Bryan is now offering incentives to homebuilders who are willing to boost the city's middle-class housing market.

The city council unanimously voted last week to create a Single Family Housing Home Builders Incentive program. The city agreed to waive building, water and sewer tap fees for builders in the program in return for construction of single-family homes of between 2,200- and 3,000-square feet with heating and cooling.

Frank Clark, business liaison and special projects director for Bryan, said the program was developed because the city now has more lots available and is trying to entice builders to come to Bryan. He said the city is looking to build out middle-class homes on the east and west sides of the city, such as Austin's Colony, Austin's Estates, Greenbriar and Dominion Oaks.

The building permit fees range from $650 to $750, and there is no limit on the number of homes for which the city will waive the fees. Water and sewer tap fees, which are roughly $750, will be waived for up to 30 homes in the program. Clark said the lost revenue from the building permit and water and sewer tap fees will be made up after the property value is added to the tax rolls.

To ensure timely construction, a certificate of occupancy must be obtained for homes in the program within seven months after the homebuilder gets the building permit, or the permit fees will have to be retroactively paid.

The city will also pay for up to seven homes to be entered in the 2014 spring or fall Bryan-College Station Home Builder's Association "Parade of Homes."

Bryan issued a yearly average of 27 building permits in this target market during the last five years. Clark said Bryan compared itself to College Station, which has issued a yearly average of 95 building permits. In 2013, College Station issued 134 permits and has already issued 47 so far in 2014 in the 2,200- to 3,000-square feet range.

The program is slated to last one year, though Clark said it could be extended if it's successful.

Clark said Bryan patterned its program after Bay City's, a city of about 18,000. D.C. Dunham, executive director of the Bay City Community Development Corp., said the city was struggling to attract builders from Houston to construct new property for spec homes, or homes with no prospective buyer. New companies are opening up in the Bay City community and she wanted to make sure the city had the housing inventory to capture the prospective buyers.

Jimmy Pitman of Pitman Custom Homes L.P. was the first applicant for Bryan's program. He said the waived fees make building in Bryan more attractive to builders who are struggling with barrier to entry, especially for homes that don't have prospective buyers attached to them.

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Bryan offering incentives to builders of middle-class homes

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Home builder Hans Hagen avoided building houses on spec in the housing boom. He saw the market getting overbuilt. And he's more of a custom builder anyway. There's a customer in hand before the first nail is fired.

But rising demand is changing his business. Workers here in Blaine are framing a house that Hagen started to build on spec. He didn't have a buyer lined up. But he knew he'd sell the place quickly. "People come out and say, 'I need something immediately.' Could be transferees or it could be people looking to downsize or whatever," Hagen said. "We're simply filling that niche."

That kind of talk hasn't been heard around here in a while. When the housing market crashed eight years ago, new home construction ground to a halt. Builders who had framed up houses before lining up a buyer got stuck with homes that wouldn't sell. Weak demand for new houses forced many builders out of the business.

Those who survived the worst of it are now enjoying a rebound. Many of the foreclosures that flooded the region in the Great Recession have been wrung from the market. That's put the supply of used homes for sale at a 10-year low, according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors. New home inventories are slim, too. There were 421 finished vacant new homes for sale in the fourth quarter of 2013, less than a third of the supply available during the same period nine years earlier, according to the consulting firm Metrostudy.

That means home buyers are hungry for options, which they can find from builders who've got a few new houses ready to go.

Even just a few years ago, "the market was telling builders, 'Stay away. We don't need your services. We don't need you to build homes,'" said housing economist Elliot Eisenberg. "Times have turned."

Eisenberg said he's glad to see speculative building return. He compares it to the auto industry making cars without having customers lined up in advance. That's largely the home builder model in normal times, he said.

One impediment, Eisenberg notes, could be banks' long memories about unsuccessful loans they made.

When the housing market crashed, builders and developers couldn't find any buyers for the homes they'd built on spec. Banks were left holding the bag.

Continued here:
Hammers swing for Twin Cities home builders as housing market recovers

Austin, TX (PRWEB) April 03, 2014

Builders Digital Experience, Inc. (BDX), leading provider of digital marketing solutions for builders, announced today that NewHomeSource TV is now airing in Dallas, Austin and Washington, D.C. The local shows air on Sundays on major network stations. For complete details and airtimes, visit http://www.newhomesource.tv.

New Home Source TV is the companion television program for the leading new home website, NewHomeSource.com. The show combined with online visitors to NewHomeSource.com reaches over 1 million unique visitors a month.

We are proud to work with so many terrific local builders and product suppliers to bring New Home Source TV to these markets, said Tim Costello, chief executive officer at BDX. We know that over 50 percent of home buyers are considering new homes as they begin the home shopping process , this show will help shine the spotlight on new home advantages.

During each episode, host and certified home inspector, Brett Tutor takes viewers on a behind the scenes tour of 2-3 local communities, providing a glimpse of the latest floor plans, design trends, green features and neighborhood amenities from the hottest new home builders. Architects, designers, contractors and other experts also contribute to the show by highlighting the more subtle benefits of today's new homes, such as modern construction techniques and the lower cost of living that comes with owning a truly new home.

"We are so excited to be teaming up with the New Home Source TV show. We feel that the show has a unique appeal to homebuyers and explains the benefits of why buying a new John Houston Custom Home is so beneficial, said Meagan Mitchell of John Houston Homes.

In addition to the weekly broadcast on a local network, the show is also distributed online and available for viewing on NewHomeSource.tv.

Builders interested in finding out more about New Home Source TV should contact BDX at info(at)thebdx.com or by phone at 1-866-651-8866.

About Builders Digital Experience Builders Digital Experience, LLC (BDX), a joint venture between Move, Inc. (NASDAQ:MOVE) and Builder Homesite, Inc., was founded to combine the industrys leading new home resources under one roof and offer builders innovative online marketing options, streamlined customer service and support, and greater value. Capitalizing on over 13 years of building industry experience, BDX operates http://www.newhomesource.com, the leading new home website, while also providing other services to builders, including video production, rich media rendering, mobile search, custom website production and more. For more information, visit http://www.thebdx.com.

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NewHomeSource TV Shines Spotlight On Builders & Suppliers

Carbine Associates Custom Home Builders- Franklin, TN
carbineandassociates.com An overview of custom built homes including exteriors, interiors and customer testimonials. Step inside the finely crafted custom ho...

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ANN ARBOR (WWJ) The green design, building and remodeling company Meadowlark Builders will conduct tours of a new custom home under construction in Ann Arbor Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13.

For the next installment of Meadowlarks Behind The Drywall Tour series, a home on Harvard Place in Ann Arbor will be opened up for viewing. Attendees will be able to get a rare glimpse of the technology and building techniques that go into constructing a resource-efficient home on a difficult, hillside lot before the drywall is placed on the walls.

This home is situated in a serene setting in the midst of the campus hustle and bustle in Ann Arbor, said Meadowlark co-founder and president Doug Selby. It will be an oasis when it is finished, but this small, narrow lot on a steep hill has presented many design and construction challenges. The design process was very lengthy and extremely collaborative among architect Hopkins Burns, builder and homeowner. Our clients had a vision the challenge was to take their vision and come up with something that would be feasible given the restraints dictated by the lot. I think that we have achieved our goal.

The lot was the site of a home designed by renowned Ann Arbor architect George Brigham. Unfortunately, the home had fallen into disrepair and had been torn down by the previous owners. The new owners had the foresight to salvage many building materials from the demolition that will be recycled back into the new home. The combination of resource-efficient design and construction methods, combined with state-of-the-art technology, is resulting in a home that will be as green as its stunning surroundings.

Attendees will be taken through the home via a guided tour that lasts about an hour. The event is free; however, pre-registration is required by visiting http://www.behindthedrywall.com or by calling (734) 332-1500.

The Behind The Drywall Tour series was started in 2007 to provide the public with a hands-on chance to visit and view the latest in green building techniques and design behind the drywall of homes. Most people dont get a chance to see these features because the majority of the green technology is put in place before the drywall is placed on the walls and ceiling. This popular tour series has been selling out since its inception.

More at http://www.HomeWithMeadowlark.com or http://www.behindthedrywall.com.

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Get A Glimpse Of A High Tech Home In Next Behind The Drywall Tour

Only 19 residential building permits were issued in Bismarck-Mandan in February but home builders predict once warm weather comes, new homes will too.

Last years short summer and this bad winter have led to pent up demand, said Dot Frank, executive officer for the Bismarck-Mandan Home Builders Association.

Now that its starting to warm up building will likely pick up, she said. Were not anticipating build out to be any less.

The association will have 30 to 43 homes in its Spring Parade of Homes, Frank said.

Last year, 50 residential building permits were issued in the Bismarck-Mandan area in January and February compared to 24 in the same time period this year.

Home sales were about even with last year, with 200 single family homes sold in January and February this year and 186 sold during the same time period last year. The average sale price was $237,475 this year and $207,978 last year.

The hindrance of cold weather and a deep frost line has kept new building permit application low as foundations cant be dug in the frozern ground. Frank said many builders have been using ground heaters to allow them to pour concrete.

Its looking like it will be another busy year, said Drew Knutson of Knutson Homes Inc.

Knutson said many of his customers wait until warmer weather to contact him about building a house, so he has not submitted paperwork for permits yet.

My phone just started ringing, he said.

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Homebuilders expect building to heat up with the weather

Submitted Florida Lifestyle Homes' construction workers have begun the concrete block and cement second-story of this six-bedroom custom home in the Moorings neighborhood in Naples.

When Florida Lifestyle Homes creates a custom home, it starts with the clients vision of the perfect home. But building a true custom home requires not only the vision of the client but the construction expertise to make the dream home a reality. That often means meeting unusual challenges.

As a Southwest Florida custom homebuilder for more than 20 years, weve had broad personal experience meeting our customers needs, said Bill Ennen, president and founder of Florida Lifestyle Homes. Weve built homes on sites with size limitations, and weve built homes that met extreme design requirements. Now we are building a custom home in the Moorings with some unique challenges.

The Moorings home designed for Ernie and Bonnie Gralia reflects the owners wishes for a spacious design with an open floor plan. The two-story home includes six bedrooms, six full baths, two half-baths, and a three-car garage with 4,747 square feet of living area and 6,063 total square feet. But the home also includes features not common in Southwest Florida. Gralia requested that the two-story home be built entirely of concrete block and cement.

Traditionally in this area, the second-story walls of a home are wood, Ennen said. In this case, the walls and the second floor are concrete block and cement and that involved meeting a few challenges.

The construction required additional structural support to hold up the second-story floor as well as equipment to lift 4-by-30-foot slabs of cement and swing them into place. The process, he noted, is also labor intensive, and required core drilling to accommodate pipes, wiring and duct work for the homes mechanical systems. It required a special design to create a tray ceiling on the first floor, with a solid cement second floor.

Gralia, who is a commercial contractor with offices based outside of Springfield, Mass., said he and his wife interviewed several builders before selecting Florida Lifestyle Homes to meet the challenges of their new home.

Im in the building business myself, Gralia said. Before selecting a builder, we visited Quail West, toured the models, and we talked to several builders. We liked Bill (Ennen) and his staff. We liked the fact that it wasnt a huge operation, so you were dealing with the principals in the business.

Bonnie found a floor plan in a magazine that she liked, Gralia said, but it was only a rough design. The structural and interior details were completed working with the design staff at Florida Lifestyle Homes.

There are many other projects that reflect the professional capabilities and flexibility of Florida Lifestyle Homes, said Ron Vandenack, director of sales for Florida Lifestyle Homes. Our newest model at Quail West, the Antigua, is a showcase of dramatic design and elegant finishes.

Continued here:
Florida Lifestyle Homes of Fort Myers creates true custom homes

After a two year absence, Morrison Homes is back on top at the Calgary Home Builders Assocation Awards.

The sales and marketing, or Sam Awards, were handed out Saturday night at the Telus Convention Centre and Morrison Homes won top honours as Builder of the Year. The company dominated the category from 2001 to 2010, before relinquishing the honours first to Jayman MasterBuilt and then Calbridge Homes.

Some of the other major awards given out included Empire Custom Homes, winning Builder of Merit for excellence by a small volume builder.

The Jayman Group won Multi-family Builder of the Year kudos.

Renovator of the Year honours went to Albi Renova Limited which was a finalist in five categories.

In total, 57 SAM awards were presented Saturday. The complete list of winners is available here.

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Morrison Homes recaptures Home Builders Association most prestigous award

Almost everyone who starts a home improvement project asks themselves the same question. It is smarter to a hire a contractor or do the work yourself?

Customers and vendors at the Black Hills Home Builders Association Home Show on Saturday said it's a trick question. The right answer depends on each person's priorities, goals and abilities.

Casey Bonsall, owner of the Cedar N More Cabinet Shop, said the Home Show had about a 50-50 split between the do-it-yourself crowd and those who prefer to hire a professional.

Bonsall said he prefers to install his handmade cabinets himself to make sure the job is done properly. Most people who buy cabinets from him also have him install them, though some people prefer to buy the lumber and make their own furnishings from it.

"I'm not opposed to letting somebody do it by themselves," he said. "But some people don't have the time or the talent to do it alone."

People who buy custom-made work might be better served having the craftsman install it, but for generalized projects, doing it yourself can save you a few bucks.

Adrian Rouse, 30, and his wife, Jennifer Rouse, were browsing the Home Show Saturday looking for ideas to spruce up their new home in Rapid City.

The couple bought their first house in November and were interested in finding a landscaping project, Jennifer Rouse, 31, said.

The Rouses said they were intrigued by the outdoor fireplace displays, since they looked great and don't require an expert to assemble.

Adrian Rouse said he plans to do all his own landscaping work to save some money.

Continued here:
Home Show a haven for do-it-yourselfers and contractors alike

Spring in Tucson means its time for the Southern Arizona Home Builders Associations Spring Home & Patio Show, which starts at 10 a.m. today at the Tucson Convention Center downtown.

The TCC is turned into a giant showroom where more than 300 exhibitors set up for the weekend to show customers what they have to offer.

The home show, in its 43rd year, gives consumers the opportunity to learn about home improvement trends, outdoor living and to get remodeling ideas. It includes presentations, classes and seminars, pet adoptions and interactive activities for children.

This years show features photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny, sponsored by Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Attendees will also have the chance to win tickets to see a Rod Stewart concert in Las Vegas and a custom set of golf clubs from Superior Golf Products.

Among other highlights this year are live broadcasts from Rosie on the House; a Re-Used Materials Becoming Art or RUMBA competition; and interior design and landscape architecture vignettes designed by students of Southwest University of Visual Arts.

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SAHBA's Spring Home & Patio Show starts today at Tucson Convention Center