Thursday, December 29, 2011

HBA of Greenville Announces New President and Board of Directors

HBA of Greenville Announces New President and Board of Directors


Greenville, SC – The Home Builders Association of Greenville announces the election of the Association’s 2012 Board of Directors and President, Hal Dillard of H. Dillard Company.  All will be sworn in on January 19, 2012, at the association's Membership Meeting and Awards Luncheon.

“Our local association is committed to assisting the community in finding businesses that are reputable, local, and qualified to service all of their home-related needs in upstate South Carolina,” said Dillard.

Newly Elected 2012 Board of Director:
President, Hal Dillard, H. Dillard Co., Inc.
President Elect, Robert Markel, CGR, Hadrian Construction Company
Vice President, Rick Quinn, Quinn-Satterfield
President’s Appointee, Lou Hutchings, GBS Building Supply
Director, Bob Barreto, GBS Building Supply
Director, Susan Vernon, Dillard-Jones Builders
Director, Seabrook Marchant, The Marchant Company
Director, Deana Long, Builders First Source
Director, Indu Vakharia, Unique Builders
Director, Joe Hoover, Ryan Homes

Continuing members of the 2012 Board of Director:
Associate Vice-President, Scott Presley, Greer State Bank
Past President, Wayne Moore, Harold Moore Builder
Treasurer, Chuck Childress, BB&T
Secretary, Scott Lynch, Hollison Custom Homes
Director, Chris Bailey, Stoneledge Properties
Director, Michael Cox, Home Builders Insurance
Director, Jim Blume, First Savers Bank
Director, Alan Boone, Advanced Renovations
Director, Mike Freeman, GMB, Freewood Builders
Director, Larry Hazenfield, ProBuild

“We are excited to end 2011 on a high note and begin gearing up for a successful new year,” said Michael Dey, Executive Vice President of the HBA of Greenville. “I am confident that our Board of Directors, with the leadership of Hal Dillard, will lead our organization toward achieving our goals.”

Dillard begins his term as President after a successful year as President-Elect and several years of serving diligently on the Board of Directors.


The Home Builders Association of Greenville is a professional trade association of 400-member companies representing the home building and light commercial construction industry in Greenville and Pickens counties.

Click here to read the press release on the HBA's new leadership team at GSABusiness.com.
Click here to read the press release on the HBA's new leadership team at SwampFox.ws.

Rethink Real Estate: 4 predictions about 2012 real estate market

On the "mood of the market," Tara Nicholle-Nelson, a real estate author, analyst, and commentator, recently offered four predictions for the 2012 real estate market.  Remember, real estate is local, and these predictions have a national perspective.

  1. Even more foreclosures
  2. REOs and short sales will become the new normal
  3. So-called "smart cities" will do well (could Greenville be one of these?)
  4. Consumers will get hopeless (a good thing?)

NAHB: EPA will step up inspections, enforcement of Lead Paint Rule in 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency is relying on tips and has begun stepping up its inspections and enforcement of the Lead: Renovation, Repair & Painting (RRP) rule, an associate director with the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance said at a free webinar hosted by the NAHB Remodelers on Dec. 14.

While only three lead-paint rule enforcement actions were taken during fiscal 2011, the EPA’s Don Lott said 2012 will be much busier. He noted that the agency already has conducted 1,000 compliance inspections, with more to follow.

Builder: Mungo Company named America's Best Builder

The Mungo Company has been named 2012 America's Best Builder in the category with the highest number of closings.  Four categories are honored in the America's Best Builder program.

Read the entire release on the America's Best Builder honor of the Mungo Company at mungo.com by clicking here.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Greenville News: Gordon Seay feature

The Greenville News featured HBA member Gordon Seay in its Christmas Eve edition last week.  Seay is the new president of the South Carolina Realtors Association.  Gordon has held various posts with the HBA of Greenville, including service as an ex officio advisory member of the HBA Board of Directors.  He currently serves on the HBA Legislative Committee.

Read the entire Greenville News article about Gordon Seay at SCRealtors.org by clicking here.

BuilderOnline: 81 percent of Americans Say Homeownership is Still Part of the American Dream

A recent survey by Yahoo! Real Estate found that 81 percent of American still consider homeownership art of the American Dream.  In addition , 74 percent consider buying a home a good investment.

Read the results of the Yahoo! survey at BuilderOnline.com by clicking here.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

NewGeography: South Dominates U.S. Population Growth

Population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau show that Southern states continue to dominate the country in terms of population and growth during the last year.  According to New Geography, Southern states accounted for more than half of the population growth from 2000 to 2011 while having just one third of the country's total population.  In fact, 95 percent of all migration between states resulted in migration to Southern states.

Read the entire report a NewGeography.com by clicking here.

ABC: Slow Growth in Commercial Construction in 2012

Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group representing commercial construction interests, predicts slow growth in commercial construction activity in 2012.  Nonresidential construction spending is expect to increase 2.4 percent in 2012 following a decline of 2.4 percent in 2011.

Read the entire report at GSABusiness.com by clicking here.


Federal Reserve: South Carolina and Michigan have the best economic outlooks

According to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, South Carolina is one of two states that are expected to a growth rate of 4.5 percent or better in the Fed's coincident index, or gross state product, in the first six months of 2012.

Both South Carolina and Michigan top the Fed's list of prospects for rapid growth in the next few months.  Both state's have experienced significant improvements in employment.

The Greenville News reported on this story over the weekend.  Read their report at greenvilleonline.com by clicking here.

NPR's Planet Money: 2 million construction jobs lost in recession; only 1 million coming back

NPR's Planet Money, with the assistance of Economist Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute, recently looked at the construction jobs lost over the last 4 years and estimated the number that will likely come back when the economy improves.  Their finds are striking: 2 million jobs were lost, or a quarter of all construction jobs, and only half will come back.  What is even more striking is that while construction makes up just 5.6 percent of total jobs in America, they make up more than 30 percent of the jobs lost.

Read the entire report at NPR.org's Planet Money blog by clicking here.