TOUR OF HOMES THIS APRIL & MAY

     Columbia’s largest open house of new homes is the annual TOUR OF HOMES sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia.

   If you are planning on attending, make sure to pick up your free TOUR OF HOMES plan book that list each participant, gives home elevations and floor plans, provides information on each feature community, and supplies a map of the TOUR locations.  The 2008 TOUR OF HOMES plan book can be found at any of the 14 Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors locations in the Columbia area starting on April 18^th.

Click the image to the left to see the on-line .pdf version of the 2008 TOUR OF HOMES planbook.  Hardcopies are available for free at all Columbia area Russell & Jeffcoat offices and at the Featured Communities on the TOUR.

      Thirty-five builders will present sixty-nine houses this year.  Participating builders are Avant-Garde Builders, B & B Master Builders, Baudo & Associates, Beazer Homes, Capitol City Homes, Colony Builders of Carolina, Connelly Builders, D. R. Horton, Delta Homes, Essex Homes Southeast, Gallery Homebuilders, Great Southern Homes, Hallmark Homes International, J & B Realty & Construction, JAB Construction, Joe Morris Builders, Kahn Development, KB Home, Kerry O. Lee Builders, M & H Development, McLeod Construction, Mike Lowman Homes, Mungo Homes, P & K Construction, Palmetto Custom Homes of SC, Robbins & Miller Construction, Rymarc Homes, S. E. Miller Construction, Inc., Sendler Construction Co., Inc., Pineapple Homes, SG&K Builders, Shumaker Homes, Sovereign Homes, Waldner Custom Homes and Wickersham Homes.

      The 2008 TOUR OF HOMES will present 18 Featured Communities this year.  They are The Battery At Arsenal Hill, Belmont at Jacob’s Creek, Bluff II at Chestnut Hill Plantation, Crickentree, Eve’s Garden, Hampton Forest, Hampton Park, Hope Springs, Kleckley Colony, Lake Carolina, Lake Frances, Orchard Pointe, Pennington Square, The Promenade at Sandhill, Saluda Springs, Summer Pointe, Wellesley and Woodtrace.

      We hope to see you at the 2008 TOUR OF HOMES this April 19, 20, 26, 27, and May 3 and 4.  For more information, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia at (803) 256-6238.

HOME & GARDEN SHOW HELD MARCH 14 - 16, 2008

    The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC) held its 42^nd  Annual Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show at the SC State Fairgrounds Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 16. 

    The Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show is the largest and longest-running home and garden exhibition in the Midlands and featured displays in all of the buildings at the state fairgrounds.  Over 300 construction, home improvement, and outdoor product exhibits filled the Cantey, Ellison, Moore, Ruff and Hampton Buildings, and outdoor areas.

    A number of educational seminars were offered daily by exhibitors from the show on a variety of topics like home building, home buying, remodeling, and gardening.  Attendees registered to win prizes from exhibitors while they were at the show as well.  Prizes ranged from yardsticks to gift certificates, and cutting boards to televisions.   

The association will present the annual TOUR OF HOMES beginning in April of this year (scroll down for more information), the REDO/REMIX Home Improvement Show in August, and the Parade of Homes beginning in September.

REDO/REMIX HOME IMPROVEMENT SHOW COMING THIS AUGUST



     The Remodelors Council of the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia presents the REDO/REMIX Home Improvement Show August 15 - 17, 2008 at the SC State Fairgrounds in Columbia.  The annual show will feature exhibitors in remodeling, home construction, home improvement and a wide variety of products and services for the home.  

     In addition to the exhibitors, attendees will see special features throughout the show such as the Habitat For Humanity ReStore Remodeler's Garage Sale.

Click here for more information about the Home Improvement Show.

 

 

2008 PARADE OF HOMES AT THE SALUDA RIVER CLUB

     The 24^th Annual Parade of Homes is set for October 18 through November 2, 2008 at the Saluda River Club in Lexington, SC.  The Parade of Homes offers the opportunity to explore multiple brand-new, fully decorated and landscaped homes in the Midlands’ newest neighborhoods.  Attendees will navigate through each home, gathering the latest in new home construction techniques and home decoration ideas.

     The Saluda River Club is Lexington’s newest community offering a home style to suit every taste…executive homes and riverfront lots, spacious townhomes, unique flats and charming cottages. Convenient to downtown Columbia and all that Lexington has to offer – the best schools, abundant shopping and sophisticated healthcare - the Saluda River Club is the finest riverside living available in central Carolina.  Learn more at www.SaludaRiverClub.com.

     The Parade of Homes at the Saluda River Club will be open to the public October 18 through November 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.  For more information, please see this website closer to the event.

ELECTION OF 2008 HBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

      George Delk of Delk Homes, Inc. will serve as President of the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC) in 2008.  He has been a member of the association since 1987 and has been on the HBA Board of Directors since 2003.  He is a member of the Kershaw County Chapter of the HBA and served as President of the chapter for three years.  He is a also a member of the Builder/REALTOR Joint Legislative Committee and the HBA Political Education Committee.  In 2007 he participated in the association’s membership drive and served as Chairman of the Parade of Homes.

      His family moved to Pontiac, SC from Whittier, CA when he was only one year old, and he has lived there ever since.  George attended Spring Valley High School and then started in trim work with his father.  He found steady work with Carl Brazell, a homebuilder in Elgin, who encouraged him to build his first spec home.  In 1987, George founded Delk Homes, Inc. of which he is currently owner and president.  He and his wife Cathy have 2 children, Adam and Aubrey, and are members of Spring Valley Baptist Church.

      Serving as the 2008 Officers are: Barry Davis, The Barry Davis Company, Inc. as Vice President; Ron Roe, Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors, Inc. as Associates Vice President; David Hilburn, South Capital Group, Inc. as Treasurer; and Wade McGuinn, McGuinn Construction Management, Inc. as Secretary.

      In addition, the HBAGC elected two Associates Directors and three Builder Directors to the board for terms of two years each.  New Associate Directors are Hal Von Nessen, MIRM of RESH Marketing, Inc. and Eric Zimmerman of STOCK Building Supply.  New Builder Directors are Carl Berry of Sycamore Development, LLC, John Covert of Palmetto Custom Homes of SC, LLC, and Frank Veletto of Meridian Homes.

      Chairpersons of HBA councils also have a seat on the Board of Directors.  Included here are Steve Corboy of SB Communities, LLC serving as Chairman of the Land Development Council; Robin McLeod of McLeod Construction as the Chairperson of the Kershaw County Chapter; Nancy Nelson of Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors, Inc. serving as Chairperson of the Sales and Marketing Council of Greater Columbia; Chuck Grimsley of Grimsley Builders as Chairman of the Remodelors Council of Greater Columbia; and Mark Bostic of Square One Design Service serving as Chairman of the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia..

      Delk was installed as President of the Home Builders Association at the association’s Annual Holiday Ball on December 1, 2007.  All new board members will begin their terms in January 2008.

2007 BUILDER AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF THE YEAR

      Each year the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC) holds its annual Holiday Ball in Columbia.  It’s an evening of fun and celebration, and recognition of those who have helped the home building industry throughout the year.

      Prior to the Holiday Ball, the HBAGC membership votes for their choice of nominees for the William H. Peters Award (recognizing the Associate Member of the Year) and the Byron Crosthwaite Builder Member of the Year Award.    

       The Byron Crosthwaite Builder Member of the Year is Michael T. Lowman of Mike Lowman Homes, Inc.  Mike has been a member of the HBA since 1995.  He is the 2007 President of the HBA and also serves as a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Director and as an HBA of SC Alternate Director.  Mike is a member of the Joint Builder/REALTOR Legislative Committee, he participated in the February Membership Drive as a Team Captain, and he competed in the last Mr. Strut-Your-Stuff Contest (awarded Mr. Congeniality).  In 2007 Mike received three REGAL Awards including the James Georgaklis Builder Executive of the Year award, he instructed a CSP course, hosted an ABCs of Building class, participated in the St. Lawrence Place Makeover project, and he is a partner in the HBA Builders Care Home at Aldersgate.  Recently he was named SPIKE of the Year for sponsoring the most new members in 2007.

      Mike is a Columbia native and attended Irmo High School.  He then attended the University of South Carolina where he attained a B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Real Estate.  He has worked in the building industry since 1987 where he started in general construction.  From there he progressed to Project Manager, Broker-in-Charge, Director of Construction and Vice President for local and national home building firms.  Today, he is President and Owner of Mike Lowman Homes, Inc.  He and his wife, Robin, have two children, Robby and Morgan, and are members of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church.

      The Home Builders Association also gives an award for Associate Member of the Year.  This award, named after William H. “Billy” Peters, recognizes a member who represents the association in an outstanding manner in the business community, and who devotes tireless service to the improvement of the association.  This year’s recipient of the William H. Peters Award recognizing Associate Member of the Year is Wallace Steadman of STOCK Building Supply.  Wallace has been an Associate Member of the HBA since 1986 and has been a member of the Remodelors Council since 1990.  He currently serves as 2007 Associates Vice President on the HBA Board of Directors, he participated in the 2007 Membership Drive, and heads the HBA Member Retention Committee.   His company is a major sponsor of HBA events on both the local and state levels and he is an active member who attends nearly all HBA meetings and events.

Steven Mungo, CMB (right) with his wife Maria and Stan Beckley.

      The Gordon A. Harrison Award is given each year to an outstanding home builder in the spirit of the man it is named after.  Harrison is remembered for his high personal character and integrity, and his commitment to helping others.  This year’s recipient of the Gordon A. Harrison Award is Steven Mungo, CMB of The Mungo Companies.  He has been a member of the association since 1986 serving in nearly every leadership position including president in 1990.  Steven is currently the Treasurer of the Home Builders Association of South Carolina.  Steven was inducted into the SC Housing Hall of Fame in 2005.  His work through the Mungo Companies and through the local, state and national home builders associations have helped more Americans reach the dream of home ownership.

Michael Nieri (left) accepts the Corporate Member of the Year Award from Michael Lowman presented to Great Southern Homes, LLC.

      The association also awarded Great Southern Homes, LLC as Corporate Member of the Year.  Great Southern Homes, LLC has 28 Builder, Associate, Affiliate and Council memberships in the HBA and SMC.  They have been a part of the association since 2001 and have grown to be one of Columbia’s top home building firms over the last few years.  Great Southern Homes built the 2006 and 2007 Scholarship Houses in the annual Tour of Homes events.  Through this effort, they have helped raise funds to provide 48 scholarships in two years.  The company also sponsors many HBA and Sales & Marketing Council events and meetings each year.   We are proud to name them the Corporate Member of the Year.

HBA ANNOUNCES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

     The Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia at a press conference on Friday, August 10 announced the creation of its new Green Building Council of Greater Columbia.   The council was formed in response to HBAGC member and consumer demand for more energy efficient and environmentally friendly homes.   

The goals of the Green Building Council are to educate building professionals to the practice of green, or sustainable, building; promote market-driven construction of green residences and developments; inform consumers of green building products and services; and, to administer the Build Green Greater Columbia program, in partnership with the Green Building Initiative (GBI), that will be used to verify that a home is indeed built to proper green standards.

"The GBI is pleased to support another green building program and congratulates the HBAGC for its dedication and leadership in this effort," says Director of Residential Programs, Kelly O’Brien.

 “We' re essentially re-thinking the way that homes are built,” said council Chairman Mark Bostic of Square One Design Service, “We are exploring methods to make homes more environmentally-friendly, longer lasting, and less expensive to operate and maintain through the applied science of building technology.”

The council will educate its members to the practices of green construction through special seminars and regular council meetings.  Educational events will feature local, regional and national speakers on a variety of topics including lot and plan design, energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, resource management, homeowner education and global impact. 

These seven topics are the foundation of the Build Green Greater Columbia program, which is based on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Model Green Home Guidelines.  The program consists of a point system for each of the seven areas that builders must meet in order to build what is verified as a green home.  The program was created after years of research and input from a committee of home builders, building scientists, and other experts in sustainable housing from around the country.  The program is further modified to meet the needs of our specific climate area.  The Green Building Council, in conjunction with NAHB, will update the program as new technology and building techniques are developed.

“By building smarter,” continued Bostic, “we can construct homes that preserve and protect our natural resources while saving substantial energy and maintenance dollars throughout a home's lifespan.”  

Local home builders interested in learning more about building green homes and the verification process are encouraged to join the Green Building Council of Greater Columbia by contacting the HBA of Greater Columbia at (803) 256-6238 or visit www.columbiagreenbuilders.com. 

HBA of GREATER COLUMBIA MASTER BUILDERS

The Home Builders Association of South Carolina began the Certified Master Builder Designation program in 2005.  The Master Builder designation is assurance that the builder has a level of professionalism together with the knowledge and skill to meet customer expectations and ensure homeowner satisfaction.

Certified Master Builders must complete rigorous training and education requirements, satisfy specific licensing and insurance requirements, have completed at least three major construction projects in the past two years, and are recommended by their peers.

Nine members of the HBA of Greater Columbia are currently Certified Master Builders: 

Carl Berry, B & B Master Builders, Inc.

Keith Berry, B & B Master Builders, Inc.

Chris Condon, Mungo Homes, Inc.  

Kay Evans, Treasury of Homes Builders, Inc.

James G. Graves, Colony Builders of Carolina

Steve Kimmett, Benchmark Builders, LLC

Ken King, P & K Construction, Inc.

Steven Mungo, Mungo Homes, Inc.

Tony Thompson, CGR, CAPS, Remodeling Services Unlimited  

Although South Carolina has one of the most rigorous licensing requirements in the country, the Home Builders Association of South Carolina has begun this program to allow builders to go up even higher.

“This program is good for our builders,” says A.P. Neal, Master Builder Committee Chairman, “but it is even better news for consumers.”  Neal says only twenty states require a person to take a written test to be licensed.  “Although we are one of those states, we have felt we could do even better.”

Congratulations to these members on their accomplishment.  We hope to see more Master Builders in our ranks soon. 

For more information on the Master Builder program, please contact Mark Nix at the HBA of SC at (803) 771-7408. 

HBA of GREATER COLUMBIA NEWSLETTER - PAST ISSUES

The HBA of Greater Columbia is pleased to present our new, full color newsletter, the Blueprint.  This publication is mailed to all members of the HBA, every other month.  For advertising information, please click here or contact Marcus Weston at Naylor, LLC at 800-369-6220 ext. 3465 or mweston@naylor.com. 

 Click each link below to see that issue of the Blueprint in .pdf format.

Jan/Feb 2008	March/April 2008	May/June 2008	July/August 2008
Sept/Oct 2008	Nov/Dec 2008	Jan/Feb 2009	March/April 2009
May/June 2009	July/August 2009	Sept/Oct 2009	Nov/Dec 2009

Quarterly Economic E-newsletter

Another new feature this year is our Economic E-newsletter that we compile and send to members every quarter.  See the current and past editions below.  Advertising is available in this e-newsletter.  Click here for information.