Nation's Building News Online: May 11, 2009Print All Articles Text Version |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Builders Say Banks Putting a Cold Chill on Recovery HopesWorking with regulators, lawmakers and banks to try to end the stranglehold on acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) loans that has emerged as a major impediment to a housing recovery, NAHB has compiled more than 100 case studies from builders across the country to show policymakers how the credit crisis is undermining efforts to restore the health of the nation’s economy. “The studies confirm what we’ve been hearing from builders in the field,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “Builders and developers are reporting excessive credit restrictions, where lenders are cutting off loans for viable new housing projects and producing unnecessary foreclosures and losses on AD&C loans. We cannot get the economy back on track until we restore the flow of credit that is vital for the production of housing.” NAHB’s latest builder survey of AD&C financing conditions found that credit for these loans has tightened significantly over the past year. The situation remains critical, and banks increasingly are asking for additional equity based on low appraisals that underestimate the economic value of housing projects. In addition, there are increasing reports of tightening terms or conditions on outstanding loans in which lenders are requiring partial pay-downs based on re-appraisals, seeking increased collateral on existing loans or refusing to allow additional draws on lender-funded interest reserves. Further, heightened regulatory scrutiny suggests that bank examiners in the field are adopting a significantly more aggressive posture and some institutions appear to be overhauling and downsizing portfolios independent of pressure from regulators and examiners. Overly conservative appraisals are also limiting sales and refinance opportunities, putting yet more pressure on outstanding mortgage and housing production loans. The rising number of bank and thrift failures is also compounding the problem. Builders with outstanding loans placed under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) control are frequently unable to contact a decision-maker to deal with routine, but time-sensitive issues related to loan draws and extensions. The case studies received by NAHB include examples of how the AD&C credit crunch is jeopardizing even builders in relatively stable markets. Among the accounts that have been received:
NAHB will continue to meet with federal regulators and members of Congress and share the results of its case studies where appropriate. In calling on Washington policymakers to move swiftly to resolve the crisis, NAHB will be recommending the following solutions:
For more information on the AD&C issue and providing NAHB with case studies on financing problems, e-mail John Dimitri, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8529. Affluent Baby Boomers the ‘Sweet Spot’ in 50+ Housing MarketWith today’s steep recession undermining many previous assumptions about the active adult housing market, John McKeown, president of Conemarra Partners in New York, N.Y., told attendees at NAHB’s Building for Boomers and Beyond 50+ Housing Symposium in Philadelphia on April 27-29 that there is a fast-emerging “sweet spot” in the market for those who focus on the most affluent members of the baby boom generation. McKeown proposed a new model for developing active adult housing that shifts toward more urban environments and traditional new town development, is smaller in size and is part of a larger community. The homes should be priced in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, he suggested, and targeted to “prime movers” with more than $100,000 in annual income and at least $400,000 in net worth — encompassing roughly one-quarter of the nation’s 46 million baby boomers. Initial efforts should focus on today’s 52- to 62-year-old “zoomers,” whose ranks are 24 million strong, he indicated. “These are the trend setters,” he said, who represent “your key branding opportunity” and who will influence the direction taken by the 22 million 44- to 51-year-olds who constitute the second wave of boomers. Using research indicating that 69% of the older boomers and 71% of the younger boomers will probably buy another home, high-net-worth boomers are projected to purchase 7.7 million homes through 2020, he said, and of that amount, potential demand for active-adult retirement communities boils down to 1.9 million units. The “inflection point” when demand is expected to reach a peak, he said, will be 2012 to 2015, when two million boomers a year reach the traditional retirement age of 65. And under current projections, it looks like potential demand for active-adult housing will begin running higher than supply to a significant extent, with an estimated cumulative shortage of 350,000 units by 2020. Boomers Reinvent Themselves Again Builders attending the NAHB symposium were still puzzling over the repercussions of the vast amounts of wealth that have been drained out of baby boomer households by declines in retirement funds and home equity, but McKeown indicated that the displacements now occurring in the U.S. economy aren’t an entirely bad thing for more affluent boomers. Baby boomers “are predisposed to favor lifestyle and amenities over housing affordability,” he said, “and they are about to reinvent themselves again.” The downturn has provided a catalyst that has got them thinking “about what the next stage of their life will be.” Formerly a top executive for major book publishers, McKeown said he has seen many of his friends in New York in journalism and other businesses losing jobs and now having to decide what to do next. “Active adult can now become a platform,” he said. “They are more flexible about where they want to live, and they are looking for a more urbanized experience; they want engagement.” Only 11% of baby boomers suffer health problems that restrict them from pursuing an active lifestyle, he said, and they command roughly two-thirds of the nation’s household wealth. Boomers have seen a $3.3 trillion drop in the value of their real estate over the past 12 months, he said, and their retirement savings have eroded by 20%, or $2 trillion. Recovery traditionally lags in the retirement and second-home markets, he added, and retirement demand has been delayed by the downturn for two to three years. Overbuilt and high-unemployment regions will be the slowest to recover. But as the market strengthens, the wealthiest boomers will be able to pay cash for a retirement home, he said, simplifying the sales process. Citing the findings of a January survey of people who moved to active adult housing in the preceding two years, Margaret Wylde, president of ProMatura Group in Oxford, Miss., said that among all incomes the buyers were left with $185,000 in equity after paying off their mortgage, and many were trading up to a more expensive home. Those who bought a new home in the $450,000 to $500,000 range sold their previous home for an average of $606,000, she said. Moving to Towns and Cities While about half of baby boomers now live in the suburbs, said McKeown, only 28% view the suburbs as their ideal location for a retirement home. About one-fifth currently live in an urban location, and 35% say that is where they would like their home to be. Sixteen percent live in a small town today, but 21% would like to retire to one; and 12% live in a rural area, but 18% view that as the ideal place to retire. “They want to get out of an isolated, car-dependent situation,” he said, “and they want to be in a traditional neighborhood or community” with higher density that affords them greater access to shopping and culture and provides walkability. Wylde noted that in her recent surveys of actual retirees, the majority bought homes in the suburbs and only about 7% moved to an urban area, although the ability to walk to most services is something that has been high on their list of the things they want. To further support his view that towns and cities will appeal strongly to well-heeled baby boomers, McKeown cited market research by Gregg Logan showing that the village or town center has replaced the clubhouse as the next significant community gathering place for active adults. McKeown also maintained that boomers are even willing to forego an onsite fitness center when one is close to the place they live, although Wylde said her studies show this is one amenity they don’t want to give up. McKeown predicted that there will be greater geographic diversity in the location of active adult housing and he said that there will be a growing opportunity to sell homes in smaller communities — below 300 units — to affluent baby boomers. To hit this market, McKeown said that builders should also put less emphasis on age restriction and more on age targeting. A full 70% of the boomer market prefer the latter, he said. Baby boomers will show the greatest preference for single-family homes, but acceptance is widening for condos and townhomes, he said, provided they are served by elevators. Me-centric, first-floor living, energy efficiency, low-maintenance and green-living are all housing characteristics that zoomers prefer, he said. Popular, too, are aging in place and downsizing to homes in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. Two Case Studies Builders interested in finding out more about McKeown’s new model for active adult communities have two recent developments where they can find many of these principles already successfully put into practice. Award-winning Warwick Grove Village set aside 100 of its 130 acres as conservation areas for the community. The remaining area includes land for a memorial park and the Warwick Library, as well as 215 residences — 154 single-family, 31 townhouses and live-work units and 30 condominiums. The homes were designed to play up the front porch and reference the vernacular of the architecture of the surrounding area and the town of Warwick, N.Y., a small arts and cultural center in the Hudson Valley. Emphasis on the homes’ energy efficiency, sustainable materials and superior indoor air quality were described in an August 2005 case study by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). Thirty-seven percent of the existing households in the area had incomes higher than $100,000, making it a good match for the relatively wealthy boomers who bought new homes in the village at an average price of $547,000. In Williamsburg, Va., a dearth of local retail space was a major impetus behind New Town, a hybrid new urban development that will include 2,000 residential units, 500,000 square feet of offices and 800,000 square feet of space for retail and services and a community lifestyle center. New Town is being developed under a partnership between C. C. Casey Limited Company and the College of William and Mary. Sixty percent of the development’s 300 acres are being set aside as green space, largely to accommodate the endangered small whirled pogonia, an orchid. Abbey Townhomes, the early phase of the community’s residential component, was originally expected to be filled by the area’s young professionals, McKeown said, but 70% of the homes’ occupants turned out to be empty nesters and new-arrival retirees. With a population of 85,000, Williamsburg attracts some 3.5 million tourist visits annually, he said, and it is a big draw for retiring military as a place to live. Its 55+ population is projected to grow from 18,000 in 2000 to 33,000 by mid-2016 to 2017. Thirty percent of the households in Williamsburg have incomes exceeding $100,000. 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. HBAs Activate Superhero Powers for National Membership Day
This year’s “Superhero” campaign promotes the power of participation and the strength of recruitment teams to boost federation membership efforts throughout the year — and to ward off the wicked Vanity, with her apathy powder and evil pet vulture, on National Membership Day. NAHB provided the HBAs with extra motivation and resources to fend off apathy and recruit and retain members — seven adaptable superhero characters, a recruitment video and the Membership Defenders: City of Superheroes membership game — which locally-organized teams played during the three months leading up to National Membership Day. Membership Defenders Unite Members of the Spokane Home Builders Association in Washington donned capes and masks, flexed their superpowers and really got into character during the HBA’s “Membership Blitz” in March. They recruited 61 new members during two super heroic days and ended up with 67 new members by the end of the month. Four teams at the HBA played the Membership Defenders game. Bill Taylor, member services director at the Spokane HBA, had a toy Superman sitting atop his computer to remind him of his recruiting mission during the blitz. “I was challenged by our team to somehow transform into the ‘American Dream’ if we gained 50 new members during the blitz.” The HBA did gain that many new members — and more. “It was good for the association, but it was unfortunate for those who had to see me in a pink skirt and blonde wig,” said Taylor. “I made good on the bet.” Members of the Home Builders Association of Portage and Summit Counties in Ohio plan to fully unleash all their superpowers during the HBA’s National Membership Day Cookout on May 19. Costumed members, new members and sponsors will network and celebrate a successful membership drive. Carol Ziruolo, of the HBA, said she’s not sure what superheroes will be at the cookout, but she noted that imaginations have gone wild in anticipation “The game board and Membership Defenders theme, along with the materials and gifts were exceptional this year,” Ziruolo said. “In the last six weeks, we recruited 17 new members.” Five superheroes formed Membership Defender teams at the Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas that were tasked and competed to recruit new members. But the contest also went beyond the game board into the HBA’s board room where board members competed for the monthly title of "Super Hero of the Month." As of last week, the Dallas Membership Defenders recruited 49 new members with more expected in the coming days. Membership Day Webcast The NAHB Membership Day webcast will be broadcast from noon to 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 19. HBAs should be prepared to call NAHB at 800-899-6242 during the webcast to have their May membership projections officially recorded and posted. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/membershipday09, e-mail membership@nahb.com, or call the NAHB Membership Team at 800-368-5242 x8440. Next Week: NAHB Member Resources to Get Back to BusinessIn the May 18 edition, Nation's Building News will be publishing a compilation of the NAHB resources available to members that will help them sell homes and do business in today's very tough market conditions. Where Home Prices Crashed Early, Signs of a ReboundAmong the first in the nation to see its housing market collapse, Sacramento, Calif. now seems to be in the earliest stages of a recovery. Investors and first-time buyers, the traditional harbingers of a housing rebound, are out in force here, competing for bargain-priced foreclosures. With sales up 45% from last year, the vast backlog of inventory has diminished. Even prices, which have plummeted to levels not seen since the beginning of the decade, show signs of stabilizing. Indications of progress are visible in other hard-hit areas, including Las Vegas, parts of Florida and the Inland Empire in southeastern California. Sales in Las Vegas in March, for example, rose 35% from last year. Foreclosures are driving the market in Sacramento. Two-thirds of the 2,092 existing single-family houses and condominiums sold there in March were bank repossessions, up from 8.5% two years ago, according to MDA DataQuick, a real estate research firm. These cut-rate properties are engendering the same frenzy and frustration that symbolized the boom, as Rebecca and Chris Whitman discovered when they started looking for a house in December. In two months, the couple looked at 100 houses, nearly all foreclosures priced under $200,000. They made verbal offers on 20, but rarely got a response. They ended up buying a spruced-up three-bedroom foreclosure for $224,500 that was purchased by a syndicate last fall for $172,000. At the current rate of sales, there is less than three months of inventory in the Sacramento market. In normal times, that would indicate a seller’s market, but the unemployment rate in the county is 11.3% and that in itself will tend to increase foreclosures. (www.nytimes.com)
More Homes Get Multiple Offers; Downturn May Be Nearing EndMultiple bids on homes for sale have picked up in recent months in California and other states hit hard by foreclosures and steep price drops, real estate executives say. “If a house is in a good neighborhood, is maintained and is a good value, it’ll get multiple offers,” says Julie Holt, owner of Anclote Title Services in Tarpon Springs, Fla. One in 10 homes now draws multiple offers, up from one in 30 last fall, she says. Multiple bids usually signify a market in which prices are rising and buyers outnumber sellers. That’s not true now, given rampant foreclosures, still-falling prices in many regions and low demand for higher-priced homes. Multiple offers on distressed properties are also not new, but their recent frequency offers hope for the real estate market, says Beth Peerce, treasurer of the California Association of Realtors®. “When you begin to see people willing to fight for a property, that’s a good sign,” she says. “We are beginning to see the beginning of the end of a disaster time.” The competition is driven by prices — California’s are down 39% from a year ago, the state’s Realtors® say — low mortgage rates and a new $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time buyers. (www.usatoday.com)
Housing Affordability: Rents Rise in Florida, Homes More Affordable in Most CitiesThe average two-bedroom apartment became less affordable in 2008 compared with 2007 in all of the Florida metro areas studied in the latest “Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America” report by the Center for Housing Policy. One explanation is that the number of foreclosures in the state is pushing home owners into the rental market. Meanwhile, the fall in home prices has made homeownership more affordable for many Americans, according to the report. On a national basis, it takes a little more than $60,000 a year to afford the median priced home, said Maya Brennan, research associate for the center. But markets vary: In Youngstown, Ohio it only takes an income of about $24,000 a year to afford the median home, while in San Francisco it takes an annual income of $187,000, she said. Elementary school teachers could afford a home in 39 more markets in 2008 than in 2007, according to the study. Licensed practical nurses could afford a home in 18 more markets, and police officers could afford a home in 29 more markets, Brennan said. In Oakland, Modesto, Stockton, Salinas and Merced, Calif., it required about 47% to 54% less income to afford a home in 2008 than it did in 2007. There were only five cities where it required more income to buy a home last year than it did the year before: Peoria, Ill.; Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Raleigh, N.C.; and Charleston, W.Va., according to the study. (www.marketwatch.com)
Lease-to-Own Condo Deals Attracting BuyersWith some of South Florida’s swankiest condominium projects honeycombed with empty units, developers are increasingly using lease-to-own programs as a way of attracting wary buyers and eager renters. Some are offering terms unheard of in normal markets. Many developers, including the mega-builder The Related Group, are offering lease-to-own options that credit 12 months worth of rent payments toward a downpayment or closing costs. Taking advantage of such options generally carries no extra cost. The demand for lease-to-own options appears to be robust. Scott Greenwald, developer of The Lexi in North Bay Village, said 26 new tenants have signed lease-to-own agreements since he rolled out the program three months ago. The option allows tenants to lock in current market prices on their condos in the event prices go up over 12 months. But if prices fall, they can negotiate, said Greenwald. Developers currently hold about 10,000 new units in the greater downtown Miami area alone, not counting the thousands of new condos and condo conversions built throughout the rest of Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Developers can bring life and vibrancy to a project by populating it with leasing residents, making it more attractive to other buyers. They can also generate cash flow to cover their costs as they wait for the credit market to improve and buyers to come, said Jonathan Mann, a real estate agent with Grove Town Properties, who specializes in leasing developer-owned condos. “Renters get to test drive buildings and save up for a downpayment. They don’t have to worry about units going into foreclosure and they get a high-end, luxury building with low move-in cost. It’s a no-brainer.” (www.miamiherald.com)
Increasing Number of Renters Are Taking Energy Conservation Measures, Study FindsThe availability of on-site recycling programs at multifamily communities has increased by 16% and that of energy efficient windows by 9% since 1997, according to a recent study conducted by Apartments.com. Simultaneously, it seems that renters are becoming more conscious of the environmentally friendly measures they can take in their homes. To conserve energy, 52% of renters said they are turning off lights and computers when not in use, setting air conditioners and heaters on timers and using energy-efficient bulbs, according to the survey. An additional 22% are recycling paper, plastics and electronics. The survey also found that more than 65% of renters say that practicing an environmentally friendly lifestyle is a high priority. More than 60% said they search for apartments that offer environmentally friendly amenities and 25% are willing to pay more rent to live at an apartment community that considers the environment in its day-to-day community operations. (www.multihousingnews.com)
Connecticut Builders See No Decline in Land PricesLongtime builder Greg Ugalde knows that when the real estate market slows, it can be the right time to start buying land for future developments. At least, that's the way it used to be. Ugalde, president of Torrington-based T&M Building Co., recently discovered that although the Connecticut housing market is sluggish — with the number of home sales and median sale prices dropping dramatically the past few months — the price of land has not followed suit. "In these kinds of economic times where the economy is struggling, this is usually a good time to try to replenish our land holdings and get ready for when the economy turns around," Ugalde, a builder for more than 20 years, said. "But we've found that, while there might be some small adjustments on some land, overall prices are holding steady." There is little new construction planned. Housing permits issued for residential construction in the state fell by 20% in February compared with a year earlier, with 200 permits for single-family houses, condos and apartments issued in 128 towns, according to the state Department of Economic and Community Development. So if real estate is struggling, why aren't local land prices falling? Local builders and others say the issue boils down to basic supply and demand. Although new home construction has slowed, there still is a very small supply of buildable land available in the greater Hartford area, especially for larger housing developments. And, for the most part, landowners are in no hurry to sell, especially at a reduced rate. (www.courant.com)
House, Senate Pass Mortgage Assistance LegislationLegislation to curb abusive lending practices was passed by the House last week, a day after the Senate approved a separate bill to help struggling borrowers to refinance into more affordable loans. H.R. 1728, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, would require mortgage lenders to retain at least a 5% stake on any non-qualified home loans sold off to investors. The measure was approved by a vote of 300 to 114 on May 7. Prior to the House vote, NAHB sent a letter to every House member commending lawmakers for tackling this issue and providing several suggestions to modify and improve the bill. Qualifying loans that would be exempt from this measure include 30-year fixed rate mortgages and other prime fixed-rate loans as well as mortgages backed by the government or Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. H.R. 1728 would also increase regulation of mortgage brokers, help renters avoid eviction when landlords default on their mortgages and provide new safeguards for consumers seeking a mortgage or to refinance their existing home. On May 6, the Senate passed its own mortgage aid bill, S. 896, that would help revamp the Hope for Homeowners program aimed at helping struggling borrowers to refinance. The legislation would also protect mortgage servicers from lawsuits when they modify loans and increase the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's line of credit from the U.S. Treasury to $500 billion through 2010 and $100 billion thereafter. The Senate bill passed 91 to 5 just one week after an amendment that would allow judges to modify the terms of mortgages on a primary residence, known as a "cramdown," was stripped from the legislation. The outlook for the House bill is uncertain as no companion bill has been introduced in the Senate. It is also unclear whether the House will take up and pass the Senate's housing bill.
For more information on the House and Senate housing legislation, click here and type the respective bill numbers in the box in the upper center screen. For more information, e-mail Scott Meyer at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8144. Administration Proposes $17 Billion in Budget CutsThe Obama Administration proposed to eliminate or reduce $17 billion from 121 government programs and to dedicate $1.2 trillion to discretionary spending when it released details of its $3.6 trillion budget for fiscal year 2010 on May 7. The budget comes on the heels of the Administration’s broad budget outline that was released in late-February. It serves as guidance for members of Congress as lawmakers work through the fiscal 2010 appropriations process. The annual appropriations process determines the levels of federal spending for each of the federal departments and agencies and all programs within their respective jurisdictions. While the President's budget recommends spending levels for the next fiscal year, it is not legally binding. Congressional appropriators will have the final say in program realignment and spending levels.
House appropriators are scheduled to begin marking up their versions of the spending bills within the next few weeks and the House hopes to complete floor consideration of all of the fiscal year 2010 bills before the end of June. The Senate will likely begin marking up its own spending bills sometime in late June. The House and Senate always work towards meeting the goal of having all appropriations bills completed and signed by the President prior to the fiscal year-end deadline of Sept. 30. Fiscal year 2010 will begin on Oct. 1, 2009. NAHB will continue to monitor the appropriations process as funding decisions are made on key housing and labor programs. For more information, e-mail Jenna Hamilton at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8407. Spring Price/Rate Thaw, Tax Credit Draw Homes BuyersThe frozen housing market appears to be thawing as more buyers are finding the current historically low interest rates, stabilizing prices and tax credit refund incentives irresistible. "Today's market offers an incredible opportunity with the unprecedented combination of a 40-year low in interest rates, prices returning to normal levels in many markets, and limited-time tax incentives," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. The number of homes under contract increased in March, according to the National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index, which increased 3.2% from February to March. Optimism about the housing market is on the rise as well. An April 16 Gallup Poll found that 71% of Americans said that now is a "good time" to buy a house, an 18 point increase from one year earlier and the highest level in four years. Natasha Smith had been monitoring interest rates and home prices, but decided to take the plunge when the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit was enacted in February. The 25-year-old closed on a condominium in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Hyattsville, Md., in April. "I wasn't in a rush as I continued to watch prices fall, but when I heard about the $8,000 tax credit, I knew it was the perfect time to buy," she said. "Combined with the low home prices and interest rates, the tax credit was the extra push I needed to get out of the family home and into a home of my own." For more information about the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, which ends on Nov. 30, go to: www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. 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. Spanish Version Also Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market. 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. Stimulus Projects to Perk Up Gloomy Cement Demand by 2010Cement consumption is expected to register significant declines this year because of soft demand from housing and all of its other market segments in all regions of the country, according to a recent economic forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA). But the Administration’s massive economic stimulus program and a stabilizing economy in 2010 are expected to bring manufacturers some relief. Cement consumption in 2009 is expected to decline 17% to 77 million metric tons, following declines of 10% in 2007 and 15% in 2008. From peak to trough, cement consumption is expected to decline nearly 45 million metric tons — the worst in U.S. history. The good news, according to the forecast, is that the weakness is expected to be concentrated in the first half of this year. Buoyed by improvements in the overall economy, cement consumption next year is projected to rise 7% to a level of 83 million metric tons. “Weakness in near-term cement consumption will largely stem from declines in the private sector in residential and non-residential construction,” said Edward Sullivan, PCA’s chief economist. “By the second half of 2010, stimulus spending should enter a phase that includes more traditional infrastructure projects that carry higher cement intensities.” In addition, Sullivan said he expects housing starts to stabilize in the second half of 2010, although nonresidential construction is forecast to drop 27% in 2009 and continue to decline in 2010. “Unemployment is expected to peak during the first quarter of 2010 to levels in excess of 10%,” he added. “This will lead to public sentiment for additional stimulus and more traditional, job-generating infrastructure spending. This suggests a significant increase in funding for the next transportation bill, possibly 40%,” he said. 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. Spanish Version Also Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market. 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. Eye on the Economy: New Home Supply-Demand Balance ImprovingReal gross domestic product (GDP) contracted at an annual rate of 6.1% in the first quarter of this year, according to the “advance” estimate released by the Commerce Department on April 29. This was a deeper decline than the prevailing consensus estimate — NAHB expected a 5.2% contraction — and was nearly as deep as the 6.3% decline in the final quarter of 2008. This two-quarter contraction represents one of the worst performances in the entire post-war period. While the overall GDP growth rates were quite similar for the past two quarters, the composition of economic activity was quite different. A major reduction in consumer spending was a huge negative in the fourth quarter of last year, subtracting 3 percentage points from GDP growth, but this component swung into the black in the first quarter of this year and delivered a solid positive growth contribution of 1.5 percentage points. A virtual collapse of business spending was the major factor behind the sharp decline in GDP for the first quarter. Spending on capital equipment and software contracted at a 34% annual rate, nonresidential construction fell at a 44% rate and residential investment plunged at a 38% rate. These three components, making up private fixed investment in the GDP accounts, knocked 6 percentage points off the economic growth rate, and a major rundown in business inventories chopped off another 2.8 percentage points. The good news is that we are not likely to see another contraction in business spending similar to the first-quarter collapse and we expect consumer spending to be reasonably solid going forward — buoyed by the fiscal stimulus package enacted earlier this year. We expect some further decline in GDP during the second quarter, but at a much slower pace than during the past two quarters. Swine Flu ‘Pandemic’ Is Not a Major Economic Event For a while, it looked like the outbreak of swine flu could have major negative implications for the U.S. and global economies, particularly when the authorities declared that the geographic scope of the disease had reached “pandemic” proportions. After all, a serious and uncontrollable flu would take a major toll on the labor force, working hours and productivity, as well as on certain industries here and abroad — including travel and hospitality services. Fortunately, swine flu is not living up to its earlier billing. The Center for Disease Control now says it’s more like a mild seasonal flu and local jurisdictions are calling off things like school closings. While there is some concern that a more serious wave could arrive in the fall, our forecasts do not incorporate any flu-related economic weakness. FOMC Holds Steady at April 29 Meeting As expected, the Federal Reserve held monetary policy steady at the April 29 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The FOMC upgraded its assessment of the economy to some degree, maintained the 0.0%-0.25% target range for the federal funds rate and committed to that position for an extended period — a strategy intended to put some downward pressure on longer-term interest rates. The FOMC statement once again committed the Fed to “employ all available tools to promote economic growth and to preserve price stability,” including the unconventional “balance sheet” policies employed while traditional policy has effectively maxed-out. The statement reaffirmed previously announced targets for purchases of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities — up to $1.45 trillion for 2009 — as well as the commitment to buy up to $300 billion of Treasury securities by autumn. Financial markets apparently were disappointed by the FOMC’s failure to raise the target for purchases of Treasury securities, and long-term Treasury rates have been subject to some upward pressure since the April 29 meeting. The FOMC statement did stress ongoing reevaluation of the size and composition of its balance sheet “in light of financial and economic developments,” and the Fed could very well step in if longer-term Treasury rates move much higher. Supply-Demand Balance Is Improving in New-Home Market The massive cutbacks in single-family starts since early 2006, particularly in the for-sale component of the market, have resulted in substantial reductions in the overhang of new homes for sale from the highs of 2006 to 2007. The months’ supply is still on the high side — 10.7 in March — but that number is subject to substantial decline as sales move up from the record low posted at the beginning of this year. There are fairly convincing signs that sales of new and existing single-family homes hit bottom in the first quarter of this year and NAHB’s surveys of builders suggest that the beginnings of recovery in housing demand are underway. Key surveys of consumers point in the same direction. Our proprietary survey of large public and private builders shows recent stabilization of gross sales and modest improvement in net sales (seasonally-adjusted data through March), while our broad-based single-family Housing Market Index showed significant improvement in April. The new $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers undoubtedly is stimulating home buying to some degree and a number of states, including California, have enacted their own stimulative measures. The new-home market obviously is still struggling with stiff competition from the existing home market, including near-record numbers of vacant units for sale as well as the upswing in foreclosures that’s feeding the vacant stock. Weakness in the economy also is a negative at this time, although the worst apparently is behind us and measures of consumer confidence and sentiment have shown recent improvement. Consumers’ assessments of home buying conditions also have been on the rise — driven by widespread price declines and falling mortgage rates that recently have elevated standard measures of affordability to record levels. It’s still quite early in the recovery game, but it appears that the supply-demand balance has stabilized and is beginning to improve. That’s the foundation for NAHB’s forecast that shows gradual improvement in home sales beginning in the current quarter and even more gradual improvement in single-family starts beginning in the third quarter of this year. Fed Chairman Expects Improvements in Housing and the Economy Testifying before Congress’ Joint Economic Committee on May 5, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said recent data suggest that the pace of contraction in economic activity “may be slowing” and noted that the housing market “has shown some signs of bottoming.” Looking forward, he said the Fed expects economic activity to bottom out before long and turn upward later this year. Key elements of his forecast are judgments that the housing market is beginning to stabilize, the sharp liquidation of business inventories will slow down and fiscal and monetary stimulus already in train will support final demand. Bernanke stressed that his forecast assumes continuing gradual repair of the financial system, a process that still has a long way to run. In this regard, he noted that mortgage markets have responded favorably to the Fed’s purchases of agency debt and mortgage-backed securities. However, he stressed that the supply of mortgage credit is still relatively tight and that the mortgage market remains heavily dependent on the support of government programs like FHA and the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Bernanke noted that the early stages of the projected economic recovery are likely to display below-trend GDP growth that will involve further deterioration of the labor market and keep downward pressure on inflation for some time. These features also are part-and-parcel of NAHB’s current economic outlook. NAHB analyzes the economy from the point of view of the housing market every other week in the free e-newsletter, “Eye on the Economy.” The preceding is a reissue of the May 6 edition. To subscribe to “Eye on the Economy,” 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. Spanish Version Also Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
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. 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. Spanish Version Also Available Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
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. Adapt Your Marketing Strategies to the New RealityAs sales professionals, the best way for us to adjust to the new market realities is to return to basics. Unfortunately, the basics need to be applied in a known environment in order to achieve expected results and the environment in which we work sometimes changes faster than we can react. That leaves us with one of two choices. Either we can hunker down and ride out the storm, or we can revise our business plan and plow ahead I have chosen the second option and I suggest that you choose it, too. Homes Are Selling Regardless of the situation in which you find yourself and the condition of your market, homes are being sold. NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe recently predicted that 364,000 new homes will be sold this year and, next year, another 539,000 new homes will be sold. While those numbers are nothing like what we enjoyed during the boom years, we need to remember that companies around the country are going to build those homes — and that new homes salespeople are going to sell them. Why can’t one of them be you? What Prospective Buyers Want Consumers seeking new homes know that it’s a buyers’ market and many still want all the bells and whistles. But, in today’s market, they don't believe they should pay for these extras. The wise builder sees this and realizes that, to deliver what buyers want, he has to give them value. Rather than give potential customers everything, he determines what will keep them from looking elsewhere by asking the following questions:
Keep in mind, however, that the downward pressure on home prices has changed your competition. You probably now are competing against what were initially higher-priced homes that have been reduced to the point where they are now competitively priced with your homes. This makes understanding your customer's wants and desires more important than ever. Communicate With Your Customers In order to understand what your customers want, you have to communicate with them. In the past, most builders relied on direct marketing, but that has become more expensive and many builders have dropped or trimmed their direct marketing. What should not be dropped is a builder's Web site, so look for other alternatives to drive traffic to your Web site. E-mail programs ande builders association promotional programs and other cooperative marketing efforts can all drive traffic to your Web site at more modest costs. Generate Your Own Traffic Prospecting has become a way of life again. Customers are out there, but they are reluctant, even afraid, to get in the game. You need to contact them and make them aware of the advantages of new-home ownership. The $8,000 federal tax credit available to first-time home buyers is a great way to get your foot in the door. NAHB’s Web site, www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, offers a wealth of information to answer consumer questions about this tax credit. Use this as an opportunity to get in front of religious groups, civic organizations, trade associations or social clubs to answer questions about the tax credit and how you can help them get it. Another way to get the attention of prospective customers is to let your current home owners use your facilities to hold welcoming parties and other social gatherings that they would normally hold at their homes. Not only do they have more room for their events, their friends get to enjoy your facilities, which increases awareness of your community and company. Marketing Relies on the Strength of Your Sales Team Finally, we have to invest in our people. It has always been the responsibility of the business owner to train his sales team, and now it is more important than ever. As the market has changed, most of us have not provided our salespeople with the tools they need to effectively operate in it. While some salespeople can adjust to the new realities on their own, most will need help to get the proper skills to make the necessary changes. To wrap up, adapting your marketing strategies can be done using these basic steps:
Hal Von Nessen, MIRM, is president of Resh Marketing Consultants, Inc., a new-home marketing firm based in Columbia, S.C. Von Nessen is a past president of the Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM) and writes and teaches IRM courses across the country. For more information, e-mail Von Nessen, call him at 803-798-0009 x210 or visit the Resh Marketing Consultants Web site at www.resh.com. This article originally appeared on the NAHB Sales and Marketing Channel. 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. Spanish Version Also Available Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either 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.
May 14 Seminar Provides Tools to Find Local Stimulus ProjectsThe upcoming NAHB audio seminar, “Stimulus Opportunities for Builders: Exploring Commercial Opportunities in the Stimulus Package,” will provide participants with the tools they need to find stimulus construction opportunities in their local areas. The hour-long seminar, featuring industry attorneys and builders with knowledge of the stimulus package and experience in government-related construction projects, will begin at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, May 14. Panelists in the seminar will:
Ehlers, who has winnowed down the more than 400-page stimulus package statute and extracted key information to save builders research time, will give builders “a concise, practical way to cut through the legalese and get to the heart of what opportunities are there for their companies and how they can quickly find and capitalize on them.” Harris, who will moderate the audio seminar, will discuss his company’s current government projects and offer advice on how to work on similar projects. “As a builder who’s been doing government projects for 24 years, I’m here to tell my colleagues not to be overwhelmed by the federal bureaucracy,” he said. Hoppe will discuss contract law in construction and commercial real estate and Hansen, who manages a large, privatized military housing contract, will discuss government housing projects that are not related to the stimulus package. She hires custom builders as subcontractors. The seminar, sponsored by the National Commercial Builders Council (NCBC) and The University of Housing, also will include questions that were submitted from the audience last week. To Register The registration fee for the audio seminar is $79. To register online, visit www.nahb.org/stimulusopportunities. For more information, e-mail Kisha DeSandies at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8455. Builders’ Tip: Quick, Easy Sanding-Disk Alignment
But if they are to work properly, the holes in the disks have to be aligned accurately with the sander’s pad.
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. Spanish Version Also Available Online A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers. Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either 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. National Homeownership Month Materials AvailableIn observation of National Homeownership Month in June, NAHB is offering members and home builders associations free online promotional materials ― including sample articles, radio and print advertisements, member education and other consumer resources — highlighting the benefits of homeownership for consumers and providing positive messages about the home building industry. Also included is the “Guide to Celebrating National Homeownership Month in June,” which provides tips and ideas on how to get the most out of homeownership month by planning a news conference, holding a homeownership fair and more. Members and HBAs can distribute the homeownership month information to their local news media throughout June or anytime during the year. The ready-to-use articles can also be placed in special tabloid sections for home shows, parades of homes or other special events. All the materials can be customized to add relevant local data and contact information. The National Homeownership Month Promotional Kit includes:
Illegal Worker Enforcement Focus Shifts to EmployersThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on April 10 released a new "Worksite Enforcement Strategy" amending imigration law enforcement priorities that were promulgated in April 2006 by the previous Administration and focused on the arrest and removal of illegal immigrants. The new strategy de-emphasizes the use of raids on work sites and mass arrests of illegal immigrants on construction sites. Instead, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been instructed to focus on the criminal prosecution of employers who knowlingly hire illegal workers. Smugglers, traffickers, those who harbor illegal immigrants and those who mistreat immigrant workers are designated for special attention. In addition, ICE agents have been instructed to follow high investigative standards and to "obtain indictments, criminal arrest or search warrants, or a commitment from a U.S. Attorney's Office to prosecute the targeted employer before arresting employees for civil immigration violations at the work site." Although work site raids are still possible, humanitarian guidelines requiring the employment of social service agencies to ensure that detainees and their children are not placed at risk now must be followed whenever enforcement actions involve 25 or more illegal workers. (Previously, the guidelines took effect only when enforcement actions involved more than 150 illegal workers.) Under the new strategy, employers should expect a heightened scrutiny of their hiring practices and their compliance with the requirements of the Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986. Employers are advised to faithtfully comply with the 1-9 verification process for new hires, to use current forms and to adhere to all record-keeping requirements in anticipation of an increased possibility that they might be subjected to an I-9 audit. For information on the I-9 verification process, I-9 audits and the current I-9 Form (downloadable), click here. To view the Department of Homeland Security's April 30, 2009 Worksite Enforcement Strategy, click here. For more information, e-mail David Crump at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8491. Members Should Keep Tabs on Their FICO Credit ScoresAs personal banking and lending services contract, NAHB is reminding members to monitor their FICO credit scores and maintain the best scores for their personal credit cards, mortgages and other consumer loans. FICO scores — one score from each of the three major credit bureaus — are the credit scores that most lenders use to determine a borrower’s credit risk. They can help determine the amount and terms available to a consumer. The national median FICO score is 723. A higher score indicates that the borrower is less risky to a lender than about half of the population with a credit file. The FICO credit score is based on five factors. In order of importance, they include:
Members should know what is on their credit report so that they can identify any problems or errors and take action to correct them — such as contacting their creditors if they believe something on their report is inaccurate. The Federal Trade Commission, which protects consumers, directs consumers to www.annualcreditreport.com for their free credit reports. For more information on consumer credit reports and scoring from the Federal Trade Commission, click here. Best of 50+ Housing Honored at Symposium in Philadelphia
The NAHB 50+ Housing Council recently announced the winners for its 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards, which honor excellence and innovation in the design, development and marketing of housing for older consumers. The annual awards program showcases the latest trends in housing for the mature market. Among the 80 honorees were many winning developments that featured designs and amenities attuned to the needs and wants of today’s 50+ resident. Entries represented a diverse range of projects, including everything from a community clubhouse with stunning Rocky Mountain views in a Denver-area active adult community to a luxury continuing care setting in Osaka, Japan. The gold and silver award winners, announced at the Building for Boomers and Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium in Philadelphia on April 28, include: 2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards Gold Winners Best Repositioned 50+ Housing Project
Best Renovated 50+ Housing Project
Best Small CCRC (up to 200 units)
Best Large CCRC (over 200 units)
Best CCRC Common Area
Best Congregate/Independent Living Community
Touchmark at Mt Bachelor Village – Cliff Lodge
Best Assisted Living Community
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Market Rate)
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Affordable)
Best Active Adult Community (up to 500 homes)
Best Active Adult Community (over 500 homes)
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community (up to 8,000 square feet)
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community (over 8,000 square feet)
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community (up to 2,000 square feet)
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Best Attached Home at an Active Adult Community (up to 2,000 square feet)
Best Attached Home at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Best Model Home Merchandizing at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Highland Meadows – The Case Model
Best Repositioned 50+ Housing Project — On the Boards
Best Small CCRC (up to 200 units) — On the Boards
Best Large CCRC (over 200 units) — On the Boards
Best Congregate/Independent Living Community — On the Boards
Best Assisted Living Community — On the Boards
Best Special Needs Community — On the Boards
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Market Rate) — On the Boards
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Affordable) — On the Boards
Best Active Adult Community — On the Boards (up to 500 homes)
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community — On the Boards
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community — On the Boards
Best Attached Home at an Active Adult Community — On the Boards
Best Logo at a 50+ Housing Community
Best Brochure for a 50+ Housing Community
Best Direct-Mail Campaign for a 50+ Housing Community
Best Web Site for a 50+ Housing Community
Trilogy by Shea Homes
Best Print Advertisement for a 50+ Housing Community
Front Porch – This Is My Retirement
2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards Silver Winners Best 50+ Renovated Housing
Best Small CCRC (up to 200 units)
Best Large CCRC (over 200 units)
Best Congregate/Independent Living Community
Best Assisted Living Community
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Market Rate)
Flatirons Terrace at Golden West
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Affordable)
Best Active Adult Community (up to 500 homes)
Belvedere
Reunion at Redmond Ridge
Best Active Adult Community (over 500 homes)
Trilogy Central Coast
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community (up to 8,000 square feet)
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community (over 8,000 square feet)
Sun City Festival
Trilogy Central Coast
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community (up to 2,000 square feet)
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Shenandoah at Lake Frederick – The Windham
Best Attached Home at an Active Adult Community (up to 2,000 square feet)
Best Model Home Merchandizing at an Active Adult Community (over 2,000 square feet)
Best Repositioned 50+ Housing Project — On the Boards
Best Small CCRC (up to 200 units) — On the Boards
Best Large CCRC (over 200 units) — On the Boards
Best Assisted Living Community — On the Boards
Best Multifamily Rental 50+ Community (Market Rate) — On the Boards
Best Active Adult Community — On the Boards (up to 500 homes)
Athertyn at Haverford Reserve
Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community — On the Boards
Athertyn at Haverford – Reserve
Best Detached Home at an Active Adult Community — On the Boards
Best Brochure at a 50+ Housing Community
Trilogy by Shea Homes
Best Direct-Mail Campaign for a 50+ Housing Community
Walnut Village
Best Web Site for a 50+ Housing Community
Providence at Heritage Shores
Best Print Advertisement for a 50+ Housing Community
Front Porch – Home Is Where Your Life Is
2009 Best of 50+ Housing Awards Innovation Winners
Sun City Palace Tsukaguchi
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. Tax Credits, Rebates Cut Costs of Improving Energy EfficiencyHome owners now can claim up to $1,500 in expanded energy-efficiency tax credits for remodeling their principal residence to reduce energy consumption. Available until the end of 2010, the revamped 25C Existing Home Retrofit Tax Credit helps consumers save on their renovation costs and ultilty bills. "Remodelers can help find the best methods of saving energy in your home with an assessment, like a home energy audit," said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Tucson, Ariz. "Tightening the house to reduce air leakage by adding insulation, fixing ducts and installing a more efficient heating and air conditioning system can help save on energy bills today while also reducing next year's tax bill." The expanded federal tax credit refunds 30% of the product replacement cost, up to a total of $1,500. It can be used not only for HVAC systems, insulation and water heaters but also for windows, doors and insulation as long as the new products meet IRS qualifications. In some cases, installation costs may also be applied to claim the tax credit. Home energy audits can cost as little as $500, which remodelers say is an expense that pays for itself — and more — with savings from efficiency upgrades. And home owners may be able to combine federal tax credits with local and regional incentives to maximize savings. For example, the typical $1,000 cost of upgrading inefficient insulation (from R-19 to R-38) in the attic of a two-story, 2,000-square-foot Chicago home can be reduced to $700 when the tax credit is taken. Adding Chicago's MidAmerican Energy residential energy efficiency rebate program, which can return up to $600 on insulation or other energy-efficiency upgrades expenditures, can drop the cost of the insulation improvement job to a net $100, resulting in a two-year payback period for the $51 estimated annual utility savings resulting from this project. Inspecting ductwork, caulking and the heating and cooling systems for possible upgrades or enhancements can also help find additional energy savings, Miedema said. In an example of how the tax credit can be used for heating and cooling, upgrading a standard 10-year-old air conditioner to today's federal minimum 13-SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) model can cost about $5,500 in Phoenix, but does not qualify for the tax credit. Spending as little as $2,000 more for a higher-efficiency air-conditioner (such as 16-SEER) earns the home owner the full $1,500 energy-efficiency federal tax credit. In addition, the local power company provides a rebate starting at $425. With the tax credit and utility rebate, the cost difference can be paid back in a couple of years, while the home owner enjoys utility bills savings for years to come. With the credit, tankless water heaters are comparable in cost to traditional gas water heaters, but they last as long as 20 years and are 30% more efficient, according to Eugene Lamana, residential business manager at Rinnai, a manufacturer of tankless water heaters and other gas appliances based in Peachtree City, Ga. Savings depend on local energy prices, but home owners will realize further savings by reducing the frequency of equipment replacements. When the credit is included, home owners can save $100 per year on their water heating expenses, he said. "These are just some examples of how the energy-efficiency tax credit helps consumers save money in making home improvements and cutting down utility bills," said Miedema. "Home owners should contact a professional remodeler near them for advice on installing tax credit-qualified improvements in their home." Home owners can use an energy-savings simulation from the NAHB Research Center at http://energysim.toolbase.org to determine likely costs of upgrades and savings. Information on rebates from utility companies and other state and local government incentives is available at www.dsireusa.org. In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the 25D Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Fuel Cell Tax Credit for renewable energy products now provides larger incentives for installing geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. Although the upfront costs are high for these products, the tax credit is 30% and there is no cap on their cost through 2016. Taxpayers can claim the credits on IRS Form 5695. For more information about the tax credit, visit www.nahb.org/efficiencytaxcredit. For further information, e-mail Kelly Mack at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8451. Boost ‘Remodeling Month’ With Free Materials From NAHBNAHB has free promotional materials available to remodeler members, home builders associations and local remodelers councils to increase remodeling awareness and help them boost their marketing during “National Remodeling Month” this month. The materials, developed by the NAHB Remodelers, are available on the NAHB Web site www.nahb.org/remodelingmonth, and more materials will be added in the coming weeks. The material is available by logging onto the NAHB Web site. The information available includes easily customizable press releases, articles and plenty of marketing ideas to help promote remodeling throughout May. In addition, the information provides a step-by-step guide to lead remodelers and HBAs through a campaign. Several HBAs and local remodeling councils alreadky have used the materials to place articles in their local newspapers, have their local radio stations run public service announcements and promote information about the newly-expanded energy-efficiency tax credit to consumers considering remodeling. A sample of the materials available includes:
NAHB Remodelers also has a toolkit available on how to start a local remodelers council. For more information about National Remodeling Month materials, e-mail Kelly Mack at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8451. Webinar to Discuss Using Concrete in Green BuildingThe Portland Cement Association (PCA), a founding member of the Concrete Home Building Council, will be holding an hour-long webinar on how concrete home building technologies can be used to meet National Green Building Standard requirements. The webinar will begin at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, May 14. The webinar, “Concrete Solutions for the National Green Building Standard,” will feature a panel of PCA experts. Participants will learn about the sustainable impact of concrete products in home building, including how to:
The webinar fee is $30. For more information or to register, click here, or e-mail Donn Thompson of PCA.
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.
‘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.
‘Build Green and Save’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Build Green and Save: Protecting the Earth and Your Bottom Line,” available through BuilderBooks.com, is a comprehensive, easy-to-read reference that shows builders how to identify and select green building materials; implement green construction techniques; explain the benefits of green housing and offer affordable green building solutions to consumers; and use resources wisely and reduce water and energy consumption. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. 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. NAHB Honors the Year’s Best in Green Home BuildingHome building industry leaders honored the best in green residential design and outstanding advocacy efforts at the NAHB National Green Building Awards, which were presented on May 8 during the association’s 11th annual National Green Building Conference in Dallas. Don Ferrier of Ferrier Custom Homes in Fort Worth, who was honored as the 2007 Green Builder Advocate of the Year, served as the master of ceremonies. In a challenging year for the home building industry, with housing starts dropping to record lows in a sputtering economy, green homes have represented “hope and the future, and the future is green home building,” Ferrier said. “The ladies and gentlemen we honor this evening understand that. These awards honor their leadership and their practical example to others in the industry.” The winners were:
“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. ‘Build Green and Save’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Build Green and Save: Protecting the Earth and Your Bottom Line,” available through BuilderBooks.com, is a comprehensive, easy-to-read reference that shows builders how to identify and select green building materials; implement green construction techniques; explain the benefits of green housing and offer affordable green building solutions to consumers; and use resources wisely and reduce water and energy consumption. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. The New American Home Earns Green Home Project Award
Features including low-e windows, advanced insulation, vertical and horizontal solar overhangs, window louvers and a highly-efficient gas-powered heating and cooling system enabled The New American Home to achieve a Five Start-Plus HERS rating of 57. Photo by Erin O'Boyle/Courtesy of the Portland Cement Association The state-of-the-art home ― designed by Danielian Associates of Irvine, Calif. and built by Las Vegas builder Blue Heron ― combined builders’ best practices, energy efficiency, indoor-air quality, safety, convenience and aesthetics. More than 6,000 housing industry professionals toured the home during the 2009 International Builders Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. “Many of the green details had to do with passive design,” said John Danielian of Danielian Associates who served as project manager. “We incorporated broad overhangs over the windows to block out of a lot of sun on the south and west exposures. We used 12-inch thick insulated concrete forms (ICF), which gave us an R-50 insulation rating and enabled us to recess the windows and provide plenty of shading. We also added louvers along the southern exposure of the south tower to provide additional cover from the sun.” The New American Home was sited to optimize solar resources and incorporates landscape design to limit water and energy demand. The development did not impact any environmentally sensitive areas. Soil erosion and disturbance were kept to a minimum with storm water pollution prevention plans, continued on-site monitoring and best management practices. The project selected manufacturers and suppliers who were able to provide recycled building materials, new materials manufactured from renewable resources or materials made with fewer resources than traditional products. During construction, implementation of a recycling and waste-management program included on-site bins for collecting and sorting waste materials to be recycled off-site. “Everybody involved in this project was committed to going green. It gave us an opportunity to work with some leading-edge green products and to learn more about the NAHB Green Building Program,” Danielian said. Sponsored by the National Council of the Housing Industry (NCHI) – The Leading Suppliers of NAHB and Builder magazine, The New American Home is one of NAHB’s most successful and visible programs. “The whole purpose of The New American Home is to help promote the breakthroughs that will shape the housing industry in the coming years,” said Bill Nolan, of The Nolan Group, a housing industry consulting firm in Altamonte Springs, Fla. and chairman of The New American Home Task Force. “This show home gives home builders from across the country and around the world the opportunity to see how innovative products and construction methods have been applied in a real home.” For more information about The New American Home, visit www.tnah.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 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. ‘Build Green and Save’ Available at BuilderBooks.com “Build Green and Save: Protecting the Earth and Your Bottom Line,” available through BuilderBooks.com, is a comprehensive, easy-to-read reference that shows builders how to identify and select green building materials; implement green construction techniques; explain the benefits of green housing and offer affordable green building solutions to consumers; and use resources wisely and reduce water and energy consumption. To view or purchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Conference to Look at Working Family Housing SolutionsExperts and policymakers from around the country will be meeting in Chicago on June 28-30 to focus on state and local housing solutions. The highly interactive conference — “Solutions for Working Families" — is being presented by the National Housing Conference. Keynote speakers will include:
Topics of discussion will include foreclosure prevention strategies, resources for affordable homes and ideas for expanding development opportunities. Targeted to newcomers and veterans in the housing field alike, the conference will provide training workshops, panel discussions, peer-to-peer learning opportunities and more geared to presenting the full-spectrum of policies that can ensure housing for working families. For more information on the conference and registration, click here. HBI Infuses Green Building Into Job Training ProgramsHome Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of NAHB, is working with the association’s National Green Building Program to pursue a variety of green efforts in its Job Corps training programs. Training more than 2,000 students annually and the largest of HBI’s programs, Job Corps for several years has been using such green building products as energy-efficient lighting, water heaters and furnaces. In addition, many HBI Job Corps programs currently teach students environmentally friendly and energy-efficient practices. Among Job Corps centers recently making strides in green building:
“Not only are these environmentally safe practices, but our students are learning a great deal about green building, which is becoming an increasingly important part of the residential construction industry,” Owens said. HBI is working closely with NAHBGreen in a number of areas that will promote the new National Green Building Standard. HBI’s Workforce Training and Employment (WTE) pre-apprenticeship training, for instance, is adding green supplements to its Pre Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) curriculums. Instructional resources such as the first residential green building textbook and green site superintendent designation courses are also being developed. For more information on HBI’s green building initiatives or Job Corps programs, visit www.hbi.org or e-mail Maria McIntyre at HBI, or call her at 800-795-7955 x8912. GAF Plant in Texas Supplies Low Slope Roof MarketRoof consultants in Dallas on April 9 to attend RCI’s 24th International Convention and Trade Show received a VIP tour of a GAF plant in Gainesville, Texas that’s the newest and largest TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) single-ply roofing manufacturing facility in the nation. “TPO roofing is the fastest growing and largest segment of the low slope roofing market, and the GAF plant is the largest facility of its kind in North America,” said Vic Anthony, vice president of low slope sales. The visiting roofing consultants participated in a hand-on technical session presented by CARE (the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence). Educational topics included how TPO is made and the elements of TPO quality; avoiding common TPO mistakes; and an overview of the new TPO membrane colors and their compliance with California’s Title 24 energy code. Also included was a demonstration of GAF’s pre-fabricated and custom TPO accessories. The manufacturing plant opened its doors in April 2008 and produces GAF’s EverGuard TPO roofing membranes and accessories. The 185,000-square-foot facility is strategically positioned to provide quality TPO membrane and accessory products in the western and southern TPO markets. A plant in Mount Vernon, Ind. focuses primarily on servicing GAF’s central and northern markets. Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., GAF Materials Corporation is a member of the National Council of the Housing Industry — The Leading Suppliers of NAHB. 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
"Indoors Out" on DIY
"I Want That" on Fine Living
HGTV Seeking ‘Dream Home’ Builder/Architect Teams HGTV is seeking developers, builders and architects to create the 2010 HGTV Dream Home, the grand prize in the network's annual 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. Endowment Establishes Green ScholarshipA new National Housing Endowment scholarship will help pay for students to attend the NAHB National Green Building Conference. The scholarship was announced at a dinner honoring winners of the NAHB National Green Building Awards. Founding contributor Tommy Ford Construction endowed the scholarship in honor of Texas entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens, who gave the keynote speech at the awards dinner in Dallas on May 8. “The construction management students and the young men and women just getting started in this business need the information, the education and the networking that the NAHB National Green Building Conference provides,” said Conference Working Group Chair and Mount Pleasant, Mich. builder Joanne Theunissen at the awards dinner. The new scholarship fund will provide support to students in a two-year or four-year design and construction education and training program. The National Housing Endowment will manage the fund. The NAHB Green Building Subcommittee will determine eligibility requirements and recommend recipients of the scholarship. “Tommy Ford Construction is a green building leader in the Dallas area, and with this contribution, the company is establishing itself as a green building benefactor as well,” said Subcommittee Chair Eric Borsting. “This is a wonderful gift from Tommy Ford Construction. The education, training and other events at the NAHB National Green Building Conference represent a valuable experience for these students,” Borsting said. “With the help of generous contributions like this, the National Housing Endowment continues to invest in the future of the home building industry by recognizing the demand for green building education. Tommy Ford Construction’s contribution will make a difference in students’ careers and lives by giving them access to the most advanced green building technologies found at the NAHB Green Building Conference,” said Gary Garczynski, endowment chair and 2002 NAHB president. 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. For more information, e-mail Tracy MacMaster, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8483. NAHB Spring Board Meeting May 26-30 in WashingtonOFFICIAL MEETING NOTICE OF
The following schedule of events is a partial listing provided as a notice for NAHB’s spring board of directors meeting in Washington, D.C., May 26-30, 2009. Meetings will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel and the National Housing Center. The spring board program will identify the exact time and place of each scheduled meeting. Wednesday, May 27 National Area/Associate Chairmen Meeting
State Representatives Meeting
Thursday, May 28 Committees, Subcommittees, Councils, Affiliates, etc.
Friday, May 29 Committees, Subcommittees, Councils, Affiliates, etc.
Saturday, May 30
Spring Board Last Chance for Spokesperson Training in 2009Register online or 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. These sessions will not be offered during the fall board of directors meeting in Chicago, so the spring sessions will be the last opportunity for NAHB members to receive this valuable training this year. 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. Save More With Hertz Off-Airport LocationsWith more than 1,700 off-airport locations around the country, finding a Hertz Local Edition close to home or your travel destination is convenient. NAHB members also can take advantage of Hertz local pick-up and return service and NAHB discounts for their business and personal travel. Some of the benefits found at Hertz Local Edition (HLE) locations include:
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. Williams Scotsman Offers $1.99 First-Month Storage ContainerThrough June 30, Williams Scotsman is offering 20- and 40-foot storage containers at $1.99 first month’s rent with a three-month minimum lease to NAHB members — plus a free door lock rental with each unit. The storage container deal is in addition to Williams Scotsman’s NAHB member discount of one month free rent — up to $500 ― for each mobile office, storage container or specialty trailer leased for six months or longer. For more information, call Williams Scotsman at 877-884-4065, or visit www.willscot.com/storage. Other Member Advantage Discounts For information on the Member Advantage discount program and all its participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/MA.
Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips in 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. |