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Housing Recovery: Lackluster at Best. A Long Road to Recovery
By Charles C. Shinn, Jr.., Ph.D., Builder Partnerships
 Each month, Chuck Shinn reviews the housing economic data available in the market and provides the most up to date housing analysis and information. Check out the quick presentation to see where the industry is headed.
The first two months of 2015 for the housing industry have been a repeat of the weak beginning of 2014 with the severe weather being blamed for the poor performance. However, 2014 ended up being a very disappointing year with new home sales only increasing 1.6% for the year. Multifamily activity did see some strength last year with an increase in starts of 15.7%. Multifamily, while down in the first couple of months, should continue its strength during 2015 as the millenniums form households and enter the housing market. The jury is out as far as for-sale housing is concerned and we will have to wait for the March statistics. We did see modest increases in February's new home sales and pending expecting home sales in February.
A major concern is the strength of the overall economy for 2015. The GDP fell in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 2.2% and is expected to only be around 1.0% for the first quarter this year. Job growth has continually slowed since November of last year with March only reporting an increase of 126,000 new jobs. The labor force participation rate also has edged down and the average workweek hours dropped. Factory orders have been declining for the last six months.
Read More...
Exclusive for Builder Partnerships Members:
- Get more data on the current state of the housing industry from Chuck can be found here.
- Check out what Builder Partnership builders are saying about the strength of homebuilding in their markets from our exclusive survey here.
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100Plus by InSinkErator Helps Enhance Customer Satisfaction
Learn more about the new opportunity for Builder Partnerships builders from Insinkerator by attending the May 15 webinar. For more information, click here.
We hear a lot of talk about win-win in business, but does that really ever happen?
InSinkErator® is offering Builder Partnerships members an exclusive opportunitythat will provide an advantage for builders over their competition, help boost their bottom lines and enhance customer satisfaction.
 That's better than a win-win. It's a win-win-win.
All Builder Partnerships members are eligible to participate in the new 100Plus Program, which gives builders the chance to receive training on InSinkErator products and a special builder certification, PLUS have the chance to offer their customers a free or discounted HOT100™ instant hot water dispensing system when they upgrade from a Badger® Series to any InSinkErator PRO Series® food waste disposer.
But-as they say-there's more.
Each builder and builder's representative who complete the 10-minute online learning course to become 100Plus Certified will receive their own HOT100 system at no cost. This system-the first to feature pushbutton technology-can be installed wherever and whenever they choose.
"We developed the 100Plus Program in response to what we were hearing from builders, who told us they were looking for value-added options that would give them an advantage over their competition," said Dan Murphy, InSinkErator Director of National Accounts. "This program helps builders take customer satisfaction to the next level."
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Cleveland Research Quarterly Reports
 Cleveland Research Company (CRC) has established a relationship with Builder Partnerships as a way of understanding the performance of the homebuilding industry at the more granular local market of the industry. CRC is focused on delivering industry leading research on the companies they cover to provide their investors with confidence in their investment decisions. Builder Partnerships, under the guidance of Chuck Shinn, and CRC are working together to support the BP builder members with insight into the business practices and performance trends across the industry, as well as support the CRC investors with the local market insight against which to evaluate the public builders' plans and stated expectations.
In addition to providing analysis and opinion on the quarterly and annual reports of the largest public builders, CRC also provides analysis on other external factors that can contribute to the overall success of the plans of those builders, as well as the smaller local builders. CRC regularly reports on the conditions of the various commodity markets, key manufacturing segments, trade labor trends, and government regulation, to name a few.
The same information required to help investors determine the timing of their investment in large public builders, can also support the owners and managers of smaller, more local builders with the development of their strategies and plans in the operation of their building business. Now, thanks to the relationship between BP and CRC, our builders have access to that information.
Exclusive for Builder Partnerships Members:
Three surveys from Cleveland Research are available to Builder Partnerships as part of the member package.
- Homebuilder Industry Update from the first quarter
- Key Points from KB Home 1Q and Lennar Management
- DR Horton Inc. 2Q Conf Call Notes
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Fall Seminar Series in Chicago
Now is the time to begin planning your training for the Fall. Take advantage of a series of Builder Partnerships seminars that will be occurring in Chicago in September through October. Get your staff on the same page, and learn the best practices for becoming a Builder of Choice and high-profit builder.
 Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing
September 23-25
Chicago
Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing is a comprehensive seminar designed to improve profitability through a more accurate and effective estimating and purchasing department. Good estimating and purchasing is critical to obtaining superior profitability, and can increase your bottom line by as much as 5%. Our goal is to provide a wide range of tools that attendees can use to realize results immediately upon return to their companies.
Learn more here.
The Superintendent's Job: Front Line Manager
October 15-17
Chicago
The Superintendent's Job - Front Line Manager is designed as an interactive experience to help your team improve job site management techniques. It will provide the necessary tools to increase overall profitability and customer satisfaction through a strong focus on building the house right the first time: on quality, on budget, and on time.
Learn more here.
 Managing for Profit
November, 4-6
Chicago
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. Systems, procedures and forms will be demonstrated so you can begin using concepts learned immediately upon return to your company.
Learn more here.
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Live Events
Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing
Sept. 23-25, 2015
Chicago
Purchasing, Estimating and Job Costing is a comprehensive seminar designed to improve profitability through a more accurate and effective estimating and purchasing department. Good estimating and purchasing is critical to obtaining superior profitability, and can increase your bottom line by as much as 5%. Our goal is to provide a wide range of tools that attendees can use to realize results immediately upon return to their companies.
For more information, click here.
The Superintendent's Job: Front Line Manager
Oct. 15-17, 2015 Chicago
The Superintendent's Job: Front Line Manager is designed as an interactive experience to help your team improve job site management techniques. It will provide the necessary tools to increase overall profitability and customer satisfaction through a strong focus on building the house right the first time: on quality, on budget, and on time.
For more information, click here.
Managing for Profit
Nov. 4-6, 2015 Chicago
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. Systems, procedures and forms will be demonstrated so you can begin using concepts learned immediately upon return to your company.
For more information, click here.
Webinars
Is It Time to Redesign Your Website?
This class will help you evaluate if your website meets the needs of modern home buyers. Using Google analytics we will show you how certain trends in home builder web traffic may show if you need to add content, make the site mobile compatible, or rebuild your entire web site. We will also look at various social media marketing tools that have emerged as must-have partners in your marketing plan.
For more information, click here.
Hot Trends for the New Market: Design the Project of Choice
Cutting edge design trends, changing building codes, new manufacturer products, increasing prices...Designing homes in the new market can be challenging. Brian Bartlett will provide clarification and help you prioritize what is important in design for 2015.
For more information, click here.
InSinkerator 100Plus: Enhance Customer Satisfaction
May 15, 2015 11:30am ET
InSinkErator® is offering Builder Partnerships members an exclusive opportunity that will provide an advantage for builders over their competition, help boost their bottom lines and enhance customer satisfaction.
For more information, click here.
Connecting the Dots: How Trends Are Used to Create Formica Brand Products
May 30, 2015 11:00am ET
Gerri Chmiel, Sr. Design Manager for Formica, will present how styles and trends impact the design of Formica products. It is a great way for your builders designers to get an look at what the trends are today and what they will be in the next few years.
For more information, click here.
Bring Your Team to Peak Performance: Become the Employer of Choice
June 5, 2015
11:30 am ETIn today's housing industry with qualified workforce shortages, it is imperative to have a dedicated team all pulling in the same direction. Expand your understanding of the word team to include company staff and contracted labor and installers and learn what it takes to become the employer of choice. For more information,click here. 9 Secrets to Maximizing and Managing Your Gross Profits
July 10, 2015 11:30 am ET
Join Diane Gilson, Info Plus Accounting, as she covers the top 9 ways you can use job-costing to increase your gross profits. You won't want to overlook this unique opportunity to learn how to make transformative and lasting changes in productivity, accountability, financial confidence, and the amount you get to keep as profit from each and every job.
For more information, click here.
For the Complete list of events, click here |
Builder Partnerships
Builder Partnerships is a member organization focused on providing management training and support to help builders improve their performance and profit. Currently we represents approximately 550 builders in the United States and Canada who have projected about 75,000 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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