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DON'T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY |
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The HBAGTA publication that will be distributed during the upcoming Showcase of Remodeled Homes will also be an opportunity for our members to showcase their special niche or knowledge in the Home Building Industry. Our mission with the Showcase Tour Guide is to educate our community on the diverse resources and experts available to them through our Association. Instead of using "canned" articles from national sources, we would like to focus on our local membership and services that they offer our community.
We would like YOU, our members to submit your articles for publication. There will not be a charge for this opportunity (There are other advertising opportunities available), however, the HBAGTA reserves the right of editorial priviledges. The articles will be reviewed by an editorial committee and will be chosen on content, validity as well as special interest and space available.
The articles are not intended to promote a specific product or business, however, it should educate and inform consumers on a topic that would be of interest in the Home Building Industry.
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CALENDAR AND
EVENT LINKS |
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August 12, 2009
National Green Standard Users Group
Pre-registration required.
August 18, 2009
Membership Committee 9:30 am
Green Build Grand Traverse Committee 11:30 am
August 19, 2009
Showcase of Remodeled Homes Committee 9:00 am
August 20, 2009
Public Relations Committee 8:00 am
August 21-22, 2009
Board of Directors Meeting
August 28 & 29, 2009
September 23, 2009
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR!
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Sponsor Link
CONTACT THE HBAGTA TO BECOME A TUESDAY TOOLBOX SPONSOR!
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SPRINKLER CODE FROZEN
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According to Chesaning Township Building Administrator Sam Foreman, the July 22 hearing regarding changes to the building code, which would have required sprinklers installed in all new single-family home construction. "I was told that they withdrew due to too much opposition. It's not dead, though," Foreman cautioned. The committee got too much flack from it, he explained.
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REGISTRATION FOR INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS SHOW |
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Registration and housing for the 2010 IBS in Las Vegas opens on Monday, August 3, 2009. NAHB has secured some great rates at most of the Las Vegas hotels. But for many properties, these rates will only be guaranteed if you register for the show and book your room before August 31, 2009.
Michigan has room blocks at the Las Vegas Hilton ($109 per night) and Ballys ($44 weekday/$96 weekend). Your charge card will not be charged until December 2009.
www.buildersshow.com.
IBS Michigan Room Blocks MODIFIED-you may have already discovered that our Michigan room blocks for January's International Builders Show in Las Vegas have been modified. We have blocks at two hotels.
Members who plan to attend can either be centrally located on the strip (at Ballys) or centrally located to the show itself (at the Las Vegas Hilton adjacent to the conference center).
Remember, register this month to get the best pricing locked in...and the great thing about registering in August is that IBS won't ding your credit card until December if you register in August. So, if your members need to cancel for some reason, they won't have to put their money out ahead of time and wait for a refund.
Take advantage of this offer. Please also know that we are planning a modest Michigan reception at the Hilton for Michigan's own Bob Jones...who will take the gavel as Chairman of NAHB at the conclusion of the NAHB Board Meeting at IBS. The exact date for the reception has not yet been confirmed.
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| Greetings! ,
 Kathy is attending the National Executive Officer Council (EOC) Conference in Louisville, Kentucky this week. Stay tuned for next weeks message! As always, we are building a stronger Association!
Kathy
Kathleen Maisonville
Executive Officer
p: 231.946.2305
f: 231.946.1051
toll free: 800.422.5166
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SHOWCASE OF REMODELED HOMES |
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SATURDAY & SUNDAY
OCTOBER 3 & 4
12pm to 6pm each day |
The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area announced they are planning a new event this year showcasing Remodeling Projects. The event is scheduled for October 3 & 4, 2009 in the Greater Grand Traverse Region and is open to all types of remodel projects including kitchens, bathrooms, home additions and more. Residential remodel projects completed after January 1, 2006 and before September 4, 2009 are eligible to participate. Builders and Remodelers are encouraged to include "Before" and "After" pictures of the remodel project for publication. For more information, contact the HBAGTA at 231-946-2305.
Think this event is "Just for Builders"? ABSOLUTELY NOT! This event is open to all of our members, including our Associates! Are you a Landscape Architect, Kitchen Design Company, Designer, OR...(your business here)....If you have worked on a project that fits the requirements of the contract, indoors or outdoors, you should be showcasing your work in this event!
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Call the HBAGTA Office to find out how you can be involved. -
Plan for an opportunity to have your business and work showcased in this exciting premier event!
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EARN YOUR CERTIFIED GREEN PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION (CGP) |
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2-Day Course Instructor: Bruce Frost Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day Location: Roger Papineau Professional Development Center - Lower level of the HBAGTA Office Cost: $325 Members / $375 Non-Members Early Bird Discount: Register and pay on or before August 14, 2009 and save $30  Learn how green homes provide buyers with lower energy costs and higher value. This 2-day course for building professionals discusses strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction. You will learn how green homes provide buyers lower maintenance, better indoor air quality and better long-term value. Techniques are also discussed for competitively differentiating your home products with increased indoor environmental quality as well as energy and resource efficiency. CLICK HERE For More Information
REMINDER: EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 14! |
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EVERYBODY PAYS FOR WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS |
 Don't take chances when it comes to safety. If an employee is injured on the job, everyone pays. Safety education is a proven method of controlling costs.
MCIM policyholders and their employees are encouraged to attend a Safety Seminar. This is a free service provided to MCIM customers. Your company may also qualify for a premium credit if 25% of your field employees attend. Seminars run from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and include breakfast. Topics covered include scaffolding, ladders, tools and equipment, excavation/underground work and real accidents. For more information, go to www.mcim.com and click on Safety Seminars. The Traverse City Safety Seminar is on September 23rd. However, eight other sessions are also offered in various cities in Michigan this fall. |
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BUILDER RADIO WEBINAR HIGHLIGHTS NEW TRENDS IN HOME DESIGN |
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What if every plan in your portfolio was suddenly out of date?
In the period of just one year - from April 2008 to April 2009, economics have caused buyers to reassess and reprioritize their aspirations, wants... even their needs. Buyers still want maximum livability, but they're demanding that it be delivered in ever-smaller packages.
Join architect Anne Olson and model merchandiser Doris Pearlman for a very special live webinar titled Perfect, Yet Pragmatic: Design Trends for 2009... And Beyond! In this one-hour presentation Pearlman and Olson will document the dynamic changes in homebuyer preferences and how these are impacting current home sales, and how you can position your company with the right product, size, options, space, and price to meet current - and future - demand.
Make plans now to attend the live presentation, or register to view or download the recorded video of the entire presentation.
Topic: Perfect, Yet Pragmatic: Design Trends for 2009... And Beyond!
Date: Wednesday, August 12 - 2:00p Eastern time.
Price: $37 per computer connection.
Register here.
Pearlman and Olson will share case studies of common sense solutions to use of space and how new technology is changing how people live in their homes. Examples of flexible, design savvy floorplans will be featured, and new trends such as Universal Design will be explained.
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PROGRESSIVE MARKDOWNS AT THE ANNEX |
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 Wooden Hammer Annex adjacent to Wuerfel Park is moving to a new, larger location next month in the Campus Plaza. The Annex staff is extremely pleased to be able to offer products at a more central location for customers in the five county service areas. According to Sales Representative, Mike Bartkowiak, the new store at 1213 E. Front Street, Traverse City, will offer working displays and a state-of-the-art design center. In order to make the move in a timely fashion, all current merchandise at the store on US 31 is available at below cost pricing. This is great news for builders and remodelers who wish to take advantage of some excellent deals. For more information, contact Mike at 231-943-7801. |
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LEARNING/NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS |
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 Want to learn more about green tax credits and how they can help sell your products and/or services? Do you know everything you need to about the latest green building and remodeling standards? Are you interested in networking with leading green building experts from across the state? As a professional in the building industry, it is vitally important to stay up to speed on the latest trends, products, services and best practices in green building and remodeling. The Michigan Association of Home Builders, in partnership with Green Built Michigan, is offering just such an opportunity for you at an August 21st day long conference called Great Lakes Green at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids . . . all for the low price of $35. That's some 3 dozen educational seminars, lunch and networking opportunities with experts for $35. For more information, please visit our conference website at or contact Pam Frankenberger, CMP at (800) 748-0432 or by e-mail frankenberger.pam@mahb.com. Sign up on-line by August 14th and receive a $5 discount on your registration!
ATTENTION! Your help is needed at Great Lakes Green. Outgoing, friendly people with a passion for green building and remodeling are needed to serve as greeters, registration helpers and to assist the speakers during education sessions.
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FHA (203)K LOANS USED TO REMODEL FORECLOSED HOMES |
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July 27, 2009 - Two little known and little used loan programs from the Federal Housing Administration are beginning to gain traction among home owners and remodelers who are using them to purchase, repair and remodel foreclosed or distressed homes.
Within the last year, more than 3,300 home owners and remodelers began using the FHA's 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance and Streamlined 203(k) Limited Repair Program to purchase and make essential improvements, and in some cases, additions to homes than in the year before.
During fiscal year 2008, 6,400 mortgages were issued under these programs compared to 9,791 during just the first seven months of FY2009.
The differences between the programs essentially involve the size of the available loans and the types of repairs or remodeling that can be completed. READ MORE>> |
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DON'T LET CONGRESS TAKE THE SUMMER OFF! |
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HOW TO USE SOCIAL NETWORKING WHEN MARKETING NEW HOMES |
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The first in a series on social networking and marketing new homes.
Social media is quickly becoming a mainstay in modern marketing plans. It's fast, it's direct, it's inexpensive and it's catching on.
According to the "Social Media Marketing Industry Report" by Michael Stelzner, who writes and blogs about marketing and other business-related topics, 88% of marketers surveyed for the study use social media in their overall marketing strategies. And of those surveyed, 72% indicated they only started using social media in their marketing recently.
For new home builders who are considering joining this trend, social media is simply using Internet-based networking tools to engage with online communities in order to generate exposure and sales opportunities.
But what builders need to understand is that using social media when marketing new homes will not necessarily generate direct sales. Social media is a different marketing tool than a builder's sales center and even his Web site.
Social media is versatile, offering builders opportunities ranging from finding interested and targeted prospects to generating public relations and providing immediate customer service. It's all about building relationships and conversation, but it is not necessarily about closing the sale.
"Home builders are asking us if social media works," says Dana Forrest, sales and marketing director at Simmons Homes in Tulsa, Okla. They want to know if a sale can be tracked to social media, she says.
"For us, this question seems a little short-sighted. We look at our social media and networking efforts as a way to build long-term relationships and powerful communities. We know this won't result in immediate sales, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't invest our time and effort," Forrest says. "We know a strong relationship is not built overnight."
Since social media requires a different approach to new homes sales and marketing than what builders traditionally use, to give builders a better understanding of social media and its capabilities, Nation's Building News will feature a series of articles about social media in upcoming issues. >> Read More
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KEEP CONGRESS FOCUSED ON HOUSING - WE NEED YOUR HELP! |
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As part of the Revive Housing; Restore America campaign, NAHB Public Affairs will be conducting media outreach over the next several weeks to bring public attention to four key priorities as the association urges legislators and regulators to focus on reviving the housing market:
- Extend the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit for one year and expand the eligibility to all homebuyers;
- Pressure housing regulators to bring common sense to the appraisal process;
- Pressure banking regulators to ease acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) credit; and
- Support net operating loss (NOL) carryback legislation.
We also need your assistance to generate media coverage at the national level.
How You Can Help
Specifically, we are looking for builders to serve as media spokespersons and tell their personal experiences with one or more of the following:
- Increased traffic and sales from first-time home buyers claiming the tax credit, which needs to be extended to continue to help the local housing market recover
- Appraisals coming in too low due to foreclosures and short sales
- Lost sales because of a buyer's inability to get financing due to tight lending restrictions
- Difficulty obtaining AD&C lending
- Continued layoffs
If you are a builder member who has a compelling story and can tell it to the media, please contact Brooke Fishel at 800-368-5242, ext. 8061, as soon as possible.
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HBAGTA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR |
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 SAVE THE DATES! The following courses have been scheduled for this fall in the Roger Papineau Professional Development Center:
*Required courses for CGP (Certified Green Professionals Designation).
^Required courses for CAPS (Certified Aging In Place Specialist Designation). |
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Thank you for your membership and support of the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc.
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Copyright 2009 Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. All rights reserved.
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