NAHB - The National Association

of Home Builders (NAHB)

commends the National Lieutenant
Governors Association (NLGA) for
approving a resolution that
underscores the importance of
homeownership and calls on
Washington policymakers to take
action to shore up the nations
housing markets to
achieve a long-lasting
economic recovery.
The nations
lieutenant governors
understand that
Americans deeply value
homeownership and
that it is essential to get
the housing sector back on firm
ground to achieve solid job growth,
build healthy communities and move
our economy forward, said NAHB
Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home
builder from Gainesville, Fla.
Resolution sponsors Brian Krolicki
(R-Nev.) and Timothy Murray (D-
Mass.) have taken a leadership role
in working to keep housing atop the
national agenda.
The resolution recommends that
the President and Congress act with
a sense of urgency to address the
nations housing crisis in a
meaningful and responsible manner,
while avoiding any legislation or
regulatory actions that will inhibit the
recovery of the home building
industry.
It also spotlights the role the home
building industry must play in helping
citizens achieve the American Dream
and fueling our countrys economic
recovery.
Preventing foreclosures will
continue to be a priority for the
National Lieutenant Governors
Association, said Lieutenant
Governor Murray, who was named
chair of the NLGA during the
associations annual meeting this
week. I was pleased to join
Lieutenant Governor Krolicki to co-
sponsor this resolution as we work in
collaboration with all lieutenant
governors in addressing the housing
crisis and supporting the home
building industry to spur economic
development opportunities across
the country.
Nevada was hit particularly hard
by the housing crisis, and we look
forward to finding solutions to fix this
complex issue, added Lieutenant
Governor Krolicki. Bringing housing
issues to the forefront is long
overdue and we are proud of this
bipartisan effort and pledge our
continual support in turning the
housing market around in Nevada
and across the country.
This broad support for government
policies that encourage homeownership
comes at a time when the American
dream is under attack under several
fronts in Washington. Proposals to
tamper with the mortgage interest
deduction, mandate 20 percent
downpayments on home loans and
to end federal support for affordable
mortgages would prolong and
aggravate the housing downturn,
lead to more job losses and
substantially raise the cost of buying
a home -- particularly for younger
households and first-time home
buyers.
The lieutenant governors also
noted that home builders face a lack
of credit for housing production loans
and that potential home buyers are
stymied because they cannot obtain
mortgages, which is further
hampering the housing recovery.
Prudent lending to home buyers
and home builders who need credit
to build viable projects in
communities that want and need
them would go a long way into
pumping life into the tepid recovery.
Recognizing the importance of the
nations home building industry in
spurring and sustaining economic
growth, the lieutenant governors
highlighted that constructing 100
homes creates more than 300 full-
time jobs, $23.1 million in wage and
business income and $8.9 million in
federal, state and local tax revenue.
These tax dollars are desperately
needed to help local governments to
provide essential services such as
schools, roads, and police and
firefighter protection.
There is pent up demand for
homes in many parts of the country
and Americas home builders stand
ready to do their part, said
Rutenberg. However a full-fledged
housing and economic recovery will
not take hold until Washington
policymakers recognize that housing
and homeownership must remain a
national priority.
Builders utlook
years
EL PASO
BUILDERS
A S S O C I A T I O N O F
B U I L DI NG E L PAS O S F U T U R E S I NCE 194 6
www.elpasobuilders.com www.epbuilders.org
2012/7
Lieutenant
Governors call
on president,
congress
to address
housing crisis
DIGITAL EDITION
Barry
Rutenberg
This broad support for government policies that encourage homeownership
comes at a time when the American dream is under attack under several fronts in
Washington. Proposals to tamper with the mortgage interest deduction, mandate 20
percent downpayments on home loans and to end federal support for affordable
mortgages would prolong and aggravate the housing downturn, lead to more job
losses and substantially raise the cost of buying a home -- particularly for younger
households and first-time home buyers.
inside >
Presidents
Message
Guest Columns
EPAB on the scene
Membership News
Industry News
Committee
Reports
2
Builders Outlook 2012/7
This month has been quite busy across the
board. Home sales seem to have picked up a
bit yet we remain a little below our average in
permits. Our developers are going gang
busters in all areas of town making sure that
they are prepared for the coming months as
things improve. We hope that all of our
members are doing better and that the
economy will improve so as to get home
building back on the good track.
Locally politics is on the move and the move
is to dismantle city hall and The Insights
museum. The thinking is that dismantling City
hall will be leaving some departments, especially permitting and planning, in a little bit of disarray.
Our friends at the inspections department are just now getting their feet on the ground with new
rules and staff changes, and now they are being asked to move again. Some of the boxes
havent even been emptied yet from the first move, now maybe another one? With all the talk
about the Insights museum being torn down the association is also left with a decision on the fire
safety display were trying to help build there. Ive put a hold on that until we know whether or
not the building will be razed since it makes no sense to put something up only to have to tear it
down in a few months. We are still committed but again well wait to see the direction from the
10th floor on the future of the building.
Monsoon season is bringing much needed rain to the area. Thank God! East Texas has gotten
some rain as has South Texas. But between here and Dallas, like Lubbock, Midland, Amarillo
little or none has fallen. Continue to pray for rain to help those areas overcome the drought.
Its political season and once again were being asked to help this candidate or another. I have
to remind you that our Build PAC is the political voice we support, so get involved and join. We
have a good way for you to become active with as little as a hundred dollars. Join now so that
we know what you think about the candidates and the positions Build PAC takes.
Have a great August. Get selling and be careful.
Presidents Message |
El PasoDisposal
772-7495
3
2012/7 Builders Outlook
Frank
Arroyos
President,
El Paso Association
of Builders
Theres a lot of talk in and out of the
media concerning the rebuilding of
downtown and whether or not its this
or that. Positions about whether or
not certain items should be or
shouldnt be seemed to have lost sight
of what its really all about: the
economy. Let me explain why in my
view.
I recall my parents talking about
having survived the Great Depression,
a time that changed their lives forever.
The depression also saw some of the
most stoic and beautiful building
projects ever to grace cities, including
El Paso. Hardship brought about the
need to look forward and to begin
significant projects to ensure the
future. Buildings represented that
future and entrepreneurs and
government funded many of those.
Fast forward to 2008 and the
beginning of what many are calling the
Great Recession (that is unless you
lost everything then it was the Great
Depression II). The idea of being able
to have someone with a vision and
deep pockets to take on great projects
is especially important when a
community like ours is faced with a
future of sameness or greatness. El
Paso has seen the future and it is
bright because of great people. Our
homebuilding industry has not been
given enough credit for keeping El
Paso in the relatively good financial
footing during the recession. Our
homebuilders didnt follow the trend of
massive overbuilding, and our lenders
didnt succumb to the easy profits of
subprime loans. We were also
blessed with a group of well-heeled
locals who never gave up on El Paso
and invested in her.
The ability to own property at a price
that allows for upgrades and
refurbishing is something that is risky
and not for the faint of heart. Its
expensive and fraught with minefields
as the chance of a money pit is more
likely than success. Yet through this
we have community members with the
financial ability to invest and try to
make a success out of past failure.
Visionaries see something and find
hope while others just see despair and
ruin. Our industry is full of visionaries
and people who take calculated risk
every day. We understand risk and we
also understand the politics of risk.
Downtown redevelopment carries a lot
of both and in spite of the risk we have
business people willing to invest to
fulfill that vision.
Critics complain that the developers
will make money. That isnt the
guarantee, but thats what Capitalism
is about. Risk must have reward in
order to be able to afford the risk.
Rebuilding downtown has started and
the remaining pieces to the puzzle are
the buzz about town. Stadium, hotels,
city hall, museums and San Jacinto
Park are just pieces to the economy of
making downtown work. Transforming
it isnt easy or cheap. I think we all
want to be all we can be, borrowing
from that great Army commercial.
What we absolutely must have is trust
among all parties, but especially when
taxpayer money is involved.
Messieurs Foster and Hunt have done
due diligence rest assured. We trust
that our city has done the same. I
trust Joyce Wilson, and if she says we
are ready then we are. After all is said
and done downtown could be the
catalyst for future economic growth. It
really is about the economy and being
all you can be.
Perspective |
Ray Adauto,
Executive
Vice President
EPAB
4
Builders Outlook 2012/7
Its about the economy; its about being all you can be
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Su Casa Nueva
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5
2012/7 Builders Outlook
The National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) told Congress that an
unwieldy federal regulatory process is
hampering the housing and economic
recovery.
Housing serves as a great example
of an industry that would benefit from
smarter and more sensible regulation,
NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a
home builder from Gainesville, Fla., told
the House Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform.
For example, the Dodd-Frank Act
required significant changes to
mortgage lending practices, including
an ability to pay provision that requires
lenders to establish that home buyers
have a reasonable chance of paying
back the loan at the time that a
mortgage is written. The law states that
certain high-quality, low-cost loans
known as qualified mortgages (QM) are
presumed to meet this standard.
The new QM standard, which is
currently being developed by the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,
will define the mortgage market for
years to come, Rutenberg said. For that
reason, NAHB supports regulatory
changes aimed at more rational lending
practices, greater lender accountability
and improved borrower safeguards.
However, it is critical that such
reforms are implemented in a manner
that causes minimum disruption to the
mortgage lending process, he
cautioned. New reforms should not
limit consumer financing options,
increase the cost of financing or reduce
the availability of mortgage credit.
Overly restrictive rules for the
forthcoming QM standard will prevent
creditworthy borrowers from entering
the housing market even as owning a
home remains an essential part of the
American dream, added Rutenberg.
Another key factor in housings
current depressed state has been an
ongoing lack of acquisition,
development and construction lending.
Our members are caught in an
argument between banks and federal
regulators, who take turns pointing
fingers at one another when we try to
determine who is to blame for the
serious lack of lending to the
construction sector, said Rutenberg.
Regardless of who is at fault, with
many housing markets now showing
signs of recovery, Rutenberg said it is
essential that Congress works with
regulators and financial institutions to
encourage banks to provide sound
construction loans so that builders can
construct viable home building projects
in communities across the land that
want and need them.
Restoring the flow of credit to home
builders will not only help to put
America back to work, it will help
provide badly needed tax revenues that
local governments need to fund
schools, police, firefighters and other
public services, said Rutenberg.
Meanwhile, changes to the
Environmental Protection Agencys
Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting
(RRP) rule have constrained small
businesses in the home building and
remodeling industry. The final rule,
which went into effect on April 22, 2010,
requires renovation work that disturbs
more than six square feet in a home
built before 1978 to follow new lead-
safe work practices supervised by an
EPA-certified renovator and performed
by an EPA-certified renovation firm.
Poor development and
implementation by the EPA has resulted
in excessive compliance costs and has
hindered both job growth and energy
efficiency upgrades, said Rutenberg.
In 2010, the EPA removed the opt-
out provision in the RRP rule that
allowed remodelers working in a home
built prior to 1978 to forego more
expensive work practices according to
the owners wish if no children under
the age of six or pregnant women were
living in the home.
By removing the opt-out provision,
the EPA more than doubled the number
of homes subject to the RRP, and the
agency has estimated this will add more
than $500 million in compliance costs to
the remodeling community in the first
year alone, without making young
children any safer.
Moreover, the EPA has not approved
reliable lead testing kits, and in many
cases consumers are needlessly
paying additional costs for work
practices that are unnecessary, he
added.
Washington Watch
Builders Tell Congress Inefficient Regulations
Harm Housing, the Economy
6
Builders Outlook 2012/7
Nationwide housing production rose by 6.9
percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate
of 760,000 units in June, according to newly
released figures from HUD and the U.S.
Census Bureau. This is the fastest pace of
new-home construction since October of
2008.
This good report is in keeping with the
results of our latest builder confidence survey,
in which many of our members said that they
are seeing an influx of more serious buyers to
the new-homes market this summer,
observed Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the
National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville,
Fla. Whats especially encouraging is that, as
consumers realize the advantages of
purchasing a newly built home while prices
and interest rates are so favorable, builders
are able to put more crews back to work on
construction sites across the country. This in
turn is helping spur local economic growth,
and policymakers need to be very careful to
not take any steps that would derail the
beginnings of such a positive trend at this
crucial time.
This is one more piece of evidence that
housing is starting to take back its traditional
role of leading the nation out of recession,
and tracks with our forecast for continued
improvement in new construction through the
end of this year, said NAHB Chief Economist
David Crowe. While many challenges
continue to weigh down the housing recovery
including those related to builders and
buyers access to credit, poor appraisals and
the number of distressed properties in certain
markets production of single-family homes
is now the strongest it has been since 2010
due to rising consumer demand brought on
by improving market conditions."
Single-family housing starts rose for a
fourth consecutive month to a seasonally
adjusted annual rate of 539,000 units in June,
their fastest pace since April of 2010.
Meanwhile, multifamily starts rose 12.8
percent to 221,000 units, in keeping with the
solid pace of demand for rental units.
Regionally, combined single-and multi-
family housing starts rose 22.2 percent in the
Northeast and 36.9 percent in the West, but
fell back 7.3 percent in the Midwest and 4.2
percent in the South in June. However, the
declines were entirely due to monthly volatility
on the multifamily side, as single-family starts
posted gains across every region in June.
Issuance of new building permits, which
can be an indicator of future building activity,
fell 3.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted
annual rate of 755,000 units in June following
a large increase in the previous month. While
single-family permitting posted a marginal,
0.6 percent gain to 493,000 units, multifamily
permitting fell back 10.9 percent to 262,000
units from an above-trend pace in the
previous month.
On a regional basis, permit issuance rose
2.9 percent in the West and held unchanged
in the Northeast, but retreated 0.8 percent in
the Midwest and 8 percent in the South in
June.
Housing Starts Rise 6.9 Percent
New Research Shows
Baby Boomers Arent
Confining Themselves to
Traditional Regions of
the Country
Despite popular belief, a recent analysis
of government data by the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
reveals that the geographic distribution of
households headed by someone age 55
or older is fairly even across most of the
country, with more than 30 percent of all
households in every state meeting this
description. The study sheds valuable
light on a key statistic for housing demand
among active adults, as NAHB's long-term
forecast indicates that the share of 55+
households will grow every year through
2019, when the 55+ category will account
for nearly 45 percent of all U.S.
households.
As more baby boomers approach
retirement and the average age of the
U.S. population increases, many
businessesincluding home builders
are showing increased interest in
designing products that appeal to
customers 55 and older, said Paul
Emrath, NAHBs vice president of survey
and housing policy research. This
research shows that 55+ developments
should be possible in every state where
population density is sufficient to support
new communities of a size that can
provide a variety of attractive amenities.
The data show 43.9 million households
are headed by someone 55 years old or
higher, accounting for nearly 38 percent of
all U.S. households. Among the 50 states
and the District of Columbia, the share of
households ranges from 31 to 45 percent.
West Virginia tops all states, with 45
percent of its households headed by
someone 55 or older, followed by Florida
at 44 percent, Hawaii and Maine (each at
43 percent) and Pennsylvania and
Montana (at 42 percent). At the other end
of the scale, Utah and Alaska are the only
states where less than one-third of the
households are 55+.
For 97 percent of all 3,143 counties, the
share of households age 55 or older is
more than 30 percent. At the high end, 44
counties have a 55+ household share of
over 60 percent. Mineral County, Colo.,
and Sumter County, Fla., are the highest
ranked counties in the U.S. with 77
percent of their households headed by
someone 55 or older. Sierra County, N.M.,
follows closely behind at 74 percent, while
both Esmeralda County, Nev., and
Wheeler County, Ore., come in at 71
percent each.
The demographic that 55+ builders and
developers are focused on is the largest
growing group of buyers that we have
ever seen in this age group, and it
continues to grow, said NAHB 50+
Housing Council Chairman W. Don
Whyte. It is also a group that is radically
different from what it was only a few years
ago. The customers are fitter, more
computer savvy and plan to live an
entirely different lifestyle from what they
might have thought previously, or what we
would have aimed at providing for them.
Builders and developers in the 55+
housing industry have a unique
opportunity to create communities that
address the specific needs of the baby
boomer population.
Truck Sales Swell as
NewHome Building
Hits Four-Year High
By Mike Ramsey
For more than a year, Mike Harwood
held off buying a new pickup truck for his
landscaping businessbecause of the
slumping housing market.But in the past
few months, more lots have been cleared
for construction and his phone has been
ringing more frequently.So in June he
went out and bought a new Chevrolet
2500 diesel truck with a backup camera
and a hands-free Bluetoothphone link.
"There is a lot more steady and
consistent work," said the 30-year-old Mr.
Harwood, whose company Broadleaf
Landscape,in Damascus, Md., does a lot
of work at new homes. "I was more
comfortable with buying a new truck at
this point in timebecause of the market
change."Mr. Harwood's optimism bodes
well for Detroit auto makers. Home
construction is the most important driver
of light-trucksales, and pickups are big
profit makers for General Motors Co.,
Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group
LLC.In the first half of this year, sales of
full-size pickups made by the Detroit
Three increased 13%, to 707,175
vehicles.Analysts believe such trucks on
average generate between $8,000 and
$10,000 in operating profit.
By comparison, profit onsmall and
midsize cars can be just a few hundred
dollars.Auto makers are encouraged by
the latest housing indicators. In June, the
rate of new-home construction rose to the
highestlevel in four years, on pace for
760,000 on an annual basis. A continuing
recovery in home construction should
translate intoeven faster growth in truck
sales in the second half and in 2013.Kent
Pecoy is one of the people who could
help. The owner of a construction
company that builds and remodels homes
inMassachusetts and Connecticut, he has
30 trucks in his fleet and badly needs to
replace several of them. Now that the
home business is perking up, he says he
may just do that in the fall."I know guys
running trucks with well over 100,000
miles on them that are patched together
with rubber bands and bubblegum," he
said. "We are all looking to see if it is
going to sustain itself, but everybody is so
reluctant to plunge in until they aresure. I
can certainly see where there is going to
be a run on trucks and vans, and
excavating equipment for that matter.
"Economists at GM and Ford say the
nascent home-building recovery makes
them more confident about their prospects
forthe next few years."We have been
waiting for [a housing recovery] for a long
time," said Sue Yingzi Su, a senior
economist at GM, which holdsa nearly
30% share of U.S. light-duty-pickup sales.
"Housing right now is just like the auto
industry. We haven't beenbuilding houses
for a long time," creating pent-up demand,
she said.A boost in truck sales in the U.S.
could increase profits enough to balance
out falling sales in Europe and South
America.Ford, for example, recently
warned it expects a second-quarter loss in
overseas operations of roughly $570
million, threetimes wider than its overseas
loss in the first quarter.
But Barclays Capital analyst Brian
Johnson points out that sales ofbetween
10,000 and 11,000 additional F-series
trucks could boost Ford's North American
profit by $100 million. Ford hasalready
sold 301,141 this year, and truck sales are
typically higher in the second half of the
year.GM, which will launch a new
generation of pickups later this year, sold
267,453 trucks through June. Chrysler,
which ismajority-owned by Italian auto
maker Fiat SpA, has sold 138,581 Ram
pickups. Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor
Co. andNissan Motor Co. also sell full-
size pickups, but in much lower volumes
than the Detroit companies.Auto sales
overall are being buoyed because many
vehicles on American roads are on their
last legs. The average vehiclein use is
now more than 10 years old, according to
industry researcher R.L. Polk & Co., the
oldest they've ever been.Most auto
makers now expect sales of about 14.2
million cars and light trucks in the U.S.
this year. That would be thehighest level
since 2007, although it is still below the 16
million to 17 million vehicles a year auto
makers were selling adecade ago.
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7
2012/7 Builders Outlook
Builders utlook on the scene |
During our 65th anniversary year
wed like to take a look at some of
our more recent history with pictures
from the last few years. Take a
close look and you might find
someone you know!
View more photos on our facebook page: elpasobuildersassociation
2012/7
years
L F450
80IL085
4 5 5 0 0 I 4 I I 0 N 0 F
B U I L DI NG E L PAS O S F U T U R E S I NCE 194 6
Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac
Getting
Receivership
Contingency Plan
By Meera Louis and Clea Benson
Bloomberg News
The U.S. regulator overseeing Fannie
Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home
Loan Banks has hired a consulting firm to
create contingency plans for taking the
mortgage-finance firms into receivership,
according to contract documents.
The plan is part of ordinary regulatory
activities and does not indicate that the
Federal Housing Finance Agency intends
to take the companies or the banks into
receivership, agency spokeswoman
Denise Dunckel said. Receivership would
involve winding down the companies and
selling off their assets.
This planning activity is routine and
does not indicate any condition of the
current status of the regulated
entities,Dunckel said.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (FMCC)
(FMCC) have been operating under U.S.
conservatorship since September 2008,
when investments in risky loans pushed
them to the brink of insolvency. Under
conservatorship, as opposed to
receivership, the two taxpayer-owned
companies continue to operate while
having drawn almost $190 billion in aid
from the U.S. Treasury.
The FHFA in May signed a contract with
New York-based PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP to recommend guidelines,
procedures and other protocols the FHFA
should have in place prior to placing any
regulated entity into receivership,
according to the document.
The document said
PricewaterhouseCoopers will develop a
framework for the FHFA to use in building
the capacity to liquidate Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac, or any of the 12 regional U.S.
Home Loan Banks.
Uncertain Future
The fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac is in limbo. Private financing for
mortgages evaporated in the aftermath of
the 2008 financial crisis, and the two
companies now own or guarantee about
60 percent of residential mortgages.
President Barack Obamas administration
and members of Congress called for
shrinking the government role in the
housing market, but have not taken action.
Edward J. DeMarco, acting director of
the FHFA, has said the agency will do what
it can to prepare for the future of the
government-sponsored enterprises in the
absence of a plan from Congress and the
White House to wind them down or
otherwise reorganize them. The FHFA is
working on plans to build a single platform
for securitizing home loans and to set
standards for how those loans are
managed.
The FHFA released the
PricewaterhouseCoopers contract to Vern
McKinley, a financial consultant working
with the Washington-based legal
organization Judicial Watch, in response to
a Freedom of Information Act request.
Conservatorship is kind of this limbo
theyve been in since 2008 and
receivership would be more aggressive
toward liquidating Fannie and Freddie and
putting them out of business, said
McKinley, who has filed other FOIA
requests with the FHFA seeking to find out
why Fannie Mae (FNMA) (FNMA) and
Freddie Mac werent dissolved in 2008.
Theyve never taken any steps in that
direction.
Staff from the FHFA and
PricewaterhouseCoopers have met since
May with staff from Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac to discuss the receivership
plans, the documents show.
PricewaterhouseCoopers will deliver the
receivership plans by Oct. 1 and will be
paid $757,000, the contract says.
10
Builders Outlook 2012/7
11
2012/7 Builders Outlook
As a former small business owner, I
understand how important the health
of our entire economy is for the
success of a business, regardless of
the size. Those who make their living
as home builders are no doubt feeling
the heat of our struggling economy
and the uncertainty created by the
passage of legislation like the
Presidents health care law. That,
combined with the overwhelming
number of regulations coming from the
current administration, makes it
difficult for such an industry to plan for
the future, hire workers and make
investments.
As a member of the House of
Representatives, Im working to clear
away some of this uncertainty in our
economy and get rid of the most
burdensome regulations that impair
industries from growing. This is not
just talk: during my time in the House
of Representatives, we have passed
numerous pieces of legislation that
would make cuts to the federal budget,
ease the regulatory burden, and assist
the small businesses of America in
expanding and creating more jobs. I
believe that while the federal
government has a responsibility to
ensure a fair playing field for
individuals and businesses to compete
with one another, it should not pick
winners and losers. However, over
the past few years, through laws like
the Presidents health care law and
the Dodd-Frank financial regulation
law, the federal government has
begun doing just that.
My goal as representative of the
23rd District of Texas is to make sure
that industries that provide crucial jobs
and revenue for our state, like home
builders, are not flooded with federal
burdens that keep them from
successfully maintaining operations,
hiring workers and supporting local
communities and economies. In
taking care of such industries and
small businesses we can ensure they
thrive and make a positive impact to
our economy as a whole.
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Getting the economy back on track
Guest Column
Francisco Canseco
Texas Congressman
Bowling Blast
August 22 12:00 4:00
Fiesta Bowling Lanes
5850 Onix Dr.
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Builders Outlook 2012/7
The Associates Council has formed
a committee to bring to life an
associates show and sell event
scheduled for Saturday, September
29. Members of the committee
originally looked at doing a simple
Associates Only Speed Networking
event but the opportunity to do
something bigger entered the picture.
Initial planning has begun on what
could turn out to be an opportunity for
our members to showcase their
products and services to guests at an
outdoor tent event. Sam
Shallenberger, Associates Chairman
told The Outlook about his plans.
First and foremost weve wanted to
do something to bring attention to our
members and their products or
services, and doing a speed
networking event sounded like an
ideal solution, Sam said. Once we
got talking in the committee we turned
a simple table top event into a bigger
showcase by opening the event to the
public, he continued.
The committee is looking at doing a
tent sale that would attract our
members plus the public. What a
great idea to harness the traffic that
comes by the EPAB office so that we
can show and sell to the public, said
showcase chair Chuck Gabriel of
Carpets West. We can do a product
show and sell while offering
something different for the show
going public, like our food contest,
Gabriel said. The committee is
working on what could be El Pasos
first Gourmet Hot Dog making
contest. Can you imagine the
possibilities when you combine a food
cooking contest into a selling show,
you cant go wrong.
While this issue of Outlook goes to
press the details of the show and sell
are being finalized and members will
have an opportunity to participate on
a first come first served basis.
Council to host associate trade show
Builders utlook on the scene |
Associates Council Meeting
Associates gathered at the EPAB offices on
July 11 to network and formulate the
projects for the remaining year. The
Chairman, Sam Shallenberger, greeted new
associates and welcomed them into the
association. A quick review of events and
topics of interest to the new members were
discussed. The enthusiastic group vowed
to get involved in projects for the
association and to grow some of the
proposed events. Committees are being
formed for the Bowling Blast August 22; the
upcoming Associates show-tell-sell tent
event September 29 and a potential tail gate
party at UTEP.
Membership News
Thanks to our
JULY
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E L PASo
BUILDERS
A S S o C I A T I o n o F
B U I L DI NG E L PAS O S F U T U R E S I NCE 194 6
11395 James Watt, Suite A-11 79936
915-633-8002
13
2012/7 Builders Outlook
www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS |
UPCOMING EVENTS |
RENEWALS |
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5324 Rio Bravo
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575-305-3028
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Contact: Ramon Ruiz
11020 Argal Ct.
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915-591-7314
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Contact: Nikki McDaniel
10961 Gateway West #200
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915-843-2681
Mission Homes, Inc.
Contact: Rigoberto Mendez
1812 Hunter Dr.
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915-592-9202
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915-781-0180
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August 15
Board Meeting
11:00
General Meeting
12:00
El Paso Club
Chase Bank Bldg.
(Downtown)
August 22
Bowling Blast
12:00 4:00
Fiesta Bowling Lanes
5850 Onix Dr.
September
Treasure Tour Of
Homes
Tba
September 29
Associates Show &
Sale
Tbd
CONDOLENCES |
Cliff Anthes, Jr., El Paso business man and
Life Member of the El Paso Association of
Builders passed away on July 11, 2012. Mr.
Anthes was born in Cranford, New Jersey on
November 30, 1935. His nickname at birth
was Sonny Boy, and he was particularly
interested in trains, the Scouts, history and
industrial design.
A veteran of Korea the Eagle Scout married
Audrey and her five children: Meril, Ellis,
Linda, Darin and Daril, then they added Sheri
and Cliff III to the clan. Mr. Anthes built homes
and got into development here in El Paso. He
was involved in the El Paso Association of
Builders for many years, loved politics and
even served as Chairman of the Airport Board.
Cliff never lacked for interests and he love
adventure and travel. Both Audrey and Cliff
retired in 1990 and commuted between
Washington and El Paso, but most of all loved
Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico. They had
their little tugboat, Little Buddy, and made lots
of friends there. Audrey passed away in 2011.
Our deepest condolences to the family and
friends of Cliff Anthes, Jr. He lived life to the
fullest and always found a way to give back to
the communities and friends he loved.
Cliff Anthes
Hi everyone, I hope things are going well
for each and every one of you. I would like to
thank everyone that showed up for the
Associates meeting on July 11th. We
appreciate the participation and the folks that
signed up for committees. If we can keep this
sprit up we should have a tremendous team
and a great year end.
We have bowling coming up on August
22nd at Fiesta Lanes. You get 5 person
teams for $125.00 banner displays for
$100.00 and we could use some door prizes
for our raffle. This is a fun time for all and no
one cares how you bowel. Just come on out
and have a good time.
The next fun project coming up for the
Associates is our Associates Showcase
which will have a new name soon. It has
turned into a full blown Trade Show, County
Fair and Big Pachanga (party for those of you
not from El Paso). The tentative date is the
29th of September and there is no UTEP
home game that Saturday. The Miners will be
playing Wisconsin at Wisconsin. Wishing
them luck.
Last but not least will be a Pro- Am golf
tournament in November at Painted Dunes.
That is correct, a PRO-AM where each team
will have a Sun Country PGA professional
golfer playing with your team of four. You
must have a current Sun Country
Handicapped player to enter this tournament.
Only 24 teams will have a chance to earn the
win on this tournament. We think it is a great
addition to our year of sporting opportunities
and one that the serious golfer shouldnt
miss. We are starting to sign up teams and
tournament advertisers. Like always, dont
delay in getting your team in on this one.
Were confident a sellout is a sure thing.
Make plans to attend the General meeting
August 15 at the El Paso Club, then come
have some fun bowling.
Have a great month.
Showroom:
2131 Missouri
915 533 6045 fax 533 6096
Thomas R. Brown, Owner
14
Builders Outlook 2012/7
Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply
Associates Council
The association has on hand a
limited number of new EPAB t-shirts
with front pockets and special EPAB
inspired print on the back. The shirts
are American made 90-10 preshrunk
cotton poly. The front of the shirt has
the traditional El Paso Association of
Builders logo above the pocket, while
the back sports the trademark
Building El Pasos tomorrow, today.
Shirts come in dark blue with white
logo on the front or steel gray with
black logo above the pocket. These
handsome rugged ts come in sizes
M-3X to accommodate the size that
fits most comfortable. Available for a
limited time the ts are $15 on a first
come, first serve bases.
At press time the EPAB also
announced that a new shipment of the
ladies golf shirt (Sport Tek) in the fast
selling raspberry color that sold out
fast earlier this year are now available
in limited supplies. Breathable fabric
fits our lady members in a sharp
looking and great feeling EPAB
logoed shirt. Only $25 and available at
the office while supplies last.
Get Sporty! Purchase your limited edition EPAB t-shirts today
They dont show up with big trailers full of lighting and sound equipment. No RVs
for the stars or makeup people. No catered lunches on the set. As a matter of fact they
look like any other person out looking at homes on any given day. But when all is said
and done the quality of the work done by Christopher Jones of New Hero Productions
makes El Paso Homes TV look like a big time Hollywood production.
El Paso Homes TV is a production of First Choice Realty headed up by Rene
Gonzalez, a REALTOR and Rick Snow the Broker for First Choice Realty. Rene is a
life-lone El Paso resident and Rick is an Army transplant coming to El Paso in 1999 for
his final assignment before retiring from the Army in 2003. They met in 2006 and came
up with the idea for the show in 2009.
El Paso Homes TV is a 30 minute show about El Paso real estate that currently airs
on KVIA Channel 7. The focus, says Gonzalez is on new home builders in El
Paso and on buyer education. The builders that are showcased get a segment on the
show where we discuss their building techniques, floor plans and special incentives they
may be offering at the time. We also have a segment dedicated to informing buyers
about things like finding a mortgage or home inspections.
We try to make sure the show is entertaining as well as informative, says Snow.
We have a good time with it. When we describe a builders product we try to hone in
on benefits to the buyer as opposed to the features of the homes. People dont buy
ceiling fans and granite counters, they buy things that affect their lifestyle. So we
describe the way the house flows or how the family members are able to interact with
each other through design features.
Various sponsors are integrated throughout the show to create a finished production
that flows together almost like a story instead of like a commercial. Initially some resale
homes were included but over time the emphasis was focused on the builders. The show
has evolved into more of a storyline now. They are following a couple through the
home buying process and viewers will get to watch them all the way through to closing.
Its a way to get viewers to come back and watch the nest episode. Lets face it, since
we dont have car chases or things blowing up we have to come up with different ways
to get people coming back, says Jones.
El Paso Homes TV provides and affordable marketing message to the consumer for
new home builders that simply hasnt been tapped into before in this way. It provides an
opportunity for people to see and experience their homes before they come out and look
in person. For more information visit: elpasohomestv.com
I execuTive oFFicerS
Frank Arroyos - President
Cisco Homes
edmundo Dena - vice President
Accent Homes
Frank Torres - Secretary/Treasurer
GMF Custom Homes
Sam Shallenberger - Associates council
Western Wholesale Supply
Greg Bowling - immediate Past President
Tropicana Homes
ray Adauto - executive vice President
El Paso Association of Builders
I couNciL/commiTTeecHAirS
Affordable Builders council
Bobby Bowling IV
Associates council
Sam Shallenberger
Build PAc
Randy Bowling
Desert Green Building council
Javier Ruiz
industry Promotions
Greg Bowling
Land use council
Vacant
Young Designer Award
John Chaney
remodelers council
Rudy Guel
membership Drive
Mike Santamaria
Finance committee
Kathy Carrillo
education committee
Frank Spencer
I ADviSorYToTHeBoArD
J. Crawford Kerr, Attorney, Firth, Johnson
& Martinez
I BoArDoFDirecTorS
Joe Bernal, Joe Bernal Insurance
Doug Borrett, Karam Co.
Kathy Carrillo, Pioneer Bank
John Chaney, Passage Supply
Sergio Cuartas, BIC Homes
Ted Escobedo,Snappy Publishing
Art Garcia, El Paso Door
Juanita Garcia, ICON Custom Home Builders,LLC
Samira Gonzalez, Edwards Homes
Lorraine Huit, Cardel Design Group
Walter Lujan, Dawco Home Builders
Sal Masoud, Del Rio Engineering
Bruce Meyer, JDW Insurance
Edgar Montiel, Palo Verde Homes
Kathy Parry, Hunt Communities
Javier Ruiz, Senercon & Border Solar
Frank Spencer, Aztec Contractors
Henry Tinajero, Bank of the West
Linda Troncoso, TRE & Associates
Ken Wade, El Paso Building Materials
Adam Winkler, MTI Ready Mix
Paul Zacour, Zacour & Associates
2011 Builder member of The Year
Greg Bowling
Tropicana Homes
20110 Pat cox Award
Kathy Parry
Hunt Communities
2011 Associate of The Year
Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply
John Schatzman Award
Bob Bowling III
Tropicana Homes
ePAB SpecialAward
Rudy Guel
Guel Construction
Honorary Life members
Brad Roe
Cliff Anthes
Wayne Grinnell
Chester Lovelady
Don Henderson
Anna Gil
Past Presidents
committed to Serve
ePAB mission Statement:
The El Paso Association of Builders is a
federated professional organization representing
the home building industry, committed to
enhancing the quality of life in our community by
providing affordable homes of excellence and
value.
The El Paso Association of Builders is a
501C(6) trade organization.
2012 Builders Outlook
is published and distributed for the
El Paso Association of Builders
by Snappy Publishing
240 Thunderbird Suite C
El Paso Texas 79912 915-820-2800
6046 Surety Dr. El Paso, TX 79905
915-778-5387 Fax: 915-772-3038
Kelly Sorenson
Mark Dyer
Mike Santamaria
John Cullers
Randy Bowling
Doug Schwartz
Robert Baeza
Bobby Bowling, IV
Rudy Guel
Anna Gil
Bradley Roe
Bob Bowling, III
E. H. Baeza
I TABSTATe DirecTorS
Doug Borrett, Karam Co., Life Director
Randy Bowling, Tropicana Homes
I NATioNAL DirecTorS
Bobby Bowling IV.
Demetrio Jimenez
NATioNAL ASSociATioN oF
Home BuiLDerS
(800) 368-5242
TexAS ASSociATioN oF
BuiLDerS
(800)252-3625
years
EL PASO
BUILDERS
A S S O C I A T I O N O F
B U I L DI NG E L PAS O S F U T U R E S I NCE 194 6
www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org
Builders utlook