Chalk Line Magazine November | December 2015

Chalk Line November/December 2015

MAGAZINE

2015 Voter’s Guide Inside

INSIDE THIS ISSUE TOUR OF HOMES™ WINNERS PROPOSITION 1 HOUSING MARKET UPDATE

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CONTENT FEATURE

Page 4

MESSAGE FROM THE 2015 PRESIDENT Page 7

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PAGE 8-9 The Affordable Housing Council’s Voter’s Guide

LATEST GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ISSUES MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Page 12

NEW/RENEWING MEMBERS Page 12

Chalk Line November/December 2015

6

TOUR OF HOMES WINNERS!

Page 10

Page 11 Cover photo: Tour of Homes Judges’ Choice-Best of Show by The Artisans Group. Photo by: Ramsay Photography

5

CHRISTMAS PARTY!

NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Page13

2016 BUYER’S GUIDE INFORMATION Page 14

HOUSING MARKET UPDATE

Interested in sharing your expertise, opinions or comments with Chalk Line readers?

Please contact Angela White at angela@omb.org or (360) 754-0912 to discuss the opportunity to write content for Chalk Line.

Looking Ahead-Meetings and Events November 2 at 12:00 pm - Membership Committee Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office

November 18 at 6:00 pm-Lewis County Chapter Ramblin Jacks Ribeye in Napavine

December 15 at 5:30 pm - Mason County Christmas Party TBD

November 4-6 - BIAW Board Meetings Bellevue, WA

November 19 at 11:30 am-General Membership Lunch River’s Edge in Tumwater

December 16 at 4:00 pm-Government Affairs Committee Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office

November 24 at 4:00 pm-Associates Council Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office

December 17 at 11:30 am - General Membership Lunch River’s Edge in Tumwater

December 2 at 6:00 pm - Grays Harbor Christmas Party GH Wine Sellars in Aberdeen

December 22 at 4:00 pm-Associates Council Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office

November 4 at 6:00 pm - Grays Harbor Chapter Meeting GH Wine Sellars in Aberdeen November 10 at 4:00 pm - Executive Committee Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office November 10 at 4:30 pm - Board of Directors Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office November 12-13 at 8:00 am - Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) Series Olympia Master Builders Office November 17 at 5:30 pm - Mason County Chapter Meeting El Sarape, Shelton (downtown) November 18 at 4:00 pm-Government Affairs Committee Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office

December 8 at 4:00 pm - Executive Committee Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office December 8 at 4:30 pm - Board of Directors Meeting Olympia Master Builders Office December 11 at 6:00 pm - OMB Christmas Party Doubletree by Hilton, Olympia

Meetings and Events are subject to change.

For more details on these upcoming OMB events, go to www.omb.org.

Chalk Line • 3

FROM THE

2015 President It’s Election Time Again!

Mike Auderer PRESIDENT

A

s a Trustee for The Affordable Housing Council (TAHC), I had a voice in our endorsement decisions made for this year’s local races.

I am proud to be part of the TAHC and I would encourage all of you to become TAHC trustees as well. I learned a lot about the candidates through this process and I feel much more informed.

All you need to do to become a TAHC Trustee is contribute $125 to the TAHC in one calendar year – that’s it! Thankfully, most OMB members already choose to make a voluntary $40 contribution to the TAHC when they renew their membership dues each year, so all that’s required to become a voting member of the TAHC is an additional $85 contribution!

the home building industry, and don’t view us as the enemy but as a community partner, is the most important thing we, as an Association of industry professionals, can do all year! The cost of building homes is rising and much of that cost comes from regulatory fees that are put in place by elected officials.

TAHC sends each candidate a carefully crafted questionnaire so we can ascertain that endorsed candidates have a level of understanding of the industry and how much we, as an industry, contribute to the local economy. We also are able to gauge the strength of the candidate, their ability to run a solid campaign, and how open they will be to listening to all sides of an issue. I realize our elected officials won’t always agree with us,

“...having the ability to have an open dialog on issues is so much better than the alternative.”

Our industry has faced, and is still facing, many challenges within OMB’s five county area. Helping elect men and women that have an understanding of

4 • Chalk Line

or vote our way every time (as much as I want to live in that world), but having the ability to have an open dialog on issues is so much better than the alternative.

I hope you take the time to check out The Affordable Housing Council (TAHC) Voter’s Guide on page 8-9. I also hope you take the time to vote in this year’s election. The big day is November 3rd this year, so make sure you get to your voting location or mail in your ballot beforehand! I know that it’s not a big presidential race but we have quite a few local races that could make a big difference to the building industry.

LOCAL ELECTIONS MATTER!

Chalk Line Official Publication of the Olympia Master Builders 1211 State Avenue NE, Olympia WA 98506 Phone: (360) 754-0912 www.omb.org

The Olympia Master Builders is a professional trade association representing 450 member companies located in Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Mason and Pacific Counties. Our members come from all sectors of the building trades and are committed to “building strong communities, one home at a time.”

Executive Committee

President Mike Auderer First Vice President Ron Deering Treasurer Stuart Drebick Associate Vice President Kim Asay Second Associate Vice President Debbi Boyd Secretary Jon Jones Immediate Past President John McKinlay Builder at Large Karen McClennen

Builder Directors Scott Bergford, Janine Ezzell, Erik Jensen

Merry

& Bright SAVE THE DATE

Christmas Celebration and AWARDS CEREMONY

Friday, December 11 6:00 pm Doubletree by Hilton, Olympia

Associate Directors Holly Constantine, Rusty Ruiz

Legal Counsel Jay Goldstein

National Directors Mike Auderer, Bob Kagy, Karen McClennen

State Directors Tina Allen, Mike Auderer, Debbi Boyd, Ron Deering, Janine Ezzell, Bob Kagy, Karen McClennen, John McKinlay, Becky Rieger

Grays Harbor Chapter

President Harv Lillegard Associate Vice President Rusty Ruiz Secretary Bob Smith

Cornerstone Partners

Cornerstone Partners recognizes member companies whose financial support have made our association programs possible. Contact Amanda Cassman at amanda@omb.org or (360) 754-0912 for information on this program.

Lewis County Chapter

President Erik Jensen First Vice President John Johnson Assoc. Vice President Becky Rieger Secretary Rick Borovec Builder Director Patrick Toby Associate Directors Jason Kunz

GRANITE LEVEL-$5,000 Investment

Mason County Chapter

President Aaron Nester Vice President Andrew Spear Associate Vice President Mike Gill Second Associate Vice President Julie Nichols Secretary/Treasurer Bob Love

QUARTZ LEVEL-$3,000 Investment

South Pacific County Chapter President Steve Waltemate

Association Staff

Executive Officer Troy Nichols Communications DIrector Angela White Membership Marketing Coordinator Amanda Cassman Events Director Brianna Bedell Government Affairs Director Joshua Deal

MARBLE LEVEL-$1,000 Investment • Ascent Audiology and Hearing • Chicago Title Insurance Co..

• Duncan and Associates • Johnson Custom Homes, LLC • Kenyon Remodeling. • Olympia Construction, Inc. • Phillips Burgess, PLLC • Scott Homes, Inc. • Sunset Insurance Agency, LLC • Twin Star Credit Union • Umpqua Bank • Washington Business Bank • Williams Onsite, LLC Chalk Line • 5

Congrats to the 2015 Tour of Homes™ Winners!

Top Left: Dunamis Interiors, Inc. was named People’s Choice Best of Show. Left: Artisans Group was named Judges’ Choice Best of Show. Top Right: The 2015 Tour of Homes Award Winners.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Best Curb Appeal Best Kitchen Best Master Bath Best Floor Plan Best Remodel Best of Show

Artisans Group Lifespan Construction/Interior Dimensions Dunamis Interiors, Inc. Artisans Group Lifespan Construction/Interior Dimensions Dunamis Interiors, Inc.

People’s Choice Best of Show Dunamis Interiors, Inc.

JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARDS Best Curb Appeal Best Kitchen Best Master Bath Best Floor Plan Best Remodel Best of Show

Mance and Son Residential Developers, Inc. Lifespan Construction/Interior Dimensions Mill Pond LP Mance and Son Residential Developers, Inc. Lifespan Construction/Interior Dimensions Artisans Group

JUDGES’ HONORABLE AWARDS Best Master Suite Best Presentation (Remodel) Best Presentation (New)

Benchmark Olympia Construction Artisans Group

Thank you to the 2015 Tour of Homes™ sponsors: Olympia Federal Savings, Pro-Build, Olympia Overhead Doors, The Olympian, Print NW and Mullinax Ford.

6 • Chalk Line

Judges’ Choice Best of Show Artisans Group

FROM THE

EXECUTIVE OFFICER 2015 was a Success on Many Levels – Expect Even Better Things in 2016!

Troy Nichols EXECUTIVE OFFICER

A

s we start to close the book on 2015 at Olympia Master Builders (OMB), I think it’s important to look back on the year and take pride in our many successes, and also look forward with great anticipation to an even-better 2016!

I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to read OMB President Mike Auderer’s column in this issue of Chalk Line. He does an excellent job of emphasizing the upcoming elections and the importance of voting, particularly in an off-presidential year.

In addition, please take a look at our new OMB Government Affairs Director Joshua Deal’s column on Olympia’s Proposition 1. He also helped draft our election overview on page 8-9. Bringing Joshua on board as an addition to our already stellar team has been a highlight of 2015, and I feel as though we are finally operating at full strength representing your interests!

When then-incoming OMB President Mike Auderer outlined his goals for 2015, he emphasized bringing value to your OMB membership, and he stressed the importance of having FUN. I think we have succeeded in meeting his expectations as an organization this year.

To me, events that showcase our members and elevate the status of OMB within the community are at the heart of our organization’s mission, so in 2015 the OMB Big Home & Garden Show and the Tour of Homes™ definitely would make my highlight reel!

Public turnout at our Big Home & Garden Show increased nearly 30 percent this year over last, and just about every available vendor booth space was filled.

Add in the Lego competition, an excellent list of food vendors, and great live musical entertainment, this year’s Show was a lot of fun for all! Next year you can expect an expanded outdoor vendor space, a blood donation drive, and hopefully (my fingers are crossed anyway) a new selection of local beer and wine vendors!

es, at local brew-pubs throughout our region to swap stories, get to know one another, make valuable connections, and drink good beer! In fact, these events were such a great success we’re planning on holding them throughout the year in 2016!

If I were to choose a personal highlight for 2015, it would have to be our Membership Appreciation Night this summer at Cheney Stadium with the Tacoma Rainiers! I underestimated the enthusiasm and interest this event would generate among OMB members, as the 180 tickets we made available for the event quickly sold out! Next year, we’re expanding our ticket availability to 250, so go ahead and mark your calendars for July 21st so you don’t miss out on next year’s big night!

“Making OMB the fun place to be will help all of us retain and attract new members, increasing our value and influence within the building industry and the political community throughout our five counties.”

The Tour of Homes is always a community favorite, and I think it provides a good opportunity to showcase exactly what our OMB members are all about – quality construction and good customer service. The Tour this year attracted 18 new construction and remodel projects, and the public response was excellent.

Of course, celebrating the Tour’s success is one of the best parts of the event, and this year’s 2015 Tour of Homes Awards Banquet was a hit! I can’t wait to celebrate next year, and we may have a few new and fun surprises in store for the Tour in 2016 – stay tuned!

In 2015 we kicked off our new “Beer With a Builder” series to great success – this is not your grandfather’s usual ‘networking’ event! We gathered dozens of builder members, along with industry-related associate member business-

Next year, it is my personal mission to build on the success we’ve had in 2015 increasing the “Fun Factor” for OMB’s events, with an added emphasis on membership and recruiting.

Making OMB the fun place to be will help all of us retain and attract new members, increasing our value and influence within the building industry and the political community throughout our five counties.

So “Cheers!” to a successful 2015, and I hope you’re looking forward to a great 2016…tomorrow’s looking good!

Chalk Line • 7

2015

ELEC

Complete List of TAHC Endorsed Candidates: CITY OF LACEY: Jason Hearn, City Council, Position No. 1

Lenny Greenstein, City Council, Position No. 2 Bill Frare, City Council, Position No. 3 CITY OF OLYMPIA: Cheryl L. Selby, Mayor Jessica Bateman, City Council, Position No. 2 Nathaniel Jones, City Council, Position No. 3 CITY OF YELM: Joe DePinto, City Council, Position No. 6 PORT OF OLYMPIA: Joe Downing, Port Commissioner, District 1 Jerry Farmer, Port Commissioner, District 3 CITY OF SHELTON: Gary H. Cronce, Mayor and Commissioner of Public Safety Kathy McDowell, Commissioner of Finance & Accounting PORT OF SHELTON: Sue Patterson, Port Commissioner Position No. 1

Cheryl L. Selby Candidate for Mayor

Councilmember Cheryl Selby is a small business owner and has been an active member of the community even before joining the Olympia City Council. With a strong platform that emphasizes economic development, this race is crucial in bringing needed business experience to the Office of the Mayor.

Candidates endorsed in

Jessica Bateman

Candidate for City Council, Position No. 2 Jessica Bateman is currently the Community Impact Director for United Way of Thurston County and has experience in both local and state government. As a member of the City Council, she will be able to use her unique experience to help build the future of Olympia.

KEY RACES

Joe D

Candida Port Com

Joe Dow nation of sector ex been inv of Olymp Committ brings a that will Olympia optimal l

CTIONS

These candidates have been endorsed by The Affordable Housing Council (TAHC), OMB’s Political Action Committee. TAHC focuses endorsements on candidates who understand and value what the home building industry and small businesses bring to our local and state economy.

Downing

Jerry Farmer

Kathy McDowell

Gary H. Cronce

wning has a combif private and public xperience and has volved with the Port pia Citizen Advisory tee for 6 years. Joe fresh perspective allow the Port of to operate at an level.

Jerry Farmer sees job creation as the primary focus of the Port of Olympia, and this means greater economic development across the region. Jerry has a depth of business experience, is very involved in nonprofit fundraising, and will make great contributions as a Port Commissioner.

Kathy McDowell is a longtime resident of Shelton who is focused on bringing business into the area in order to foster the economic future of the city. With a deep understanding what the City of Shelton needs, Kathy will make an excellent addition to the City Commission.

Mayor Gary Cronce has a resume that includes the Mason County Economic Development Council and the operation of several private businesses. It is important that he is reelected to continue to fight against new taxes and encourage the business climate within Shelton.

ate for mmissioner, District 1

Candidate for Port Commissioner, District 3

Candidate for Commissioner of Finance & Accounting

Candidate for Mayor and Commissioner of Public Safety

Government Affairs Highlights Olympia Master Builders (OMB) is currently working on and/or monitoring many issues related to the building industry.

Here are a few recent highlights:

City of Olympia

Olympia Allocates Funding for Permit Applications – The

City Council recently approved an ordinance allocating funding for three additional positions within the Community Planning and Development Department for the remainder of 2015.

There has been a recent increase in the number and complexity of applications for land use, building and engineering permits, and additional staffing is required to continue to accommodate permit applications in a timely manner.

OMB staff testified in support of this measure because faster permitting times improve outcomes for both businesses and the broader community, due to the economic benefits of construction within the area. Department officials confirmed that the City of Olympia is already recruiting for the new positions and are optimistic about the efficiencies they will bring.

Thurston County

Shoreline Master Program Update Process – Under

the Washington State Growth Management Act, counties of a certain size are required to periodically update their CountyWide Planning Policies, which serve as a guide for developing regulations and comprehensive plans within the area.

Thurston County is currently embarking on this process. The adopted document will govern Thurston’s seven jurisdictions (Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, Bucoda, Rainier, Tenino, and Yelm) as well as the unincorporated areas of the county. While the primary goal of this process is to encourage development in urban areas, other goals include a focus on protecting the environment.

In theory, the document developed is supposed to serve as a general outline for where growth should be focused to take place, in order to accommodate for the forecasted population growth over the next 20 years. In practice, this document could be used to inhibit growth in an effort to prevent development under the guise of environmental preservation.

OMB staff are currently involved in the process, monitoring proposals as they are developed, participating in public meetings, and ensuring that Thurston County’s guidelines include capacity for the projected 80,000 new residents coming to live in the area over the next two decades. You can read all about the current proposal and its development on the Thurston County Planning website. There is also a public hearing scheduled for October 20th at 3:00 PM at Thurston County Courthouse before the County Commissioners.

To get more involved in the OMB Government Affairs Program, contact Joshua Deal at joshua@omb.org or (360) 754-0912.

10 • Chalk Line

Is Olympia’s Proposition 1 the Best Way to Enhance the Park System?

Joshua Bruce Deal GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

W

e are constantly bombarded with information about the presidential election, which is still more than a year away. While national issues are important, next month’s local elections warrant our attention as well. The officials selected will have authority over permitting, zoning, impact fees and other taxes, and these decisions directly affect the daily business of the building industry.

One of the issues on the ballot for City of Olympia residents is Proposition 1, creating the Olympia Metropolitan Park District. As the local building association, Olympia Master Builders has a vested interest in the quality of local parks.

Improved parks make our area more attractive, bringing in new residents and creating business for our members.

On its face, this measure would seem like a good idea. However, there are several concerning details of this particular proposal. First and foremost,

there is no clear list of projects or priorities which the funds will be used for. Voters should be cautious about increasing property taxes when the resulting expenditures are unclear.

Without a list of projects, the money could be used for projects that are either not cost efficient, do not benefit park users, or both. People should know what they are paying for before they buy it.

city limits. With the election of an independent board who have parks as their sole priority, this proposal could utilize tax dollars more efficiently and be more effective at keeping money designated for parks used only on parks.

This decision is just one of many important issues on the ballot this fall.

Voting is one of the most impactful ways citizens can influence their community, yet only about 40% of the voting age population votes in the United States during non-presidential election years. This means that our individual votes this year are all the more important.

“In Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Mason counties, there are 21 local measures and 431 races. ”

Second, rather than creating a separate board, the governing body of the new park district would be current councilmembers.

Unfortunately, the Olympia City Council has a history of levying taxes for parks, but diverting the revenue generated to other purposes. Advocates of the measure point out that it would create a citizen’s advisory committee, resulting in an adequate check on the use of the funds. However, this group is different in name only from the existing citizen parks advisory committee, which has been unable to stop misappropriations in the past. Ultimate authority will lie with the City Council, which has too many funding obligations to be reliably focused on parks.

Finally, there may be a better solution to enhancing our park system such as an independently-elected, regional parks commission. This alternative proposal would allow our park priorities to be set regionally and would use a broader tax base, rather than only within Olympia

In Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Mason counties, there are 21 local measures and 431 races. The hundreds of races translate into a lot of reelected or newly elected officials in YOUR area. Be sure to consult the The Affordable Housing Council Voter’s Guide on pages 8-9, as well as the information available from your local county elections department (visit vote.wa.gov) before making your decisions about who and what to vote for. Elections are exciting, and I hope you take the time to do your part for the future of our communities.

Chalk Line • 11

Welcome New Members Thank You Renewing Members Joined August-Septmber 2015

Renewed August-September 2015

DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER TODAY!

DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER TODAY!

Baublits Landclearing & Construction LLC Jerry Baublits 4101 Oyster Bay Rd NW Olympia, W.A. 98502 360-701-1566 blc-co@live.com Sponsor: Julie Nichols

FGM Construction & Development Martin A. Franciscovich PO BOX 427 Aberdeen, W.A. 98502 (360) 532-5151 mfranciscovich@gmail.com Sponsor: Harv Lillegard

Copper Plumbing,LLC Eual Davis PO Box 1636 Chehalis,W.A. 98532 (360) 915-3949 copperplumbingllc @gmail.com Sponsor: Stuart Drebick

First Finishers LLC. Kai Fyrst PO Box 986 Yelm, W.A. 98597 (360) 400-7767 admin@firstfinishers.com Sponsor: Barb Whitlow

Elevation Solar Frank Schaffer 3624 Ensign RD NE Olympia, W.A. 98506 360-789-2196 fschaffer@elevation solar.com Sponsor: Kim Asay

O Bee Credit Union Dave Echtle 3900 Cleveland Ave SE Tumwater, W.A. 98501 (360) 528-5318 dechtle@obee.com Sponsor: Mike Auderer

2016 Nominations for the Board of Directors In fulfilling its responsibility to identify and qualify members to serve on the Board of Directors, the Nominating Committee of Olympia Master Builders has recommended their list of candidates for 2016. Elections take place at the November General Membership Lunch on Thursday, November 19.

Executive Commitee

President--Mike Auderer First Vice-President--Ron Deering Treasurer--Stuart Drebick Associate Vice-President--Debbi Boyd Second Associate VP--Jon Jones Secretary--Kim Asay Immediate Past President--John McKinlay

Elected Director - Two Year Term Builder Director--John Johnson Builder Director--Andy Gruhn Builder Director--Jennifer McDonald Associate Director--Becky Rieger Associate Director--Jeff Klingberg

12 • Chalk Line

National Director - One Year Term

25+ years Kell-Chuck Glass Smithco Homebuilders 20-25 years McMeekin Construction, Inc. MC Squared, Inc. Hoffman Enterprises Preszler, Larner, Mertz & Co. Skillings - Connolly, Inc. Andy Johnson & Co., Inc. Desco Audio & Video Rainier Valley Construction, Inc. Rainier General Development Hoel Construction 15-19 Years: Harrington Construction & Dev., Inc. John Erwin Remodeling, Inc. Ford Electric Company, Inc. Custom Security Systems Norm’s Construction, Inc. Quigg Bros., Inc. Wirkkala Construction Hansen Construction Group 10-14 Years Ron’s Stump Removal & Tree Service, LLC Brooks Plumbing Co. Hung Right Doors, LLC Town & Country Roofing, Inc. Labor Works, Inc. Tyler Rental, Inc. LeMier Phillips Construction Co., LLC Capitol Glass Sierra Pacific Windows Capital City Stove & Grill Taurus Industries, Inc. /BET Electroics Abbey Capitol Floors Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

National Director--Builder Mike Auderer National Director--Builder Karen McClennen National Director--Associate Bob Kagy

State Directors - One Year Term

State Director--Builder Ron Deering State Director--Builder John McKinlay State Director--Builder Karen McClennen State Director--Associate Stuart Drebick State Director--Associate Janine Ezzell State Director--Associate Tina Allen State Director--Associate Debbi Boyd State Director--Associate Becky Rieger State Director--Associate Bob Kagy

5-9 Years Lossing Construction

T & S Cleaning, Inc. Virgil Adams Real Estate, Inc. KC Maintenance Services Lenkerbrook Services JNA Networking Services Jensen-Hall Construction Inc. Capital Electric, Inc. Windermere Real Estate /Puyallup, Inc. Hardel Builders Center JT Painting Company, LLC Brumfield Construction, Inc. Aaron Carter Construction, LLC J T S General Contractor, LLC Kenyon Remodeling Shanex, LLC 2-4 Years Prestige Electric, Inc. Environmental Design, LLC Shake and Shingle Sales, Inc. John Easter Roofing, Inc. TIMS Well Drilling Signdezign United Roofing Solutions, Inc. Lowes of Lacey EuroCraft Painting, LLC Genuine Auto Glass TNT Electric SIGN-A-RAMA One Year Backflo Pro’s, Inc Shipp Construction, Inc. Toby’s Electric LLC. Precisionary,Inc. Elite Cleaning of Washington, Inc. Kamin Excavation, LLC

2016 OMB Buyer’s Guide Advertising

ORDER FORM Return by Friday, November 6, 2015

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A. Printed Buyer’s Guide Advertising The OMB PRINTED BUYER’S GUIDE is a beautiful product and service buyer’s guide listing all OMB members. An ad in the printed guide will be seen by thousands of potential customers. A minimum of 10,000 guides will be printed and the Guide is featured in flippable form at omb.org.

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Amount Due for Section A:

B. Add an Online Enhanced Listing in 2016 for a discounted price!!

An ENHANCED LISTING is prominently displayed at the top of your selected categories on omb.org and includes your logo and a short paragraph of additional information. This is a great way to promote awards, certifications, niche markets and events.

I am running a full page ad in the printed Buyer’s Guide and would like an enhanced ad for 2016 for $350! That’s a $100 savings!

I am running a quarter or a half page ad in the printed Buyer’s Guide and would like an enhanced ad for 2016 for $400! That’s a $50 savings!

Amount Due for Section B: Bill my credit card

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Don’ sign t delay, up to day!

Return this form to the OMB Office:

By Fax: (360) 754-7448

By Mail: 1211 State Avenue NE, Olympia, WA 98506 Scan and email to: amanda@omb.org Chalk Line • 13

Today’s Housing Market Written By Angela White, Communications Director Originally printed in The Olympian on September 13, 2015

T

oday’s Housing Market data released from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau showed sales of single family homes rose 5.4 percent in July. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), builder confidence also rose by one point (to 61) on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

This is the highest builder confidence has risen since the fall of 2015.

In an August 17, 2015 press release, NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe stated that this is consistent with their forecast of gradual strengthening of the singlefamily housing sector in 2015. Crowe said, “Job and economic gains should keep the market moving forward at a modest pace throughout the rest of the year.” The HMI has been conducted by NAHB for the last 30 years.

Its purpose is to gauge the builder perception of singlefamily home sales, sales expectations for the next six months, and the traffic from prospective buyers.

Locally the market is tracking along with the nation. Olympia Master Builders’ Executive Officer Troy Nichols stated that, “The OMB members I have been

14 • Chalk Line

talking with are guardedly optimistic about today’s market. They are busy, and that is good. We’ll see what tomorrow brings, as the federal Endangered Species Act listing of the Mazama pocket gopher is still causing uncertainty throughout Thurston County.” According to Nichols, “The County has taken steps to streamline the screening process for those people with gopher soils, but the process is still daunting due to the extra steps in the permitting process, and the gopher hibernation schedule limits the time of year gopher soil screenings can take place.” County staff is working on a Habitat Conservation Plan which is scheduled for approval in the fall of 2016.

According to Broker/ Realtor Jim Hickman of Green Realty Group, “New home sales are definitely up from this time last year.

We’ve seen growth in the Veteran market, home sales in Yelm and communities closer to the base have risen.” According to Hickman the pre-sale market is not doing as well. He attributes that to the pent up demand that has built over the last few years. “People that are interested in buying a new home want to touch, feel

and see the home, and they want to move in now.

They’ve already been waiting and they don’t want to wait another four months to build.”

Adam Laneer of Adam Laneer Construction, Inc. said he is feeling more confident because he can feel consumer confidence coming back. He stated that, “People are making decisions much quicker now. Before, it could be a year before a potential client would decide to pull the trigger on a project. Now, they are asking me how soon I can get started!” Similar to Hickman, Laneer said he thinks people have been waiting since 2008 to build or remodel and they are ready and have the confidence to start now.

Hickman shared that we will see a rise in home prices in the near future. This is due to the build-out of lots bought back from banks in 2007 at discounted prices.

New homes built on newly purchased lots will reflect the higher lot prices. This will price some buyers out of the market.

According to Nick Timiraos of the Wall Street Journal in his article, “Has Industry Consolidation Held

Back Home Construction,” there has been a wave of consolidation in the newhome market. Timiraos quoted the NAHB stating that last year the 10 largest builders were left with 26% of the new-home market. In comparison, this is up from 10% in 1994.

Hickman mentioned that the instability in the economy is still making it harder for local builder/developers. Larger, publicly traded builders have an easier time absorbing the ups and downs.

“Even with the growth in the market, there is still a lot of anxiety with smaller, local builder/developers in taking chances,” Hickman said. Laneer shared that he has two projects that won’t start until next year due to the Mazama pocket gopher screening process. He said he is lucky to have other work and wasn’t depending on the income from those jobs to keep afloat.

The housing market is gradually improving and our local market is showing positive growth. As Nichols said, “We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

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Make real change.

Call R.O.I.I.® Select Marketing Manager Lara Hastings at (360) 352-7800, ext. 171 or visit BIAW.com for more details on how you can apply.

111 21st Avenue SW • Olympia, WA 98501 • (360) 352-7800 • BIAW.com

1211 STATE AVE. NE OLYMPIA, WA 98506 $1.25 per copy 360-754-0912 800-456-6473 www.omb.org

Don’t trash it - donate it!

Habitat for Humanity now accepts donations at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center at 2420 Hogum Bay Road NE in Lacey.

Your donation supports Habitat’s mission, keeps valuable resources out of the landfill, saves on trash disposal costs, and is tax deductible.

A CENTURY OF HELPING OTHERS. HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

For information, call (360) 956-3456 or visit ThurstonSolidWaste.org/greenbuilding

WE’LL HELP YOU BUILD IT! Local people with local decisions.

See us for custom construction and commercial financing.

100 YEARS OF COMMUNITY BANKING

1.800.562.8761