May 2011 Reporter

Reporter

NORTH TEXAS HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION Volume 4, No. 5

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

May 2011

North Texas Home Builders Association

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

MAY 5, 2011 • 11:30 A.M.

Wellington Banquet & Conference Center 5200 Kell Boulevard

GUEST SPEAKER Dr. George Kazanas Superintendent Wichita Falls ISD

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: National Housing Figures Not Reflective of Texas This week, the U.S. Commerce Department released data on the decline in new home sales across the nation and a flood of articles followed. While the overall U.S. market figures for new home sales dropped for the last three months, it is important to recognize that the Texas housing market fared much better than other states during the recent downturn.

When you look at data from Texas, it is clear that the housing figures are different than the national market. According to Texas Comptroller Susan Combs’ March 18, 2011 Economic Outlook, sales and construction activity in Texas began to shows signs of recovery in 2010. Their data for 2011 indicates that during the 12 months ending in January 2011, 24 percent more multifamily building permits were issued and only 4 percent fewer single-family building permits were issued than one year ago. January 2011 existing single-family home sales in Texas were 2 percent higher than in January 2010.

As noted in the same issue of Economic Outlook, Texas has weathered the national real estate crunch without significant damage to property values to date. In Texas, the median price for existing single-family homes increased by 3.3 percent from February 2010 to February 2011 to $145,800. In February 2011, the Texas foreclosure

rate was one in every 841 mortgages. This was substantially better than Nevada’s one in 119, Arizona’s one in 178, California’s one in 239, and Utah’s one in 273.

Our state’s housing market is expected to continue to outpace the rest of the nation.

The current issue of Builder magazine DOUG McCULLOCH President analyzed the top 20 healthiest housing markets for 2011 and Texas cities dominated the list. Four of the cities deemed “healthiest” were in Texas: Austin; Dallas; El Paso; and San Antonio.

In the January 2011 Monthly Review of the Texas Economy published by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, the state’s construction industry added 32,300 jobs from December 2009 to December 2010, a 5.8 percent rate increase and ranked second in job creation. According to their MLS housing activity data, home sales in February 2011 were up 12.1 percent from January 2011 representing a dollar volume change of 17.1 percent.

Another indicator that the state’s economy has been comparatively healthy was the U.S. Bureau of the Census report that Texas added more people (nearly 4.3 million) than any other state between the census counts of 2000 and 2010. The population expansion will continue to fuel the need for housing.

While the national figures on housing data show a slowdown in sales, let’s highlight the fact that the state of housing is strong in Texas.

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Calendar of Events

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING . ................................................................................. May 5, 2011 • 11:30 a.m.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE . ...................................................................................................... May 10, 2011 • 9:00 a.m.

PARADE OF HOMES & SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE MEETING ..................................... May 11, 2011 • 10:00 a.m SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING ............................................................................ May 11, 2011 • 2:00 p.m.

MEMBERSHIP, MEETINGS & EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETING . .................................. May 12, 2011 • 10:00 a.m.

WICHITA FALLS GENERAL ELECTION................................................................................ May 14, 2011 • 7:00 a.m.

BUDGET & BY-LAWS COMMITTEE MEETING ................................................................... May 17, 2011 • 9:15 a.m BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ................................................................................... May 18, 2011 • 11:00a.m.

MEMORIAL DAY . ......................................................................................... May 30, NTHBA Office will be closed

PARADE OF HOMES Scheduled for June 4-12 The 2011 Parade of Homes will begin June 4 and run through June 12. There will be a Kick-Off Lunch sponsored by Landmark Title at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art, #2 Eureka Circle, adjacent to Landmark Title on Friday June 3, 11:30 to 1:30. Mayor Glenn Barham and Representative Lanham Lyne will honor the North Texas Home Builders Association with their attendance for a ribbon cutting. News Channel 3 will be doing the noon weather report live and Spencer Blake with Channel 6 will cover the ribbon cutting. Parade of Homes tickets will be sold in advance at the Kick-Off lunch.

Please save the date on your calendar and plan on supporting your NTHBA Parade of Homes!

Long Name.

Big On Service.

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

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 TxDOT transportation funding was the subject of Adele Lewis’s presentation to the April general membership luncheon of the North Texas Home Builders Association on Thursday, April 7, at Coyote Ranch Resort.

“Bringing clarity to the discussion” and “funding the challenges in transportation” are the objectives of TxDOT said Lewis. “While we do a better job with our roads that other states, inflation, better fuel-efficient vehicles, lower federal funding, an aging infrastructure, and other uses of highway funds all affect TxDOT’s budget and are challenges for TxDOT in meeting all of its goals.”

She noted that construction inflation increased 65 percent between 2002 and 2008. She also noted that by 2030, Texans will likely be driving cars and trucks that average about 34 miles per gallon. Thus for every mile driven, a lower amount of tax dollars will be going to the state under the gasoline tax.

She explained that TXDOT is funded by the Motor Gas Tax of 38.4 cents per gallon and by vehicle registration fees. However, Texas is a “donor” state and contributes $1.2 billion to the federal government from state money. That 38.4 cents per gallon includes the federal fuel tax of 18.4 cents and the state tax of 20 cents per gallon (of which 15 cents goes to transportation and five cents to education).

TxDOT’s 2011 budget is approximately $9 billion and Lewis said one-third of that goes to highway maintenance. The rest goes to debt service, existing projects and new projects. Only about one-half

billion dollars is available for new construction across the entire state.

In the latest budget year, she said our region received only $26 million for new construction and maintenance. She noted that in the late 1990s, our region’s funding level was up to $120 million per year, but is now back to early 1990s levels. Consequently, staffing levels have been reduced from 320 persons 20 years ago, to 222 today.

Options for increased TxDot financing include increasing the gas tax and registration fees, increasing the state sales tax, instituting a “vehicle miles traveled fee” (this would include electric vehicles that currently do not pay any gas taxes), adding more toll roads, doing public-private partnerships on new construction, borrowing more money (bonds), or creating transportation reinvestment zones (where in a particular county, the county government increases the property taxes for road construction).

Lewis said the Wichita Falls district of TxDOT includes nine North Texas counties. These include Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Archer, Young, Clay, Montague, and Cooke counties.

Among the unfunded regional priorities are U.S. 277 from the Knox-Baylor county lines to Seymour into a four-lane highway; the four-lane expansion of U.S. 277 from Seymour to Maybelle; and from Dundee to Holliday; the four-lane expansion of U.S. 82 from Henrietta to Nocona; and the eight-lane expansion of I-35 from the Denton/Cooke county lines to Oklahoma.

Throughout the state, she said the estimated construction and maintenance needs through 2035 amount to S370 billion.

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

2801 Kell East

Phone (940) 692-5734

Wichita Falls

Fax (940) 692-0391

Texas 76308

Lane Landes, Owner

tco@wf.net

May 21, 2011

MAY 30

We Support Our Troops!

Thank You for Serving for our Freedom!

NTHBA REPORTER MONTHLY ADVERTISING RATES

Always Remember to do Business with Association Members!

MAY Birthdays

Lee Grace .................................................................. 10 Jared Streich ...............................................................13 Faruk Saltagic .............................................................15 Eddie Blackburn ..........................................................15 5828 Ashleyanne Circle, Suite B

by JAM

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HOUSING HALL OF HONOR North Texas Home Builders Association is accepting applications for nominees for the Housing Hall of Honor. The primary mission for the North Texas Home Builders Housing Hall of Honor is to celebrate men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to the housing industry in North Texas. A secondary purpose is to promote a positive image of the Texas housing industry to the public through increased awareness and education.

Please take time to go online at www.nthba.com and read the guidelines, fill out an application and submit your nominee.

Deadline for applications will be July 25, 2011 by 5:00 p.m.

We’re Here When You Need Us.

Serving Wichita, Archer and Clay Counties

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Maggie Johnson

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CHRIS•DOCKMAN•COMPANY 2071 FM 171 Wichita Falls, Texas 76305 Phone & Fax (940) 767-9710 Cell (940) 704-3471 Jerry Fillmon, Owner/Manager

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CHRIS DOCKMAN COMPANY ................................Jerry Fillmon ATMD INSURANCE............................................... Ryan Howard

940-723-0944 Serving This Area Since 1946

SKYLINE DEVELOPERS ...............................................Mark Lam

Welcome New Members!

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(940) 692-6300 • Fax (940) 692-6302