HBA of St Louis & Eastern Missouri

Attend this course to earn an NAHB Designation (like CAPS, CGP & CGR) or simply take it for general industry knowledge. Matt Belcher, CGP (Verdatek Solutions) is the certified instructor. Learn about management skills like planning, staffing, directing and controlling. Case studies and student interaction will also be part of this day-long program. Fee structure includes course materials, beverages and lunch. HBA staff contact: Steve Loos (LoosS@hbastl.com).

More information here.

When Jeannie Douthitt quit her tech job at IBM,  she had no clue what she was doing.

All she knew was she needed a change, and after divorcing her husband and  sending her son off to college, she saw no reason to stay in Chicago.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/advice-for-women-buying-homes-2012-5#ixzz1vA6i2xvD

Getting the Migration  Story Straight: Analysts continue to misunderstand the recent metropolitan  area census estimates. Much of the misunderstanding arises from a  misinterpretation of a chart produced by the Brookings Institution, which indicates that the rate of  population growth has fallen in exurban counties and was, last year, less than  the rate of growth in what Brookings calls emerging suburbs and “city/high  density suburbs.” However, the Brookings chart characterizes  only total population growth, which is the  combination of the natural growth rate, net international migration and net  domestic migration. In other words, the Brookings Institution chart includes both people who move between areas of  the United States and the net of those who move from outside the United States,  are born or died.

Read more here.

From the Census Bureau: Permits, Starts and Completions

Housing Starts:
Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 717,000. This is 2.6 percent (±14.8%)* above the revised March estimate of 699,000 and is 29.9 percent (±15.2%) above the revised April 2011 rate of 552,000.

Read more here.

Just over two years ago we started discussing how the environment was becoming more favorable for apartment owners.  This was based on several factors:

• Favorable demographics: a large cohort was moving into the low 20s to mid-30s age group. (see graph of age groups at “Rents soar“)
• There were a record low number of multi-family housing units being started, meaning very few completions in 2010 and 2011.
• A large number of families were losing their homes in foreclosure, or through a short sales, and many of these families were becoming renters. (limited new supply)
• The price-to-rent ratio favored renting.

Read more here.

A panel of speakers featuring Bill Emmons of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis will touch on topics like the general economy, employment trends, the new normal for business margins, risk taking in a recovering
economy, cash flow options/challenges, production concerns, sales trends and more. HBA staff contact: Steve Loos (LoosS@hbastl.com).

Event Information Here.

Bolstered by record-low interest rates, multifamily mortgage originations spiked 45% in the first quarter from year-ago levels, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Read more here.

Home building and remodeling generate significant economic benefits. Since May is National Home Remodeling month, we thought we would look at the economic benefits remodeling activity has on the community where it takes place.

Read more here.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports the housing market index (HMI) increased 5 points in May to 29.  Any number under 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as poor than good.

Read more here.

It’s been a rough five and a half years for the American homeowner. Since the  housing bubble reached its peak in early 2007, Americans have watched helplessly  as $7 trillion in housing wealth evaporated. At many points during this ugly  plunge, pundits have erroneously  called the “bottom” of the housing market – saying things could finally get  no worse. And then they got worse.

Read more here.