Deadline to RSVP for the Bridge Awards is TOMORROW!

 
Join special guest, Kimberly Kelly, as we recognize 2013's best and brightest in Sales and Marketing, Remodeling, and New Homes Thursday, January 30, 2014 at the TD Convention Center.

A cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. will kick-start the evening, followed by dinner and gala. 
Admission is by ticket only and all tickets must be reserved by Friday, January 24 at 12pm.

To reserve your tickets, contact the HBA Office at (864) 254-0133.

FHFA House Price Index Up 0.1 Percent in November

U.S. house prices showed signs of slowing in November, with a slight increase of 0.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) monthly House Price Index (HPI). The November HPI change marks the twenty-second consecutive monthly price increase in the purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index. The previously reported 0.5 percent increase in October remained unchanged.

The FHFA HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages either sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. From November 2012 to November 2013, house prices were up 7.6 percent. The U.S. index is 8.9 percent below its April 2007 peak and is roughly the same as the April 2005 index level.

For the nine census divisions, seasonally adjusted monthly price changes from October to November ranged from -1.4 percent in the East South Central division to +0.5 percent in the Mountain, West North Central, and East North Central divisions. The 12-month changes ranged from +3.2 percent in the Middle Atlantic division to +15.4 percent in the Pacific division.

Click here to read the complete report at FHFA.gov.

Welcome to the HBA Family, Jacob Brandt Niehaus

Please congratulate Matt Niehaus, Director of Government Affairs at NAHB, and his wife, Kate, on the birth of their son, Jacob Brandt Niehaus. Jacob weighed 7.1 pounds and was 19.5 inches long at birth.

Join SC Builders PAC

Your campaign dollars make a difference for home building in South Carolina. It's never too late to make a difference.

What HBA of South Carolina advocacy does for you:

• STOPPED the passage of the Fire Sprinkler bill, which would have mandated the installation of fire sprinklers in all new homes built beginning in 2011.
  POTENTIAL SAVINGS: More than $100 million annually.
  
• PASSED the Permit Extension bill, which prevents the wholesale abandonment of already-approved projects by extending the term of the permits for a set period of time as the economy improves.
  POTENTIAL SAVINGS: $15 million
  
• PASSED a bill that reversed the S.C. Supreme Court’s ruling on Crossman v. Harleysville Mutual and protects builders from faulty construction claims and provides stability with insurance coverage.
  POTENTIAL SAVINGS: $100 million annually.
  
• Advocated the adoption of a bill that addressed the significant increase in unemployment insurance premiums. The bill reduced the insurance premium to all employers by 25%.
  POTENTIAL SAVINGS: More than $15 million annually.

To a large extent, the climate for the home building industry is determined by state and local political decisions. Joining the SC Builders PAC means you have a hand in who is elected to office and the legislation that will affect your bottom line. Your voice will be heard and you can make a difference! You do not have to be knowledgeable in politics to become a member. If you are concerned about the future of the home building industry in your community and in South Carolina, then you should join the SC Builders PAC.

For more information and/or to join SC Builders PAC, visit http://hbaofsc.com/sc-builders-pac or contact your HBA of Greenville office at (864) 254-0133.