Friday, October 29, 2010

HBA Annual Meeting and Associate Appreciation

Your HBA of Greenville will meet for its Annual Membership Meeting on November 11. At this meeting we will:
  • Recognize our Associate Members
  • Elect the 2011 Board of Directors
  • Vote on three proposed changes to the Bylaws
Our guest speaker is Mike Lowman, President, Mike Lowman Homes in Columbia and President Elect of the Home Builders Association of South Carolina. Mike will report on the work of HBASC and other trends important to South Carolina's home builders.

The event will feature a social hour followed by dinner, our speaker, and the business of the association.

Click here to register for the Annual Meeting and Associate Appreciation dinner.


Our Annual Membership Meeting and Associate Appreciation is sponsored by our Builder members. Our sponsors so far include:
  • Freewood Builders
  • Hollison Custom Homes, LLC
  • Harold Moore Builder, Inc.
  • Sadler Company, Inc., of Greenville
  • Addison Homes, LLC
  • H. Dillard Co., Inc.
  • Dillard-Jones Builders
  • Quinn Satterfield, Inc.
  • Gabriel Builders
  • First Choice Custom Homes
Builder members, please consider sponsoring. To sponsor, click on the registration button and select Builder Sponsor.

Associate members are free compliments of the Builder member sponsors.

Greenville Foreclosures Fall in the Third Quarter

The Greenville area saw a decrease of 2 percent in foreclosure filings compared with the second quarter. However, foreclosures are up 10 percent compared to 2009. RealtyTrac is the source.

Compared to the rest of South Carolina, Greenville is ranked third highest in foreclosure filings behind Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Spartanburg ranked fourth in foreclosures.

Read the entire report in GSA Business by clicking here.

NAHB reports that the Upstate of South Carolina has relatively low foreclosures, particularly compared to the rest of the country. As reported in the NAHB Fall Construction Forecast Conference, 23 percent of all foreclosures in the country are in Florida, and 77 percent of all foreclosures are in just 13 states, primarily concentrated in the Southwest and the "Rust Belt."

In another report by GSA Business, 93 percent of their readers said they want to know if a home is in financial distress when buying a home. Most agreed that foreclosed homes require work and should sell for less than a home not in financial distress.

Read the poll results in GSA Business by clicking here.

ABCs of New Construction at the Cove at Butler Springs

Your HBA of Greenville has partnered with Quinn-Satterfield to offer ABCs of New Construction at the Cover at Butler Springs.

  • Tuesday, November 9, 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
  • The Cove at Butler Springs

To Register for the ABCs of New Construction, click here.

ABCs of New Construction is your opportunity for you and your sales staff to learn hands on about new construction in a way that will improve your sales team's ability to sell new construction. ABCs of New Construction features two new homes in different stages of completion. Home Building professionals will guide you through each home and teach you about the construction techniques and features of a new home in a manner that will provide you with the information you need to effectively sell new construction. Don't miss this no-cost opportunity to improve your selling skills.

IBS Education Seminars Announced for Orlando

The premier trade show for Home Builders, the International Builders Show (IBS), returns to Orland January 12-15. The show will feature many education offerings that will help you earn the professional designations you want to earn.

Full conference registration includes these courses:

  • Advanced Green Building: Building Science
  • Advanced Green Building: Project Management
  • Building Your Team of Experts (National Kitchen and Bath Association course)
  • Business Accounting and Job Cost
  • Business Management for Building Professionals
  • Construction Contracts and Law
  • Customer Service
  • Design/Build Solutions for Aging and Accessibility (CAPS II)
  • Designing for the Active Adult
  • Estimating
  • Green Building for Building Professionals
  • Marketing & Communications Strategies for Aging and Accessibility (CAPS I)
  • Marketing Strategies, Plans and Budgets (IRM II)
  • Marketing to the Active Adult
  • Negotiating Skills
  • Project Management
  • Understanding Housing Markets and Consumers (IRM I)

The courses are offered January 8-11 in Orlando, FL.

To download the IBS Education Guide, click here.

New Appraisal Guidance Issued by Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve issed an interim rule on appraisals this month that NAHB says is a welcome step in clarifying the home valuation process. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has sought appraisal guidance that provides transparency in the appraisal process with sufficient flexibility to address the unique aspects of valuing new homes. NAHB will work with the Federal Reserve and other appraisal stakeholders to ensure the final rule fully achieves that outcome.

"The interim rule makes it clear that home builders and others can ask an appraiser to consider additional information about a property, including information about additional comparable properties," said Joe Robson, NAHB's Immediate Past Chairman and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. "That's critical to our members because in far too many cases we're seeing appraisals based on inappropriate comparables." Robson has been leading NAHB's push for sound appraisal practices.

The Federal Reserve unveiled the interim rule on Oct. 18 and the rule will take effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register, with the Fed accepting comments on the interim rule during this period. Compliance is voluntary until April 1, 2011. The Fed's action was required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010.

"Many appraisers do not understand the impact of new code requirements, new green building practices and other aspects of new construction that add value to a home," Robson said. "It is particularly important that home builders be allowed to provide appraisers with information to assist in appraising new construction.

"Accurate appraisals are critical to the residential construction industry because flawed appraisals can jeopardize sound projects," Robson said. "In the current economic climate it is already difficult to find financing for acquisition, development and construction, or AD&C. One appraisal that doesn't represent the true value of a property can start a chain of events that can put a builder out of business."

The Federal Reserve's interim rule also includes conflict-of-interest guidance, which prohibits loan officers and mortgage brokers from selecting appraisers. It also mandates the reporting of negligent appraisals and appraiser misconduct to the appropriate state appraiser licensing authorities and requires those seeking an appraisal to pay appraisers at a rate that is reasonable and customary in the geographic market where the property is located and that reflects the difficulty of the assignment.

"We think it's very important that the compensation standards attract the expertise needed for complex appraisal assignments, such as those involving new construction," Robson said.

"Builders, developers, lenders, appraisers and other stakeholders need a better understanding of what they can and cannot do" Robson said. "This interim rule offers much needed clarity, and NAHB will be offering comments in an effort to make sure the final rule provides guidance that recognizes all of the issues involved in appraisals of new homes and restores confidence in the appraisal process."

Thursday, October 28, 2010

NAHB's Forecast for 2011 is Positive


Several HBA of Greenville members attended the webcast of the NAHB Fall Construction Forecast Conference this week at the HBA Office. NAHB forecast that Home Builders will need to build 16 million new homes in the next 10 years, roughly a three-fold increase over the current volume of about 500,000 units per year.

Specific to Greenville, NAHB projects that permit activity will increase by 60 percent in 2011 over projected 2010 construction activity, and 2012 will rise another 40 percent. Contributing to the increase is excellent job formation in the Upstate, low interest rates, low inventory and foreclosures, and pent-up demand.

Following the webcast the participants discussed the results and debated the predictions for 2011 and 2012.

Piedmont Natural Gas sponsored the webcast and provided wings and beer for the participants.

Government Affairs Forum with Greenville City Manager


Your Home Builders Association of Greenville held the first Government Affairs Forum this week at the HBA Office. The guest speaker was John Castile, City Manager of the City of Greenville.

Nearly 20 HBA members turned out to discuss city issues with Castile. Among the issues discussed were balancing growth and development with density, staff reductions in the building inspections department, code enforcement issues and keeping the permit process up-to-date, future plans for moving the city forward in a new economy, and reforming business licenses.

The HBA committed to Castile that the association will work with the city to help it solve problems in a manner that does not contribute to delays and expenses for Home Builders.

A light breakfast and coffee was sponsored by Quinn-Satterfield.

The next Government Affairs Forum is being planned for early December in conjunction with the Remodelers Forum. Stay tuned for more information, including the meeting date.

HBA of Greenville Builder Ballot

It is the election season. Have you noticed? The General Election is Tuesday, November 2. Polls open in South Carolina at 7 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m.

Please vote on November 2.

NAHB BuildPAC has contributed to the following candidates:

U.S. Senate: Jim DeMint (R)
U.S. House District 3: Jeff Duncan (R)
U.S. House District 4: Trey Gowdy (R)

South Carolina Builders PAC has contributed to the following candidates:

Governor: Nikki Haley (R) and Vince Sheheen (D)
Lt. Governor: Ken Ard (R)
Attorney General: Alan Wilson (R)
Treasurer: Curtis Loftis (R)
Agriculture Commissioner: Hugh Weathers (R)
S.C. House District 2: Bill Sandifer (R)
S.C. House District 19: Dwight Loftis (R)
S.C. House District 20: Dan Hamilton (R)
S.C. House District 22: Wendy Nanney (R)
S.C. House District 23: Chandra Dillard (D)
S.C. House District 24: Bruce Bannister (R)
S.C. House District 26: Judy Gilstrap (D)
S.C. House District 27: Garry Smith (R)
S.C. House District 28: Eric Bedingfield (R)
Greenville County Council District 26: Dan Rawls (R)
Greenville County Council District 28: Fred Payne (R)

Your Home Builders Association of Greenville cooperates with the Home Builders of South Carolina to raise and contribute funds to candidates for elected offices in South Carolina through the South Carolina Builders PAC. Eighty percent of the funds we raise in Greenville for S.C. Builders PAC are directed by the HBA of Greenville for local and legislative races. The remaining 20 percent is used for statewide races like Governor and Attorney General.

In addition, your HBA of Greenville assists NAHB in raising funds for BuildPAC. All of the funds raised for BuildPAC are used for Federal races.

The Legislative Committee surveys and interviews candidates and makes recommendations for supporting those candidates to the HBA of Greenville Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on local and legislative races. The S.C. Builders PAC Trustees determines contributions for statewide races, and the BuildPAC Trustees determines the contributions for national races.

As a matter of Policy, NAHB's BuildPAC does not contribute to candidates for President or Vice President.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Rawls endorsed by Greenville News for County Council

Dan Rawls, past president of the HBA of Greenville and the HBA of South Carolina, has received the endorsement of the Greenville News in his race for District 26 on Greenville County Council.

The News said, "Rawls brings to the race the experience, knowledge and ideas that will best help move this district and the county forward."

You can read the entire article by clicking here.


S.C. Builders PAC and the HBA of Greenville PAC have supported Rawls with maximum contributions to his campaign.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Contractor announces subcontract opportunities for housing in military bases in SC

On November 9, 2010, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. will host an industry symposium in North Charleston and Columbia to present the upcoming Southern Group Military Housing projects at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter and the Charleston Air Force Base in North Charleston.

"The goal of the symposium is to bring together local members of the construction industry with Hensel Phelps to discuss project design, duration, bid package schedule, and requirements for Hensel Phelps to complete the building of 630 new housing units at Shaw Air Force Base and 335 units at Charleston Air Force Base," Jordan Kargor, Hensel Phelps engineer, said.

The symposium is for owners, managers, and estimators who are interested in providing Hensel Phelps with a bid to complete work and to further their knowledge of Hensel Phelps as an organization. The industry symposiums will be held at:

Embassy Suites Hotel, 5055 International Blvd, North Charleston, November 9, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
Radisson Hotel, 2100 Bush River Road, Columbia, November 9, 2010, at 1:30 p.m.


Each Industry Symposium will be identical, so there is no need to attend both sessions.

Hensel Phelps hopes all subcontractors interested in participating in these projects will attend one of the industry symposiums to acquire all necessary information and bonding requirements. Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact:

Deleted by the Editor.

NAHB offers $25 off IBS registration in October

From now through October 31st, NAHB members and non members alike can save $25 off registration for the 2011 NAHB International Builders’ Show. This discount can be used for both exhibits only and full registrations*. That means an NAHB member purchasing an exhibits only pass will pay just $25!

When registering enter and activate Promo Code: TNAH25 on the Registration page.

*Offer valid for all paid registration options with the exception of exhibitor, student, faculty and spouse registration. Good for new registrants who register online between October 20—October 31, 2010.

To register for the International Builders Show, click here.

U.S. Monthly House Price Index Increases .4 percent

U.S. house prices rose 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from July to August, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s monthly House Price Index. The previously reported 0.5 percent decline in July was revised to a 0.7 percent decline. For the 12 months ending in August, U.S. prices fell 2.4 percent. The U.S. index is 13.6 percent below its April 2007 peak.

Read the entire release from FHFA by clicking here.

Monday, October 25, 2010

SCHBSIF Announces Rate Decrease

The S.C. Home Builders Self Insurance Fund, a workers comp insurance company that write policies exclusively for members of the Home Builders Association of South Carolina, has announced two moves that will reduce costs for home builders.

The Board of Trustees of the SIF has voted to reduce rates effective January 1, 2011, by an average of 5 percent. All rates will be reduced but the reduction will vary by class code.

In addition, the SIF has reduced minimum premium amounts. Also effective January 1, 2011, the annual minimum premium will be decreased from $1,200 to $900. In addition, the monthly minimum premium payment will no longer be required. The annual minimum premium will still apply.

"All of these changes will help home builders navigate this difficult downturn in the housing market," Tom Dillard, president of the HBA of Greenville, said.