Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here at RESH Marketing.

Thank you for helping to make 2013 such a wonderful year and we look forward to another great year ahead!

Builder Confidence Numbers in November

Each month for the past 25 years the National Association of Home Builders and and Wells Fargo send out a national survey to builders trying to gauge their confidence levels in current and future sales.  Builders are asked to determine how they see the housing market now and how they predict it will be in six months.

November's numbers are in and builder confidence has stabilized after dropping off the past two months. Even with the lower numbers the past two months, the previous 6 months in a row saw more builders optimistic about the market than before.

Consumer interest in new homes remains steady because of low interest rates and pricing although it has been dampened by policy and economic uncertainty.

Increased builder confidence is a positive sign for the recovering housing market at this time and going forward into 2014.

Upcoming Event For Upstate Builders

E-mail Sign Up

RESH Marketing is a South Carolina based marketing and advertising firm offering research services, promotional materials, and marketing assistance to builders around the country. As a component of these services, we occasionally send out promotional information from builders and developers in our markets of work as well as economic updates and analysis.

In addition, we distribute opportunities from time to time to participate in polls measuring various attitudes about the new home residential market. It is not our intention to send spam, nor will we provide share emails with other organizations for their use.

Future emails will come from GoDaddy and always include the ability to opt-out. You may have already opted-in to other programs we conduct. If that is the case we will make every effort not to duplicate our messages. RESH Marketing is a member of the NAHB, the South Carolina HBA, and several other related associations in South Carolina. More information is available on our website at RESH.com or our blog at RESHMarketing.com.

Upstate Housing Market Forecast & Annual Meeting

The Home Builders Association of Greenville will host Dr. Joey Von Nessen at their 2013 Upstate Housing Market Forecast, November 5th at the TD Convention Center.

Dr. Von Nessen will provide expectations for the housing market in 2014.  In addition to the housing update speakers will cover topics such as Employment Law, Worker's Compensation and Healthcare Reform.

If you are interested in attending please visit the GHBA website at hbaofgreenville.com.

Government Shutdown and Housing

It's week two of the Government Shutdown and the ripple effects continue to spread.  The housing industry is not immune to the standoff in Washington with potential buyers choosing to wait and see instead of buy.

The  mortgage industry has been especially hard hit as FHA and VA loans are taking longer to process or are put on hold completely.  USDA loans, a favorite for first-time buyers are not processing at all. Even conventional loans are feeling the effects of large government furloughs. With fewer employees available to check employment or credit status and complete background checks, the financing process has slowed tremendously.

Interest rates remain low and housing prices have continued to stabilize and appreciate. A quick resolution to the shutdown will be a great relief to the slowly improving housing market.

Latest Update

Here's a look at improving numbers from the South Carolina Association of Realtors. These figures are based on August MLS data.

New Listings in South Carolina increased 5.9 percent
Pending Sales are up 6.7 percent
Inventory levels shrank 6.6 percent

Median sales price increased 6.5 percent to $164,950
Days on market down 13.6 percent to 111 days

Housing sales increased as the mortgage rates increased and encouraged buyers who were on the fence to make a decision. Rates are still at historic lows and now is a great time to buy as the market is on the upswing.

Parade of Homes

The 2013 Parade of Homes starts this weekend and runs through September 29th at Sweetbay in Woodcreek Farms.

The Parade includes 4 brand new fully furnished and decorated homes, plus a Home for the Arts featuring the work of 12 local artists.

Hours are 10am-8pm, Tuesday through Sunday.

Tickets are available at Columbiabuilders.com and at the gate.  The Parade of Homes is presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia.

Housing and Labor Day

As hard as it is to believe, it's Labor Day weekend – the unofficial end to summer.

This Labor Day, AAA is predicting that 34.1 million Americans will hit the road and travel at least 50 miles this weekend, making it the busiest Labor Day in the last four years.

Part of the reason for this increase in travel is actually – housing.

According to the AAA study, consumer confidence is increasing as their home value increase. With the improvement in the housing market, consumers feel that their largest asset, their home, is more valuable. This increase in confidence leads to more spending and this weekend – more travel. 

This is just another piece of evidence that points to the importance of the housing market in our overall economic recovery.

Will you be traveling this Labor Day?

Housing Industry Improving

According to a report by the South Carolina Realtors based on July 2013 figures, sales across the state of South Carolina increased by 21%. Home prices increased by 5% to a median price of $163,063.

The number of available homes and standing inventory has dropped to a 9 month supply of single family homes and 9.5 month supply of condos. A six month supply of homes is considered normal.

As the economy improves and consumer confidence increases home sales continue to rise. This bodes well for the future of the SC economy and housing industry.

Online Advertising Part 2

Adwords Search Advertising:

Adwords Search ads are text-based ads that display on search engine results page. These ads are linked to specific keyword searches.  Multiple text ads can be employed per ad campaign in order to determine which ads are most effective. There are not additional costs for the use of multiple ads. RESH utilizes Google’s resources in addition to our own to determine which keywords to focus. RESH regularly checks the campaign to see which words are producing results and to eliminate any words that are not effective.

Display Network Advertising:

Display Network ads are image or video ads that are shown across Google’s network of website partners. Google’s network reaches 92% of Internet users. RESH can target which sites the ads are featured on based on topical content, interest groups and demographics of viewers.

Multiple ads can be employed per ad campaign in order to determine which ads are most effective. There are not additional costs for the use of multiple ads.  Display ads are created in several sizes to accommodate any available ad space on both home and mobile devices.

Online Advertising Part 1

This is part one in a series about Online Advertising opportunities and how this relatively new area can provide great opportunity for small businesses looking to increase their presence in the market.

Overview:

Online advertising provides an avenue to reach a targeted audience on the Internet through search and display networks.  There are several different forms of advertising that can be used separately or in conjunction with each other depending on the nature of the campaign.

RESH has partnered with Google to become part of their “Google Engage” system. This program gives us access to a Google advertising specialist who provides a third party review of our campaign set up.

Targeting:

Online advertising can be targeted in several ways to reach a specific audience including:

-       Location Targeting

o      Limiting the ad displays to location through state, city, zip code, or radius based targeting.

-       Demographics Targeting

o      Targeting based on gender and age

-       Interest Based Targeting

o      Targeting based on website interests and topics

-       Contextual Targeting

o      Targeting based on specific keywords

-       Placement Targeting

o      Choosing specific websites to display the ads

Ads can be specified to run at certain dates and times and on mobile devices.  Ads can be placed “above-the-fold” only or at the top of the website page before it requires scrolling.  

In our next segment we'll talk about the various types of Online Advertising and how they differ from one another.

South Carolina Economic Indicators Continue to Rise

According to a report by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the leading economic indicators in South Carolina increased for the 4th month in a row.

The combination of an increase in new-home construction and a drop in unemployment claims contributed to the leading index numbers.

Below are some relevant statistics that attribute to these positive numbers.

• Residential construction permits rose 26.3% in May compared with April.
• The median sales price for a single-family home rose by 5.6% in May
• The overall volume of home sales in May rose 21% compared to the same time last year.

For a look at the overall economic indicators in the report visit the Charleston Regional Business Journal HERE.

Builder Confidence Increases

According to the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, builder confidence increased by eight points in June bringing it to the highest level since April 2006.

Any number over 50 is an indicator that builders view the housing market more favorably than negatively. This eight point gain in June is the biggest one-month increase since 2002.

NAHB Chairman Rick Judson attributes the growth in new home sales to an increase in home buyers and a low inventory of existing homes.

To read the full article click HERE.

CTHBA Presentation

On June 18th, Dr. Joseph Von Nessen spoke to approximately 100 Charleston builders and real estate agents, providing them several reasons to be cautiously optimistic about their region's housing market for the remainder of 2013. Von Nessen served as a keynote speaker at the Charleston-Trident Home Builders Association's 2nd Annual New Homes Market Update. You can click here for the complete talk, which reviews the national and local economy and how overall economic performance is influencing local housing markets.

Number of Improving Markets Increases Again

The National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index increased again in June to now include more than 70% of the U.S. metro areas.

The Improving Markets Index or IMI is a list of metropolitan areas that have shown improvement through the areas of housing permits, employment and house prices for at least the past six months.

Twenty-nine new markets were added to the list while twenty-four previously listed markets were removed. This fluctuation is a product of a slow recovery and confirmation that the housing industry still has challenges to face.  However the IMI list is three times larger this year than last year according to the NAHB.


For a full list of improving markets visit the NAHB's website HERE.

Dr. Joseph Von Nessen on Builder Radio

Dr. Joseph Von Nessen, Research Economist for RESH Marketing and the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, will be featured on Builder Radio's weekly program Monday. He will be discussing research tools housing industry professionals can take advantage of to help them move forward in an ever changing economic environment. There are many research opportunities that businesses can take advantage of to be strategically proactive.  These tools range from competitive analyses to consumer research and each will be further discussed by Von Nessen.

The interview was conducted by Scott Stroud, who has been involved in new home construction and sales since 1974. His experience as a new home builder/dealer in his hometown of Louisville, KY in the 1980s provides a keen insight into strategies to sell new homes in the current market. Scott produces Builder Radio's many programs, including  The Selling More Homes Academy - the first online multimedia learning center and coaching program for housing sales and marketing professionals.
 
Posted every Monday morning, The Monday Morning Sales Meeting features the premiere experts in the new home industry. The program is provided free of charge and can be accessed at any time convenient to the listener by visiting   www.BuilderRadio.com. To be notified of future free programs, listeners can subscribe to the blog on the same page.

Everyone's a Winner!

Clark's Pest Control celebrates their 50th anniversary this year and they want to share the celebration with you!

For a limited time only register at www.killmypests.com and receive $50 in Clark's Cash.  In addition, you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of our 5 grand prizes!

1. Free pest control for a year
2. Free termite treatment for a year
3. Free fire ant treatment for a year
4. Free mosquito treatment for a year
5. Free lawn treatment for a year 

Everyone wins! Register at www.killmypests.com.

Renters starting to enter back into the housing market

Fox Business hosted a recent discussion between the Mortgage Bankers Association's Chief Economist Jay Brinkman and John Burns of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

The nature of the conversation revolved around the current state of the housing market as compared to the rental market.

During the housing downturn, the number of renters increased dramatically. Now that the overall economy is starting to turn around, some of those renters are entering back into home ownership.

According to the discussion, two-thirds of the country pays a higher rental rate then they would mortgage payment. As the job market improves and potential homebuyers are able to build up their credit, they are turning to the housing market where they can often find more stable prices and the chance to build equity.

While young couples are still reluctant to leave the rental market, previous homeowners who are now renting seem to be leading the way back to homeowership.

For the full video conversation, click below.

To Rent or to Buy?

New Home Sales Up 2.3% in April

There's more good news for the housing market and new homes in particular.

According to HUD and the US Census Bureau, sales of new, single-family homes rose by 2.3 percent in April. Regionally, new home sales rose 3 percent in the South.

A quote from an article by the National Association of Home Builders reinforces this positive message. “Today’s report is further evidence of the gradual, consistent improvement we have been seeing in housing market conditions over the past year,” noted NAHB Senior Economist Robert Denk. “We’re now about half-way back to what could be considered a full recovery, and we do expect to see continual, solid gains in both starts and sales of new homes going forward.”

Interest rates remain low and house prices are trending upwards and inventory remains tight.  Now is the time to buy!

To read the full article from the National Association of Home Builders please click HERE. 

Hal Von Nessen to appear on the Monday Morning Sales Meeting, from BuilderRadio, Monday, May 20, 2013.

Hal Von Nessen of RESH Marketing will be the featured interview on the national program, Selling New Homes: The Monday Morning Sales Meeting for New Home Sales Professionals presented by BuilderRadio, a division of Selling More Homes Media.

The discussion will address changes in the new home industry and will identify technological innovations available for use in sales centers employed by builders and developers.

RESH Marketing has developed a system utilizing touch screen technology to display the components of the traditional sales center presentations. In addition, software has been written to allow for site plats to be updated and home options to be identified and selected right from the TV monitor in the sales office. The inherent advantages of having an easily transported system precludes the need to make structural changes to model homes used as sales facilities, and capitalizes on the relaxed atmosphere created in the living spaces of model homes.

The interview was conducted by Scott Stroud, who has been involved in new home construction and sales since 1974. His experience as a new home builder/dealer in his hometown of Louisville, KY in the 1980′s provides a keen insight into strategies to sell new homes in the current market. Scott produces BuilderRadio’s many programs, including The Selling More Homes Academy – the first online multimedia learning center and coaching program for housing sales and marketing professionals.

Posted every Monday morning, The Monday Morning Sales Meeting features the premiere experts in the new home industry. The program is provided free of charge and can be accessed at any time convenient to the listener by visiting www.BuilderRadio.com. To be notified of future free programs, listeners can subscribe to the blog on the same page.

South Carolina Economic Snapshot

Dr. Joey Von Nessen recently created and presented an economic snapshot of the South Carolina economy, focusing on key variables affecting the business community

His analysis is available for free on our website.

The snapshot looks at several leading economic indicators including:

• Industry employment
• The unemployment rate
• Housing starts
• House price appreciation

To download the information visit our website and look on the home page for Economic Snapshot.

Dr. Joey Von Nessen is a Research Economist at RESH Marketing. Dr. Von Nessen specializes in economic and marketing research in the home building industry and oversees the research activities of the company. In addition to his full-time duties at RESH, he is also a consultant with the Division of Research in the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, involved in both private sector and academic research.

New...or just "new" to you?

When buyers set out to buy a "new" home, it may not always mean a home that's never been lived in before. The home may just be new to them. But what are the benefits of buying a home that's completely new?  That question is the inspiration behind a recently launched website called "Start Fresh. Buy New".

Since the site launched in March of this year, it's received about 10,000 visitors a day. The goal of the site is to educate homeowners on the benefits of buying a newly constructed home and to help them find new homes in their area.

Some of the highlighted benefits to buying new vs. used are:

• Increased energy efficiency
• New home warranties
• Modern construction techniques and materials
• Higher ceilings
• More closet space
• Modern safety features
• Open floor plan design
• Follows latest trends in flooring, finishes, colors, and cabinetry
• Time/Money saved on home repairs and updates

To visit the site and learn more about the benefits of buying a newly constructed home
CLICK HERE.

What are some of the benefits you see to buying a newly constructed home?

Real Estate Regrets

Trulia released the results of a consumer survey asking homeowners what they regret about their current home purchase or home buying process.

Home buyers this Spring are facing a market with limited inventory and stiff competition for homes. This environment creates the potential for buyers to make rushed decisions that they may later regret. The goal of Trulia's survey is to inform current buyers about the most common regrets in hopes that they can be avoided.

Here are the findings from the survey about top 5 homeowner regrets:

• 34% wish they had chosen a larger home
• 27% wish they had done more remodeling on the home that they did
• 22% wish they had more information on the home before they purchased
• 18% wish they had put more money down for the down payment
• 16% wish they were more financially secure before they made their decision

For a full list of homeowner regrets and analysis by Trulia visit this LINK

What if any regrets do you have from previous home buying experiences?

Recovering Housing Market Boosts Job Creation

David Crowe, Chief Economist for the National Association of Home Builders, released an analysis of the housing market's impact on job creation in the overall economy.

His report points out that as the housing market recovers, the demand for labor in the housing industry grows. This increased demand for labor will boost a slowly recovering national economy.

The overall economic indicators are mixed but the news for the housing market remains positive. According to Crowe, March data showed the count of home builders and residential contractors grew by almost 15,000. In the last six months job growth in this sector increased by almost 74,000.  In addition to these positive numbers, there are over 100,000 unfilled positions in the construction sector - bringing this figure back to a post-Great Recession high.

For the full report from Crowe on the many factors contributing to the current economic outlook visit the NAHB's website at the following link. http://eyeonhousing.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/eye-on-the-economy-as-housing-improves-job-creation-follows/

SC Markets Included in Improving Markets Index

The National Association of Home Builders along with First American tracks housing markets throughout the country that show signs of economic improvement. This index is based on three monthly measures: employment growth, house price growth and single-family housing growth.

The Improving Markets Index (IMI) has increased dramatically and as of this month contains 273 housing metro areas.

Included on this list are the following South Carolina markets:

• Anderson
• Charleston
• Columbia
• Florence
• Greenville
• Spartanburg

This continues to be a positive indicator for the housing industry as a whole and South Carolina in particular. The full article from the NAHB can be found here along with links to the list of all included housing markets.

Don't Sleep Through the Good Times!

You my not have noticed it....yet, but the housing industry is awakening, and doesn't it feel refreshing! Many builders were perplexed when the market tanked and didn't have a plan to react to the changes. We have been under building demand for several years now and household formations are also below norms, so the positive news regarding housing prices and demand are welcomed changes.

It seems like everyday new positive information comes out. Don't let the change pass you by, now is the time to anticipate and plan for a "new normal" market. Things are changing, but they aren't changing at the same pace all across the country, just like they didn't turn down consistently.

Get ready. It may be faster or slower where you are, but it sure looks like the worst is behind us. That's something to smile about.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/economy/in-us-surprise-housing-demand-catches-industry-off-guard.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

Southern Regional Science Association

Dr. Joseph Von Nessen will present an overview of South Carolina’s economy this week at the Southern Regional Science Association conference - http://www.srsa.org

The website includes a schedule of this year’s events as well as information on the regional science journal Review of Regional Studies.

Southern Regional Science Association Meetings (SRSA) in Washington, DC. This annual conference brings together regional economists from major universities throughout the southeastern United States to discuss current economic conditions and economic projections for the upcoming year. Dr. Von Nessen will also participate in various SRSA seminars on new research in housing economics and the latest developments in economic forecasting methodologies. You can visit the official website of the SRSA here:

Mortgage Interest Rates Turn Up in February

The Federal Housing Finance Agency released figures today showing a slight increase in mortgage interest rates in February. I recall the good old days when an upward tick in the rates would stimulate buyers to come out to avoid the anticipated price adjustments resulting from another increase. It would appear that, just as spring heralds its arrival with new growth, the housing market is also seeing signs of rebirth. It may be minimal, it may be slow, but it sure is welcomed!

Here's a link to the full report.

http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/25069/MIRS%20March%202013%20final.pdf

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who attended the awards ceremony this past week at the International Builders Show!

Hal Von Nessen accepting the award for 2012 Sales and Marketing Educator of the Year

One of our own!

Hal Von Nessen, IRM Fellow, Named 2012 Sales and Marketing Educator of the Year By NAHB

http://midlandsbiz.com/articles/13129/

Jan 16, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC - January 16, 2013 -Institute of Residential Marketing Fellow Hal Von Nessen has been named the 2012 Sales and Marketing Educator of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in recognition of his successful efforts to educate builders and other industry professionals about new home sales and marketing. Based in Columbia, S.C., Von Nessen has been involved in new home sales and marketing for more than three decades.
In 1979, Von Nessen founded RESH Marketing Consultants, a full-service advertising and marketing firm that has served builders and developers as well as tourism and other industries.  Prior to starting his own company, Von Nessen enjoyed a successful career in radio and television broadcasting.
Von Nessen has been actively involved in NAHB, serving on the boards for the National Sales and Marketing Council and the Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM). He was a founding member of the Columbia Sales and Marketing Council. Von Nessen has won numerous local, state and national awards, including NAHB’s prestigious Trina Ripley Award for Excellence in Education and the Bill Molster Award. He holds the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), Certified New Home Marketing Professional (CMP) and Master in Residential Marketing (MIRM) designations and, in 2011, was honored as an IRM Fellow for his long-standing contributions to the Institute.
In addition, Von Nessen has been a staunch advocate for NAHB education. As an NAHB approved instructor for 16 courses, Von Nessen has taught hundreds of classes on a wide range of sales and marketing topics. He also contributed to and authored several IRM courses. Von Nessen also has been a presenter at the International Builders’ Show as well as local, state and national trade shows.
“Hal is a legendary instructor and is directly responsible for helping hundreds of students to become MIRMs or earn other IRM designation,” said Brian Flook, CMP, MIRM, chairman for the IRM Board of Governors and a marketing professional in Hagerstown, Md. “After taking one of his classes, these sales and marketing specialists are motivated to reach the next stage in their professional development.”
“New home sales and marketing is constantly evolving, but Hal stays on top of emerging trends and has helped NAHB’s designations remain relevant,” said Gaye Orr, CMP, MIRM, chair of the NAHB Education Committee and a sales and marketing professional from Raleigh, N.C. “Hal is widely respected and his students, peers and others in the building industry have benefited from his knowledge and professionalism.”
Von Nessen and other leading industry professionals will be recognized at the 2013 International Builders’ Show on Jan. 21 in Las Vegas. For information about all NAHB educational designations, visit www.nahb.org/designations.

About NAHB
The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/NAHBMedia.