Housing ouflook ls Good, FHA Official Reports to Oak Ffooring Producers

THE HOUSING industry outlook is good, FHA Deputy I Administrator 1. R. iasfr, Jr., toli the mid-suni*.t meeting of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers' Association, in Memphis, Tenn.

"The general economy shows a trend toward improve- ment," he said. "More money is available for moitgage loans. The volume of FHA mortgage insurance applications has been rising. With passage of the Administration's housing bill, which is expected shortly, we can look for a noticeable increase in home building."

In the only officer election at the session W. R. Warner of Bradley-Southern Division, Potlatch Forests, Inc., Warren, Ark., was named vice president. He succeeds H. S. Mesereau, Crossett Lumber Co., Crossett, Ark. President James R. May presided. IIe is executive vice president of Veach-May-Wison, Inc., Alcoa, Tenn.

Dr. Wayland A. Tonning of Memphis State lJniversity, speaking on "What Has Happened to Salesmanship," declared that many sales are lost because of indifference of the salesman and of sales calls on the wrong persons.

Harvey Creech, chairman of the NOFMA iesearch committee, reported that encouraging progress was being made in the association's research project designed to find speedier and more economical means of installing strip oak floors on concrete slab foundations.

A preview of the association's 1962 advertising insertions in consumer and trade publications was presented by Hol- ton Rush of Greenshaw & Rush, Inc., Memphis.

Other speakers included George M. Fulier, Washington repres-entative of NOFMA, who discussed pending legisla- tion affecting the housing industry.

Cash declired that a irotrg demand for oak flooring can be expected in the years ahead from modernization aJwell as from an increase in the volume of new construction.

He cited Bureau of Census reports which show that 27 per cent of the nation's housing inventory is in sub-standard condition.

"About three-fourths of these sub-standard dwellings," he pointed out, "are worth preserving and can be reha6ilitated. These findings indicate that there is likely to be a significant shift in the areas of construction activity."

Emphasizing the need for urban renewal, he declired that the residential construction industry must be geared to serve selected housing markets in certain places and at certain times, and added:

"We must concentrate on less expensive homes-homes that will be cheaper to buy but not cheap in quality. Many builders are already producing such homes. Not only thatthey are also adding extras to these homes without boosting the price to the consumer.

"I am convinced that the recent credit-easing actions taken by President Kennedy will have a far-reaching effect upon the housing market as a whole, and will facilitate urban renewal,"