September 2019 Edition
As a way to say hello to all members that I have yet to meet. I'd like to run a special promotion for all stone work booked in the month of May by any LABA member. The price will be at a base rate of $20 a square ft. That is the price for labor and materials installed of any Dutch Quality stone!!! Hope to meet everyone soon. - Austen Heidlage, Heidlage Masonry P: 417-310-2019 Meeting your financial goals requires making a plan - and sticking to it. Please contact Sheri Plantz with Edward Jones Investments at 788-6460 or CLICK HERE **NEW Avalon Design Group is offering a 50% discount to all Builders for any/all Parade of Homes projects that utilize their Design/Drafting Services. Contact Tim at 319-540-8214 for more information. Unlimited travel discounts from Snazzy Traveler! You must be an active member of record or an affiliate member with WBA and you will receive a free Snazzy Traveler membership (valued at $99). No black out dates or restrictions. Sign up today at www.wisbuild.org Free Reclaimed Wood Headboard w/ Purchase of Wood Flooring or Wall Treatments- Contact Larry at Used Anew LLC e:larry@usedanew.com p: (608) 487-0547 http://www.usedanew.com 4 Rooms FREE with Advanced Multimedia Solutions ~ Whole house audio pre-wire for LABA member contractors. Contact for scheduling 608-783-0949 or sales@AMSAudioVideo.com. To be eligible for the General Motors $500 discount, you must be the active member of record or an affiliate member with NAHB. If you would like to verify your status or add additional memberships for your business, please contact Tena at the LABA office. Do you have a discount program exclusively for LABA Members? Get your message out to members FREE in the Floorplan and/or at www.labaonline.com! Contact Tena at 608-781-5242 or tena@labaonline.com
LABA has a closed Facebook group for Members Only. We tried to invite as many members as Facebook would allow us to tag, but we know we were not able to get everyone. If you are on Facebook and did not receive an invitation please let us know, so we can get you in this exclusive group. If you have been invited please accept your invitation.
DCW to Be All-Virtual, Feb. 9-12 Due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAHB and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) have announced that the 8th annual Design & Construction Week® (DCW), featuring NAHB’s International Builders’ Show® (IBS) and NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS), will no longer be an on-site event. Instead, the two groups are planning a robust, all-virtual event. The new all-virtual DCW 2021 will take place Feb. 9-12. Registration for the virtual DCW event is free for all NAHB and NKBA members. Learn more at BuilderShow.com.
Sales Outpacing New Home Construction The home building industry has made a quick and dramatic comeback in the wake of the COVID-induced economic downturn. Housing demand has increased so rapidly in recent months that there is now an unprecedented gap between sales and home construction. Sales of new single-family homes in August increased 4.8% to an annual rate of 1.01 million units — their highest pace since September 2006. Builder Confidence Hits Another Record In a further show of strength for the housing sector, builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes increased two points to 85 in October, further surpassing the previous all-time high of 83 recorded in September, according to the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). These are the first two months the index has ever been above 80. Builders have noted that traffic remains high and record-low interest rates are keeping demand strong.
ICC Rules on NAHB's Final Two Appeals The ICC Board of Directors in October issued a final decision on the last two NAHB appeals to the 2021 building code development process. The board sided with NAHB on the scope and intent of two changes to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) but rejected another appeal on 20 twice-defeated proposals that were defeated at two different hearings before being approved in the online vote.
New Inclusionary Zoning Tool Inclusionary zoning (IZ) is often adopted under the assumption that it is a simple, expedient method to address a community’s shortage of affordable housing. But IZ is not as effective as its proponents claim, and a growing body of evidence suggests that IZ often discourages development and raises the price of market-rate homes. NAHB has created an empirical tool, the Inclusionary Zoning Calculator Tool, that enables the user to assess how IZ requirements impact development choices. The IZ Calculator Tool uses a sample developer’s pro forma as the template, and allows the end user to input and revise certain variables to show how different incentives and cost inputs may be used to create an economically feasible development.
Contact Tena for more information at (608) 781-5242.
What Voters Are Saying about Housing this Election Season
Home Price Appreciation Accelerates in August
Housing has long been a key economic driver. So in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and at the culmination of the 2020 elections, housing is an especially critical topic. NAHB recently surveyed more than 2,200 registered voters from across the country to learn more about how housing has been impacted by COVID-19 and how it could play a role in the upcoming elections. The survey confirmed that housing availability and affordability are growing concerns for many Americans, and that the pandemic has only compounded these issues. Among the key findings, a larger portion of respondents feels that the Democratic party is more likely to address housing affordability than the Republican party. The results also show the large majority of respondents are in favor of an additional financial stimulus. Some of the survey’s other questions specifically asked voters: • How they have used their federal stimulus checks; • If they are more likely to make home improvements, as working remotely becomes more common; and • Where they would prefer to buy their next home, in the wake of COVID-19. The results can be viewed on the NAHB Housing Portal, which also offers a wealth of additional information about the state of housing at the national, state and congressional district levels. The Housing Portal is an easy-to-use resource for industry professionals as well as the general public. Visitors can also easily create downloadable reports to share with their colleagues, clients and legislative contacts. Visit nahb.org/portal. Additional voter resources regarding NAHB-endorsed candidates and the association's get-out-the-vote efforts are available here.
Home price appreciation accelerated in August in major markets across the nation. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of 12.1% in August, faster than an 8.9% increase in July. It marks the highest annual growth rate since April 2013. On a year-over-year basis, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index posted a 5.7% annual gain in August, up from 4.8% in July. It is the fastest pace of home price appreciation since July 2018. This month’s acceleration strongly reflected recent activity in existing home sales and tight inventory. Existing home sales in August reached a 14-year high, while the inventory decreased to three-month supply. S&P reported that home prices in August increased dramatically in most metro areas, with annual growth rates ranging from -2.9% to 29.7%. San Diego led the way with a 29.7% increase. Home prices in New York declined by 2.9% in August.
Brad Boycks, Executive Director
Access the November Blueprint by clicking on here. If you have received the paper version of this newsletter please visit wisbuild.org or look for the email from Brad that was sent out on November 4, 2020 titled !The Blueprint - Election Edition.
660 John Nolen Drive, Suite 320, Madison, Wisconsin 53713-1469 www.wisbuild.org for more information
MEMBER MEETING DAY with the PRESIDENT'S INSTALLATION DINNER Friday, January 22, 2021 at the Wilderness Resort in WI Dells Meeting: 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception for the President's dinner: 5:30 p.m. For more information and to register: https://www.wisbuild.org/wba-events/2021memberday
October's General Membership Meeting
We were happy to have Brad Boycks from WBA give us a virtual update on the local political races in our area. We also had Officer Hintz and Halo (K9) from the Holmen Police Department stop by for a quick update on how things are going since Halo came to the area in May. Officer Hintz wanted to express his thanks again to all of you that donated time and/or materials for the kennel for Halo.
Thank you Social Hour & Table Top Sponsors!
Recap
The WBA Legal Hotline is a service provided to you FREE as part of your membership and is only a phone call away! Find out more at wisbuild.org WBA legal resource center is available exclusively for members sponsored through Axley Brynelson, LLP
Use the WBA Builders Direct Fund to support your candidate and support Building a Better Wisconsin PAC. Make a personal individual contribution to the Builders Direct Fund Conduit to support a candidate for governor, attorney general, state senate, or state assembly by using a personal, individual or single member LLC credit card. BuildersDirectFund.com
Talk about Construction Careers A chronic labor shortage is slowing the residential construction industry. That's why it is essential that housing industry professionals communicate the value of a career in the skilled trades. What is the best way to start the conversation about a career in residential construction? Many NAHB members and home builders associations (HBAs) across the country have ramped up outreach efforts and have shared these key points about the benefits of working in residential construction: The housing industry is hiring. A career in the building trades offers strong earnings potential. This career path is a solid alternative to college. And there are a variety of training programs available. It's a job where you can make a positive impact on people's lives.
November 17: General Membership Meeting/ Associate Appreciation Night Tuesday, November 17 @ Cedar Creek Social Hour 5:30 p.m./ Dinner at 6:30 p.m. December 15: General Membership Meeting/Christmas Party Tuesday, December 15 @ Celebrations Social Hour 5:30 p.m./ Dinner at 6:30 p.m. January 19: General Membership Meeting Tuesday, January 19 @ Cedar Creek Country Club Social Hour 5:30 p.m./ Dinner at 6:30 p.m. January 22: WBA Member Meeting Day Wilderness Resort in WI Dells WBA President's Installation Dinner @ Wilderness Resort in WI Dells
Save the Date
816 Second Avenue S. Onalaska, WI 54650
NEW OFFICE HOURS The LABA Office will be CLOSED FRIDAYS and Thursday, November 26 for Thanksgiving