NAHB: Jim Gregorie elected a Life Director of NAHB

Jim Gregorie is recognized by NAHB Vice Chairman Tom Woods

The board of directors of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) elected Jim Gregorie to be a life director at NAHB’s Spring Board of Directors’ Meeting in Washington, D.C., on June 9.  

“The success and scope of NAHB is largely due to the dedication and hard work of members of its board of directors such as Jim,” said NAHB Third Vice Chairman Tom Woods. “By giving up time with their own businesses and families, NAHB’s life directors are instrumental in helping further NAHB’s work to advance housing opportunities for all Americans.” 

Jim Gregorie is President of The Gregorie Company in Greenville. He has been a member of NAHB for 20 years, and has served as a voting director of NAHB for 10 years.  In addition, Gregorie served as President of the HBA of Greenville in 2002 and President of the HBA of South Carolina 2009.

In order to be eligible for election as a life director, NAHB builder and associate members must have served as a voting director for more than 10 years, have attended at least two board meetings each year, and be recommended by their local or state association.  The board of directors of the HBA of Greenville nominated Gregorie to the position of NAHB life director in November 2011.

HBA of Greenville featured in the Washington Post

The Washington Post today featured the HBA of Greenville, the Greenville community, and HBA of Greenville Past President Tom Dillard in a story about improving housing markets around the country.  Also quoted was HBA of Greenville Executive Vice President Michael Dey and NAHB Senior Economist Robert Denk.  Check out the story in the Washington Post by clicking here.

C. Dan Joyner to be inducted into the S.C. Housing Hall of Fame

C. Dan Joyner

The Home Builders Association of South Carolina announced today that C. Dan Joyner will be inducted posthumously into the S.C. Housing Hall of Fame.  Joyner, who died in January, was founder and CEO of Prudential C. Dan Joyner Realty.

The induction ceremony will take place September 20 in Columbia, S.C.

C. Dan Joyner’s contributions to the housing industry are varied and stem from his success in building one of the largest real estate brokerage firms in the United States. However, his business success is not the story that defines C. Dan Joyner. How he gave back is what defines C. Dan Joyner. No one knows how much he and his businesses contributed to various causes, but a conservative estimate would put his financial contributions in the millions. He supported efforts to boost Greenville, from community and economic development to tourism to human service. He supported his church, his profession and industry, and the arts. He led more than 20 community and professional organizations during his career.

His community and his profession have been generous with their honors as well. He received more than a dozen significant honors; the highest was the Order of the Palmetto.

Even as a young man, C. Dan Joyner was clearly destined to be a leader. His leadership and honors started at Greenville High School, followed him to Furman University where he was Student Body President, and then to the U.S. Army where he spent three years as an officer in military intelligence.

C. Dan Joyner contributed directly to the HBA of Greenville with two terms as a Director. He also served on numerous committees and task forces and was instrumental in its growth during its early years. He is listed on the HBA of Greenville’s membership roles for as far back as records exist. He encouraged his agents and brokers to maintain memberships in the association. In addition, Prudential C. Dan Joyner has been a regular sponsor of HBA of Greenville events and fundraisers.

C. Dan Joyner’s primary support to the housing industry was through his strong and unwavering support for the Association of Realtors at the local, state, and national levels, as well as the industry’s ambassador to dozens of community organizations in various leadership roles:

• President, Greater Greenville Association of Realtors (two terms) 
• Regional Vice President and President of the South Carolina Association of Realtors 
• Regional Vice President and Director of the National Association of Realtors 
• President, Greenville Multiple Listing Service 
• President, Real Estate Education Foundation 

C. Dan Joyner is a lifelong resident of Greenville. He earned his college degree from Furman University. He devoted his life and career to building a successful real estate business that had a profound effect on the real estate market in the Upstate. He listed as one of is greatest accomplishments, “finding homes for people.” His brokerage literally makes a market for real estate in the Upstate, which benefits home building and housing profoundly.

More significant than his business success, C. Dan Joyner was the eternal optimist. Everyone was his “buddy,” and he was the Cheerleader and Chief of Greenville. No one was more passionate about Greenville than C. Dan Joyner. He was one of the driving forces behind elevating Greenville South Carolina from a sleepy textile town into one of the most admired communities in America.

He would tell you, however, that his most fulfilling role was that of a devoted husband and father. He and his beloved wife, Kat, celebrated 53 years of marriage. They have three children; Danny Joyner, Lynn Freemon, and Beth Crigler; eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. He was a loving and caring man who enjoyed spending time with his family.

C. Dan Joyner left an indelible mark on Greenville and the Upstate, and his passing has left a significant hole in our community. His legacy of leadership and giving is truly unmatched. He showed the world how housing professionals give generously, and consistently, to their community.

What sprawl?

The US has a total land area 2.3 billion acres. In '07, the major land uses were forestland at 671 million acres (30%), grassland pasture and rangeland at 614 million acres (27%), cropland at 408 million acres (18%), parks and wildlife areas at 313 million acres (14%), misc uses (tundra and swamps) at 197 million acres (9%), and urban land at 61 million acres or just 3%! Sprawl, a problem?

Elliot F. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
GraphsandLaughs, LLC

Richard F. "Dick" Markel

Richard F. "Dick" Markel, 91, devoted husband and loving father, died Saturday, July 7, 2012, at St. Francis Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Phyllis Hinkle Markel.

He is the grandfather of Robert Markel, CGR, President of the Home Builders Association of Greenville and President of Hadrian Construction Company, Inc.

Dick, the son of the late Robert and Edna Markel, was reared in Johnstown, PA.

He was a 1942 engineering graduate of Pennsylvania State University. He served his country in World War II in Europe as a member of the 26th Infantry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery in combat. After the war, he did post-graduate work in engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 1948 until 1968, he was an engineer and executive with Great Lakes Carbon Company and the Carborundum Company in New York and California. In 1968, Dick formed his own engineering firm, R.F. Markel & Associates, which was based in Greenville from 1970 onward. He was an expert in carbon and graphite technology and held several patents. He specialized in the design of complex high-temperature furnaces and processes; he also supervised the installation of his designs in numerous factories in North America, Asia, and Europe.

Dick was an avid golfer and skilled woodworker. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Greenville.

He is also survived by four children: Kathryn Levy and husband Philip of Akron; Patricia Barnes and husband William of Charlotte; John and wife Fleming, and Richard and wife Tetiana, all of Greenville; four grandchildren, Melanie Levy, Alison Levy, Hampton Markel, and Robert Markel and wife Erin; and three great-grandchildren, Lillie, Louise, and John Douglas Markel.

Dick was predeceased by his sister, Marian Leventry Kinsey, and by his brothers, Robert, William, and Charles.

A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, Greenville, on Friday July 13, at 11:00 a.m. A reception at the church for family and friends will immediately follow the service.

Memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, 417 Rutherford St, Greenville, SC 29609, or Trinity Lutheran Church, 421 N. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.

NAHB: Greenville MSA is an Improving Market

84 METROS LISTED AS IMPROVING HOUSING MARKETS IN JULY

For the second straight month, the Greenville MSA (Greenville, Laurens, and Pickens counties) made the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI).  The list of U.S. housing markets showing measurable and sustained improvement rose by four to include 84 metros in July.  This number includes representatives from 32 states and the District of Columbia. One other city from South Carolina made the list: Florence.

"Greenville's inclusion on the Improving Markets Index is testimony to the solid improvements our housing market has made in the last year," Robert Markel, CGR, President of the Home Builders Association of Greenville, said.  "The only thing that has held us back has been housing prices," Markel said.  "Our market has always been stable where prices are concerned.  However, as inventory has fallen, prices have risen, putting Greenville on this national list."

The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. This month’s IMI includes 73 metros that held their positions on the list from June, as well as 11 newly added markets.

“The geographic diversity and growing number of metros on the latest IMI help spotlight the improvements we have begun to see in terms of home prices and job market conditions across certain parts of this country, which in turn are spurring more demand for new homes,” said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “That said, our members continue to assert the need for more reasonable credit standards and more accurate appraisal methods to perpetuate this positive momentum.”

“The modest increase in the July IMI is encouraging because it indicates that individual housing markets continue to regain their footing despite some recent reports of weakening in the broader economy,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This is evidence that the housing recovery is slowly but surely taking root, one market at a time.”

“The positive takeaway from today’s report is that an increasing number of consumers are looking at better conditions to both buy and sell homes, which should help spur greater activity in certain markets going forward,” noted Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First American Title Company.

The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest available data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metropolitan area must see improvement in all three areas for at least six months following their respective troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

A complete list of all 84 metropolitan areas currently on the IMI, and separate breakouts of metros newly added to or dropped from the list in July, is available at www.nahb.org/imi.

Greenville MSA Featured in Eye on Housing

The Greenville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which covers Greenville, Pickens, and Laurens counties, is the latest market to join NAHB's Improving Markets Index.  The index identifies markets that are improving based on three measures: 1) rising housing prices, 2) rising building activity, and 3) rising job creation.

NAHB featured Greenville last week on its blog, Eye on Housing.  Featured in the report were comments from HBA of Greenville President Elect Rick Quinn and Director Matt Vaughn.  Vaughn made note of a key issue that may impact home building as the housing market improves: "What’s scary is that unless there is some quick large-scale development I’m afraid we will run out of finished lots by the end of 2013."

Read the entire report at Eye on Housing by clicking here.

Click here for a video of NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe discussing the Improving Markets Index.

Note that the last factor causing Greenville to join the Improving Markets Index was house prices.  Housing prices in Greenville, while relatively stable, were not improving sufficiently until now to put our market on the list.  Now that demand is catching up and surpassing supply, housing prices have been steadily rising in the Greenville area for the last six months.