Fellow Members of the Homebuilding Industry: Your Industry Needs Your Help
We work with builders all over the country, and over the past year, we've seen builders and salespeople struggle through a downturn that seems to get more difficult and encounter greater complications every step along the way to recovery. The difficult times we're in have reached far beyond the home building industry and are now affecting the entire U.S. economy. Attendance at the International Builder's Show last week in Las Vegas was down, and so was the mood of most folks there. I am writing to personally request your assistance to use your political strength as a voter in helping to turn our industry around.
One of the biggest problems we're facing is falling home prices. Falling home prices are crippling our industry, and the effects are rippling through the entire economy. Fix Housing First, a coalition of more than 600 organizations led by the National Association of Home Builders, is asking Congress to pass a bill that will motivate people to buy homes now, which would in turn curb falling prices.
The two main points of the Fix Housing First bill are as follows:
The federal government would offer a tax credit of between $10,000 and $22,000 (depending on locale) to anyone closing on the purchase of a home, new or resale, by December 31, 2009. The credit would not have to be repaid, which is a major upgrade from a tax credit passed last summer; and
The government would provide a federally-subsidized 30-year fixed rate mortgage of 2.99 for all home purchases, new and resale, closing by June 30, 2009. After that, the rate would be 3.99 for purchases closing by December 31, 2009.
The Fix Housing First coalition is in Washington, D.C. right now working to win lawmakers' support for the bill. Again, I am asking for your assistance in creating the urgency the coalition needs to secure the bill's passage and start turning our economy around. It seems that our political leaders in Washington can seem to find trillions of $$$$$ to "bail out" banks and other idustries, so a push from all of us may get the message to them that Fix Housing First is a smart, prudent and fast way to truly begin to stimulate the economy. Every email, phone call and letter counts. I sincerely hope that you will take just a few minutes right NOW to help our industry and our economy.
Please read the information below to learn how you can help. Thank you in advance for your effort.
Sincerely,Bob SchultzPresidentNew Home Specialist Inc.
Here's how you can reach your elected representatives to let them know where you stand on America's housing crisis.
Send an email or letter through Fix Housing First:
Click on the following link: http://capwiz.com/fixhousingfirst/issues/alert/?alertid=12168626&type=CO
In "Sender Information" you are required to provide your name and contact information. The information will not be used for any other purpose than to identify you to the recipient.
The system may ask you for an additional four digits to accompany your ZIP code (some Congressional offices only accept ZIP+4 coding.) If it does, go to this U.S. Postal Service website: http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp and enter your street address, city and state. It will provide you with a ZIP+4 code for that address.
Some newly-elected Congressional representatives are not yet in the email system, so you may be prompted to print and mail a letter. The system allows you to edit the letter.
If you choose, you can sign up and join the Fix Housing First coalition before sending your email message. You can also forward an email message to suppliers, vendors, associates, friends and family from FHF.com, encouraging them to get involved.
Fix Housing First also encourages you to pick up the phone and contact your representatives directly.
Call the NAHB's Legislative Hotline, 1-866-924-NAHB (6242);
Follow the instructions and you'll be connected to your members of Congress. Once connected, please tell them you are a constituent calling about the economic stimulus plan, then make the following points:
Stimulating demand for housing must be a central part of any economic stimulus bill - foreclosure prevention alone is not enough;
To accomplish this, please support enhancing the existing homebuyer tax credit and creating a short-term mortgage rate subsidy;
If the phone lines are busy, and we hope they are, please keep trying until you get through.
Encourage everyone you know to join in calling for Congress to Fix Housing First!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Write your Politicians!
As you begin to craft an economic stimulus plan, I am writing to urge you to include provisions to address the lack of demand for housing.
Foreclosure prevention plans are valuable but alone do not effectively address the root of our current economic crisis - housing. We need to spur demand for homes in order to increase home values and get our economy back on track.
Home prices and property values are on a steep decline across the country, causing a dramatic near stand-still in home purchases. Because housing is so central to our economy - accounting for nearly 13% of the U.S. GDP - several sectors of the economy have been severely affected by this downturn. Almost 85,000 jobs have been lost in the past two months in the construction industry alone, mostly in specialty trades related to home building. Many other jobs were lost indirectly as a result of the housing crisis.
Acting now is critical. Foreclosure prevention coupled with short-term, targeted incentives will encourage Americans to buy homes again. Congress should enhance the Home Buyer Tax Credit for residences purchased between April 2008 and December 2009 to up to 10% of the home price or $22,000, depending on geography. In addition, buyers should have access to discounted mortgage financing that would encourage eligible home buyers to enter the market.
History proves that tax credits for home buyers work to bolster the economy; in 1975, Congress passed a short-term tax credit for all new homes, coupled with subsidized mortgage rates. The stimulus jump-started the depressed economy and the effects continued long after the measure expired.
To stop the fall in home values, to spur job creation and to encourage people to buy NOW instead of later, I urge you to support this measure.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Michael Shanaberger
3609013908
Foreclosure prevention plans are valuable but alone do not effectively address the root of our current economic crisis - housing. We need to spur demand for homes in order to increase home values and get our economy back on track.
Home prices and property values are on a steep decline across the country, causing a dramatic near stand-still in home purchases. Because housing is so central to our economy - accounting for nearly 13% of the U.S. GDP - several sectors of the economy have been severely affected by this downturn. Almost 85,000 jobs have been lost in the past two months in the construction industry alone, mostly in specialty trades related to home building. Many other jobs were lost indirectly as a result of the housing crisis.
Acting now is critical. Foreclosure prevention coupled with short-term, targeted incentives will encourage Americans to buy homes again. Congress should enhance the Home Buyer Tax Credit for residences purchased between April 2008 and December 2009 to up to 10% of the home price or $22,000, depending on geography. In addition, buyers should have access to discounted mortgage financing that would encourage eligible home buyers to enter the market.
History proves that tax credits for home buyers work to bolster the economy; in 1975, Congress passed a short-term tax credit for all new homes, coupled with subsidized mortgage rates. The stimulus jump-started the depressed economy and the effects continued long after the measure expired.
To stop the fall in home values, to spur job creation and to encourage people to buy NOW instead of later, I urge you to support this measure.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Michael Shanaberger
3609013908
Housing Market Fixes
Only Action Will Save The Housing Industry - and the American Economy. The NAHB convention in Las Vegas has just ended. With attendance hovering around a measly total of 45,000 exhibitors, associates and builder members - down from a reported 120,000 just two years ago - it was obvious that something drastic has hit the housing industry. It is also just as clear that this deepening recession cannot and will not be reversed without a recovery in the housing industry. History has shown that housing always leads our economy out of a recession.We all have choices... We can sit back and hope for housing improvement, but "hope" is neither a strategy nor a long-term solution. Or we can get proactive and concern ourselves with making the federal housing stimulus plan a reality. Billions of dollars are going to the banking and automotive industries. Now it is time to get the Obama administration to "change" the downward direction of OUR industry.If you're ready to take action, please go to www.fixhousingfirst.com. This site gives a clear and detailed overview of the effects of a stimulus plan for the housing industry. Once you're educated on the policy, contact your congressional representatives. Make sure they know how important this legislation is to you - and to our economy. Then, pass this message on to others. Get them involved. Please act now. Doing nothing achieves nothing. This could save your company and your job. Acting now may prove to be one of the best business and personal decision you'll make this year.
Rich
Richard Elkman, President, Group Two Advertising
Rich
Richard Elkman, President, Group Two Advertising
Monday, January 19, 2009
The biggest risk for this year is that fiscal and monetary policy have limitations, and we should not count on these policy instruments to save the year. Furthermore, while many are saying that the U.S. economy is heading into a deflationary process, the truth is that, so far, the only thing happening is that we are going through a process of disinflation, not deflation.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Manor homes Closes 2008
2008 is behind us we ended up with 169 Clossings this year 139 of those just in Clark County.
Sales our target was 240 we sold 208 in this market we did well!
We pulled 116 New Home Building permits wich was 47% of the permits in Clark County.
We are ready to serve our homebuyers and make 2009 a huge successful year positioned for 2010!
2009: Year of bottom line?
Michaelsen Community in Felida Washington2009: Year of bottom line?
Money will be the common denominator for major issues
Wednesday, December 31 8:15 p.m.
BY JEFFREY MIZECOLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER
Work continues on “Michaelsen,” a housing development being built by Manor Homes off Northwest 116th Street. Construction started after 10 of the 14 homes in the development were sold. (Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)
One common denominator will shape Clark County’s top stories for 2009: money.-- Housing markets will struggle to rebound from the worst year in memory.-- State agencies, schools and cities will cope with the sting of budget cuts.-- Big-ticket projects, including the Columbia River Crossing, will scramble to refine financial plans.With unemployment and foreclosures rising and credit markets and consumer spending tanking, the pursuit of the almighty dollar will be front and center in 2009.Many of these big stories will continue to unfold in 2009 without final resolution. For example, work on replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge has been under way for much of this decade, but no one expects a final plan, complete with dedicated funding, to be sewn up by the end of this year.With that in mind, here’s a look at what to expect in 2009:Housing market
Real estate agents, homeowners with adjustable mortgages and others would just as soon forget 2008. Will 2009 bring a rebound or more misery? Is the worst is still to come? Home sales fell 33.3 percent in 2008, a year when prices dropped and foreclosures increased. But some real estate experts say there is hope for home sellers as buyers begin whittling away at the housing stockpile.“I am hopeful that by mid-2009, we’ll see some definite signs of improvement,” said Sandy Hendrick, executive director of the Clark County Association of Realtors.Hendrick expects softening home prices and abundant selection to rev up the local home-selling scene, a jump start that others say will be helped along by low interest rates on mortgages and a $7,500 federal tax write-off being offered to first-time buyers who purchase homes before July 1, 2009.“It looks like the government is going to stimulate refinancing and purchasing,” said Kerry Greenwald, owner of Creekside Mortgage in Vancouver.“If you can borrow money at 4.5 percent and get the government incentive, buying begins to look attractive,” Greenwald said. He also expects 2009 to be a banner year for mortgage refinancing.National reports caution that the optimism of real estate experts could be premature, given the country’s deepening recession and mounting job losses.Bridge planning
Last year was a big milestone for the multiyear process toward easing chronic congestion for trucks and commuters, with local governments on both sides of the Columbia River signing onto a plan to replace the aging I-5 Bridge and bring light rail to Vancouver.This will be a year of refinement, with bridge planners working to pin down the number of lanes, the design of the bridge and any architectural flourishes that might ease apprehension of those who see the current proposal as overly utilitarian, entirely unimaginative or just plain ugly.Bridge experts also will sharpen a whole series of financial issues, re-examining construction costs and refining tolling scenarios and working with state and federal officials who will need to finance a large portion of a project expected to cost anywhere from $3.5 billion to $4.2 billion.The big decisions on tolling and financing are still a year or more away. A federal record of decision, a bureaucratic blessing of the project, isn’t expected until sometime in 2010. Neither the Washington nor Oregon legislatures will spend much time this year searching for hundreds of millions in construction dollars for the bridge.The crossing project will lose out on any first phase of economic stimulus package that Barack Obama wants to sign shortly after becoming president on Jan. 20. The initial focus will be on “shovel ready” projects that can begin in 90 to 120 days.The project continues to face grass-roots opposition from environmentalists wary of perpetuating an automobile-based culture and commuters reluctant to pay $1,000 or more a year in bridge tolls. For many of these people, this is simply the wrong project in the wrong place at the wrong time.Budget cuts
Schools have been struggling to balance their books for years, but the 2009-11 biennium may deliver a blow. Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget includes $1.1 billion in cuts to education. Savings would come from pensions, salaries and professional development. Gregoire’s office also proposes cutting 21 percent of Initiative 728 dollars and programs, such as a bilingual pilot, a civics curriculum pilot, math helping corps and reading corps. Universities would be allowed to raise tuition for resident undergraduate students. They are being asked to plan to cut 13 percent of their total budgets. Community colleges would cut less, 6 percent, “in recognition of their unique mission in job training and skills development essential to the state’s economic recovery,” an Office of Financial Management report stated.At the state schools office in Olympia, spokesman Nathan Olson said school district officials trimmed the fat years ago and may have to cut where it hurts.Olson said no one knows what next fall may look like but said to expect larger classes, changed bus routes and less money for professional development. And school may be trimmed to 1,000 hours, he said. The state mandates 180 days and 1,000 hours, which averages out to about 5.5 hours a day. Clark County districts have longer school days, about six hours. Evergreen Public Schools chief financial officer Mike Merlino used starker terms. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and there’s been nothing like this,” Merlino said. “I don’t think people understand how big a number, how widespread — it’s a big number. We’re hopeful there might be something that we’re unaware of.”County power shift
A new board of Clark County commissioners is like a new baby: The first few months matter the most.And with county’s dominant politician, Democrat Betty Sue Morris, in retirement, the balance of power on the three-person board will be up for grabs.On issues like sprawl, business regulation, gambling and taxes, Morris’ successor, Republican Tom Mielke, is clearly to her right. This year, he could vote to:n Reduce minimum lot sizes in rural areas.n Shift the costs of growth regulation from developers to the public.n Kill a deal with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to share profits from a new casino.n Block a clean-water fee hike.Just as important, watch how Republican Marc Boldt votes. An ideological ally of Mielke who has built a personal friendship with Democrat Steve Stuart, Boldt may discover he is the crucial swing vote and has more power if his votes are unpredictable.Cowlitz casino
Two years ago, The Columbian wrote a front-page Sunday story questioning if 2007 would be the pivotal year when the federal government gives the Cowlitz Indian Tribe a yes-no answer.But no decision came in 2007. Or in 2008, for that matter.Federal officials should finish their work on the casino proposal this year, but it’s not clear if the Obama administration will simply sign off on the project or require a full review of work done by Bush appointees.Phil Harju, the tribe’s vice chairman, said he expects the federal government will approve his tribe’s proposal in 2009, but he’s not sure when.“It depends on how long it takes to approve the secretary of Interior,” he said. “My guess is that all those political appointees will have to be in place.”Obama has nominated U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., as Interior secretary. News reports indicate the president-elect intends to appoint Wizipan Garriott, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, to a newly created post of “First Americans Public Liaison.”If the federal government approves the Cowlitz Tribe’s application, it almost certainly will trigger litigation, along with the need for the tribe and its backers to line up financing for a $510 million project to be built in phases.If credit markets remain tight, finding financing might be more difficult than it has been.“There is some financing available out there,” Harju said. “But until we get a record of decision and a point where we can discuss a concrete proposal, it’s difficult to answer that.”Cami Joner, Isolde Raftery and Michael Andersen of The Columbian contributed to this report.
Money will be the common denominator for major issues
Wednesday, December 31 8:15 p.m.
BY JEFFREY MIZECOLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER
Work continues on “Michaelsen,” a housing development being built by Manor Homes off Northwest 116th Street. Construction started after 10 of the 14 homes in the development were sold. (Zachary Kaufman/The Columbian)
One common denominator will shape Clark County’s top stories for 2009: money.-- Housing markets will struggle to rebound from the worst year in memory.-- State agencies, schools and cities will cope with the sting of budget cuts.-- Big-ticket projects, including the Columbia River Crossing, will scramble to refine financial plans.With unemployment and foreclosures rising and credit markets and consumer spending tanking, the pursuit of the almighty dollar will be front and center in 2009.Many of these big stories will continue to unfold in 2009 without final resolution. For example, work on replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge has been under way for much of this decade, but no one expects a final plan, complete with dedicated funding, to be sewn up by the end of this year.With that in mind, here’s a look at what to expect in 2009:Housing market
Real estate agents, homeowners with adjustable mortgages and others would just as soon forget 2008. Will 2009 bring a rebound or more misery? Is the worst is still to come? Home sales fell 33.3 percent in 2008, a year when prices dropped and foreclosures increased. But some real estate experts say there is hope for home sellers as buyers begin whittling away at the housing stockpile.“I am hopeful that by mid-2009, we’ll see some definite signs of improvement,” said Sandy Hendrick, executive director of the Clark County Association of Realtors.Hendrick expects softening home prices and abundant selection to rev up the local home-selling scene, a jump start that others say will be helped along by low interest rates on mortgages and a $7,500 federal tax write-off being offered to first-time buyers who purchase homes before July 1, 2009.“It looks like the government is going to stimulate refinancing and purchasing,” said Kerry Greenwald, owner of Creekside Mortgage in Vancouver.“If you can borrow money at 4.5 percent and get the government incentive, buying begins to look attractive,” Greenwald said. He also expects 2009 to be a banner year for mortgage refinancing.National reports caution that the optimism of real estate experts could be premature, given the country’s deepening recession and mounting job losses.Bridge planning
Last year was a big milestone for the multiyear process toward easing chronic congestion for trucks and commuters, with local governments on both sides of the Columbia River signing onto a plan to replace the aging I-5 Bridge and bring light rail to Vancouver.This will be a year of refinement, with bridge planners working to pin down the number of lanes, the design of the bridge and any architectural flourishes that might ease apprehension of those who see the current proposal as overly utilitarian, entirely unimaginative or just plain ugly.Bridge experts also will sharpen a whole series of financial issues, re-examining construction costs and refining tolling scenarios and working with state and federal officials who will need to finance a large portion of a project expected to cost anywhere from $3.5 billion to $4.2 billion.The big decisions on tolling and financing are still a year or more away. A federal record of decision, a bureaucratic blessing of the project, isn’t expected until sometime in 2010. Neither the Washington nor Oregon legislatures will spend much time this year searching for hundreds of millions in construction dollars for the bridge.The crossing project will lose out on any first phase of economic stimulus package that Barack Obama wants to sign shortly after becoming president on Jan. 20. The initial focus will be on “shovel ready” projects that can begin in 90 to 120 days.The project continues to face grass-roots opposition from environmentalists wary of perpetuating an automobile-based culture and commuters reluctant to pay $1,000 or more a year in bridge tolls. For many of these people, this is simply the wrong project in the wrong place at the wrong time.Budget cuts
Schools have been struggling to balance their books for years, but the 2009-11 biennium may deliver a blow. Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget includes $1.1 billion in cuts to education. Savings would come from pensions, salaries and professional development. Gregoire’s office also proposes cutting 21 percent of Initiative 728 dollars and programs, such as a bilingual pilot, a civics curriculum pilot, math helping corps and reading corps. Universities would be allowed to raise tuition for resident undergraduate students. They are being asked to plan to cut 13 percent of their total budgets. Community colleges would cut less, 6 percent, “in recognition of their unique mission in job training and skills development essential to the state’s economic recovery,” an Office of Financial Management report stated.At the state schools office in Olympia, spokesman Nathan Olson said school district officials trimmed the fat years ago and may have to cut where it hurts.Olson said no one knows what next fall may look like but said to expect larger classes, changed bus routes and less money for professional development. And school may be trimmed to 1,000 hours, he said. The state mandates 180 days and 1,000 hours, which averages out to about 5.5 hours a day. Clark County districts have longer school days, about six hours. Evergreen Public Schools chief financial officer Mike Merlino used starker terms. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and there’s been nothing like this,” Merlino said. “I don’t think people understand how big a number, how widespread — it’s a big number. We’re hopeful there might be something that we’re unaware of.”County power shift
A new board of Clark County commissioners is like a new baby: The first few months matter the most.And with county’s dominant politician, Democrat Betty Sue Morris, in retirement, the balance of power on the three-person board will be up for grabs.On issues like sprawl, business regulation, gambling and taxes, Morris’ successor, Republican Tom Mielke, is clearly to her right. This year, he could vote to:n Reduce minimum lot sizes in rural areas.n Shift the costs of growth regulation from developers to the public.n Kill a deal with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to share profits from a new casino.n Block a clean-water fee hike.Just as important, watch how Republican Marc Boldt votes. An ideological ally of Mielke who has built a personal friendship with Democrat Steve Stuart, Boldt may discover he is the crucial swing vote and has more power if his votes are unpredictable.Cowlitz casino
Two years ago, The Columbian wrote a front-page Sunday story questioning if 2007 would be the pivotal year when the federal government gives the Cowlitz Indian Tribe a yes-no answer.But no decision came in 2007. Or in 2008, for that matter.Federal officials should finish their work on the casino proposal this year, but it’s not clear if the Obama administration will simply sign off on the project or require a full review of work done by Bush appointees.Phil Harju, the tribe’s vice chairman, said he expects the federal government will approve his tribe’s proposal in 2009, but he’s not sure when.“It depends on how long it takes to approve the secretary of Interior,” he said. “My guess is that all those political appointees will have to be in place.”Obama has nominated U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., as Interior secretary. News reports indicate the president-elect intends to appoint Wizipan Garriott, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, to a newly created post of “First Americans Public Liaison.”If the federal government approves the Cowlitz Tribe’s application, it almost certainly will trigger litigation, along with the need for the tribe and its backers to line up financing for a $510 million project to be built in phases.If credit markets remain tight, finding financing might be more difficult than it has been.“There is some financing available out there,” Harju said. “But until we get a record of decision and a point where we can discuss a concrete proposal, it’s difficult to answer that.”Cami Joner, Isolde Raftery and Michael Andersen of The Columbian contributed to this report.
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