TBA has two powerhouse speakers lined up for its Thursday, February 21 and Thursday, March 21, 2013 general membership meetings at the Killearn Country Club. Both meetings begin at 11:30 am and include lunch at a cost of $15 per person. On February 21, Suzanne Graham, President of the Florida Home Builders Association, will present an overview of the 2013 Florida Legislative Session and the many issues that will impact the building industry. Then on March 21, National Association of Home Builders Immediate Past Chairman Barry Rutenberg will speak on what it takes to be a successful home builder as well as federal regulations involving mortgage lending, appraisals, OSHA, and lead-based paint. Graham owns American Properties in Port Charlotte and also serves as Director of Government Affairs for Massey Services. Rutenberg splits time between his home in Gainesville and the Clearwater office of Arthur Rutenberg Homes, the successful custom building franchise for which he now serves as CEO. 

TBA 2013 Parade of Homes™ Co-Chairs Mark Worley, CIP, GMB of Worley Construction and Thomas Asbury, Jr. of Premier Fine Homes are reminding builders and remodelers that Friday, January 31, 2013 is the deadline for the early-bird discount for builders to entry the Parade. Before the deadline, the first entry is $1,550 compared to $1,750 after the deadline. There are also discounts for multiple entries. Click here for a Parade contract and specifications. The Parade will be held May 11-12 and May 18-19 with judging set for May 3 and the Parade of Homes™ Awards event scheduled for May 16. There are plenty of sponsorship opportunities available, which can be accessed by clicking here. 

Builder Karen Koelemj represented the TBA and the Florida HBA on the Executive Board and Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) last week at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas. Karen and other directors heard a report from NAHB’s Chief Economist Dr. David Crowe, indicating that construction of single-family homes is up 18.5 percent in December, 2012 compared to a year ago, and the annual pace of new-home sales is 23 percent higher than a year ago. Crowe also said that Florida is re-emerging as a key player in the nation’s housing recovery. Overall, Crowe is forecasting 949,000 total housing starts in 2013, up 21.5 percent from 781,000 units last year. Single-family starts are anticipated to rise 22 percent from 535,000 last year to 650,000 in 2013 and are expected to jump an additional 30 percent in 2014 to 844,000 units. On the multifamily side, NAHB is anticipating that starts will increase 22 percent from 246,000 units last year to 299,000 in 2013, and rise an additional 6 percent to 317,000 units in 2014. NAHB Directors adopted a dues increase of $16 in 2014, another $16 in 2015, and depending on whether membership and IBS booth sale thresholds are met, possibly another $16 in 2016. Currently, NAHB dues are $150.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) have recognized the Florida Green Building Coalition's Green Home Certification Standard as a "Promising Program" honorable mention in the Exemplary Water-Energy Program award competition, which salutes efficiency programs that save both water and energy in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The FGBC Green Home Standard is the most successful residential certification program in Florida, certifying over 5,400 homes to date. Because the program is affordable and has a user-friendly process for the construction industry, it has broad acceptance and large scale impacts. The FGBC standard includes eight categories: energy, water, lot choice, site, health, materials, disaster mitigation, and general (i.e. renewables, adaptability, small home etc.). The program has resulted in an average of 15 percent savings in electricity consumption and a 20 percent reduction in water use per household over code compliant buildings. TBA member Suzanne Cook, CAE, IOM, is the Executive Director of FGBC (www.floridagreenbuilding.org).  

As a reminder, the Tallahassee Builders Association is bringing its members the opportunity to become Certified-Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS), a professional designation that equips individuals to communicate with, market to, and meet the housing needs of older adults. To earn the designation, TBA members must take three day-long courses, with the first – CAPS I – scheduled for Friday, February 15, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the TBA office. CAPS I is entitled Marketing & Communication Strategies for Aging & Accessibility and will be taught by TBA member Terry Ward, Ph.D. The cost of CAPS I to TBA members is $135 ($225 for non-members) and includes lunch and course materials. Ward has worked with seniors and persons with disabilities for more than 20 years, providing professional design and project management services to individuals who wish to live in their homes safely and as independently as possible. CAPS II – Design/Build Solutions for Aging & Accessibility – will be presented in the second quarter of the year. The third required course is Business Management for Building Professionals and will be offered in the third quarter of 2013. For a registration form and details, click here.  

One of the most tangible benefits TBA members enjoy is access to , which is a list-serve service that provides vital information on people, products, and services within the local construction community. All members are invited to become a part of this sharing of information. When you add the address to your contacts, you will be able to contact all members of the group.  Comments should be short and businesslike.   And it is VERY important to remember that if you reply, your comments will go out to ALL members of the group, not just the one who began the conversation.  If further clarification/information is needed, please use the sender’s personal e-mail so that the rest of the group is not involved.  Lately spam filters have blocked a lot of invitations to members, so we are asking that if you want to participate, please send an e-mail to TBA member Stan Derzypolski to .   Since all members have to be approved, please also copy Stan at  with your request so he can approve your access. 
 
 

Remember to friend and follow TBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tallahasseebuildersasociation

   -- Paul M. Thompson, Executive Officer
 

By popular demand, the Tallahassee Builders Association is bringing its members the opportunity to become Certified-Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS), a professional designation that equips individuals to communicate with, market to, and meet the housing needs of older adults. To earn the designation, TBA members must take three day-long courses, with the first – CAPS I – scheduled for Friday, February 15, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the TBA office. CAPS I is entitled Marketing & Communication Strategies for Aging & Accessibility and will be taught by TBA member Terry Ward, Ph.D. The cost of CAPS I to TBA members is $135 ($225 for non-members) and includes lunch and course materials. Ward has worked with seniors and persons with disabilities for more than 20 years, providing professional design and project management services to individuals who wish to live in their homes safely and as independently as possible. CAPS II – Design/Build Solutions for Aging & Accessibility – will be presented in the second quarter of the year. The third required course is Business Management for Building Professionals and will be offered in the third quarter of 2013. Click here for information, and registration form. 

Only a few booths remain for Tallahassee Builders Association members to exhibit in the 21st Annual North Florida Home Show set for February 8-10, 2013 at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. TBA is proud to be a co-sponsor of the show and many of our members will be exhibiting a wide array of products and services to help consumers with their housing and lifestyle choices. Presented by East Coast Shows, Inc., the expo runs from Noon to 7 pm on Friday (February 8), 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday (February 9), and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday (February 11).  Among the exhibitors are TBA members who have earned the designation of Construction Industry Professional (CIP), including  Stan Derzypolski of 3 Rivers, Inc., Kip Carpenter of A Carpenters Construction, Mark Worley of Worley Construction, and Larry Wayne Strickland of Capital City Builders (Florida’s 2012 Remodeler of the Year). TBA new-home builders scheduled to exhibit are Big Bend Builders, Ertl Custom Homes, Rock Solid Design & Construction, Sterling Custom Homes, and Tricon Builders, Inc. as well as TBA member and residential designer Wynn & Associates. To reserve your exhibit space, call 800-542-6017. 

TBA’s Remodelers Council holds its first meeting of the year on Wednesday (January 23) under the leadership of Chairman Bill Kimberl, IV, CIP, of Kimberl Construction. The Council is getting the New Year off with a bang as energy rater Jane Conn of ES Green & Company sponsors the 11:30 am luncheon at the TBA office (201 East Park Avenue) and presents an informative program on the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) Green retrofit certification program for remodelers. “Green building continues as a trend in the industry and remodelers who can meet the needs of environmentally-conscious consumers will have a competitive edge,” said Kimberl. The Council meets the fourth Wednesday of each month with a sponsor covering the cost of lunch and providing the program on an important and timely topic for professional remodelers.

Planning for TBA’s 2013 Parade of Homes™ is underway with a hard-working committee led by Co-Chairs Mark Worley, CIP, GMB of Worley Construction and Thomas Asbury, Jr. of Premier Fine Homes. There are plenty of sponsorship opportunities available. For a sponsorship flyer, complete with huge promotional benefits, click here. As a reminder, the early-bird deadline to enter homes or major remodeling projects in TBA’s 2013 Parade of Homes™ at a discounted price is January 31, 2013. Before the deadline, the first entry is $1,550 compared to $1,750 after the deadline. There are also discounts for multiple entries. Click here for a Parade contract and specifications. The Parade will be held May 11-12 and May 18-19 with judging set for May 3 and the Parade of Homes™ Awards event scheduled for May 16.  

As a result of a Fall Membership Drive chaired by 2012 Builder of the Year Alan Weekley of Alan Weekley Homes, TBA welcomes 40 new members, bringing total TBA enrollment to over 200 firms. “The key now is for TBA members to reach out and support these new members with their business, or at the very least, give them an audience to learn what they have to offer,” said Weekley. To facilitate that process, the list of the new members and their phone numbers can be accessed by clicking here or looking on the home page of TBA’s web site at tallyba.com. Newly-inducted TBA Hall of Fame member Mark Worley, CIP, GMB, was the leading recruiter in the drive with 16 new members. All new members are invited to an orientation meeting (and free lunch) on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 in which they’ll be updated on member services and opportunities for involvement. The orientation begins at 11:30 am at the TBA office.  

Green building professionals won’t want to miss the February 14, 2013 meeting of the TBA Green Building Council chaired by Suzanne Cook, CAE, OIM, of the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC). Cook has lined up point expert Matthew Heald, CSI, of Sherwin-Williams to present a specialized program on sustainable paint options, paint technology, VOC regulations, and high-performance coatings. The meeting begins at 11:30 am at the Myers Park Community Room and includes a sponsored lunch. The Council meets the second Thursday or each month. In other related Green building news, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the International Code Council (ICC) applaud the recent approval of the 2012 ICC 700 National Green Building Standard™ by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For more information on the 2012 ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, visit www.nahb.org/nahbgreen.  

One of the most tangible benefits TBA members enjoy is access to , which is a list-serve service that provides vital information on people, products, and services within the local construction community. All members are invited to become a part of this sharing of information. When you add the address to your contacts, you will be able to contact all members of the group.  Comments should be short and businesslike.   And it is VERY important to remember that if you reply, your comments will go out to ALL members of the group, not just the one who began the conversation.  If further clarification/information is needed, please use the sender’s personal e-mail so that the rest of the group is not involved.  Lately spam filters have blocked a lot of invitations to members, so we are asking that if you want to participate, please send an e-mail to TBA member Stan Derzypolski to .   Since all members have to be approved, please also copy Stan at  with your request so he can approve your access.
 

Remember to friend and follow TBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tallahasseebuildersasociation

   -- Paul M. Thompson, Executive Officer
 

Frank McClean, President of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors, and TBA member John Stehmeyer of Pro Players Realty will be the featured presenters at Thursday’s TBA general membership meeting set for 11:30 am at Beef O’Brady’s on Thomasville Road. All TBA members are invited to attend. In addition to McClean and Stehmeyer sharing their insights on the 2013 Tallahassee-area housing market, the meeting officially kicks off the 2013 Parade of Homes™ and welcomes new members recruited during the Fall Membership Drive. McClean is associated with Community Property Management, Inc. and has served as a senior officer at TBR since 2009. He holds the professional designations of CRS, GRI, and CLG. Note: the February 21, 2013 general membership meeting will move to a new location: the Killearn Country Club starting with a buffet lunch at 11:30 am. RSVPs will be required no less than 72 hours before the event. 

The early-bird deadline to enter homes or major remodeling projects in TBA’s 2013 Parade of Homes™ at a discounted price has been moved to January 31, 2013. Before the deadline, the first entry is $1,550 compared to $1,750 after the deadline. There are also discounts for multiple entries. The Parade will be held May 11-12 and May 18-19 with judging set for May 3 and the Parade of Homes™ Awards event scheduled for May 16, according to Parade of Home™ Committee Co-Chairs Mark Worley, CIP, GMB of Worley Construction and Thomas Asbury, Jr. of Premier Fine Homes. 

TBA members who want to attain the coveted Certified-Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) professional designation can complete the first of three required courses on February 15, 2013 when TBA member Terry Ward presents Marketing & Communication Strategies for Aging & Accessibility (CAPS I). Registration is open at 8 am and the class begins at 8:30 and runs to 3 pm with a 30-minute break for lunch. The course will also offer six hours of Continuing Education credits for Florida contractors through the Florida Home Builders Association (state provider No. 000916). The cost is $135 for TBA members. Later in the year, TBA will offer Universal Design (CAPS II) and Business Management for Building Professionals to complete the three-course requirement. CAPS I focuses on best practices in communicating and interacting with older adults who seek to have their homes made more accessible.

A great turnout of builders, remodelers and Green building professionals heard an informative presentation on Energy Star 3.1 last week when energy rater Jane and Randy Conn of ES Green & Company addressed and co-sponsored the January meeting of the TBA Green Building Council at the Myers Park Community Room. The meeting was chaired by Suzanne Cook, CAE, IOM, and co-sponsored by Donnie’s Heating & Air. The Conns stressed that meeting Energy Star 3.1’s HVAC requirements can be challenging but the key is “teamwork” among the builder, energy rater, insulation contractor, HVAC contractors, and framers.  

One of the most tangible benefits TBA members enjoy is access to , which is a list-serve service that provides vital information on people, products, and services within the local construction community. All members are invited to become a part of this sharing of information. When you add the address to your contacts, you will be able to contact all members of the group.  Comments should be short and businesslike.   And it is VERY important to remember that if you reply, your comments will go out to ALL members of the group, not just the one who began the conversation.  If further clarification/information is needed, please use the sender’s personal e-mail so that the rest of the group is not involved.  Lately spam filters have blocked a lot of invitations to members, so we are asking that if you want to participate, please send an e-mail to TBA member Stan Derzypolski to .   Since all members have to be approved, please also copy Stan at  with your request so he can approve your access.
 

Remember to friend and follow TBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tallahasseebuildersasociation

   -- Paul M. Thompson, Executive Officer
 

The early-bird deadline is Thursday, January 17, 2013 for builders to enter homes in the Parade of Homes™ at a highly-discounted rate. Before the deadline, the first entry is $1,550 compared to $1,750 after the deadline. There are also discounts for multiple entries. This year’s Parade contract will be posted at tallyba.com and mailed to all builder members this week. The Parade will be held May 11-12 and May 18-19 and is expected to draw another huge audience of Tallahassee-area home shoppers, according to Parade of Home™ Committee Co-Chairs Mark Worley, CIP, GMB of Worley Construction and Thomas Asbury, Jr. of Premier Fine Homes. Questions: call TBA Executive Officer Paul Thompson at 251-1053. 

Mark your calendar for Thursday, January 17, 2013 for an 11:30 am TBA General Membership Meeting at Beef O’Bradys on Thomasville Road. TBA’s first major meeting of the year promises to be special in so many ways: Parade of Homes™ kickoff “pep rally,” builder and supplier analysis of what the Tallahassee area housing and construction market holds for 2013, an introduction of new members and what they have to offer TBA members, and a “welcome home” to some special friends of TBA. Don’t miss it! Note: the February 21, 2013 General Membership Meeting will move to a new location: the Killearn Country Club starting with a buffet lunch at 11:30 am. RSVPs will be required no less than 72 hours before the event. 

Tallahassee has been added to the number of metropolitan areas on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), which rose for the fifth consecutive month in January to now include 242 markets, with 15 in Florida. The index is up from 201 markets listed as improving in December, and includes entrants from 48 states and the District of Columbia. The IMI identifies metro areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. A total of 47 new metros, including Panama City, were added to the list and six were dropped from it this month. Florida markets now on the list are Cape Coral, Deltona, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Miami, Naples, North Port, Ocala, Orlando, Palm Bay, Panama City, Pensacola, Punta Gorda, Tallahassee, and Tampa.

Under the leadership of new Chair Suzanne Cook, CAE, IOM, TBA’s Green Building Council holds its first meeting of 2013 this Thursday at 11:30 am at the Myers Park Community Room. The highly informative meeting will be sponsored by energy raters Randy and Jane Conn of ES Green & Company, LLC and Donny’s Heating and Air with the subject of Energy Star HVAC Requirements: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Lunch is covered by our generous sponsors. Cook is the Executive Director of the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC).  

The Tallahassee Builders Association extends its sympathy to the family of longtime Tallahassee-area mortgage lender Penny Franklin, who passed away January 2, 2012 after a brave battle against breast cancer. She is survived by her mother and daughters Holly and Hillary. Franklin worked for a number of local banks, including Peoples First (now Hancock Bank) and Premier, where she set up the residential mortgage department, and most recently, Wells Fargo. “Penny was my mentor and my friend,” said Laura Jo Hewitt, Vice President/Lending Officer for Prime Meridian Bank. “She hired me initially and taught me all I know about the mortgage business. She was also very involved in TBA for many years and had a great relationship with a lot of builders. She will be missed by all.”

It should be easier than ever to get plugged into the excellent learning and networking opportunities offered by your Tallahassee Builders Association with the development of a year-long calendar of events… to view the calendar, click the icon at the bottom of the weekly events schedule on the home page of the TBA web site at tallyba.com... TBA’s 2013 Membership Directory is now in production and should be available soon in printed and electronic formats… TBA’s Membership Committee, chaired by 2012 Builder of the Year Alan Weekley, has announced that every TBA member will be receiving a TBA decal to display in their business location(s).
  

Remember to friend and follow TBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tallahasseebuildersasociation

   -- Paul M. Thompson, Executive Officer