Friday, October 9, 2009

Fall Home Show Preview Luncheon: October 30

Join us for the Fall Southern Home & Garden Show Preview Luncheon on Friday, October 30 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Carolina First Center, sponsored by Gallivan, White and Boyd, P.A., Attorneys at Law. Elliot Eisenberg, Senior Economist with NAHB, will be the featured speaker. Elliot will speak on the economic impact of home building and the future of the industry.
HBA of Greenville members are complimentary with RSVP. Guests of members are $20. Ticket includes complimentary admisson to the Fall Southern Home & Garden Show. Parking for this edition of the Home Show is provided by the Carolina First Center.

Click here to download the event form, or register on our website at http://www.hbaofgreenville.com/.

Please note that tickets will be mailed in advance, so please include your address with RSVP.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Main Street Named "Top 10 Street" in America

Greenville, SC's beautiful Main Street was named to the American Planning Association's list of "Top 10 Streets in America".

Click here for more!

First Annual Fall Southern Home & Garden Show

The HBA of Greenville is gearing up for the inaugural Fall Southern Home & Garden Show, October 30 - November 1 at the Carolina First Center. The Fall Show, much like the Spring Show, is a chance for attendees to see the latest in products and services for the home under one roof. Over 100 exhibitors have signed up for booth space. Lowe's is proud sponsor of the 2009 Fall Southern Home & Garden Show.

One of the biggest features of the Fall Show is Trick-or Treat Night, where the Home Show becomes a safe and all-weather location for children to trick-or-treat, and parents have the added bonus of touring the Show exhibits! Parents accompanying a child in costume receive free admission after 5 p.m. There will also be a special Costume Contest at 6 p.m. for children 12 and under.

The Fall Show will also feature free antique appraisals by Danny Perkins of the Danny Co. Dust off your antiques and raid your attic for items - you never know when your trash might be someone else's treasure! Please, only hand-carry items that would fit through a standard door, and no weapons will be permitted.

Here is a list of other special events and features:
Friday, October 30:
  • Senior Day - Seniors (55 and up) receive $1 off admission
Saturday, October 31:
  • Trick-or-Treat Night: Safe and all-weather trick-or-treating; candy giveaways at all participating booths
  • Costume Contest at 6 p.m. (children 12 and under)
  • Parents accompanying a child in costume receive free admission after 5 p.m.!
Sunday, November 1:
  • $1 off with church program

All days:

  • Free antique appraisals by Danny Perkins of the Danny Co, Inc. (booth no. 754)
  • Football Game Viewing Area, provided by Jeff Lynch and the Carolina First Center
  • Lowe's providing free aprons and children's workshop kits, while supplies last
  • Lowe's Christmas Village
Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 55 and up; children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets will be sold for $1 off at local Lowe's stores. In addition, on Friday seniors will receive $1 off admission, and on Sunday attendees who bring a church program will receive $1 off. Only one discount can be applied per attendee. Parking is free, courtesy of the Carolina First Center.

Show hours are Friday, October 30 from 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday, October 31 from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; and Sunday, November 1 from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the Home Builders Association of Greenville on the web at www.hbaofgreenville.com, or call us at 864-254-0133. Click here for a press release about the event.

Survey Shows Credit Woes Threaten Housing Recovery

Nearly two-thirds of single-family home builders are reporting a severe lack of credit for housing production, threatening the fragile housing recovery before it has time to take hold, according to a new builder survey of acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) financing conducted by the National Association of Home Builders.

In the latest NAHB survey of AD&C financing conditions, 63% of builders stated that the availability of credit for single-family construction loans worsened in the second quarter of 2009.

For more, click here.

Spending Still Down for Nonresidential Building

For the second month in a row, nationwide private nonresidential construction spending has fallen, down 1.2% in July, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released Tuesday.

On a year-over-year basis, private nonresidential construction spending is down 8.4%. Total nonresidential construction spending, including private and public, fell to $703.8 billion, down 1% from June and 2.6% from July 2008.

"Even though the stimulus package is now beginning to meaningfully impact the residential construction sector, the broader economy remains weak and credit remains tight," said Anirban Basu, chief economist for the Associated Builders and Contractors national trade organization.

"The implication is that construction segments only indirectly supported by the stimulus package will continue to experience strong headwinds, while segments directly supported with stimulus money will become substantially more active," he said.

Three subsectors increased on a monthly basis:
Water supply construction, up 4%
Religious-related construction, up 1.4%
Manufacturing construction, up 1%

Subsectors up from July 2008:
Manufacturing construction, up 46.5%
Public safety-related construction, up 14.8%
Power construction, up 10%

Subsectors with the largest losses in spending from June 2009:
Lodging construction, down 8.3%
Commercial construction, down 1.8%
Power construction, down 1.8%

Subsectors posting the largest year-over-year declines:
Lodging construction, down 35.4%
Commercial construction, down 32.4%
Communication-related construction, down 20.1%

Meanwhile, residential construction spending increased 2.3% compared with June, but it is still down 26.9% from a year ago. Overall, total construction spending inched down 0.2% from June and is down 10.5% from July 2008.

Source: Associated Builders and Contractors

Earn Money for Your HBA Through BI-LO boosterplus!

Did you know that just by doing your grocery shopping you can earn money for your Home Builders Association of Greenville?

The HBA is particpating in BI-LO's boostersplus program, which gives 1% of the profit from the shopping trips of participating members right back to the HBA.

All you have to do is click here to download the enrollment cards. Take one card to the cashier with your BI-LO BONUSCARD one time to be scanned and all of your purchases until May 31 will apply for the program. It just takes a few minutes to print out the cards and take them with you on your next shopping trip. Help us continue to provide our members programs and events to strengthen the home building industry.

Need more information? Click here.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Aging Boomer Generations Want Modest Homes; Easy Living

The current housing downturn has taken some steam out of housing demand from the 55+ population, but a survey conducted in February by NAHB and the MetLife Mature Market Institute identifies signficant opportunities in this market for both builders and remodelers at a time when a weak economy has forced households across the age spectrum to reassess how much housing they can afford.

The research was conducted largely to determine how well builders were meeting the preferences of this age demographic, and the results found that the industry was largely on the same wavelength as its potential customers.

The 1,500 consumers participating in the survey showed a strong preference for single-family detached homes in a suburban setting. Low maintenance and the availability of various services emerged as key concerns for 55+ households, and unlike their counterparts from just a few years ago, these consumers exhibited a strong desire for technology-driven amenities, particularly high-speed internet access.

Compared with survey responses from 254 builders who specialize in the 55+ market, consumers were not as aware of many universal housing features as they should be. And like the general population, they started losing some of their enthusiasm for green building principles when it came time to start paying for products that are priced at a premium. Builders, the survey found, will have to lead and educate 55+ prospects in both of these areas.

For more of this article, and more information about the survey, click here.

August 28 is Record Week for 2009 Building Permits

For the week of August 28, 53 single-family permits were pulled in Greenville County, topping the previous record for 2009 set the week of August 11. 13 commercial permits and 11 remodeling permits were also pulled.

The top week during the last four years was in June of 2006, with 126 single-family permits pulled.

State Simplifies New Immigration Audit Process

State officials made a significant change last week to the employer audit process that began July 1 under the state's new immigration law.

The S.C. Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is now offering a one-page statement for employers to sign affirming that they are not knowingly or intentionally employing people unauthorized to work in the United States.

The form simplifies and replaces the former audit process. To read more, click here.

Source: SC BIZ Magazine

TALK Recognizes Gale Crawford

TALK Greenville Magazine recently named former HBA President and South Carolina Housing Hall of Fame member Gale Crawford as one of the most "25 beautiful women in Greenville". Criteria for the award was a woman that shows her "inner beauty that shines through to create a better community."

Gale has shown dedication to her industry, and to both the Greenville association and HBASC. She served two consecutive terms as President of the HBA of Greenville, and as a Director for HBASC. She is also a Life Director for NAHB.

See more of Gale and the other nominees at http://www.talkgreenville.com/.