Employment Opportunity: Sales Assistant and Office Manager

You Home Builders Association of Greenville has an opening on its staff for a Sales Assistant and Office Manager.  The position is full-time and offers a competitive wage and benefits including retirement, generous leave, long-term disability insurance, and a wellness program that includes a monthly stipend for health insurance premiums.  Applicants must be able to work occasional evenings and weekends.  Interested applicants should email their resume and statement of interest to Crystal Yanes, Chief Operating Officer, at CYanes@HBAofGreenville.com.

Save $500/$1000 with the GM NAHB Private Offer

We are pleased to extend to our members a private offer (1) of $500 toward the purchase or lease of most new GM vehicles. HBA members who are business owners can now qualify for up to $1,000 and also add on incentives from the National Fleet Purchase Program (2) and Business Choice (3) to get the best value on vehicles that run your business. To get this offer just visit HBA Member Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet, choose an eligible GM vehicle, and present your proof of membership form.  You can get a proof of membership form by contacting the HBA Office.

How it works:

• Get your NAHB proof of membership form at www.nahb.org/gm.
• Bring form to your GM dealer and mention this private offer.
• At time of purchase or lease, present your NAHB proof of membership.
• For private offer details, visit www.nahb.org/gm.

1Private offer amount varies by model. City Express and Low Cab Forward receive a $250 Offer for both Fleet and Retail deliveries. Fleet deliveries on the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Silverado, Express, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Acadia, Sierra, Savana, Yukon, XL receive a $1,000 Offer. All other Fleet or Retail deliveries receive a $500 Offer. Not compatible with other private offers. Not valid on prior purchases. Compatible with many current incentives. Incentives are subject to change without notice. See dealer for complete details.
2Offer eligible for qualified fleet customers only through Dec. 31, 2017. See dealer for details.
3To qualify, vehicle must be used in the day-to-day operation of the business and not solely for transportation purposes. Must provide proof of business. For complete program requirements, including information regarding offers, vehicles, equipment, options, warranties, and ordering, consult your dealer or visit gmbusinesschoice.com. Take delivery by Jan. 2, 2018.

The Headlines: September 14, 2017

Ten Home Building industry stories we have read recently:

• New FHA multifamily mortgage insurance applications halted in Texas disaster areas (expect delays in processing applications across the country). NAHBNow. 
• How local housing regulations smother the U.S. economy (and affordable housing). New York Times.
• Co-borrowing to afford a home is gaining popularity.  Who's doing it and why?  MarketWatch.
• Hurricanes Irma, Harvey boost call for flood insurance (renewal of the program).  Orlando Sentinel.
• 70 percent of Harvey residential flood damage not covered by insurance.  National Mortgage News.
• A devastating hurricane season exposes America's flood insurance problem (Senator Tim Scott is quoted).  Time.
• Labor shortage could hamper Harvey reconstruction.  Houston Chronicle.
• The last big piece of unfinished business from the Great Recession (Fannie and Freddie).  The Washington Post.  
• Top ten sources of softwood lumber imports (in short, Canada laps the field).  Eye on Housing.
• Baby Boomers who refuse to sell are dominating the housing market (55 percent of owner-occupied housing is owned by people 55 years and older, the highest in history).  Bloomberg.

Did you know?  25 percent of all flood insurance policies in the U.S. are written in the state of Florida.

September 14, 2017.

Southern Home and Garden Show

Appeal for volunteers

Member tickets are at Will-Call

Appeal for volunteers:
The Southern Home and Garden Show needs you!  Twice a year, the Home Builders Association of Greenville interacts with the public, face-to-face, as producer of the Southern Home and Garden Show.  We need your help to make the Home Show a success.

Volunteers are needed to work at the Approved Professional Builder booth, the lobby Exhibitor Registration and Will-Call area, and to help us keep the Exhibitor Lounge stocked with snacks and water.

We are seeking volunteers for two-hour shifts on the show days of Friday, September 15, Saturday, September 16, and Sunday, September 17.

You can register to volunteer by clicking here.

Member tickets:
HBA of Greenville members receive two tickets to the Southern Home and Garden Show compliments of the Home Show Committee members.  Simply go to the Will-Call counter outside the show entrance.  Your tickets will be waiting for you. 

Volunteer with your HBA and Rebuild Upstate partner to help a 78-year old widow

Your Home Builders Association and Rebuild Upstate will team up later this month to repair a deck that is the primary entrance for a 78-year-old widow in Easley.  Please consider volunteering.

Needed are 8-10 volunteers to perform the work.  Andrew Woodford of ABW Construction will supervise the project.

• Saturday, September 30
• 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes and dress appropriately to perform construction work.  The HBA will provide lunch and have water and sodas on hand.

To volunteer and for additional details, simply email Michael Dey at mdey@hbaofgreenville.com.  

Governor McMaster proclaims October Careers in Construction Month

Governor Henry McMaster

Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed October Careers in Construction Month.  In his proclamation, Governor McMaster states:

• South Carolina has nearly 60,000 vacancies in construction jobs
• South Carolina has los 26.8 percent of residential construction jobs
• 82 percent of construction companies regularly have jobs they are unable to fill
• 24,000 new construction workers are needed to meet South Carolina's current building needs

U.S. house prices rise 1.6 percent in second quarter

U.S. house prices rose 1.6 percent in the second quarter of 2017 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI). House prices rose 6.6 percent from the second quarter of 2016 to the second quarter of 2017. FHFA's seasonally adjusted monthly index for June was up 0.1 percent from May.

The HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages sold to, or guaranteed by, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA has produced a video of highlights for this quarter.

"U.S. house prices rose in most states during the second quarter," said FHFA Senior Economist William Doerner. "New home sales are climbing but, relative to the overall population, they still remain low from a historical perspective. The tight inventory is a major explanation for why house prices have been increasing every quarter over the last six years."

Significant Findings

• Home prices rose in 48 states and the District of Columbia between the second quarter of 2016 and the second quarter of 2017. The top five states in annual appreciation were: 1) Washington 12.4 percent; 2) Colorado 10.4 percent; 3) Idaho 10.3 percent; 4) Florida 9.4 percent; and 5) Utah 9.2 percent.
• Among the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., annual price increases were greatest in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA (MSAD), where prices increased by 15.7 percent. Prices were weakest in New Haven-Milford, CT, where they rose by 0.1 percent.
• Of the nine census divisions, the Pacific division experienced the strongest increase in the second quarter, posting a 2.6 percent quarterly increase and a 8.9 percent increase since the second quarter of last year. House price appreciation was weakest in the Middle Atlantic division, where prices rose 0.8 percent from the last quarter. 

In South Carolina, house prices rose 6.3 percent year-over-year.  In Greenville, prices rose 4.7 percent, but fell 1 percent from the first quarter to the second quarter.