Stephen Feltner, CSP, serves as president of the new homes and rentals divisions of Move®, the online real estate network. He also serves on the board of governors for the Builder Marketing Society is active in the Southern California Building Industry Association. Tyler Waite, CSP, is the regional sales manager of Move New Homes and manages the company’s Denver and Dallas territories. Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama. Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit – including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers. “The new tax credit provides a great opportunity for first-time home buyers,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Combined with today’s near record low interest rates, the large selection of homes on the market and very competitive pricing, the tax credit should provide the extra incentive needed to get prospective buyers who have been sitting on the fence into the market.” Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight the tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market. ‘ValueMatch Selling for Home Builders’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “ValueMatch Selling for Home Builders,” available through BuilderBooks.com, presents a selling process that focuses on selling feelings and appealing to prospective buyers’ emotional need to buy a new home in today’s market rather than product. Learn how to build rapport with prospective home buyers, meet their needs, make powerful presentations that are focused on their values and go for the close. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Subscribe to Sales + Marketing Ideas Magazine for Cutting-Edge Information For additional cutting-edge sales and marketing information, subscribe to NAHB’s Sales + Marketing Ideas magazine (www.smimagazine.com). Click here to learn about membership benefits of the National Sales and Marketing Council and the Institute of Residential Marketing.
Award-Winning Community Nestled on Former VineyardVineyard Lane, nestled on a four-acre site of a former vineyard near the heart of Bainbridge Island, Wash., is a welcoming, diverse neighborhood of uncommon beauty whose residents have fostered a strong sense of community. Developed by the Winery LLC, Vineyard Lane was one of four recipients of the 2008 Livable Communities Awards, sponsored by AARP and NAHB. Vineyard Lane received the award in the category of Developer, Up to 250 Units. AARP and NAHB currently are accepting entries for the third annual Livable Communities Awards which honor forward-looking housing industry professionals who have designed, built or remodeled creative and unique homes and communities that improve the daily comfort, ease of use and safety of residents. Vineyard Lane is an innovative, 45-unit condominium community that features rustic, well-lit cobblestone walkways, extensive elevator access, oversize windows, level front entrances, a coffee house, numerous public patios and a well-screened parking area. A footpath and pedestrian bridge also link the community to nearby healthcare, shopping, recreational and cultural activities, banks, shops and restaurants. Each unit also features extra wide doors and hallway and security grips in all washrooms. Aesthetic integrity is maximized by screened parking, oversize windows and a lattice of well-lit paved walkways. The Livable Communities Awards this year have added new categories to recognize architects and planners for home and community design. The awards previously just recognized builders, remodelers and developers. For more information about the Livable Communities Awards, or to apply, visit www.NAHB.org/livablecommunities.
Find Out What the 45+ Housing Market Wants “Right House, Right Place, Right Time: Community and Lifestyle Preferences of the 45+ Housing Market,” available through BuilderBooks.com, will help determine the right design, home features and amenities to attract boomer home buyers in your market. Author, Margaret A. Wylde guides readers through the latest survey results on this important consumer group and explains what their responses mean for today’s and tomorrow’s home building industry. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. CAASH in on Active Adult Market at 50+ Housing SymposiumThree pre-conference classes will provide detailed knowledge about active adult home buyers — as well as enable participants to earn credit towards the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing CAASH designation — at the 2009 Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium in April. The conference is hosted by the NAHB 50+ Housing Council. The symposium, which will be held on April 27-29 in Philadelphia, will also feature two active adult community bus tours, additional education sessions, the Best of 50+ Housing Awards gala and a keynote session featuring an economic forecast from NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. The pre-symposium courses include:
For a complete schedule of symposium events, visit www.nahb.org/Build4Boomers. For more information on the CAASH designation, visit www.nahb.org/CAASHinfo. Find Out What the 45+ Housing Market Wants “Right House, Right Place, Right Time: Community and Lifestyle Preferences of the 45+ Housing Market,” available through BuilderBooks.com, will help determine the right design, home features and amenities to attract boomer home buyers in your market. Author, Margaret A. Wylde guides readers through the latest survey results on this important consumer group and explains what their responses mean for today’s and tomorrow’s home building industry. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. HUD Frees Up FHA Insurance for Multifamily RefinancingThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently made it easier for multifamily developers to use Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance for the refinancing of existing properties. Under normal circumstances, the Section 223(f) program provides mortgage insurance to refinance properties that have been operating for at least three years. However, because of today’s severe economic conditions and constrained liquidity in the multifamily markets, HUD is waiving the three-year rule. The waiver program comes at a time when NAHB’s multifamily members have been reporting growing difficult in refinancing completed, self-sustaining properties due to the intensifying credit market crisis. The waiver program will be in effect for the next six months, after which HUD may possibly extend it. The final loan amount that can be refinanced is limited to what is sufficient to pay off existing indebtedness — as defined by HUD and subject to mortgage loan limits and a valuation analysis — and cannot include an equity payment to the owner. Mortgage loan limits vary by type of structure (garden or high-rise) and geographic location. In addition, mortgage loan limits are adjusted upward in geographic areas with high construction costs. To see the mortgage loan limits, which are published by HUD on its Web site, click here. For HUD’s list of approved FHA multifamily lenders, click here. The waiver program does include some requirements and restrictions that are not normally required of Section 223(f) loans. NAHB has sent a letter to FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery asking HUD to reconsider some of these. The letter also asked him to keep the waiver program in effect for at least 18 months. Save the Date NAHB will host a webinar on two of the major FHA multifamily mortgage insurance programs on April 22 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST. Registration information will be posted on NAHB’s Web site soon. The webinar will cover the Section 223(f) refinancing program, as well as the Section 221(d)(4) program for new construction/substantial rehabilitation. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about these programs and whether they can help you finance your next multifamily development. For more information, e-mail Claudia Kedda or Carmel McGuire at NAHB. Who Says You Can’t Trim ‘Fixed’ Overhead Costs?“Fixed” overhead costs are often really anything but fixed and, in this economic downturn, astute business owners can find many ways to trim their overhead — if they trim wisely and don’t put their business at risk. In no particular order, I have compiled a laundry list of areas where you can reduce your fixed overhead costs. Many of the cuts are relatively easy to do and relatively painless. But some may cut deeply and not all these measures will be applicable to your particular business. Be sure to consult with your attorney or accountant before adopting any of these suggestions and check all appropriate state and local regulations before proceeding. Health Insurance — Several Avenues Are Available You may be able to achieve substantial savings by reducing some of your insurance costs. Your agent, who should be part of your team and acting on your behalf, can help you find ways to safely cut premiums with your existing insurance companies — or shop for new companies — without putting your or your business at risk. For example, to reduce employer contributions, consider decreasing the co-insurance percentages and increasing deductibles and co-pays. Also look at increasing employee contributions or discontinuing the family coverage payment for your employees. While these adjustments will save you money, they will increase your employees’ costs. To reduce overall health care costs, shop health insurance providers to find the best package of services and costs. Explore implementing a health savings account or joining an association to get better group insurance rates. Life Insurance — Use Dividends to Reduce Premiums If possible, use dividends to reduce premiums or borrow from you policy to pay for the premium. You can pay the loan interest only or borrow the interest, too. Finally, you can cash in a whole life policy for its surrender value if you no longer need the policy. Disability Insurance — Extending the Waiting Period May Cut Costs First, you can use your disability insurance dividends to reduce premiums. Another way to cut costs is to extend the initial waiting period on existing policies from 30 days to 60, 90 or even 180 days. But let me caution you on two points before you consider this cost-cutting measure. If you extend the waiting period, be absolutely sure that you have enough personal savings to cover any injury that could occur before the policy takes effect. Also, consider that once you’ve extended your waiting period, you might not be able to qualify to have that waiting period shortened sometime in the future when business is on a more even keel. So before you go this route, be careful if your health is uncertain. Company Vehicle Insurance — Shop Around for Better Coverage There are several ways to save money on insurance for your company vehicles. You can save money by increasing your deductibles, as well as by dropping collision insurance on vehicles that are more than six years old or worth less than $4,000. You also can save money on premiums by not allowing employees with bad driving records to drive your vehicles. Finally, shop around for better coverage and pricing. If you haven’t explored it yet, oftentimes, the company that provides your business insurance can provide tie-in coverage for your vehicles at less cost than going to a separate company. You might also find it advantageous to join an association or group that offers pricing power or enhance coverage. Workers Compensation — Studious Trimming May Be Found The best way to reduce workers compensation premiums is to allocate the hours that your workers put on their time cards into the insurance company's rate categories. Most states will allow you to do this, but to be certain, check with your agent or attorney before attempting this. For example, the rate category for a roofer will be higher than for a supervisor, so allocating by category should lower your overall rate. However, if you can justify the reallocation and breakdown, expect to be audited on actual payroll costs — because you will be audited. Be sure to get the classification codes from your insurance agent if you pursue this. Finally, don't forget to obtain certificates of insurance from all your subcontractors that verify their workers compensation and liability coverage. This is critical, because many insurance companies now are auditing for their increased exposure when your coverage as the general contractor exceeds the coverage for the subcontractor. For instance, if you have $2 million in coverage and your sub only has $100,000, you could be audited and made to pay the difference in coverage costs. To avoid this, have your subs boost their coverage, or reduce yours. As for those contractors who claim they have no employees but seem to have “workers” on the job site — a sub of a sub — make them retain minimum coverage workers compensation policies. These policies are an inexpensive firewall in case one of those subcontractors is later deemed to be an employee, or the contracting company hires employees at a later date. Phone/Communication Expenses — Are All Lines Necessary? There are several ways to reduce communication expenses. It may be worthwhile to sign up for a cellular plan that has a higher base fee but provides tons of off-peak minutes and decent peak-hours minutes. You also can form a group of fellow plan users so you can pool and share minutes. Another way to trim costs would be to drop your answering service and replace it with an answering machine, or use the voicemail service that your phone service provides. If things get really tight, have your employees pay for their personal use of company phones. Also, consider dropping the land line altogether, dropping dedicated fax and Internet lines and subscribing to a communication package that combines voice and Internet or DSL. Utilities — Practice What You Preach We know how to help our customers cut utility costs by insulating their water heater, installing weather stripping, adding sweeps to the doors, improving overall insulation and even turning off that extra refrigerator, so we should do the same for our offices. Likewise, you can install lower wattage light bulbs or energy-efficient fluorescent lighting. You should also consider using timers, motion detectors or indicator lights in rooms that aren’t always occupied but where lights are often left on. Finally, to ride out what’s left of the winter, you may want to install a set-back thermostat for the office and warehouse and wear sweaters and heavier clothing Loan Interest — The Big ‘If’ If your bank or lender will work with you — and that’s a big if — consolidate your loans at new, lower rates. Also, try to refinance any large loans. Secure a line of credit. It’s best to do this when your bank is open to lending and when you don’t really have an immediate need for the line of credit. Finally, consider moving short-term debt to long-term debt in order to free up any current cash needs. Advertising — Cut Back, But Not Drastically When cutting advertising, don’t cut too severely because now is the time to keep your name in front of as many potential prospects as you can. Cut back on Yellow Pages advertising and focus on using the Internet and electronic communication to get your message to potential prospects. Whether print or electronic, get advertising help by asking manufacturers or major distributors for cooperative advertising dollars. Don’t forget to perform simple upkeep on signs and their frames on your trucks and in your office. Keeping your signs up to snuff will project success and trust during the downturn. Promotions — Worth Trimming Unlike advertising, it is probably wise to cut back on your promotions and promotional material and to target your marketing. This might mean postponing your purchase of company shirts, coffee mugs, pens, calendars and holiday cards. You can also drop your sports sponsorship or ask parents and players to share the costs. Also, stop thinking that you have to buy coffee and donuts every time you come to a job. Instead, only buy promotional items that convey a clear-cut business value. Use direct mail, newsletters to past customers and neighbor letters to target your marketing. Instead of a holiday card, send a holiday newsletter this year. It will get your name out in front of prospects while telling them so much more about your business. Finally, plan events and reward employees smartly and creatively to save money — without losing the good feelings that these events usually generate. Bank Charges — Cultivate a Relationship With Your Banker Shop around for the best combination of open hours, minimum balances, credit card rates, per-check charges, knowledge of the building business, products for consumer loans and home equity lending. Then, cultivate a relationship with your banker — before you need his services. Consider consolidating your personal banking with your business accounts to lower overall fees. Negotiate a better loan rate or ask for a loan to manage the downturn. If it’s too late to cultivate a relationship with your banker, figure out how to work with him — without frustrating him. Finally, protect your reputation by applying for overdraft protection, phone transfers and other time- and reputation-saving services. Computer and Office Supplies — Don’t Skimp When Dealing With the Public There are several easy ways to trim office supply costs — buy from wholesale clubs, buy in bulk, delay buying promotional items until better financial times, etc. However, don't skimp on stationery or contract documents. Customers want to deal with professionals, even during a downturn — and less-than-than professional stationery and documents will reflect badly on you. You can use your computer creatively to save costs while reinforcing your professionalism. For example, create branded templates for custom contracts, bills and other documents used by the public. Buy a good color printer for this and for printing newsletters, photos from digital cameras, change order documentation, brochures and other branded materials. One other computer trick you can implement to save money and precious staff time — find ways to automate backup files, software updates and other computer maintenance. Maintaining Your Vehicles — Ways to Save at the Pump Fill your tanks with the lowest allowable grade of gas. Also, maintain the proper tire pressure on all your vehicles. This will improve vehicle mileage and reduce tire wear and tear. Don’t get caught up with credit card promotions and drive all those extra miles just to buy gas at a specific card’s station. Finally, instead of buying new tires for your trucks, buy retreads if they’re available. Subscriptions and Memberships — Focus on Trade Associations First of all, eliminate as many of your duplicate paid subscriptions as you can and, instead, share and circulate the magazines and newsletters with your staff as much as possible. Also, cancel the subscriptions you don’t read regularly. Likewise, drop out of the non-trade organizations where you are no longer active. Stay active in your trade associations — like NAHB and your local home builders association and remodelers council — but cut down on some expenses by trying to share staff, tools and non-competitive business information with fellow members. Also, participate in association networking so you can cultivate new business opportunities and further your professional development. Trade Shows and Conventions — Don’t Skimp Here I firmly believe that, in order to succeed today, you must be the most informed, best-equipped salesperson you can be to deal with prospective clients. You need to learn all you can about the latest installations and their limitations, the newest techniques and more. So, my advice is to attend as many trade shows and conventions as you can, take in as many educational opportunities as possible and network with as many people as you can. Keep in mind that the best learning can come from peers sharing battle-worn and tested techniques. Attending these tradeshows is a perfect time to talk with others in the industry and actually learn from their mistakes and triumphs. Having extensive product knowledge — and access to manufacturers and distributors — is a great advantage over your competition, and trade shows are a perfect place to see and try new products. Attend local seminars, too, because they are oriented toward your local market and they’re less expensive. To cut down on you show expenses, eat, sleep and travel as cheaply as possible. Share a room, don’t eat at expensive restaurants, use shuttles or share rides and economize wherever possible. Charitable Contributions — Narrow Your Giving to Only Your Favorites From now on, only give contributions to your favorite charities or organizations. Even with that caveat in mind, stay clear of charities that use professional solicitors who can take a large portion of the donations for their fees. Also, if possible, donate time and labor rather than money — even to your favorite charities. And if you operate as a corporation, contribute using your business funds, rather than your personal funds. That way, you’ll be making your contributions with pre-tax dollars. Tool and Gas Allowances — Keep Them Strictly Business One of the best ways to save on tool and gas allowances is to step up the accountability so the allowances are for business purposes only. Step up the accountability for gas reimbursements so you can maintain IRS deductibility. Also, make sure you have valid reasons for tool repairs and new purchases. If possible, have your employees own more of their tools. That way, they’ll take better care of them and reduce your maintenance costs. Rent — This May Be a Good Time to Renegotiate Your Lease With all the over-building and high vacancy rates in the commercial sector, now may be a good time to renegotiate your lease, terms and building improvements. You probably will never be in a better position to reset your terms, but be prepared to move if your offer is not honored. Collections — Choose Customers Wisely, But Also Budget for Deadbeats Attempt to collect all your bills in a timely manner. Do this by choosing your customers wisely and by establishing a payment schedule that has no more than 10% due at last payment. If you still accept changes verbally, use only written change orders from now on. You’ll be able to account for them more accurately. Write concise contracts — and include language that allows for collecting of attorney's fees when necessary. Also, don't be afraid to stop work when payment schedules are not being followed — and be sure to enter language to this effect in your contracts. Finally, don’t expect to be able to collect all payments in this difficult economy. Budget for deadbeats and an increase in bad debts. Sales and Administration — Reduce Salaries (Even Yours), But Step-Up Incentives The largest, single overhead item you have is probably your salary. Cut it, but establish incentives that will enable you to regain some of it by achieving legitimate sales, volume and gross profitability goals. You also can earn some of you salary back by legitimately reallocating some of your time to specific jobs. To reduce the amount of owner’s salary as overhead, we charge owner's direct job time and supervision as “direct labor.” When renegotiating salaries with your key workers — including your production, sales and office staff — establish similar goals and incentives that will enable them to earn additional money while making your company more efficient and productive. For example, let them earn more by improving margins; through gross, net or volume sold; by how many hours under the estimated hours were needed to complete the job; better organized filings; better pre-qualified leads, etc. Also, to cut down on accountant expenses, learn to file the easy tax reports yourself and use your accountant for only the difficult budget and tax areas. Fire Sale — When All Else Fails When all else fails, sell your underused tools, vehicles, computers and machines. Not only will you get a little cash, you’ll save money in the long-term by taking those items off your insurance policies, eliminating some maintenance costs and downsizing your storage needs. Alan Hanbury, CGR, CAPS, CGP, of House of Hanbury Builders based in Newington, Conn., provides remodeling and handyman services. A longtime leader and past chairman of the NAHB Remodelers, Hanbury is a sought-after lecturer and writer on the remodeling industry and its professionalism. For more information, e-mail Hanbury, call him at 860-666-1537 or visit www.houseofhanbury.com. ICF Wall Systems Can Achieve a Tight Thermal EnvelopeFor many builders, continuous concrete and foam wall systems, such as insulating concrete forms (ICFs), can be an easier and less labor-intensive way to help meet the new, higher energy-efficiency benchmarks consumers are seeking. They may also help qualify homes for energy-efficiency tax incentives. Properly installed ICFs and similar wall systems can help builders achieve a tight thermal building envelope that can help them achieve an Energy Stae efficiency rating for their homes. When properly installed, ICFs can provide the insulation and air barriers — with no gaps, voids or compression — needed to complete the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s thermal bypass checklist required to earn an Energy Star label. The added efficiencies can also mean additional points if a home is certified to either the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines or the National Green Building Standard under NAHBGreen. Air flow through insulation reduces its effectiveness and efficiency. In conventional framing, if batt insulation is not carefully installed tightly around air barriers, framing and finishes, or if it is compressed around electrical wiring, pipes or other obstructions within a wall, the thermal performance of the wall and building envelope can be degraded. A 5% gap in insulation coverage can reduce the effective R-value by as much as 50%. Potential trouble spots for completing the thermal bypass checklist in conventional construction are shown in the accompanying traditional wall section illustration. A properly installed two-story ICF exterior wall section assembly, as shown in the accompanying ICF wall section illustration, has fewer areas requiring special consideration and inspection than traditional construction. Building with ICFs, removable forms, precast concrete or similar concrete and foam systems can eliminate critical coordination issues and construction details that would have to be addressed and verified when building typical Energy Star-compliant exterior walls. As with conventional construction, care is needed to properly install ICFs and other concrete wall systems in order to achieve energy-efficiency goals.
ICF Construction Courses To help builders and contractors learn how to install ICFs, the Concrete Home Building Council is offering two educational courses through the Home Builders Institute (HBI). “Building with Insulating Concrete Forms” is an eight-hour course that provides the traditional home builder with the information needed to evaluate and start using ICFs. “Insulating Concrete Forms Installation” is a one- or two-day course that provides attendees with the information and basic skills needed to correctly install ICFs. For more information, visit the HBI Web site at www.hbi.org, the Concrete Home Building Council Web site at www.nahb.org/concrete or the Portland Cement Association at www.cement.org. Log Homes a Custom Home Niche Worth Exploring
Part of a series on how building systems can help builders navigate and survive the housing downturn. A new, free video by the Log Homes Council and Building Systems Councils introduces traditional home builders to log home construction and points out the benefits of diversifying into a niche custom home market that appeals to consumers in almost every home price range. The video, available at www.nahb.org/logvideo on the NAHB Web site, shows builders how diversifying their operations to include log homes will enable them to offer their customers more housing options. Log homes offer consumers striking designs and the latest technologies, such as solid-wall “green" techniques, blended with rustic charm and nostalgic appeal. “The log home market can be a high-end outlet for any builder looking to capture a growing segment of the custom home market,” said Jim Young of PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes in Meridian, Idaho and 2009 president of the Log Homes Council. Young said builders considering diversifying with log homes should explore the opportunity through the Log Homes Council because the council’s membership aligns log manufacturers’ products with builders’ and buyers’ needs. “Because Log Homes Council manufacturers are required to grade their logs, provide a comprehensive construction manual and subscribe to a rigid code of ethics, council members can help transition a builder into the log home building industry,” said Young. “The goal of the Log Homes Council is to promote the log home industry, so our members work hard to help all parties have a positive buying and building experience.” To learn more about the log home industry, visit www.loghomes.org. For a list of Log Home Council member manufacturers, visit www.nahb.org/logdirectory. Subscribe to the Systems-Built Advantage Members who want to learn more about the systems-built industry can subscribe to the NAHB Building Systems Councils free e-newsletter, the Systems-Built Advantage. The e-newsletter provides:
Earn Professional Designations at NAHB Spring ConferencesNAHB members can earn credits toward valuable designations by taking required courses at two spring conferences — the Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium in Philadelphia and the National Green Building Conference in Dallas — hosted by The NAHB University of Housing. Credits Toward Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) Members attending the 50+ Housing Symposium on April 27-29 at the Marriott Philadelphia can take the three required courses for the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation. The CAASH designation gives housing professionals the essential knowledge, tools and skills to serve the rapidly burgeoning 50+ market. The three pre-conference courses include:
In addition to the pre-conference courses, the symposium offers a wide range of education sessions and two active adult community bus tours. To register for the conference, visit www.nahb.org/Build4Boomers. Advance registration ends Friday, April 3.
Credits Toward Certified Green Professional Members attending the National Green Building Conference on May 8-10 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas can take pre- and post-conference courses required for NAHB’s fastest growing designation, Certified Green Professional (CGP). The CGP designation teaches builders, remodelers and other industry professionals techniques for incorporating green building principles into homes using cost-effective and affordable options. The courses available at the National Green Building Conference include:
Additional CGP requirements can be found at www.nahb.org/CGPinfo. In addition to the CGP courses, the conference will hold more than 30 education sessions. To register for the conference, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference. Advance registration ends Friday, April 10. For more information on all of NAHB’s 2009 conferences, visit www.nahb.org/Conferences. Education Calendar
Learn More About Upcoming Conferences and Designations 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.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. Arizona Builders Use Wind Power to Print MagazineSAHBA Builder Magazine, working in partnership with Arizona Lithographers, has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a “green” publication. By switching over to printing presses running on 100% wind-powered energy, the quarterly publication of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association is expected each year to save 78 trees and offset 1,157 pounds of air emissions — the equivalent of the exhaust from driving a car 1,253 miles.
“Our choice of renewable, sustainable wind power offsets the power we would normally use to print the magazine from conventional energy using coal or oil,” said Arizona Lithographer owner John Davis. “The commitment to clean wind energy is now the foundation of our company’s green initiative, since we already recycle all our waste paper and use eco-friendly vegetable-based ink.”
This clean watts program with Arizona Litho “helps finance the growth of the wind energy industry,” said SAHBA Vice President Roger Yohem. “Printing our magazine green is more than an innovative trend, it’s a long-term commitment to our association’s environmental awareness.”
In 2005, NAHB named the SAHBA publication the nation’s “Best Member Magazine.”
Proceeds from the sale of energy certificates to businesses like Arizona Lithographers are being used to build new infrastructure and promote the wind power industry. Davis currently holds certificates worth 1.4 million kilowatt-hours.
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
The Future of Residential Construction Is Green 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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
Attend the National Green Building Conference in Dallas 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. For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
‘Profit from Building Green’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
NAHB, 25 Top Cities Recognized for Energy Star BuildingsLos Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Washington, D.C., Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Atlanta and Seattle led the list of the top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest number of energy-efficient buildings in 2008 earning Energy Star certification, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on March 3. EnergyStar buildings typically use 35% less energy and emit 35% less greenhouse gases than average buildings, according to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “EPA commends all of these cities and all of the others, as well as countless individuals, who are now using more energy-efficient appliances and dwellings. They are saving energy, saving money and protecting our environment,” Jackson said. The National Housing Center in Washington, D.C. was among the more than 3,300 commercial buildings and manufacturing plants earning the EPA’s Energy Star label for high efficiency in 2008. This was the fourth year in which NAHB’s headquarters building was recognized with the designation. The buildings receiving the Energy Star citation represent yearly savings of more than $1 billion in utility bills and more than seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the EPA said. These buildings include schools, hospitals, office buildings, courthouses, grocery stores, retail centers and auto assembly plants. More than 6,200 buildings and plants have now qualified for Energy Star, with overall annual utility savings of more than $1.7 billion and the prevention of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than two million cars a year. Energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants accounts for nearly half of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly half of energy consumption nationwide, according to the EPA. For more than a decade, the EPA has worked with businesses and organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through this voluntary, market-based partnership. For a list of the 25 top cities with the most Energy Star buildings, click here. For more information about the Energy Star for buildings and plants, click here.
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
The Future of Residential Construction Is Green 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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
Attend the National Green Building Conference in Dallas 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. For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
‘Profit from Building Green’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. T. Boone Pickens to Address Green Building ConferenceFinancier and alternative energy advocate T. Boone Pickens will speak at the 11th Annual NAHB National Green Building Conference, which will be held in Dallas on May 8-10. The NAHB conference is the largest event of its kind focusing on the residential green building market. Pickens will address award nominees, local and national association leaders and other attendees at the 2009 NAHB National Green Building Awards Dinner on Friday, May 8. Pickens is expected to speak about environmental initiatives that can help conserve energy, water and other natural resources and the important role that the home building industry continues to play in mainstreaming new technologies. “We are delighted that one of our host state’s most famous residents will share his expertise with our conference attendees,” said Joanne Theunissen, a builder and remodeler in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., and chair of the conference. With a “Green of Green” theme, this year’s conference will focus on the nuts and bolts of incorporating green building practices into a business plan: project management, the legal issues and liabilities surrounding green building, energy tax credits and incentives, and more. In addition to the NAHB National Green Building Awards for outstanding new homes, remodeling projects and developments, highlights of the conference include:
Additional information and registration is available at www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference. Conference corporate sponsors include the Propane Education and Research Council, Stock Building Supply, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Whirlpool. For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132.
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
The Future of Residential Construction Is Green 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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
Attend the National Green Building Conference in Dallas 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. For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
‘Profit from Building Green’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
iLevel by Weyerhaeuser Products First to Be ‘Green Approved’Structural frame products from iLevel by Weyerhaeuser were the first to receive the “Green Approved” seal of approval, the NAHB Research Center announced on Feb. 26. The mark provides third-party evidence that building products meet specific scoring criteria for homes seeking certification to the National Green Building Standard, a consensus-developed standard that was recently approved by ANSI. iLevel’s full range of engineered wood products and solid sawn lumber are now designated as NAHB Research Center Green Approved products. These include:
These products carry a certificate from the Research Center that identifies the specific sections of the Green Building Standard under which the products can earn points. The Green Approved mark helps bridge the gap between manufacturers who make green products and builders and designers who want to use them. Green Approved products can be found at links on the Green Scoring Tool at www.nahbgreen.org. “iLevel and Weyerhaeuser have long been committed to green building and operating our facilities and forests in environmentally responsible ways,” said Susan Swirsley, director of brand marketing for iLevel. “In addition to our products being certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standard, the Green Approved designation empowers builders to make an informed choice on products in their homes and simplifies the documentation process tremendously.” For a more detailed explanation to manufacturers of how the program works, click here. Manufacturers interested in having products become Green Approved should send a message via the Contact Us form on the NAHBGreen Web site, or call the National Green Building Program Hotline at 877-NAHB-GRN.
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
The Future of Residential Construction Is Green 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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
Attend the National Green Building Conference in Dallas 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. For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
‘Profit from Building Green’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
Consumers Look for Energy-Efficient Appliances, Survey FindsIn a recent survey by Whirlpool Corporation, 84% of the consumers who were polled said that saving energy — and not saving water or time — is what they are looking for in home appliance efficiency. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents said that they actively look for the Energy Star label when they are making purchasing decisions. Taking a closer look at what is driving consumer appliance purchases today, Whirlpool found that eco-efficient appliances beat out other items as the top choice in a dream kitchen. However, while the survey found that demand for eco-products is high, it also showed significant differences in the understanding of them between men and women and by marital status. Among the results:
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
The Future of Residential Construction Is Green 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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
Attend the National Green Building Conference in Dallas 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. For more information and to sign up to be notified when registration opens, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference.
‘Building Greener Neighborhoods’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
‘Profit from Building Green’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
Learn to Green Your Business at Green Building ConferenceThe NAHB National Green Building Conference in Dallas on May 8-10 will feature new business management courses on how to green your business that will cover everything from green business practices, the legal issues and liabilities surrounding green building, green government programs and more. Among the offerings:
Courses, Speakers, Tours and More The conference offers more than 30 educational sessions in green business management, building science, design and sales and marketing. Author Joel Makower, the co-founder and executive editor of Greener World Media as well as a senior strategist at GreenOrder, a sustainability consultancy, will be the keynote speaker. The conference will also feature a tour of green homes in the Dallas area, a dinner honoring the winners of the NAHB National Green Building Awards and an exhibit hall featuring the latest green products and materials. In addition, the 2009 class of Certified Green Professionals (CGP) will be honored at a pre-conference reception on Thursday, May 7. To date, more than 2,000 builders, remodelers and other home building industry professionals have earned the CGP designation. To Register To register for the conference, visit www.nahb.org/GreenBuildingConference. Advance registration ends Friday, April 10.
“The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here.
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. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/CGPinfo.
“Building Greener Neighborhoods,” available through Digital Delivery at BuilderBooks.com, shows those involved in building new communities the advantages and rewards of saving, planting and transplanting more trees in their developments. The examples are drawn from decades of experience of land developers, home builders and urban foresters. To download this publication in a PDF format, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
“Profit from Building Green — Award-Winning Tips to Build Energy Efficient Homes,” available through BuilderBooks.com, showcases what energy conscious award-winning builders are doing, provides innovative energy-efficient features and covers successful techniques for building this niche market. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Obama Memo Restores Costly, Lengthy ESA ConsultationsA March 3 memo from President Obama to federal agency leaders brings an early end to a decision by the parting Bush Administration to streamline Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act so that funding and staff resources could be concentrated on larger projects and the most threatened species. The memo has asked the Interior and Commerce secretaries to determine whether a new rule is needed on how federal agencies should consult with each other when a parcel of land may fall under multiple regulations, particularly the Endangered Species Act, which is called “one of the Nation’s profound commitments.” In the meantime, the memo requests the federal agencies to follow the consultation procedures that were in place before the new rule was announced on Dec. 16. Unfortunately, said NAHB analysts, the memo will not result in additional protection for endangered species, but will only add confusion to the regulation of greenhouse gases, which should not be under the purview of the Endangered Species Act in the first place. Agencies are once again being required to conduct consultations that they are not equipped or staffed to effectively complete, said NAHB, and this will result in significant delays and additional expenses in procuring federal permits. A report last year from the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — which is responsible for consultations on endangered animals and fish — has missed 40% of its own consultation deadlines, delaying decisions on construction projects by as long as two years. The memo also does not settle the debate on the regulation of greenhouse gases, which some environmental groups believe should include extending the reach of so-called critical habitat provisions beyond the actual physical habitat of the species in question. “A move to stop a particular housing development in Southern California because of its contributions to global warming is one issue, but tying it to the potential effects on polar bears and shrinking ice caps through the Endangered Species Act is another,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “We’re all worried about the effects of climate change, but the Endangered Species Act was passed 36 years ago. While it reflects the very real concerns of that time and our time over species conservation, the Endangered Species Act was not written with climate change issues in mind,” Robson said. “If we need to protect polar bears in their native habitat, we should use the regulations contained in the Endangered Species Act. They aren’t endangered in Southern California, so there’s no way to use those regulations there without stretching the act way out of proportion,” he said. “Home builders support the goals of the Endangered Species Act and have been protecting the habitat of endangered species since the legislation’s inception in 1972. The bald eagle — once a protected species and now much more abundant — is just one example of the successes in which we were proud to play a part,” Robson continued. “Unfortunately, through the years, it’s become a regulatory nightmare. It’s difficult and confusing for both regulators and land owners. It’s very expensive and time-consuming to do the proper scientific and economic studies to determine what land needs to be conserved to protect the species in question, so there’s a tendency to throw the baby out with the bathwater — putting too much land in critical habitat, and that drives up the cost of homes without providing any benefit to species,” he said. For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132. Dust Busting Not Just the Burden of Builders, Court SaysAs a result of a Feb. 24 decision by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in American Farm Bureau Federation et al. v. EPA, efforts to reduce “coarse particulates” — or dust — in urban and rural areas won’t be focused on the construction industry alone. By upholding an October 2006 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to include agriculture and mining in its National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the court ruling ensures that the burden of reducing particulates won’t fall disproportionately upon developers and builders. NAHB had sided with the EPA in an amicus brief filed a year ago as the American Farm Bureau, the National Pork Producers Council and other similar groups challenged the agency’s decision on coarse particulate matter. The court last month denied all of those challenges, finding that the EPA’s regulatory approach was necessary. Coarse particulate matter — which in the construction industry is often referred to as "fugitive dust" — can be released during earth moving and other construction activities. Heeding the advice of scientists and industry groups, the EPA in 2006 decided to drop proposed daily standards for coarse particulate matter. NAHB hailed that move as a major win for affordably priced housing and for home builders who faced annual compliance costs that could have amounted to billions of dollars. The dust from construction sites is the same dust thrown up by a windstorm or a farmer’s tractor, NAHB told the agency, and does not need additional regulation. To have exempted the largest sources of dust emissions — agriculture and mining — would have left home builders and other members of the construction industry to bear most of the cost of dust regulation. “The overwhelming evidence made clear that this proposal was a bad idea,” said former NAHB President David Pressly at that time. “I’m heartened that we could play such an important role in overturning this coarse particulate standard, which would have added billions of dollars in compliance costs for our nation’s builders. That would have been reflected in new home prices, with no effect on the safety or health of our citizens.” Last month’s circuit court decision did leave the door open to further regulation of fine particulate matter, such as soot. The court agreed with environmentalists that EPA standards for fine particulates need further review. “Because the agency promulgated standards for fine particulate matter that were, in several respects, contrary to law and unsupported by adequately reasoned decision making, we grant the petitions for review in part and remand those standards to the agency for further proceedings,” the decision said. For more information, e-mail Calli Schmidt at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8132. Job Corps Students Participate in ‘Extreme Makeover’The Fred G. Acosta and Montgomery Job Corps programs of the Home Builders Institute participated separately in two episodes of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” last month to help improve the lives of two deserving families. HBI’s Job Corps training program are often involved in onsite community service. For its sixth season, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is designating the homes it builds for “heroes” — families who have made significant contributions to their community despite living under difficult conditions. Fred G. Acosta and the Bell Family in Tucson At infancy, Lizzie Bell, 14, was diagnosed with Diamond-Blackfan anemia, a rare congenital blood disorder. Despite her condition and young age, Bell has made a strong impact in the Tucson community, encouraging people to donate blood and speaking at local schools about her experience with blood transfusions. Her family created the John P. Bell Family Foundation to raise awareness of the need for blood donations; the foundation also regularly organizes blood drives. As the Bells continued to focus on their community service activities, their home began to crumble. Their current residence became plagued with cracked concrete, mold and termite infestation. After identifying the Bell family, “Extreme Makeover” reached out to Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) member John Wesley Miller Companies, known on the set as “the purple shirts,” to be the project’s lead general contractor. Several additional association member companies served as onsite general contractors. Miller and SAHBA Past President Art Flagg, in turn, invited HBI instructor John Gallagher’s plumbing class to participate in the build. SAHBA is the sponsor of Fred G. Acosta’s NAHB Student Chapter. The nine Job Corps students working on the home were originally scheduled for just five hours of one day. However, the contractors were so impressed with their performance that they added them to the schedule for the remainder of the week. Students moved furniture, dug trenches, planted trees, provided general landscaping and helped wherever they were needed. “We were very fortunate to be part of the ‘Extreme Makeover’ build,” said Gallagher. “It was an awesome experience. How many times do you get to participate in an event like this?” The Tucson episode will air on Sunday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m.. Montgomery Job Corps and the Jordan Family in Alabama For their strength in coping with tragedy and devotion to improving the lives of young people in their community, Monica and Brady Jordan were selected by “Extreme Makeover” as recipients of a new home in Montgomery, Ala. The Jordans are the parents of a daughter, Brittany, who is a senior at the University of Alabama, and they are raising three grandchildren following the devastating loss of their eldest daughter to domestic abuse in 1995 and their son to a drunk driver in 2003. In honor of their children, Monica and Brady have become strong advocates of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and prominent speakers on the subject, hosting meetings in their home. Monica also began working for the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission. The Jordans open their home weekly to more than 100 community youths who need a safe place. However, their busy schedules and regular donations to charitable causes prevented them from keeping up the maintenance of their house, which fell into disrepair. "Extreme Makeover" stepped in and enlisted Aronov Homes, a member of the Greater Montgomery HBA, to build a new home for the Jordans. HBI carpentry instructor Jeffery Potts and his class at Montgomery Job Corps worked a total of 150 hours over four days on the building site. Students hauled lumber, loaded and unloaded trucks, helped raise walls and set a stairway. “This is the type of project we hope our students can be involved in,” said HBI Chairman M.M. "Mike" Weiss. “Hands-on, real-world experience like this is critical for them to learn their way around a job site. Knowing their hard work can make such a palpable difference in the lives of these families also gave them a brief glimpse into what home building is all about.” The Montgomery program airs on Sunday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. For more information on HBI’s Job Corps programs, e-mail Maria McIntyre at HBI, or call her at 800-795-7955 x8912. A 10th Energy Star Award Goes to Whirlpool CorporationWhirlpool Corporation has received the 2009 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy in recognition of its leadership in offering consumers energy- and water-efficient appliances. This was the manufacturer’s 10th Energy Star award and the fourth consecutive year it has won the Sustained Excellence award. “At Whirlpool, we contribute sustainable solutions that meet consumer needs, generate shareholder value and enhance the welfare of current and future generations,” said Mike Todman, president of Whirlpool America. He added that this year “Whirlpool will again lead the industry with eco-efficient, functional and design-forward product innovations from our diverse portfolio of brands.” Among the Energy Star appliances the company offers through its Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana and Gladiator brands:
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 HGTVThe NAHB Production Group produces weekly television shows on DIY, Fine Living and HGTV for consumers. The following is the latest lineup: "Rock Solid" on DIY
"I Want That" on Fine Living
HGTV Seeking ‘Dream Home’ Builder/Architect Teams HGTV is seeking developers, builders and architects to create dream homes for the network’s Dream Home Sweepstakes. To learn more, click here. About the NAHB Production Group 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.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. ‘Strategies for Success’ Applications Due March 14The NAHB Women’s Council and the National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of NAHB, are offering “Strategies for Success” scholarships for full-time students pursuing building-related courses of study for the 2009/2010 academic year. Applications are due March 14. The “Strategies for Success” Scholarship Fund encourages students to further their education in such industry-related fields as construction management, construction technology, civil engineering, architecture, design or any of the trade specialties at the college or university they are attending. Preference is given to women students with financial needs and those who are active NAHB Student Chapter members at their university or college. Applicants interested in applying for the scholarship funds must be registered as a full-time student this coming fall and either be a senior in high school planning to enroll in a two- or four-year college or university/vocational program following graduation, or have at least one full academic year of course work remaining after the scholarship is received at a two- or four-year college or university/vocational program. The scholarship can be used for tuition, fees and/or books. To Apply Scholarship applications can be downloaded from the “Strategies for Success” scholarship page of the National Housing Endowment Web site, www.nationalhousingendowment.org. Applications are available in Word and PDF formats. The “Strategies for Success” scholarships were established in 2001 by Deborah Ferland, past national president of the NAHB Women’s Council, and Austin Ferland. To date, more than $8,000 has been awarded. The endowment administers 12 scholarship programs and awards more than $300,000 each year to students pursuing careers in residential construction and related fields. For more information, visit the endowment Web site at www.nationalhousingendowment.org. Applications for Centex ‘Build Your Future’ Scholarships Due April 6Applications for the Centex "Build Your Future" scholarships to undergraduate students pursuing careers in the residential construction industry for the 2009-2010 academic year are due on April 6. The Centex "Build Your Future" scholarship program encourages students to further their education in such industry-related fields as construction management, construction technology, civil engineering, architecture, design or any of the trade specialties at the college or university they are attending. Preference is given to students who are active NAHB Student Chapter members at their university or college and who maintain a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all course work and a 3.0 in their core curriculum courses. Scholarship applications are reviewed and awarded by a small group of Centex employees. Established in 2000 by Centex Homes with a $1 million pledge, this scholarship was created to help address the pressing need for educating and training managers. Since then, Centex has awarded more than $250,000 to students attending residential construction programs across the country. The scholarships provide students with tuition assistance. Applicants must be pursuing study in a housing- related program such as construction management, building, construction technology, civil engineering, architecture, design or any of the trade specialties at the college or university they attend. Applicants interested in applying for the scholarship funds must be pursuing study in a housing-related program, be registered as a full-time student this coming fall, be a rising sophomore in a two- or four-year college or university and have at least one full academic year of course work remaining after the scholarship is received. To Apply Scholarship applications can be downloaded from the scholarship page of the National Housing Endowment Web site, www.nationalhousingendowment.org. Applications are available in Word and PDF formats. About Endowment Scholarship Programs The endowment administers 12 scholarship programs and awards more than $300,000 each year to students pursuing careers in residential construction and related fields. For more information, visit the endowment Web site at www.nationalhousingendowment.org. Challenge/Build/Grow Initiative Proposals Due April 7The National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of NAHB, is seeking proposals from state and local home builders associations through its Challenge/Build/Grow (CBG) matching funds initiative. Under the program, HBAs are encouraged to find opportunities to build new partnerships in their communities to assist local programs targeting issues of importance to the industry — including job training, image building and labor shortage, educational and scholarship support. The endowment will award HBAs a total of $25,000 through the grant initiative, with each applicant eligible for a matching challenge grant of up to $5,000. HBA Proposals Must Be Received by April 7 Applications and guidelines can be downloaded from the endowment Web site by clicking here. Completed proposals can be e-mailed to the endowment at nhe@nahb.com. HBAs requesting grants are encouraged to seek advice on their proposals from the endowment staff well in advance of the deadline. Since the program was launched in 2001, more than $175,000 has been awarded to state and local HBAs throughout the country. For more information about grant opportunities, or to download funding guidelines, visit www.nationalhousingendowment.org. Free Webcast Explains ANSI Green Building StandardStudents, faculty, home builders, remodelers and other industry professionals can log in to a free webcast that will enable them to gain an insider's understanding of the new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) green building standard. The webcast, first aired on Feb. 3, is presented by the National Housing Endowment and East Carolina University and can be viewed at www.rcmseries.ecu.edu. The new ANSI standard — the ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard — provides a flexible and robust third-party rating system for residential green project certification. It will be used as part of the NAHB National Green Building Program. The webcast, “Growing Green: A Sustainable Approach to Residential Construction,” examines how to effectively incorporate the new ANSI standard to build and remodel more sustainable communities and homes and how to use the standard. During the webcast, Ed Sutton, of NAHB’s Construction, Codes & Standards, and Michael Luzier, president of the NAHB Research Center, discuss key components of the new points system of the ANSI Green Building Standard and how incorporating the standard can give builders and remodelers an edge as consumer demand increases for more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly homes. Mark Tipton, 1991 NAHB president, serves as the moderator. The webcast was the third in the “Building Communities Residential Construction Management Seminar Series” presented by the endowment and East Carolina University. The series provides students pursuing careers in residential construction with cutting-edge information and real-world solutions to real-world construction problems. All three of the seminars in the series can be viewed at www.rcmseries.ecu.edu.
‘National Green Building Standard’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “The National Green Building Standard,” available through BuilderBooks.com, provides “green” practices that can be incorporated into multifamily and single-family new home construction, home remodeling and additions and site development. The standard covers lot design, resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor environment quality; and owner education. Currently the first and only ANSI-approved green building rating system, the National Green Building Standard is the benchmark for green homes. To view or purchase this publication online, click here. Avoid Credit Card Processing Increases With SolverasEven in this economy Visa and MasterCard are implementing processing rate increases this month. NAHB members and home builders associations can avoid these increases by switching processing providers to NAHB Member Advantage participating company, Solveras Payment Systems by March 30. By switching by the deadline, Solveras will guarantee 2008 processing rates for one year, and members and HBAs will be able to keep more of their profit on every sale. For more information, call 800-613-0148, or request request a free analysis online. Other Member Advantage Discounts For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA. Register Online for Spring Spokesperson TrainingOnline registration is now available for the NAHB Spokesperson Training one-day sessions — “Interview Skills” and “Presentation Skills” — at the upcoming NAHB spring board of directors meeting in Washington D.C. in May. With NAHB's new faster and more convenient registration process, members can register securely with a credit card for one or both of the Spokesperson Training sessions. In "Interview Skills," NAHB members will learn how to give clear, concise answers in a high-pressure, spur-of-the moment interview. “Interview Sills” will help participants master strategies for broadcast and print interviews, including message development. Members who attend "Presentation Skills" will learn how to confidently prepare and deliver dynamic presentations to any audience. "Presentation Skills" focuses on how to organize and deliver a speech and presentation with accompanying question and answer sessions. Spring Board Spokesperson Sessions:
The fee for each seminar is $495 per person. For more information and to register, click here. 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. 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. Pitney Bowes Postage Meters Offer Convenience, SavingsPitney Bowes small business postage meters and scales offer the convenience, savings and increased productivity of having your own post office. Pitney Bowes is an NAHB Member Advantage participating company. Convenience Pitney Bowes postage meters enable member to have postage available 24/7 and avoid the hassle and time needed to go to the post office. Save Money on Postage Pitney Bowes meters and scales let business owners know exactly how much postage is required so they can eliminate overstamping. Small businesses that use postage meters can save up to 20% a year in postage. Postage Tailored to Your Needs With several postage meter and scale options, members can tailor a solution to their business based on the amount of mail they send. Flexible, Trackable Several employees or departments can use the same meter, but each postage expense can be tracked by user or department. Be Prepared for Postal Rate Change Pitney Bowes will notify business owners of new postal regulations and rate changes. Rate changes can be downloaded into Pitney Bowes meters within minutes. For more information, click here, or call 800-376-7047. Be sure to refer to order number 999991198. Members Can Save 10% on Vacation Rentals WorldwideNAHB members can get 10% off the “best available rate" at Endless Vacation Rentals by Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world's largest global marketers of vacation rental properties and part of NAHB’s Member Advantage discount program. Endless Vacation Rentals represents approximately 60,000 vacation properties worldwide* — ranging from studio and one-bedroom accommodations to multiple-bedroom units throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean to villas, apartments, cottages and homes in Italy, France and the United Kingdom. Available during specified periods, these unique vacation rentals offer more space, flexibility, privacy and “comforts-of-home” conveniences to make vacation stays more enjoyable. To Register To use the program, visit www.evrentals.com/nahb, or call 877-670-7088 and give the agent the NAHB discount ID number 20090. The NAHB discount will be applied at the time the reservation is made. The Web site also enables members to review key resort amenities, descriptions and directions. *Destinations and travel times are subject to availability and confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis. Offers include accommodations only and specifically exclude travel costs and other expenses that may be incurred. Promotional discounts and offers may not apply to all properties. Other restrictions may apply. Offer void where prohibited by law. Additional taxes and conditions may apply. Visit www.EVRentals.com for terms, conditions and additional disclosures.
For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. Drive Away With a Shiny New $500 GM OfferNAHB members can receive $500 towards the purchase or lease of most new GM passenger cars, light-duty trucks, vans and SUVs — whether for business or personal use.
For complete details, visit www.gmfleet.com/nahb. The program runs through Jan. 4, 2010. For more information, e-mail Tiffany Lindsley at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8273. Other Member Advantage Discounts For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. Calendar of Events
Learn More About Upcoming Conferences and Designations 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.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown 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. For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242. |