New Energy Code (IECC) Course Planned for Greenville and Clemson

The implementation date of the 2009 IECC or International Energy Conservation Codes is January 1, 2013.

To help you prepare for the new code, the Home Builders Association of Greenville will host two seminars that will on the new energy code:

• December 5, 2012, at Greer City Hall 
• December 11, 2012, location to be announced.

Each seminar day will feature two course sections:

• 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. section will focus on residential implementation
• 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. section will focus on commercial implementation

John England, of England Enterprises, Inc., has been chosen to be the exclusive provider for the courses. John, and his company, are well regarded in the construction industry for education and code enforcement.

Watch this site for more information.  To register at HBAofGreenville.com, click here.

DIY's Raising House program is looking for a builder

DIY's Raising House program is looking for builders and home buyers to be featured in the program next season.  Construction must begin between October and November.  Interested members should contact the producer directly:  Gia Kornet, Producer, Atlas Media Corp., 917-351-8438.

NAHB: Top 12 Accomplishments Summer 2012, Number 1; Lead Paint

As a member of the HBA of Greenville, you also are a member of the National Association of Home Builders. NAHB's 3,000 directors and 250 staff have been working hard on your behalf this Spring. In the series we will publish over the next 12 days we will highlight the Top 12 accomplishments during the Spring of 2012.

Accomplishment 1: Introduction of Lead Paint Legislation in the House

Responding to concerns expressed by NAHB Remodelers members and others during our Capitol Hill visits at the Spring Legislative Conference and on many other occasions, Reps. John Sullivan (R-Okla.), Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) and a bipartisan group of original cosponsors introduced legislation to make much-needed improvements to the EPA’s Lead: Repair, Renovation and Painting (LRRP) rule.

H.R. 5911, the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012, is similar to NAHB-backed legislation (S. 2148) that was unveiled earlier this year in the Senate to help home owners and remodelers better comply with the costly work practices and recordkeeping requirements of the lead paint rule without compromising safety standards. This bill would provide families with greater flexibility to decide on their own remodeling activities while assuring them that sound safeguards remain in place to protect against lead hazards. Among other improvements, the bill seeks to restore the opt-out provision for homes that are not occupied by young children or a pregnant woman – a change that NAHB estimates would save approximately $336 million per year in compliance costs. Having led the effort to get this critical legislation introduced in the House, NAHB subsequently carried out intense lobbying and a federation-wide letter-writing campaign to secure additional cosponsors. We continue to build bipartisan support to bring it to fruition in the House and Senate. 

Judge the HBA of Columbia Tour of Homes

Do you enjoy checking out the new homes in other markets?  Do you just like judging a Parade of Homes from time to time?

The Greater Columbia Home Builders Association needs judges for the Tour of Homes, bill as the Largest Open House of New Homes; 21 builders have entered more than 40 homes.  Judging will take place Wednesday, September 12, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided on the day of judging.

If you are interested in participating as a judge, please contact Heather McDonald at the HBA of Columbia at 803-779-0635.

South Carolina Automotive Employment Up

According to a report by GSA Business, automotive employment in South Carolina is up 11.3 percent in the last year, and is back to pre-recession levels.  The majority of automotive jobs a clustered in the Upstate.  Current automotive employment in South Carolina is 31,600 jobs.  Read the complete report at GSA Business by clicking here.

Learn how to market your new homes on 8/23/12

The Builders Digital Experience will present their new home marketing program to HBA members following the General Membership Meeting on August 23.

The BDX has partnered with the Home Builders Association of Greenville to offer a FREE New Homes Listing Website. There will be a FREE information session after the meeting and it is open to all attendees. The info session is hosted by Tammie Smoot from The BDX.

Please see the flyer below for more details.

GOP includes support for Mortgage Interest Deduction in Party Platform

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today applauded the GOP Platform Drafting Committee for recognizing the importance of the mortgage interest deduction within its proposed platform.

“We are very pleased that the committee has recognized the crucial importance of the mortgage interest deduction,” said NAHB Chief Executive Officer Jerry Howard. “At a time when so many are struggling to recover from the recession, this action helps cement much-needed political support for a tax break that primarily benefits middle-income families.”

Including the mortgage interest deduction in the draft GOP platform also makes sense because of the broad support that the incentive enjoys among voters across the country, added Howard. An NAHB-commissioned poll this January found that 77 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of Independents and 71 percent of Democrats oppose eliminating this important tax break.

“Middle-class voters have seen their household wealth decline throughout the recession, and to a large extent they are the ones who will decide the outcome of this election,” noted Howard. “They are also the prime beneficiaries of the mortgage interest deduction. With this in mind, it seems obvious that maintaining this cornerstone of American housing policy should be among lawmakers’ primary goals.”

Make The Fall Southern Home & Garden Show Part Of Your Marketing Mix

Consumer shows and special events play a vital role in the marketing mix. They are dynamic, cost-effective for exhibitors, and give visitors the opportunity to listen, touch, feel, smell and taste - things that the Internet and other mediums cannot achieve.

For more than 50 years, the Home Builders Association of Greenville has staged the Southern Home & Garden Show every March. Three years ago, we added the Fall Southern Home & Garden Show to give our members and other home-related businesses an opportunity to reach consumers interested in fall fix-ups, landscaping, interior design and other seasonal projects.

The 4th Annual Fall Southern Home & Garden Show sponsored by Stock Building Supply will be held Sept. 28-30 at TD Convention Center. The show will include more than 200 exhibitors, along with workshops for children and hands-on workshops for adults on tiling, painting and fall planting presented by The Home Depot.

If your company sells products or services for the home, there is no better way to reach your target audience than during the Southern Home & Garden Show. Here are just a few ways your company can benefit from exhibiting:

1. Strengthen your relationship with your client base

The main benefit of show is that you have a ready-made audience. The people attending are likely to be those most interested in your product or service. This may well include some of your existing clients. Never underestimate the power of face-to-face. In an age where so much business is conducted via phone or email, people like to know there is a human face behind the company. As a matter of fact, research shows that consumers are more likely to do business with a company they have met at a show.

2. Meet new clients

Shows are a great place to generate new leads, keeping in mind that even if they don’t turn into customers right away, building a relationship and staying in touch with them means they may turn into customers at some point. Many of our exhibitors tell us that they work leads from the Southern Home & Garden Show year round.

3. Build brand awareness

If yours is a new company, getting your name out to the public is essential. Participating as an exhibitor in a show ensures that those who see you are those who are more likely to be interested in your product or service.

4. Build your corporate identity

A well-designed exhibit that reflects your brand and your marketing message can help when it comes to establishing and building your corporate identity. And having a presence at a show means that more people can get to know your brand.

5. Showcase your product or service

A show gives you the opportunity to truly showcase the benefits of your product or service through demonstrations. It also gives you the chance to receive immediate feedback from potential buyers.

For information on exhibiting in the 2012 Fall Southern Home & Garden Show sponsored by Stock Building Supply, call (864) 288-2221 or visit www.HBAofGreenville.com.