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Phoenix Rising: Housing Industry Update
By Charles C. Shinn, Jr., PhD
In this report, Chuck Shinn presents an overview of the status of the housing market and explores the opportunities and challenges builders will face as the recovery continues.
We are now in the 6th year of the housing recovery. It has been very weak but has been gaining momentum. There is significant pent up demand and we have seen an increase in household formations. New and existing home inventory is extremely low and mortgage rates are still at historic lows. Credit is becoming more available and foreclosures and short sales have diminished. The stars are perfectly aligned for the beginning of a more robust recovery.
The recovery, however, will not be without challenges for most builders. During the downturn, many builders abandoned their management systems and had to dismiss their qualified staff. As time went on, this experienced staff were forced to leave the industry so we are facing an under qualified candidate pool for new hires, shortage of trade contractors and price increases.
Click here to view the report.
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BP Members Make Top Lists
By Paul Deffenbaugh, Builder Partnerships
This year, 78 Builder Partnerships members earned recognition in the lists of the largest home builders, which are compiled in the Builder magazine Builder 100 list and the Professional Builder magazine Annual Report on Housing's Giants. Both magazines publish the lists in the May issues, and they differ slightly in their criteria for ranking. Builder magazine ranks by closings. Professional Builder ranks by revenue.
Congratulations to those members who earned this recognition. The Builder 100 list also includes an addendum that ranks the second 100 largest builders, while the Housing Giants list totaled 293 builders this year.
Read More...
To see the complete Builder 100 list, click here.
To see the complete Professional Builder list, click here.
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Since its founding in 2005, Builder Partnerships has grown every year throughout the deepest housing recession in history. Today, we number more 550 builder members who represent the largest collection of Mid-Tier Builders in the country.
To learn more about Builder Partnerships and our opportunities to connect with the hard-to-reach Mid-Tier Builder market, go to www.BuilderPartnerships.com.
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Product News
Homeowner Conversations Are Taking Place at the Kitchen Table and the Outdoor Living Room
By Marilyn Chase, Royal Building Products
It used to be that most of the design conversation with homeowners took place at the kitchen table, with the emphasis on the kitchen, master bath and bedroom, home theaters, family rooms. But the trend towards outside living space continues, and now just as much time is spent on the view from the curb, as well as the outdoor kitchens or "living rooms," patios and garden retreats.
Many of the choices homeowners make will be driven by design preferences, unique roof lines, complementary and contrasting siding and trims, mixing of lines-horizontal and vertical (this trend certainly explains the growing popularity in board and batten siding). The popularity of mixing textures continues as well-accenting traditional horizontal siding with stone and shake. All of these fulfill a homeowner's desire for a unique and customized look that creates that ideal first impression from the curb.
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 Product News
Case History: Helical Foundation Solutions at David Weekley Homes
PROJECT:
Project is new construction, residential. Single family structure.
Underlying soil conditions required casing of the drilled concrete piers. This proved to be too costly in terms of dollars and time. CHANCE Helical Piers proved to be the most efficient technology (vs. drilled, cased concrete piers). Project was conducted in an existing neighborhood which challenged David Weekley with minimal disruption. As far as pier locations, CHANCE Helical Piers were installed at the same design locations as the concrete drilled shafts. Ultimate capacity required per pier: 25 kips per pier.
 SOLUTION: Products used in installation: SS5 family including an 8-foot by 10-foot lead section with a standard new construction bracket. 33 piers were installed in a total of 3 hours (vs. 7 days that was estimated using drilled shafts). "We all discussed this as a group and I can assure you that we will be utilizing the helical pier solution when we can," says Mark Roland, David Weekley Homes KEY BENEFITS: The overall install was expedient, cost-effective, and quiet (much attributed to the installation method which minimized the equipment required for installation and associated mobilization). Read more...
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Live Events Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing Sept. 17-19, 2014 Denver, Colo. Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing is a comprehensive seminar designed to improve profitability through a more accurate and effective estimating and purchasing department.
For more information, click here.
The Superintendent's Job: Front Line Manager
Oct. 2-4, 2014
Denver, Colo.
The Superintendent's Job - Front Line Manager is designed as an interactive experience to help your team improve job site management techniques.
For more information, click here.
Managing for Profit
Nov. 5-7, 2014
Embassy Suites-DTC
Centennial, Colo.
Managing for Profit is an intensive seminar designed to put you on track to improved profitability. Loaded with valuable insight on management techniques specific to home building companies, this seminar will provide tools you can use to realize improved results across the entire organization.
For more information, click here.
Webinars
Management Reports that Drive Profits: 10 Tips to Make Your Accounting Work for You
Fri., May 30 11:30am ET
SPONSORED BY:
Info Plus(+) Accounting Inc.
After five years in the doldrums, the industry is ready to expand. Builders want to take advantage of the market revival, but growth can be expensive and risky. Your accounting system and its reporting function can guide the growth process to make sure your company is not only growing in size but also in profits.
Click here to register.
Financial Planning for Different Economic Scenarios
Fri., June 27 at 11:30am ET
Economists have their own views, but what projections can you truly rely on to create the strategic plan for your company? In this forum, Jim Weigel discusses contingency planning, reviewing economic conditions, establishing standard evaluation criteria and setting triggers for action, and how these proven methodologies for planning under economic uncertainty can be crucial to your success.
Click here to register.
For the Complete list of webinars, click here
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Builder Partnerships
Builder Partnerships is a unique organization focused on providing education and improving communication and collaboration within the home building industry. Currently we represents approximately 550 builders in the United States and Canada who have projected about 66,000 homes built collectively this year. With over 75 manufacturer and service providers associated with our group, Builder Partnerships also manages highly competitive rebate and incentive programs and works to strengthen relationships between builders, manufacturers and other service providers in the home building industry. For more information, visit www.builderpartnerships.com
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