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The Home Builders Association Office will be CLOSED for these Holidays as noted:
THANKSGIVING
November 25 - Closed at noon
Office Reopens
December 21 -
Office Closed
January 4 -
Office Reopens | |
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PLEASE NOTE! |
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THE HBAGTA OFFICE IS NOW CLOSED ON FRIDAYS!
NEW OFFICE HOURS:
Monday
through
Thursday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
For more information on Association Events please visit the HBAGTA website at
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CALENDAR AND
EVENT LINKS |
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November 11, 2009
Veterans Day
Green Build Standards Users Group
4:00 - 5:30
November 12, 2009
PR Committee
8:00 am
EXPO Committee
Noon
PREP
(must be pre-registered)
5:00 to 9:30 pm
November 13, 2009
Office Closed
November 17, 2009
Green Build Grand Traverse Committee
11:30 am
November 18, 2009
Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 am
MEMBER ORIENTATION
8:30 am
HBAGTA Office
Membership Committee Meeting
9:30 am November 20, 2009
Office Closed
November 25, 2009
Office Closed at Noon
November 26 & 27, 2009
Office Closed for Holiday
December 14, 2009
General Membership Meeting
Waterfront Conference Center
Installation of Officers and Annual Awards
December 21, 2009
Office Closed
January 4, 2010
Office Re-opens
January 12 & 13, 2010
Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting Training
2 (1 day) training days
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HBAGTA COMMITTEES
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Participation in any HBAGTA Committee is open to all members of the Association!
Want to get more from your membership?
JOIN A COMMITTEE!
Call the HBAGTA Office for more information:
(231) 946-2305 |
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The Tuesday Toolbox
is now published bi-monthly.
Please read your newsletter for important dates and events! |
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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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PLICHTA HOMES EXCEEDS NGBS TOP RATING
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Achieving the Emerald level for the National Green Building Standard (NGBS) is a big deal on many level's including energy and resource efficiency, indoor air quality, and the homes impact on the environment. John Plichta's (J R Construction, Petoskey) home is only the second in the nation to receive this prestigious honor. It actually exceeded the requirements for the Emerald level by 85 points (which to the best of our knowledge makes it the highest NGBS rated home in the country!!)
This home received a HERS RATING of (43) which means it is going to use 57% less energy than a home built to the current national energy code requirements. Max Strickland of Northern Evergreen Services had the privilege of being the third party verifier for this project and contacted the HBA to pass along the kudos to John and his team for their design and attention to details which, as Max noted, far exceeds standard construction practices.
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SAVE 4 CENTS ON FUEL! |
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Save 4˘ on Fuel with SuperFleet!
SuperFleet is a Free Program that the Traverse City Home and Builders Association Offers to its Members that provides them a discount on fuel at 1,200 Michigan Locations and 6,500 Locations Nationwide!
SuperFleet November Special Program Information
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BUILDER HELPER
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ARE LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO SAVE MONEY?
(exclusive to HBAGTA Members)
NO MORE EXTRA DRIVING
& DISTRIBUTING YOUR PLANS TO ALL OF YOUR SUBS! POST YOUR PLANS ONLINE AND REQUEST BIDS.
The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area is looking for sponsors for our Builder Helper Sponsorship.
Please call Kathy at the Association Office for more information. | |
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Greetings! ,
Thank you to the Builders Exchange of Northwest Michigan, the Traverse Area Association or REALTORS®, and Bank of America for their sponsorship of our packed-to-capacity HBAGTA networking meeting last night at the Waterfront. We are grateful that the leadership of our three organizations had the foresight to plan this get-together. For those of you who were there, obviously we still have "issues" with the concept of RSVP's. As president Lisabeth quipped from the podium, looking out at the sea of over 125 individuals in the room last night, "We want to thank the 55 people who made reservations!" So just a gentle reminder to those of you who "forgot" to let us know you were coming . . . there's only so much guessing we can do! After last night's festivities, 42 of us had the pleasure of attending an incredible follow up marketing seminar this morning with Jerry Rouleau, our keynote speaker from Monday night. For those of you who missed it, all I can say is "I'm SO very sorry!" He is the most down-to-earth marketing professional I've ever met. My head is still spinning with the wealth of practical ideas he provided our members about how to better market their business on a shoestring budget. For those of you who'd like to play catch up, I strongly encourage you to go to www.jrouleau.com or www.builderradio.com. There you can find out about why a home industry websites should be "womancentric" or discover the best placement of content on your home page. Did you know you can find out how your website compares with that of your competition by using a simple online tool called www.compete.com? Ever thought about doing a video email highlighting your products and services? Did you know that there was a www.spamassassin.com where you can sleuth out whether your email gets to the intended recipient? Do you know how to generate the most viable leads with a Home EXPO booth? The research is fascinating and in some ways counterintuitive. As a housing industry professional who is interested in learning more, tune in to the weekly seminars on BuilderRadio.com. Jerry interviews specialists who share pearls of wisdom each week with housing industry professionals. And in regards to marketing, have you signed up for your Home EXPO booth yet? The early bird pricing expires at the end of this month. Where else can your business get exposure to over 2500 potential customers in a weekend? Do a little research on the above websites to learn how to get the most out of your home show exhibit and then sign up. Don't wait until the prime real estate at the show is taken. Call Kerry at 946-2305 or email her at kag@hbagta.com to reserve your space now.
Together, 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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2010 HOME BUILDERS EXPO |
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FEBRUARY 27 & 28, 2010
Do you want to market your product or business more effectively?
Do you want to get more "Bang for Your Buck" with your marketing dollars?
Booth Rentals are now open to ALL interested Vendors!
- SECURE THE LOWEST RATE! - Price Increases will be take place on December 1, January 1 and February 1
- COST EFFECTIVE! - This year, the cost of your booth rental includes the cost of your "Pipe & Drape"!
- TRAINING! - Training will be provided on how to effectively market your business at an EXPO!
- UPDDATED VENUE! - An updated venue and new dates have been planned to effectively showcase your business!
- VISIBILITY! - The HBAGTA promotes the event and helps to bring the customers to you!
IN 2010 WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF THE GRAND TRAVERSE AREA. WE ARE PROUD TO PROMOTE OUR INDUSTRY AND OUR MEMBERS IN THE FIVE COUNTY AREA! WE REPRESENT THE BEST!
JOIN US IN CELEBRATING WHAT OUR REGION'S HOUSING INDUSTRY HAS TO OFFER!
If you would like to participate in this Premier Event hosted by the HBAGTA, contact Kerry Gartland at 231.946.2305 or kag@hbagta.com |
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ATTENTION MEMBERS: NEW AND VETERANS! |
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Want to learn how to get more from your membership?
COME TO THE MEMBER ORIENTATION
ON WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 18, 8:30 AM AT THE ASSOCIATION OFFICE! |
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WEB SITE CONTENT: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE VIRAL |
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 When it comes to upgrading Web sites or creating new ones, many builders concentrate their efforts on graphics, design and programming, what they believe are the most arduous aspects of the process - and overlook the value of content. Regarding content, they often take the easiest path and simply repurpose the text, images and photos on their existing brochures for their Web site - but that approach will limit your online marketing's effectiveness. Nowadays, there are myriad ways that content can be displayed, making content presentation one of the sexiest elements of Web or interactive marketing. Content today comes in a variety of forms. While well-written text and copy is still an integral ingredient of a successful Web presence, it's essential for builders to consider using photos, video, motion graphics and the interactive features that are now available online to encourage consumer participation. So how do you choose the right content and features?
>> Read More |
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HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT, NEW NOL RULES SIGNED INTO LAW |
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 In a major victory for NAHB that will boost the fledgling housing recovery and help struggling business owners nationwide, Congress last week approved legislation that will extend the first-time home buyer tax credit beyond its Nov. 30 deadline and expand it to a wider group of home buyers. The bill also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs).
The legislation, which was signed into law by President Obama on Nov. 6, will extend the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed on by June 30. It has been expanded to include a new $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are purchasing a new principal residence. Existing home owners can claim the $6,500 tax credit if they have been residing in their principal residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight.
In more good news, the income eligibility limits to claim the full credit amount for both groups of home buyers have been raised from $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for married couples.
NAHB's consumer-oriented Web site, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com, provides complete details on the enhanced home buyer tax credit.
NAHB has launched a set of resources at www.nahb.org/taxcreditresources to help association members understand and promote the new tax credit.
READ MORE>> |
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PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ON THE HBAGTA FACEBOOK PAGE |
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 The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area invites all members to post information regarding your business on the HBAGTA Facebook Page:
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Do you have a newsletter you can share?
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Do you have important information regarding your industry?
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Does your business have a special event that you would like to promote?
Tell us about it on the HBAGTA Facebook Fan Page!
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PAINTERS, ELECTRICIANS, REMODELERS: ARE YOU AWARE OF THE EPA REGS?
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Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)
 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently enacted new regulations affecting contractors performing renovation work in residential dwellings or child-occupied facilities built before 1978. This regulation is called "Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting: (RRP).
Beginning in April 2010, any renovation work (including painting) done for compensation, which disturbs painted surfaces in residential dwellings or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be performed by an EPA certified company, using persons trained in lead-safe work practices. Each job is required to have a Certified Renovator on-site to perform specific responsibilities.
To become a Certified Renovator, a person must attend an 8-hour EPA-approved training course. The course is being offered in Traverse City at our HBA office on Tuesday, January 12th and Wednesday, January 13th. The cost is $135 for members and $165 for non-members. The maximum class size according to EPA guidelines is thirty so it would be advantageous to sign up early. A flyer will be available online by November 15th.
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MICHIGAN ELECTRICAL CODES BECOMES EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2, 2009 |
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 The 2008 Michigan Electrical Code (Part 8 Rules) will become effective December 2nd, 2009. This code DOES NOT apply to One- and Two-Family Dwellings or Townhouses not more than 3 stories above grade plane! (MRC). This code ONLY APPLIES to structures built under the Michigan Building Code (MBC).
The 2008 NEC requires that all branch circuits that supply 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere outlets installed in family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreations rooms, closets, hallways and similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a combination type arc-fault circuit interrupter installed to provide protection of the branch circuit. Tamper resistant receptacles will be required throughout dwelling units.
The 2008 Michigan Electrical Code, Part 8 Rules, is available here. The complete 2008 Michigan Electrical Code consists of the NEC 2008 (NFPA 70-2008) and the amendments. You can read the NEC here for free after registering (free).
An abbreviated list of the new amendments is available here.
Other useful links here.
NOTE: The 2009 MRC has NOT yet been adopted. The estimated adoption date is January 2011 or later.
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WELCOME TO VERIZON WIRELESS! A NEW HBAGTA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER!