Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on May 15, 2017 in News
Builder Confidence Continues Climb Filed in Economics, Home Building by NAHB Now on May 15, 2017 • In a further sign that the housing market continues to strengthen, builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose two points in May to 70 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the second-highest HMI reading since the downturn. “This report shows that builders’ optimism in the housing market is solidifying, even as they deal with higher building material costs and shortages of lots and labor,” said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. “The HMI measure of future sales conditions reached its highest level since June 2005, a sign of growing consumer confidence in the new home market,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Especially as existing home inventory remains tight, we can expect increased demand for new construction moving forward.” Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 30 years, the NHMI 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 registered gains in May. The index charting sales expectations in the next six months jumped four points to 79 while the index gauging current sales conditions increased two points to 76. Meanwhile, the component measuring buyer traffic edged one point down to 51. The three-month moving averages for HMI scores posted gains in three out of the four regions. The Northeast and South each registered three-point gains to 49 and 71, respectively, while the West rose one point to 78. The Midwest was unchanged at 68. See the HMI tables, and find more information on housing statistics on...
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Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on May 15, 2017 in News
Young Pros Reveal 3 Most Valuable Takeaways from IBS 2017 Filed in International Builders’ Show, Membership by NAHB Now on May 15, 2017 • Scholarship recipients gather for a group shot at IBS 2017. Applications open today for the IBS 2018 Scholarship Program, allowing select NAHB members under 35 years of age to enjoy all the benefits of attending the NAHB International Builders’ Show® — practically for free. NAHB welcomed 22 scholarship recipients to IBS 2017. After the Show, they talked to NAHB about the most valuable takeaways. Products and More Products With over 569,000 square feet and more than 1,500 exhibitors, IBS is often where manufacturers unveil new products. It is also the place to find out what’s hot and what’s not in fixtures, finishes and building applications. “It was absurd — in a positive way,” said Laila Reilly, a client relations manager at MaGrann Associates in Mount Laurel, N.J. “It was bigger than any other conference I’ve attended, and I’ve never seen such sophisticated demonstrations before.” “I learned about the new products that are coming out and got new ideas—both of which are critical in my profession, the high-end custom home building market,” said Nicole Chappie of Magleby Construction, LLC in Lindon, Utah. Additionally, with more than 75 exhibitors and over 20,000 square feet of display space, the giant nextBUILD area at IBS was where attendees explored state-of-the-art business software solutions, design and personal technology tools. “I signed up with a project management software vendor that was there,” said Nathan Cooper, owner and president of River Valley Builders, Inc. in Little Rock, Ark. Because technology companies were conveniently grouped together on the show floor, “I was able to get all of my questions answered and make a decision right there.” Educational Offerings IBS 2017 featured more than 160 education sessions on 55+ housing, building performance, design, sales, remodeling, high-performance building, business management and multifamily. “Education was my primary reason for going. I learned a lot of great tips, techniques and trade secrets—things that I’ve been able to apply to my business already,” said Dan Souther, owner of Round Here Renovations LLC in Atlanta. A full registration is the way to go, said Chris Corder, owner of Coastal Restoration in Gearhart, Oregon. “Rather than fussing around with education throughout the year, why not go to something like IBS where you get it all in one spot?” Networking with Pros Building industry professionals of all ages attend the Builders’ Show to network with folks from all across the country. Whether it’s walking the show, listening to a seminar or attending an event, there are always opportunities to make connections. “We all come from such varied backgrounds, so it was interesting getting to learn their history, where they are from and what they do,” said Jordan Okimura, a financial analyst for Brookfield Residential Hawaii. “I enjoyed the whole aspect of...
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Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on May 11, 2017 in News
Big Savings from Better Codes Filed in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, Labor, Safety and Health by NAHB Now on May 10, 2017 • Practical building codes are critical to ensuring the safety and quality of every new home. But some proposals to change them are excessive, overreaching or seemingly created to benefit product manufactures significantly more than the home owners. Last year, NAHB led countless efforts that successfully removed or excluded unnecessary measures from building codes—provisions that would have greatly increased builder costs without a corresponding benefit and ultimately, impacted housing affordability. Many of these mandates focus on products or techniques regarding fire safety, air quality and energy efficiency. The combined impact of just a select number of such provisions that NAHB helped exclude from building codes is equal to an approximate savings of $1,200 per housing start in 2017. Go to nahb.org/value2017 for more about the financial impact of these code exclusions. Additional examples of the value of NAHB membership will continue to be highlighted throughout the coming...
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Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on May 10, 2017 in News
55+ Insights, Trends and More for Spring Filed in 55+ Housing, Councils & Committees, Design by NAHB Now on May 10, 2017 • The Spring issue of NAHB’s 55+ Housing magazine has hit the (virtual) bookshelves and copies are already being emailed to the 55+ Housing Industry Council. While non-members pay $40 a year to subscribe to the magazine, the online magazine is a free benefit for all NAHB Builder and Associate members — which means that even people who aren’t in the 55+ market can read about what’s new there. In this issue: A respected digital marketing company discusses the results of a survey of 55+ buyers and what they are looking for when they visit 55+ builders’ websites. What do these buyers really want? Storage: Even as this demographic group “downsizes,” it needs larger walk-in closets, cabinets for their extensive collection of kitchen supplies and a pantry with room for wine storage. A lender, an architect, a builder and an NAHB economist offer insight to readers looking at conditions in their local markets. Download the Spring issue and learn...
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Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on May 8, 2017 in News
How to Protect Your No. 1 Investment Filed in Labor, Safety and Health by NAHB Now on May 8, 2017 • Every day, nearly 2,000 people are injured using ladders. Many of these mishaps occur from overreaching for an object or missing the last step when climbing down. It is critical for workers to understand the common mistakes that lead to fall-related injures. Builders and trade contractors should take every opportunity to educate—and continually re-educate—their crews about safety. From May 8-12, thousands of construction companies and other businesses will be raising awareness about fall prevention by participating in the fourth annual National Safety Stand-Down. Builders are asked to stop work for at least 15 minutes during any day this week to talk directly with their workers about fall hazards and to reinforce the importance of fall protection on the jobsite. This year, NAHB is focusing on ladder safety, which OSHA ranked as the third-most frequently cited safety violation in 2016. For the third year in a row, Carl Harris, co-founder of Carl Harris Co., Inc. in Wichita, Kan., will be participating in the stand-down. Though he typically includes a safety component during his weekly meetings with employees, he says this week is a special opportunity to zero in on key issues. “We’ve built a strong culture of safety over the years, and this [week-long initiative] continues to be a valuable part of our business strategy,” Harris said. “Plus, it’s great when our guys see that we’re unified with countless other contractors who are highly focused on safety.” To further emphasize fall prevention to his employees, Harris has asked his crews to take part in safety “toolbox talks” on site for 20 minutes each day this week. “Contractors need to realize their No. 1 investment is their labor force, and protecting them is an investment that pays off,” Harris said. “When [an employee] sees that their employer cares about their health and is committed to ensuring their safety, it gives them even more motivation to give maximum effort.” More information about the National Safety Stand-Down, including training guides, videos and step-by-step resources on how to conduct your own stand-down are available at...
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Posted by karyl@hbaofic.org on Apr 26, 2017 in News
Filed in Economics, Home Building by NAHB Now on April 25, 2017 • The new Heritage Sands development on Cape Cod in Massachusetts is a Best in American Living award winner. Photo by Alison Caron. Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose for the third straight month, increasing 5.8% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 621,000 units, according to newly released data from HUD and the Census Bureau. “This month’s increase in new home sales is aligned with solid builder confidence and shows that the spring home buying season is off to a strong start,” said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. “However, builders are concerned that ongoing increases in building material costs will hurt housing affordability, especially given today’s proposal by the Department of Commerce to impose a hefty tariff on Canadian lumber.” “The March sales numbers are the second highest on record since the Great Recession, which is especially encouraging considering the poor weather conditions throughout many parts of the country,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “With tight existing home inventory, rising household formations and continued job creation, we can expect further growth in new home sales moving forward.” The inventory of new homes for sale was 268,000 in March, which is a 5.2-month supply at the current sales pace. The median sales price of new houses sold was $315,100. Regionally, new home sales increased 25.8% in the Northeast, 16.7% in the West and 1.6% in the South. Sales fell 4.5% in the Midwest. For additional analysis, read Dietz’s Eye on Housing blog...
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