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Thursday, November 29, 2012

NAHB CEO Available For Comment on Fiscal Cliff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Paul Lopez

202-266-8409

plopez@nahb.org


www.nahb.org

Media Availability: NAHB CEO Available to Comment on Fiscal Cliff Discussions and the Mortgage Interest Deduction

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29--As Congress and the White House contemplate the fiscal cliff and potential tax ramifications going forward, the mortgage interest deduction has been among the discussions of deductions at risk.

NAHB CEO Jerry Howard is available today to discuss the fate of the mortgage interest deduction and how any changes could result in a chill on the fragile housing recovery.

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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

International Builders' Show Kicks off with Keynote from Former Walt Disney Company Leader Michael Eisner

International Builders' Show Kicks off with Keynote from Former Walt Disney Company Leader Michael Eisner

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15--Legendary entertainment industry leader, Michael Eisner was announced today as the keynote speaker for the 2013 NAHB International Builders Show® (IBS), the housing industry's largest annual trade show and exhibition. The show, held Jan. 22-24 at the Las Vegas Convention Center will play host to professionals representing all facets of the housing industry from around the world. Eisner will address attendees on Jan. 22, during the IBS Opening Ceremonies.

"The Opening Ceremonies always provides an impressive lineup of speakers and entertainment, and this year is no exception," said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. "We look forward to hearing the inspirational words of former Disney leader Michael Eisner, followed by a comedic performance of the Capitol Steps."

Eisner, who served as the Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company for twenty-one years, is recognized for having revitalized and reinvented the company into a full spectrum entertainment enterprise. Under his leadership, the company began implementation of a continuing series of creative growth strategies that resulted in its annual revenues rising from $1.7 billion to more than $30 billion. Michael Eisner continues to be an entertainment innovator to this day. His investment company Tornante launched Vuguru, a studio producing original programming for the Internet, portable media devices and cell phones.

Drawing from his vast experience as both a Fortune 500 CEO and an entrepreneur, his remarks will motivate corporate innovation and teamwork.

Closing out the Opening Ceremonies will be a performance by famed political satire group, the Capitol Steps. Created in December 1981, the Steps began as a group of senate staffers who used the headlines of the day to create song parodies and skits that conveyed a special brand of satirical humor.

Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded more than 30 albums and have been featured on numerous major television networks. Although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices, and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience.

The IBS Opening Ceremonies is open to all registered attendees. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and limited general seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

The 2013 NAHB International Builders' Show is not open to the general public. Building industry professionals and their affiliates throughout the housing trades may register by visiting the show's Web Site at
www.BuildersShow.com.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Complimentary registration is available to credentialed members of the working press. Visit http://www.buildersshow.com/press for more information or to register.]

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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Follow NAHB on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/NAHBMedia.

Early Deals From Dell For NAHB Members

Dell’s Black Friday event is here early for NAHB members. Starting today, members will have exclusive early access to some of our best Black Friday deals on desktops, laptops, servers, workstations and select Electronics and Accessories. Member discounts of up to 10% will be valid on top of already great offers.

To make the most of your discount follow these steps:


2. Write down or copy coupon codes you are interested in using.

3. Click on the banner that reads “Black Friday Savings are Here…”

4. Check out the amazing discounts exclusive to NAHB Members.

5. Build the technology you need and add in the coupon code to your already discounted total during checkout.

 Here are some of the great deals below:

Dell Vostro 3555 Laptop

AMD Quad-core Processor, Windows 7 Professional, 4GB of memory and 500 GB hard drive, 15 inch screen

Standard Price: $729

Instant Savings Plus NAHB Member Discount: $391.02


Dell Precision M4700 Mobile Workstation

3rd Gen Intel Core i7 Processor, Windows 7 Professional, 8GB of memory and 750GB hard drive, NVDIA Quadro K1000M with 2GBDDR3; available with Windows 8.

Standard Price: $2,486

Instant Savings Plus NAHB Member Discount: $1,304.10


Dell Latitude 5430 Laptop

3rd Gen Intel Core i3 Processor, Windows 7 Professional, 4GB of memory and 320GB hard drive, 15 inch screen; available with Windows 8.

Standard Price: $830

Instant Savings Plus NAHB Member Discount: $474.05


Samsung WB150F Black 14.2MP 18X Long Zoom Digital Smart Camera

The WB150F Samsung Smart Camera uses a powerful 18x optical zoom , can capture video in 720p resolution at 30 frames per second, and this camera has built-in wireless functionality so you can upload high-quality photos to social networking sites and seamlessly sync your camera to other Smart devices.

Standard Price: $229.99

Instant Savings Plus NAHB Member Discount: $123.49


When you buy through Dell, you also have access to additional business benefits:


· Free technology consultation with an experienced Small Business advisor trained to recommend solutions tailored to needs, preferences, and budget.

· Professional Class Service and Support. Optional Dell Prosupport™ ensures a single point of accountability for your hardware and software support needs 24x7.

· Small Business Resources including access to online tools such as tutorials, webinars and tips.


To learn more about your membership benefits and shop Black Friday early, visit www.dell.com/NAHB or call 1-800-757-8442. If you have any difficulty accessing these discounts just call the Dell at 1-800-757-8442 and make sure to say you are a NAHB Member; and they will help get you the best possible price on your new electronics.

Statement from NAHB Chairman Barry Rtenberg on the Actuarial Review of the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund

Statement from NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg on the Actuarial Review of the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 - Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., today issued the following statement on the latest actuarial review of the FHA mutual mortgage insurance fund:

"In light of today's report, there will certainly be discussion about altering the structure or role of the FHA. We would urge policymakers to proceed cautiously.

"The FHA was created during the Great Depression to promote stability in the housing marketplace and allow first-time buyers and middle class families to attain the dream of homeownership. Over the ensuing 78 years, the agency has successfully achieved its mission at no cost to taxpayers. The fact that the FHA finds itself in this position now, as opposed to four years ago during the height of the financial meltdown, is testament to its ability to meet its mission in these difficult economic times.

"While there is no doubt that the housing finance system needs to be reformed, the contributions that the FHA has made during this economic downturn underscore the need for a government backstop for both the primary and secondary mortgage markets. In times of crisis, private financial institutions have fled the marketplace and consistently failed to step up to the plate. Without government support for home purchasing and refinancing, the nation's mortgage markets will grind to a halt, throwing the economy back into recession.

"Given the significant role that housing plays in the economy, policymakers need to take a long-term, holistic approach to housing finance reform and carefully gauge how it affects other efforts under way to get the nation's fiscal house in order and achieve long-term economic growth."

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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Follow NAHB on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/NAHBMedia.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Builder Confidence in the 55+ Housing Market Continues to Improve in the Third Quarter

Builder Confidence in the 55+ Housing Market Continues to Improve in the Third Quarter

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 - Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market for single-family homes showed significant improvement in the third quarter of 2012 compared to the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) latest 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. The index more than tripled year over year from a level of 12 to 36, which is the highest third-quarter reading since the inception of the index in 2008.

"Many builders and developers in the 55+ housing segment are reporting an increase in demand from consumers," said NAHB 50+ Housing Council Chairman W. Don Whyte. "We are seeing improvement in certain parts of the country where people are moving off the fence and either purchasing a home or renting an apartment that is designed to more specifically suit their lifestyle."

There are separate 55+ HMIs for three segments of the 55+ housing market: single-family homes, multifamily condominiums and rental apartments. Each index measures builder sentiment based on a survey that asks if current sales, prospective buyer traffic and anticipated six-month sales for that market are good, fair or poor (high, average or low for traffic). An index number below 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as poor than good.

Although all components of the 55+ single-family HMI remain below 50, they at least doubled from a year ago: present sales climbed 25 points to 36, expected sales for the next six months increased 27 points to 42 and traffic of prospective buyers rose 20 points to 33.

The 55+ multifamily condo HMI had a significant increase of 13 points to 23, which is the highest third-quarter reading since the inception of the index in 2008; however, condos remain the weakest segment of the 55+ housing market. All 55+ multifamily HMI components increased considerably compared to a year ago as present sales rose 13 points to 22, expected sales for the next six months jumped 19 points to 29 and traffic of prospective buyers climbed 11 points to 22.

Meanwhile, the 55+ multifamily rental indices, which already recovered substantially last year, showed continued but more modest increases in the third quarter: present production climbed six points to 31, expected future production increased nine points to 35 and current demand for existing units and expected future demand improved two points to 42 and 44, respectively.

"Like other segments of the housing industry, the market for 55+ housing is continuing on a steady upward path, driven by improving conditions in additional markets around some parts of the country" said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe "While we expect the upward trend to continue as the recovery broadens, the speed of the recovery is being constrained by factors as tight mortgage credit, making it difficult for potential 55+ customers to sell their current homes, and shortages of inputs to construction such as buildable lots that are beginning to emerge in some market areas."

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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Follow NAHB on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/NAHBMedia.

What Has the HBA of Michigan Done for You Lately?


Home Builders Congratulate President Obama on Re-Election to a Second Term

Home Builders Congratulate President Obama on Re-Election to a Second Term

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 - Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., issued the following statement on Tuesday's national elections:

"The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) congratulates President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States of America and all the lawmakers who were elected to the 113th Congress.

"In the closing weeks of the 112th Congress, NAHB urges President Obama and congressional leaders to work together to resolve issues related to the 'fiscal cliff' by extending all of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts while being mindful of how broad-based tax reform will affect the fledgling housing recovery. Any effort to engage in tax reform should be done in a careful and deliberate manner and demands the proper vetting by Congress and all relevant stakeholders. There should be no rush to judgment on an issue that will affect virtually every American citizen.

"Moreover, when the new Congress convenes in January, NAHB looks forward to working in a bipartisan manner with the Administration and with Republican and Democratic leaders to tackle critical issues facing the housing industry.

"Making sure creditworthy consumers and small businesses can get mortgages and loans, tackling housing finance reform in a responsible manner and resolving the foreclosure crisis are vital to spur job growth and strengthen the housing and economic recovery."

 

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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in remodeling, home building, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.

Follow NAHB on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/NAHBMedia.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

$100 Rebate on HBA Membership for Michigan Saves Program

$100 Rebate on HBA Membership for Michigan Saves Program
Some of you are familiar with the Michigan Saves program. It is a financing program for contractors customers to utilize (for various energy efficiency improvements) even if their customers have no equity in their homes. Interest rates are 7% (or less) and it is a great tool for folks who might not have manufacturer financing or equity loan options. For the next 25 contractors that sign up to be MI Saves contractors, they are eligible to receive $100 back on their HBA membership or renewal. Becoming a Michigan Saves contractor is quite simple and only requires participation in a 2-hour webinar online.

To participate, contractors must complete a Michigan Saves contractor application, available at https://www2.michigansaves.org/users/sign_in ; register for an online contractor training session at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/8351530028926885120; and submit your name to the HBA of Michigan for the promotion. You must complete the Michigan Saves Home Energy Loan Program Contractor Application process, including contractor training, become a Michigan Saves Authorized Contractor and join/renew your HBA membership by December 31, 2012.

As an added bonus, Michigan Saves will also make workforce development funds available to any contractor who completes a Michigan Saves contractor application. Through their workforce development program, Michigan Saves is reimbursing contractors, who attend approved training classes, up to 50% (but not exceed $1,000) per individual per training class, with a cumulative company cap of $3,000. Workforce development funds can be used for BPI Building Analyst & Building Envelope Certification, sales & marketing training, ASHRAE 62.2 training, indoor air quality & mold training, to name a few. To qualify for the workforce development funds, Michigan Saves authorized contractors must reserve funds ASAP and complete their training class by December 31, 2012.

For questions about this promotion, please email Todd Parker, Manager of Contractor Services, at registration@michigansaves.org or call 517-484-6474.
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HOME BUILDERS HOUSING INDEX SHOWS SOLID THIRD QUARTER GAINS IN BUILDING AND REMODELING IN MICHIGAN


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Contact: Ross Woodstock

                                                                                    Kolt Communications, Inc

October 30, 2012                                                        517-706-0001/517-410-7636

                                                                                    Ross@Koltpr.com

 

Home Builders Housing Index Shows Solid Third Quarter Gains in Building and Remodeling in Michigan

 

 (Lansing, MI) – A statewide survey of homebuilders and remodelers showed significant improvement in the building industry’s outlook as the Michigan Housing Index (MHI) reached its highest level in its 2 and ½ year history.  The MHI, covering the third quarter of 2012, showed a sharp increase from the second quarter index, and was significantly higher than the same period one year ago. The latest Michigan Housing Index covers the time period of July through September 2012.

“The trend lines have been positive, so it is encouraging to see the outlook for building continues to improve,” said Robert Filka, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Michigan (HBAM), which conducts the monthly survey.  “We’ve got a long way to go before we see anything near normal historical production, but things are definitely headed in the right direction.”
 
 Following is a year-to-year comparison of the MHI Index:
 

                                    September 2012         June 2012       September 2011

Builders Index                                     52                       38                            31

Remodelers Index                    50                       40                            45

 

 

The Michigan Housing Index (MHI) is a quarterly summary of building and remodeling activity compiled by HBAM.  The survey asks builders about the number of homes currently under construction and in the planning stages.  Builders are also asked to evaluate their prospects for future customers.  Totals are calculated in an index that is reported quarterly to provide a tracking mechanism for the industry’s process. The survey breaks down builder/remodeler sentiment into three categories:

  • Less than 45  (pessimistic)
  • 45-55 (cautious optimism)
  • Above 55 (optimism) 

“While it is good to note that Michigan homebuilders and remodelers are cautiously optimistic about the next few months, our overall economy must see more rapid and sustained growth for a complete recovery of our housing industry,” said Filka.

Filka also noted there remains much concern within the homebuilding industry over the possibility that Congress and the President could begin overhauling the federal tax code in 2013, which could threaten some of the most important tools that encourage home ownership, including the ability for consumers to deduct mortgage interest.

“We must protect the mortgage interest deduction,” said Filka. We shouldn’t change the rules on the one tax break that has been most important in creating a stable middle class in America. A strong housing market is not only important to help more Michigan citizens realize the dream of homeownership, but is essential to revitalizing Michigan’s economy. When builders are constructing homes that means jobs and investment, which provide a better quality of life and support for Michigan schools and municipalities.” 

About the MAHB Michigan Housing Index:
 
The Michigan Housing Index combines results of a monthly survey of Michigan builders and remodelers along with a series of economic statistics including single family home permits, crude oil prices, automobile production and unemployment. The HBAM Michigan Housing Index is intended to provide an accurate projection of the future direction of the building and remodeling housing market in Michigan.

About the Michigan Association of Home Builders:

The Home Builders Association of Michigan is a professional trade association comprised of 27 local homebuilder associations around the state and their builder, subcontractor and supplier members.  HBAM works to positively promote the building industry and impact legislative, regulatory and legal issues affecting housing affordability.

 

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