Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single family loan limits have changed as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) signed into law on February 17, 2009. These limits are effective for those loans for which credit is approved in calendar year 2009 and will remain in effect until December 31, 2009.
Progress Energy created the Home Advantage program as an incentive for builders to provide high-efficiency, environmentally friendly homes. To qualify for the program, you must build to ENERGY STAR standards, which make your homes at least 15 percent more energy efficient than code-built homes. Buyers will also enjoy a 5 percent discount on Progress Energy bills. Home Advantage incentives start at $400 per home and are available to builders or developers of new single-family, multifamily and high-rise multifamily dwellings.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR by attending one of Progress Energy's Introduction to ENERGY STAR workshops: March 24 - Raleigh March 26 - Wilmington April 2 - Asheville
Reach the most influential home builders and new home sales professionals in North Carolina by sponsoring the 2009 STARS Awards Gala. As a STARS Award sponsor your company name will be promoted to more than 18,000 leading building professionals throughout the year and during the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference. The STARS sponsorship program ultimately offers you the advantage of complete, comprehensive and direct market exposure for your company.
For more information, view the STARS Sponsorship Brochure. Sponsorships are available at a variety of levels. For more details about sponsorships, contact Kathryn Atkinson at (800) 662-7129 or by e-mail at .
The Alamance-Caswell Home Builders Association will host its six annual Carpenters Cup Challenge, Saturday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The carpentry competition involves local high schools helping to raise much-needed funds for their carpentry programs. Each school has a team of students, a local builder and a carpentry teacher who will build five storage buildings on Saturday in the Home Builders Association parking lot at 2450 Hanford Road in Burlington.
Buildings are 10' X 12' and will be sold prior to the event on a first-come basis for $1,600 (free delivery within Alamance County). If you are interested in purchasing a building, please contact Susan Black at the Home Builders Association at (336)227-1336.
The North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame Board of Governors is seeking nominations for the North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame. The primary purpose of the NCHHF is to honor men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to housing in North Carolina, the building industry and to the North Carolina Home Builders Association. Nominees do not have to be active or a member of the North Carolina Home Builders Association.
If you know of an individual who has excelled in making a significant and lasting contribution to the building industry, please complete the nomination form and return it to the NCHBA office at the address below. All nominations must be postmarked by April 15, 2009.
The inductee(s) will be announced at the June 2009 NCHBA 2nd Quarter Board of Directors meeting. The induction ceremony will take place during the Installation Dinner at the 2009 NCHBA 4th Quarter Meetings on December 8, 2009.
Induction into the NCHFF is a prestigious honor. All nominations will be carefully screened and given thorough consideration by the NCHHF Board of Governors. If you have any questions, please contact Erin Jones at NCHBA at 1-800-662-7129 or by e-mail at .
North Carolina Home Builders Association
Attn: Erin Jones
P.O. Box 99090
Raleigh, NC 27624
The North Carolina Home Builders Association invites you to join us at the annual Builders Classic Golf Tournament April 17 at Whispering Pines Country Club. All proceeds go to the North Carolina Home Builders Educational & Charitable Foundation Inc., a program that awards scholarships to college students majoring in a construction-related field at a two-year or four-year college.
The tournament, sponsored by Builders Mutual Insurance Co., promises to be an exciting event, with players having the opportunity to network with other industry professionals as they contribute to a worthy cause. The 18-hole course offers large greens and rolling fairways lined with pines and strategically-placed bunkers. Check-in is at 8 a.m., with a 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The tournament is Captain's Choice format. The cost is $85 per person or $340 per team, and includes green fees, cart fee, beverages, Thursday evening barbeque dinner and lunch Friday. To register or for more information view, the Builders Classic Golf Tournament Flyer.
In 2007, a challenge was issued to all current or former presidents of a local, state or national association to put together a foursome and compete in the "President's Challenge." We plan to continue the competition this year, and once this year’s winner is announced after the tournament, the actual President’s Cup will be monogrammed and delivered to the winning president at his/her local association where it will reside (with full bragging rights) until next year when it will come back out and be competed for once again. Congratulations again to the 2008 winner, Buddy Hughes of the HBA of Davidson County.
To add to the competitive spirit of this year’s NCHBECF Golf Tournament, Bonded Builders Home Warranty is offering an incentive to those who recruit new members through the Spirit of Membership program. If any member at the tournament brings a new member paid application to the tournament, the recruiting member will receive a $35 gas card. If the applicant plays in the tournament, both get a $35 gas card. The new member may be a builder, associate or affiliate member. Click here for more information on the Spirit of Membership program offered by Bonded Builders.
The North Carolina Home Builders Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. is now accepting nominations and applications for its college scholarships. The foundation awards scholarships based on a combination of need and merit to four-year college students entering their junior or senior year and technical school students entering their second year who have declared their major in a construction related field.
To be eligible a student must meet the following criteria:
Applicants must be nominated by a NCHBA member firm.
Nominees shall be immediate family members (i.e. children, step-children or grandchildren). Students related by marriage, (i.e. son-in-law, daughter-in-law, etc.) shall not be eligible.
Immediate family members of any current trustee of the NCHB Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. shall not be eligible.
Awards are for one year, but scholarship winners may submit a renewal application and be considered for renewal if they make satisfactory progress in their studies.
Only full-time students will be considered. NCHBA defines a full-time student as one taking a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
The deadline for entries is April 30, 2009. For a nomination form or an application packet, contact NCHBA at (800) 662-7129; (919) 676-9090 or e-mail: . Mail completed applications to: North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA), P. O. Box 99090, Raleigh, NC 27624.
The Greensboro Builders Association is conducting a NAHB Verifier Training Seminar in Greensboro March 24 in conjunction with Don Carr at the NAHB Research Center. This class will cover the new ANSI National Green Building Standard. Approved or prospective verifiers must register online with NAHB by March 17; however, any HBA members that just want to AUDIT the class should use the registration form and register through GBA.
NAHB Legislative Day is scheduled for March 24. With so much happening on the legislative levels, participation is even more important this year.
Two "Green Building for Building Professionals" and "Business Management for Building Professionals" classes are currently scheduled. The Hickory & Catawba Valley Home Builders Association is offering the classes March 30-31 and April 1 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. See flyer for cost, registration information and other information.
The High Country Home Builders Association is offering the classes April 1-2 and April 3 at the Builders Plaza in Boone. See flyer for cost, registration form and other information.
Teleconference offers details of new tax credit
A free teleconference on marketing the new home buyer tax credit will be offered by NAHB beginning at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, March 16. Featured speakers will include NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard; Rob Dietz, NAHB's director of tax issues; Gaye Orr, MIRM, CMP, of Coldwell Banker Advantage New Homes; and residential development strategist Dan Levitan, MIRM, CMP, of Levitan and Associates. Dial in to hear an overview of the recently enacted federal stimulus package and its housing provisions, including a detailed breakdown of the $8,000 tax credit and its eligibility requirements, and to hear from the experts on how best to market the credit to prospective buyers.
To participate: You'll need to pre-register by visiting this Web site and entering Conference ID# 428766. Please note: you will receive a unique pin number for the audio conference. Don't forget to write down the pin you're assigned since you will need it to join the call at 2:00 p.m. on March 16. Contact: Blake Smith at x8583.
Mortgage And Financial Markets Continue To Slow Housing Activity, Builders Testify
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress that the housing sector is still being significantly affected by the upheaval in the financial and mortgage markets that started in 2007, and there is deep concern that these financial dislocations will increase the depth and length of the housing downturn.
Testifying before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder from Tulsa, Okla., said that coordinated regulatory efforts among federal and state agencies are necessary to ensure prudent lending practices and effective consumer protections while facilitating efficient operation of the residential mortgage markets.
“NAHB supports efforts to ensure that mortgage lending occurs in a safe and sound manner and that abuses in lending practices are properly addressed,” said Robson. “However, it is imperative that any steps taken in this effort do not inadvertently or unnecessarily disrupt the mortgage lending process or consumer financing options, or increase the costs or reduce the availability of mortgage credit.” Click here for the entire article.
