Builder Review Daily: Home Builders Association of Greenville: 10/18/15

Friday, October 23, 2015

Welcome New Staff

Fall brings changes in the seasons. It also has brought changes to the staff of the Home Builders Association of Greenville and the Southern Home and Garden Show.

The association and N-tegrate, the contractor that has managed the Southern Home and Garden Show since 2013, have changed the working relationship between the Home Show and N-tegrate. N-tegrate will continue the manage marketing, advertising, and creative for the Southern Home and Garden Show. The association is bringing management of the Southern Home and Garden Show onto its internal staff.

Dana Lyn Hoover, who managed sales for N-tegrate, has left N-tegrate and joined the staff of the Home Builders Association of Greenville as Director of Business Development. In that capacity Dana Lyn will manage sales of the Home Show, as well as oversee membership and sponsorship development. She also will work with association staff on the production of the Home Show.

Michael Dey, Executive Vice President, and Crystal Yanes, Director of Member Services, will assume expanded roles in the production of the Southern Home and Garden Show. Continuing their roles with the Home Show will be Tammy Krimm, Members Services Manager, will manage contracts and bookkeeping for the Home Show, and Abbey West, who recently came full-time as Communications Manager, who will manage communications for the Home Show.

"Along with our Board of Directors and Home Show Committee members, I am pleased by the strength of the team we have assembled to produce the Southern Home and Garden Show as it enters its 56th year," said Michael Dey, Executive Vice President. "We look forward to partnering with our members and exhibitors to continue to produce the largest and longest-running Home and Garden Show in South Carolina."

Caroline Batson

Carolyn Farr Batson, 98, of Greenville, widow of the late Harold M. Batson, Sr., died Thursday, October 22, 2015.

Carolyn is the mother of Elaine Malcolm, Membership Retention services for the Home Builders Association of Greenville.

Born in Greenville, Carolyn she was a daughter of the late John Edward and Carrie Groce Farr.

She is survived by two children, Harold Batson, Jr. (Pat) and Elain Malcolm; four grandchildren, Brian Batson (Alison), Dean Batson (Wendy), Milissa Alexander-Pierce (Sam), and Pam Conder (Bryon); seven great grandchildren, Dustin Batson (Lisa), Graham Batson, Bailey Batson, Emily Batson, Parks Batson, Amanda Alexander, and Darryl Ivester; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her loving husband she was preceded in death by five brothers; and three sisters.

Visitation will be held Sunday, October 25, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. at Berea First Baptist Church with the funeral service to follow at 3:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Berea First Baptist Church Legacy Fund, 529 Farrs Bridge Rd., Greenville, SC 29611.

The family will be at the residence.

Condolences may be made by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.

Carolyn Farr Batson, 98, of Greenville, widow of the late Harold M. Batson, Sr., died Thursday, October 22, 2015.

Born in Greenville, she was a daughter of the late John Edward and Carrie Groce Farr.

She is survived by two children, Harold Batson, Jr. (Pat) and Elain Malcolm; four grandchildren, Brian Batson (Alison), Dean Batson (Wendy), Milissa Alexander-Pierce (Sam), and Pam Conder (Bryon); seven great grandchildren, Dustin Batson (Lisa), Graham Batson, Bailey Batson, Emily Batson, Parks Batson, Amanda Alexander, and Darryl Ivester; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her loving husband she was preceded in death by five brothers; and three sisters.

Visitation will be held Sunday, October 25, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. at Berea First Baptist Church with the funeral service to follow at 3:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Berea First Baptist Church Legacy Fund, 529 Farrs Bridge Rd., Greenville, SC 29611.

The family will be at the residence.

Condolences may be made by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com.

Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Northwest. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/greenvilleonline/obituary.aspx?n=caorlyn-batson&pid=176202119&fhid=11935#sthash.KdvgBGH8.dpuf

Thursday, October 22, 2015

A Word From Jerry Howard, NAHB CEO

Below you will find the 10/22/2015 blog post from Association Maximization with Jerry Howard as the guest blogger. Read on to see what he has to say about NAHB's year as we get closer to the end of 2015.

Today's guest blogger is my dear friend Jerry Howard, Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Jerry has over 25 years of association experience and a lifetime in the housing industry. Jerry began his association career at the National Association of Realtors, where he served as a Legislative Analyst for tax issues. Prior to joining NAHB, Jerry served as the Chief Lobbyist for the National Council of State Housing Agencies where he was instrumental in the development of the low-income housing tax credit as part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Jerry came to NAHB as tax counsel in 1988 and served in a variety of roles, including Chief Lobbyist. Jerry was promoted to Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer in February 2001. Before embarking on his association career, Jerry practiced real estate law in his home state of South Carolina. His exposure to the housing industry has literally encompassed a lifetime; Jerry grew up working in a variety of roles for his father, a developer. Jerry earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina. He, his wife Christina and their children Eirann, Meaghan and Sean live in Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

NAHB at the Three Quarter Mark of 2015

Jerry Howard, NAHB CEO

NAHB has been busy this year fighting for housing on major policy issues, providing excellent educational programming, and creating outstanding networking opportunities for members. The proof of our success is in the numbers. Through the first eight months of 2015, just a handful of NAHB's many advocacy efforts saved association members a total of almost $720 million nationwide.

Stronger Market, Improving Membership
Even as NAHB is working hard on behalf of members, our economists are giving us good news about the state of the housing market. Chief Economist David Crowe and his staff are projecting roughly 1.1 million housing starts this year, almost 1.3 million in 2016 and roughly 1.5 million starts in 2017.

After several very tough years, membership numbers have stabilized and there are signs that soon we may be enjoying real growth. This last spring we had one of our most successful membership drives in years, with locals bringing in more than 3,600 new members. We’ll be wrapping up the fall drive at the end of October, and we have almost 70 percent of local associations participating. That is a 6 percent increase over the HBA participation rate last fall.

Design and Construction Week
NAHB is also deep into planning for the 2016 International Builders’ Show. For the third year in a row, NAHB is partnering with the National Kitchen and Bath Association and their Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) to produce Design and Construction Week.

Along with IBS and KBIS, this year’s Design and Construction Week will include two more industry tradeshows. The International Window Coverings Expo will join us once again in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The International Surface Event, which combines all types of flooring and tile, will co-date with us and will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

For three days in January, Design and Construction Week will be the center of the home building universe. And with acres of product exhibits, cutting-edge education, and countless networking events, NAHB’s Builders’ Show provides unparalleled opportunities for anyone working in the housing industry.

There is simply no better place to take the pulse of the housing market and learn everything you need to know to set your business on a course for success. I encourage any NAHB member who has not already registered to go to www.buildersshow.com.

Fighting for the Housing IndustryNAHB has been on the forefront of fighting the “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers ever since the proposal was first introduced. We have taken action on the legal, legislative and regulatory fronts to put a stop to this ill-advised rule.

NAHB is fighting several burdensome labor issues, includingthe Department of Labor’s (DOL) draft regulation on overtime, the DOL’s emphasis on classification of independent contractors, and the National Labor Relations Board’s decision in Browning Ferris Industries, which expands the “joint employer” definition.

In a victory for single-family home builders, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) announced Oct. 2 its decision to delay enforcement of the new Confined Spaces in Construction Standard until Jan. 8, 2016.

The Army Corps of Engineers made significant changes to its new flood plain standards based on comments provided by NAHB. The Corps will not apply the floodplain requirements to Clean Water Act wetland permits. Similarly, FEMA will not apply the requirements to the National Flood Insurance Program, and HUD has indicated that the standard will not apply to FHA insurance of single-family mortgages.

NAHB is very involved in the ongoing effort to keep codes sensible and cost-effective. Earlier this month, NAHB 1st Vice Chairman Ed Brady spoke to the International Code Council during their meetings in Long Beach, California about the importance of cost-effective building code changes.

This has always been the theme of NAHB’s advocacy: Code change proposals that attempt to make homes safer and more energy efficient need to be balanced with what families can actually afford – so we have buyers for these homes. And while proposals that would have limited a lot of flexibility in our construction practices were soundly defeated when code officials voted in Long Beach, advocates who have their own profits in mind are likely to try to influence the final outcome when these proposals are opened to online voting later this month. Be on the lookout for the NAHB Voting Guide and be ready to share it with the building code officials in your city so they support only those code change proposals that are necessary and will result in building sustainable homes that are also safe and affordable.

Learn More about how NAHB Can Serve You
These are just a few highlights of the many ways NAHB is working for members. I could go on about NAHB’s educational offerings, leadership from NAHB councils, designation programs that help members set themselves apart, and Member Advantage programs that save members millions of dollars each year. But the easiest way to learn about all these services, and much more, is to visit www.valueofnahb.org.

Regards,

Jerry

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Economists to Discuss Housing Outlook at Upcoming Webinar

Crystal balls and magic 8 balls will not be used. Rather, industry experts will rely on hard data, notable trends and key insights as they discuss the housing outlook for 2016 and beyond during the Fall Construction Forecast Webinar.

NAHB will host the semi-annual event tomorrow Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 2-4 p.m. ET. Leading economists and finance experts will examine some of the most pressing issues in housing, including:

Predictions of housing’s path in 2016-17
Hurdles regarding labor and land shortage
Changes in demographics and demand
Actions and impacts of the Federal Reserve

During the webinar, NAHB chief Economist David Crowe, NAHB chief economist, will break down complex concerns impacting the building industry. Robert Denk, NAHB’s assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, will then present a state-by-state analysis of key areas such as housing prices, starts and employment.

Trulia Housing Economist Ralph McLaughlin will also join as a special guest. McLaughlin’s specialties include housing economics, land use and housing policy, and industrial geography.

Participants will be able to submit their questions online throughout the webinar.

For more information and to register, go to nahb.org.

Builder Confidence on the Rise in October

Builder confidence in the market for newly constructed single-family homes rose three points in October to a level of 64 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This month’s reading is a return to HMI levels seen at the end of the housing boom in late 2005.

“The fact that builder confidence has held in the 60s since June is proof that the single-family housing market is making lasting gains as more serious buyers come forward,” said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods. “However, our members continue to tell us there are still pockets of softness in some markets across the nation, and that they face challenges regarding the availability of lots and labor.”

“With firm job creation, economic growth and the release of pent-up demand, we expect housing to keep moving forward as we start to close out 2015,”said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 30 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.” Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

Two of the three HMI components posted gains in October. The index measuring sales expectations in the next six months rose seven points to 75, and the component gauging current sales conditions increased three points to 70. Meanwhile, the index charting buyer traffic held steady at 47.

Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, all four regions posted gains. The West registered a five-point uptick to 69 while the Northeast, Midwest and South each rose one point to 47, 60 and 65, respectively.

Monday, October 19, 2015

A Renewed Push for Housing Finance Reform

In an effort to advance housing finance reform that will provide certainty and stability to the nation’s financial markets and promote job and economic growth, NAHB has updated its 2012 white paper on this key housing issue.

Why Housing Matters: A Comprehensive Framework for Housing Finance System Reform reflects market developments since 2012 and retains the central tenet of NAHB’s housing finance system reform policy – the creation of a new securitization system for conventional mortgages backed by private capital and a privately funded mortgage-backed insurance fund with a federal government backstop in the event of catastrophic circumstances.

NAHB supports comprehensive finance reform based on the bipartisan Johnson-Crapo bill (S. 1217) approved by the Senate Banking Committee in the last Congress that would gradually transition Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into a private-sector-oriented system, where the federal government’s role is clear, but its exposure is limited.

The home building industry’s ability to meet the demand for housing and contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth depends on an efficient housing finance system. However, years after the fact, home buyers and builders continue to confront challenging credit conditions triggered by an overzealous regulatory response to the Great Recession.

While there are many reasons Congress and federal regulators must tackle housing finance reform, some stand out as compelling:

The Housing Act of 1949 pledged a “decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.” That principle remains a bedrock for Americans, although delivering on the promise is more difficult in 2015 and beyond.
Homeownership has been the most effective step on the ladder into the middle class and to create wealth for most Americans since the 1950s, and continues to fill that role while also fulfilling the promise of the Housing Act of 1949.
Housing is “made in America.” The jobs that home building creates cannot be shipped overseas. Most of the products used in home construction are manufactured here in the U.S. and directly correlate to American manufacturing jobs at all levels.
A reformed national housing finance policy supports the Housing Act of 1949’s goals. Equally important, fixing an inefficient housing finance system that lacks effective financial safeguards for the nation’s housing and mortgage markets will markedly reduce the probability of triggering another catastrophic Great Recession.

NAHB will continue to work diligently with policymakers to advance housing finance reform that will maintain an appropriate level of government support to preserve financial stability, encourage private capital back into the marketplace and ensure liquidity and stability for homeownership and rental housing.

View the NAHB white paper on housing finance system reform .

FHFA Adopts Affordable Housing Goals for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today it has adopted a final rule establishing single-family and multifamily housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2015 through 2017.

The final rule sets identical benchmarks for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in all categories and for the first time it establishes goals for rental units affordable to low-income families in small (5- to 50-unit) multifamily properties.

“The single-family goals advance the Enterprises’ (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) mission to provide access to credit for creditworthy borrowers and provide liquidity to the U.S. housing market while operating in a safe and sound manner,” FHFA Director Mel Watt said in a press statement. “The multifamily goals will create rental opportunities for those who need affordable housing. Together, these goals establish a solid foundation for affordable and sustainable homeownership and rental opportunity in this country.”

NAHB previously sent comments to FHFA on the 2015-2017 housing goals, stating that the we believe that the goals are set at an appropriate level in the single-family area. On the multifamily side, NAHB expressed support for FHFA’s proposal to establish a low-income, small multifamily goal and generally agreed the goal levels as recommended for multifamily in 2015-2017 were appropriate.

The final rule will become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

View chart summaries for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s 2014 and final 2015-2017 housing goals.