April 2011 Newsletter

Reporter

NORTH TEXAS HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION Volume 4, No. 4

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WICHITA FALLS, TX PERMIT NO. 491 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

4410 Fairway Boulevard • Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 Phone (940) 692-2211 • Fax (940) 692-2214

Wichita Falls, Texas

April 2011

North Texas Home Builders Association

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING APRIL 7, 2011 • 11:30 A.M. Coyote Ranch Resort

14145 U.S Highway 287 Take Stephens Ranch Road Exit

GUEST SPEAKER Adele Lewis • TxDOT Program: Transportation Funding

TEXAS; WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES THE FARTHEST

The economic storm that has sweep the country for the last four years has left Americans with few places to hide. Those looking to hunker down might want to head to Texas, where they can get the best value for their dollar. That’s because Austin and San Antonio lead our nation in a list of places where your money goes farthest. Residents of both enjoy affordable housing and promising prospects for job growth in coming years. Houston and Dallas also land in the top 10, at Nos. 4 and 7, respectively.

Texas, as a whole, is one of the few economies performing extremely well because of the energy and technology sectors.

Plus, military bases have continued to draw a steady steam of personnel and federal employees to several cities in Texas, spurring state wide job growth.

The state’s manufacturing sector has also grown in recent years, and a reputation for affordable housing continues to lure people to the South. When accounting for median household income, a house in Dallas, for example, — with a median price of about $150,000 — is four times more affordable than a house in Los Angeles, the worst-ranked city on the list.

A house in New York is three times less affordable than in Charlotte, N.C., and four times less than in Denver, two cities where your money goes far and where the median house costs

$245,000, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Housing has remained affordable in the South and Midwest, thanks to growing populations, relatively lax building regulations and “lots and lots of land,” said Daniel McCue, a research analyst at Harvard’s Joint Center for DOUG McCULLOCH President Housing Studies. Plus, he added, housing in cities like Houston “grew at a more controlled pace and didn’t go overboard like in Phoenix or Las Vegas.” Three Midwestern cities round out the top 10: Indianpolis; Columbus, Ohio; and Minneapolis.. The worstranked cities, after Los Angeles, were Providence, R.I.; New Orleans; Philadelphia; and Cleveland.

Texas cities, including Wichita Falls, have been clear winners, with economists predicting job growth of at least 2% by 2012. By comparison, job growth in cities at the bottom of the list, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Cleveland, are expected to be about 0.2%.

Remember Deadline for Scholarship Applications is May 1, 2011 Please encourage anyone you know that may qualify to please fill out an application and mail or email it to the NTHBA. Applications are online at www.nthba.com.

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Calendar of Events

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE SEMINAR......................................................................................... April 5, 2011 • 9:00 a.m.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING.................................................................................... April 7, 2011 • 11:30 a.m.

PARADE OF HOMES COMMITTEE MEETING..................................................................... April 13, 2011 • 10:00 a.m.

BUDGET & BY-LAWS COMMITTEE MEETING.................................................................... April 19, 2011 • 9:15 a.m.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.................................................................................... April 20, 2011 • 11:00 a.m.

PARADE OF HOMES Scheduled for June 4-12 Things Of Interest: • April 1, 2011 is deadline for submitting your entry fee and application. If you haven’t already sent in your application and fee please do so as soon as possible.

If you did not receive an application form please contact the NTHBA office and we will get one to you.

• Housing Guide Advertising. If you have not been contacted to advertise in this years Housing Guide and would like to please contact the NTHBA office at (940)692-2211 or info@ nthba.com.

• The Parade of Homes committee will be selling banners promoting the Parade of Homes. The cost will be $100.00 which includes the banner and materials to erect. They will be displayed at your place of business. The Parade of Homes committee will erect them for you. If you would like to sponsor a banner and have not been contacted please contact the NTHBA office at (940) 692-2211 or info@nthba.com.

The Parade of Homes committee is stiving to make this years Parade of Homes a huge success.

Make sure you read your Reporter and watch the web site for upcoming information about the Kick-Off Lunch, Grand Prize Give Away and much more.

Thank you in advance for your participation and cooperation!

940-723-0944 Serving This Area Since 1946

2801 Midwestern Parkway, Suite 200 Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 940-696-0000 phone • 940-687-1725 fax www.fstbnk.com

HOME BUILDERS CONSTRUCT HEALTHY LEGISLATION We all have a stake in what happens in Austin with legislation. Members of the North Texas Home Builders Association (NTHBA) in Wichita Falls joined with other Texas Association of Builders (TAB) members to attend Rally Day in Austin. The hammers, saws and drills were set aside for the day and everyone’s energy was focused on legislation. The mission was to influence Texas lawmakers as they deliberate changes to the home building industry.

With a vision to protect the future of Texas and Wichita Falls, Doug McCulloch, president of the NTHBA and owner of Douglas Custom Homes assembled a crew to hike the hill in Austin. Legislation requires the attention of constituents. Joining McCulloch in Austin was Stan Mountain, owner of Mountain Construction, Jose Garcia, owner of Garnel Construction, and Wayne Mansur, president of Texoma Community Credit Union. Collectively these men spent their time, talent and treasure to help all Texans improve the home building business. These NTHBA members spent Rally Day in Austin measuring, cutting and hammering out legislation that has a pro-housing agenda.

Housing drives economic development. Representing more than 10,000 TAB members, who employ more than 550,000 jobs, home construction injects over $35 billion into the Texas economy annually. Home builders focus their energy on ensuring that the American dream is not just a dream, but a reality.

Every piece of legislation has a consequence. Good construction requires a foundation of good laws. We were in Austin with our prohousing agenda.

• The challenges of local government regulation are still an issue. Local government should retain the control in setting housing regulations, not the state or federal government.

• Entry level homes must be kept affordable. We need laws that reduce the wasteful and useless building codes and regulations that drive up the cost of housing. Proposed wasteful laws we fought would require every new home in Texas to have an indoor fire sprinkler system and solar electricity. This is simply excessive.

• Some proposed taxes and fees will place an unfair burden on homeowner which must be pulled out of any new laws.

Every Texan can help build better legislation. Learn more about issues critical to protecting the homebuilding business. Visit the websites www.NTHBA.com and www.texasbuilders.org. Write Texas Senator Craig Estes and Texas Representative Lanham Lyne to let them know how legislation will impact your life. Lawmakers want to hear their constituents and future homebuyers’ opinions. Join the fight to keep the homebuilding industry healthy.

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Lane Landes, Owner

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APRIL Birthdays

Ryan Howard................................................................3 Ronnie Guerrerro ....................................................... 10 Rick Belz ................................................................... 18 Ralph Dunkelberg........................................................19 Mark Masman ............................................................22 Judy Garrett ...............................................................30

BRYAN WAGGONER 3907 Kell Boulevard • Wichita Falls • Texas 76308 (940) 691-3641 Fax (940) 691-3643 • (800) 466-3642 E-Mail bryanl@waggonercarpetone.com

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Always Remember to do Business with Association Members!

(940) 692-6300 • Fax (940) 692-6302

National Association of Home Builders

Put your membership to work now.

Money-saving discounts that benefit your business, your employees, and your family

www.nahb.org/MA

Thanks for Renewing!

DAVID BEDINGFIELD HOMES......................... David Bedingfield FIDELITY BANK.................................................... Jeff McClatchy HOLSTEAD BRICK................................................. Bill Holstead WILSON OFFICE SUPPLY...........................................Tim Sawyer

Ralph Dunkelberg III Vice President Mortgage Services

1401 Holliday • Wichita Falls, TX 76301 940-720-8054 • Cell 940-704-1789 Fax 940-720-8071 Email ralph.dunkelberg@usfcu.us

Because we are committed to the success of the builder industry.

When you work with Stewart, you get more than just our years of experience benefitting your business. You get knowledgeable, full-time, dedicated associates working alongside you at your job sites, in the community, as well as with local, state and national builder associations, and political action committees.

Contact us for more information about why Stewart Title is the right partner for you.

Randy Schaffner Stewart Title Company of Wichita Falls 2733 Midwestern Parkway, Suite 100 Wichita Falls, TX 76308

(940) 691-5600