Check enclosed for my TEAM in the amount of $ ___________ Team Entries Only

All Entry Fees MUST BE prepaid in advance! A $25 per person charge will be added to any team entering after the registrationcut-off or the day of the tournament. By signing this form it is hereby understood that tournament officials and the Home Builders Association ofMiddle Tennessee will not be liable for any death, injury or accident involving or caused by any entry in these tournaments.

HBAMT Member Company _____________________________ Contact ______________________________

Contact cell phone ( ) _____________________ Contact email _________________________________

Address _____________________________ City _______________________ State _____ Zip __________

One person in the boat must be a member (employed, not a subcontractor) of the HBAMT - please check which name is the memberand should be sent all Fishing Tournament information and correspondence.

Fisherman one (1) - name & signature: __________________________________ /__________________________________

Fisherman two (2) - name & signature: __________________________________ /__________________________________

Entry Fee: $150 per boat for each tournament - Team Entry (two persons)Voluntary $10 Cash Entry for BIG FISH Pot on the day of each tournament.

ALL BOATS MUST CONSIST OF ONE HBAMT MEMBER OR AN EMPLOYEE OF A MEMBER COMPANY

Tuesday, April 23 - Round 1Percy Priest Lake - Four Corners Marina

Blast-Off: 6:00 AM Weigh-In: 3:00 PM

Tuesday, May 21 - Round 2Old Hickory Lake - Bull Creek Marina

Blast-Off: 5:30 AM Weigh-In: 3:00 PM

Tuesday, June 11 - Round 3Kentucky Lake - Mason’s Boat Dock

Blast-Off: 5:30 AM Weigh-In: 3:00 PM

Monday, Sept 30 - Final RoundGoose Pond Marina - Guntersville, Alabama

Blast-Off: 5:30 AM Weigh-In: 3:00 PM

Please Check

Flights: all participants will draw a numbered chip at check in and will be sent out by that chip number at each tournament.New point system: all tournaments will be based on a 100 Point System. Prize will be awarded at the Grand Finale

Return to: HBAMT - 9007 Overlook Blvd., Brentwood, TN 37027; fax to 615-377-1077; email to cnicley@hbamt.net

Piedmont Natural GasFISHING TOURNAMENT!Fisherman’s Entry Form

THE 2013

Tuesday, July 18 - FISH FRY EVENTPiedmont Natural Gas - Nashville, Tenn.

Dinner served: 5:00 PM

PRINT NAME

PRINT NAME

SIGNATURE

SIGNATURE

Piedmont Natural Gas FISHING TOURNAMENT!

Return to: HBAMT - 9007 Overlook Blvd., Brentwood, TN 37027; fax to 615-377-1077; email to cnicley@hbamt.net

2013 PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS FISHING TOURNAMENT SPONSORSHIP FORMPlease bill me as a sponsor of the 2013 Fishing Tournament for the designation/amount checked below:

Silver ($100) Gold ($500) Platinum ($1,000)

CONTACT __________________________________ COMPANY ______________________________

ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE _______________________________ EMAIL ___________________________________

Please print your company name exactly as you would like it to appear on all signage below:

____________________________________________________________________________________

WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND BE Apart of the 2013 Piedmont Natural Gas Fishing Tournament. Along with tournament winners, terrificdoor prizes are handed out at every stop making the Bass Trail Event one of the most fun & enjoyableevents of the year. And none of it would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors.

We hope we can count on your sponsorship. Look over the available sponsorship levels, check yourpreferred level, fill out the form below and return it to HBAMT at your earliest convenience.

Sponsorship Opportunities

SILVER SPONSORS $1002 Tickets to the Fish Fry“Get Your Name Out” on all signage at each fishing tournamentMention in the HBAMT magazine “The Nail”The chance to pass out ‘goodies’ at blast offs or weigh-ins

PLATINUM SPONSORS $1,0005 Tickets to the Fish Fry“Get Your Name Out” on all signage at each fishing tournament1/2 page ad for 3 months in the HBAMT magazine “The Nail”The chance to pass out ‘goodies’ at blast offs or weigh-ins

GOLD SPONSORS $5002 Tickets to the Fish Fry“Get Your Name Out” on all signage at each fishing tournamentDisplay ad for 3 months in the HBAMT magazine “The Nail”The chance to pass out ‘goodies’ at blast offs or weigh-ins

THE 2013

The official magazine of Home Builders Association

of Middle Tennessee

PresidentJames Franks

Vice PresidentMichael Dillon

Secretary/TreasurerTrey Lewis

Executive Vice PresidentJohn Sheley

Editor and DesignerJim Argo

StaffConnie NicleyPat Newsome

THE NAIL is published monthly by theHome Builders Association of MiddleTennessee, a non-profit trade associationdedicated to promoting the Americandream of homeownership to all residents ofMiddle Tennessee.

SUBMISSIONS: THE NAIL welcomes manuscripts and photos related to theMiddle Tennessee housing industry forpublication. Editor reserves the right to edit due to content and space limitations.

POSTMASTER: Please send addresschanges to: HBAMT, 9007 OverlookBoulevard, Brentwood, TN 37027. Phone: (615) 377-1055.

THE

NNAAIILL

CONFERENCEROOMS AVAILABLE

*Each room requires a deposit of $100 (refundable) andhalf the amount of the rental fee due prior to date of

occupancy. Boardroom furniture may not be taken fromthe room or rearranged.

The Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee9007 Overlook Blvd., Brentwood, TN 37027 615/377-1055 Fax: 377-1077

Need space for an upcoming meeting, seminar or special event?

Call the Home Builders Association andreserve one (or both) of the spacious,first-floor conference areas. Located inthe heart of Brentwood at the HBA’sfirst-class office building, each room

makes an ideal venue for both businessand social engagements alike.

BoardroomMembers - $350*Non-members - $600*

ClassroomMembers - $250*Non-members - $500*

Rooms are reserved on a first-come,first-serve basis. Call (615) 377-1055

for availability and reservation information.

April 2013 The NAIL 5

FEATURES2-3

2013 Piedmont Natural GasFishing Tournament set

Register now to participate in, or sponsor, the 2013 fishing tournament.

8April is New Homes Month!

Newly constructed homes now offer morebenefits than ever. Find out why now is the

time to buy here.

DEPARTMENTS6

News & Information

15SPIKE Club Report

16April Calendar

16Chapters and Councils

ON THE COVER:April is New Homes Month and there’s never been abetter time to find out why newly constructed homes

are so beneficial to today’s comsumer.

www.hbamt.org

6 The NAIL April 2013

NEWS&INFO

The list of improving U.S. housing marketsexpanded for a seventh consecutive monthin March to include 274 metros on the

National Association of Home Builders/FirstAmerican Improving Markets Index (IMI). Thistotal amounts to a net gain of 15 markets sinceFebruary and includes entrants from all 50 statesand the District of Columbia.

The IMI identifies metropolitan areas thathave shown improvement from their respectivetroughs in housing permits, employment andhouse prices for at least six consecutive months.Thirty-four new markets were added to the listand 19 were dropped from it this month. Notableadditions include such diverse locations asBirmingham, Ala.; Santa Barbara, Calif.;Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Bloomington, Ind.

“This is the second consecutive month inwhich every state is represented by at least onemetro on the improving list,” observed NAHBChairman Rick Judson, a home builder fromCharlotte, N.C. “The expanding housing recov-ery is energizing communities nationwide bygenerating jobs and local tax revenues -- and itcould be an even more potent force for economicgrowth if credit for building and buying homeswas more readily available.”

“With just over 75 percent of the 361 metroscovered by the IMI now seen as improving, the

housing market is on considerably more solid foot-ing than it was at this time last year,” said NAHBChief Economist David Crowe. “While we expectthis positive momentum to continue, it’s importantto understand that many markets are just begin-ning the recovery process, and that numerousissues – from credit availability to the rising cost ofbuilding materials and emerging lot shortages –are slowing the pace of that advancement.”

“With the understanding that there are still a lotof uncertainties in the regulatory arena, it looks likewe are finally seeing the beginning of what couldbe a broad and deep recovery of the nation’s hous-ing market,” added Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chair-man of First American Title Insurance Company.

The IMI is designed to track housing marketsthroughout the country that are showing signs ofimproving economic health. The index measuresthree sets of independent monthly data to get amark on the top improving MetropolitanStatistical Areas. The three indicators that areanalyzed are employment growth from theBureau of Labor Statistics, house price apprecia-tion from Freddie Mac and single-family housingpermit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau.NAHB uses the latest available data from thesesources to generate a list of improving markets. Ametro area must see improvement in all threemeasures for at least six consecutive months fol-lowing those measures’ respective troughs beforebeing included on the improving markets list.

A complete list of all 274 metropolitan areascurrently on the IMI, and separate breakouts ofmetros newly added to or dropped from the list inMarch, is available at www.nahb.org/imi..

List of Improving HousingMarkets Rises to 274 in March

This is the second consecutivemonth in which every state isrepresented.

Jason BBrown, regional director, Metrostudy, spoke tothe Sumner County Chapter last month at theHendersonville Library. Brown, standing above, pre-sented a detailed “Sumner County Housing MarketUpdate” to attendees. Special thanks toTNHomesites.com for sponsoring the meeting.

Bill FFreeman from Freeman Webb Companies talks toattendees during the Metro/Nashville Chapter’s Marchmeeting at the HBAMT. Freeman’s topic: “The effects ofCommercial and Apartment Properties on the NashvilleEconomy.”

The Green Building Council (GBC) welcomed ChrisMiles, co-host of House Talk Today, a popular radioprogram airing weekends in Dallas and Houston, Texas,to the HBAMT last month. Miles talked about “GreenBuilding Science” at the GBC’s March meeting, spon-sored by Garage Door Services. Shown above from leftto right: Hans WWright, Keith HHobgood from Garage DoorServices, Chris MMiles, John Wright and Erin RRichardson,GBC President.

April 2013 The NAIL 7

Sales of newly built, single-family homesdeclined 4.6 percent to a seasonally adjustedannual rate of 411,000 units in February

from a strong pace of 431,000 units in the previousmonth, according to newly released figures fromHUD and the U.S. Census Department. Despitethe slight decline, this is the second highest month-ly total since April 2010 when the federal homebuyer tax credit expired.

“New-home sales have been running at afairly steady pace the last few months, withFebruary adjusting for the strong sales we sawin January,” said Rick Judson, NAHB chairman.“While the February pace is encouraging, hous-ing’s recovery is being significantly constrainedby overly tight mortgage lending conditions, andpolicymaker discussions about changes to themortgage interest deduction could cast a shadowon future housing demand.”

“The February decline is a readjustment to theunusually high numbers that we saw in January,and we are still in line with our forecast for 2013,”said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “Thisis the kind of modest but steady growth we areexpecting to see throughout the year as the econo-my and job market continue to improve, but con-straints on borrower credit, higher building materi-al prices and a limited supply of labor and build-able lots hold back a more robust recovery.”

Regionally, new-home sales activity wasmixed in February, with the Midwest posting again of 13.7 percent, while the Northeast, Southand West showed declines of 13.3 percent, 9.7 per-

cent and 2.1, respectively.The inventory of new homes increased to

152,000 units in February, which is a 4.4-monthsupply at the current sales pace. Although this is anincrease over the previous month, it is still wellbelow normal inventory trends..

Builder confidence unchangedBuilder confidence in the market for newlybuilt, single-family homes paused for a thirdconsecutive month in March, with a two-pointreduction to 44 on the National Association ofHome Builders/Wells Fargo Housing MarketIndex (HMI).

“Following eight consecutive months ofimprovement, builder confidence leveled off inJanuary and has since edged down severalpoints,” noted Judson. “Although many of ourmembers are reporting increased demand fornew homes in their markets, their enthusiasm isbeing tempered by frustrating bottlenecks in thesupply chain for developed lots along with ris-ing costs for building materials and labor. Atthe same time, problems with appraisals andcredit availability remain considerable obsta-cles to completing deals.”

“In addition to tight credit and below-priceappraisals, home building is beginning to suffergrowth pains as the infrastructure that supportsit tries to re-establish itself,” explained Crowe.“During the Great Recession, the industry losthome building firms, building material produc-tion capacity, workers who retreated to other

sectors and the pipeline of developed lots. Theroad to a housing recovery will be a bumpy oneuntil these issues are addressed, but in themeantime, builders are much more optimistictoday than they were at this time last year.”

Derived from a monthly survey thatNAHB has been conducting for 25 years, theNAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Indexgauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations forthe next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.”The survey also asks builders to rate traffic ofprospective buyers as “”high to very high,”“average” or “low to very low.” Scores fromeach component are then used to calculate aseasonally adjusted index where any numberover 50 indicates that more builders view con-ditions as good than poor.

While the HMI component gauging cur-rent sales conditions declined four points to 47,the component gauging sales expectations inthe next six months and the component gaugingtraffic of prospective buyers both posted gains,of one point to 51 and three points to 35,respectively, in March.

Three-month moving averages for eachregion’s HMI score were also mixed, with theNortheast holding unchanged at 39, theMidwest and South posting one-point declinesto 47 and 46, respectively, and the West regis-tering a four-point increase to 58.

Editor’s Note: The NAHB/Wells FargoHousing Market Index is strictly the product ofNAHB Economics, and is not seen or influencedby any outside party prior to being released to thepublic. HMI tables can be found at nahb.org/hmi.More information on housing statistics is alsoavailable at housingeconomics.com.

New home sales decline fromstrong January pace

Arecent study from the NationalAssociation of Home Builders (NAHB)shows variations in home buyer prefer-

ences with regards to home size when it comesto age, race and ethnicity.

NAHB’s “What Home Buyers Really Want,”surveyed more than 3,600 home buyers acrossthe country on various characteristics of newhomes. Based on the results, the median desiredhome size is 2,226 square feet. However, a clos-er look at the data broken down by buyer charac-teristics shows significant differences in howlarge a home different types of buyers want.

Age plays an important role in a buyer’s pref-erences, with the amount of space requirementsdropping steadily as the age of the buyer increas-es. Among those younger than 35, the desiredhome size is 2,494 square feet, compared to2,065 square feet among those 65 and older.

“The building industry wants to know how

much space buyers want in their homes” saidRose Quint, NAHB’s assistant vice president forsurvey research, and one of the study’s authors.“This study provides us with new insight into the

home size preference of home buyers as a whole,but also across different demographic groups.”

Race and ethnicity also impacted home sizepreferences, with minority buyers desiring

more space than White, non-Hispanic buyers.White, non-Hispanic buyers report wantingabout 2,197 square feet, while Asian buyersdesire 2,280 square feet, Hispanic buyers want2,347 square feet, and African-American buy-ers prefer 2,664 square feet.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, afterpeaking in 2006, median home size fell in 2007,2008 and 2009, but reversed course and has risenfor the past three years. Estimates indicate thatthe median size of all single-family homes start-ed in 2012 was 2,309 square feet, and the averagewas 2,521 square feet.

The primary reason for the reversal in homesize actually built has to do with buyers’ ability toaccess credit. Due to overly stringent mortgagelending requirements in recent years, the lessfinancially-solid buyers have been shut out of themarket. As a result, homes built in the last fewyears, largely reflect the preferences of those whoare still able to obtain credit and put down largerdown payments—typically wealthier buyers whocan afford larger homes.

Study details buyer preferences

8 The NAIL April 2013

AApprriill iiss NNeeww HHoommeessMMoonntthh!! Newly constructed homes offer convenience, comfort, cost savings and they conform tocurrent building codes.

During New Homes Month in April,the National Association of HomeBuilders (NAHB) is showinghome buyers why they can afford

a higher-priced home—if it’s new construc-tion. Using data from the Census Bureauand Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment’s 2011 American HousingSurvey, NAHB found that buyers can pur-chase a more expensive newer home andachieve the same annual operating costs asan older, existing home.

“Home buyers need to look beyond theinitial sales price when consideringwhether to buy new construction or anexisting home,” said NAHB Chairman RickJudson. “They will find that with the high-er costs of operating an older home, theycan often afford to spend more to buy anew home and still have annual operatingcosts that fit their budget.”

NAHB’s study first looked at how utility,maintenance, property tax and insurance costsvary depending on the age of the structure. Itfound that homes built before 1960 have aver-age maintenance costs of $564 a year, while ahome built after 2008 averages $241.Similarly, operating costs average nearly 5 per-cent of the home’s value for pre-1960 struc-tures, while they average less than 3 percentwhen the home was built later than 2008.

The study then compared the first yearafter tax cost of owning a home by the year thehouse was built, taking into account the pur-chase price, mortgage payments, annual oper-ating costs and income tax savings. This datashowed that a buyer can afford to pay 23 per-cent more for a new house than for one builtbefore 1960 and still maintain the sameamount of first year annual costs.

While mortgage payments will be greaterwith the higher purchase price of a newly-builthome, the lower operating costs mean thehome buyer will have annual costs that areabout the same as if they’d bought a lesser-priced, older home with a smaller mortgage

payment and higher operating expenses.Other benefits of new homes include open

space floorplans, creative storage options andentertainment resources that cater to modernlifestyles, as well as the safety considerationthat the structure was built and wired to mod-ern codes and standards.

“For a family working with a fixed annualbudget, new-construction homes offer out-

standing comfort, convenience and overall costsavings,” said Judson. “Put that together withtoday’s near-record low interest rates and com-petitive prices, and the time has never beenbetter to buy a new home.”

Home buyers can access home buy-ing and home bui lding information andresources on NAHB’s websi te a twww.nahb.org/forconsumers .

Lower maintenance costsOne of the virtues of a newly constructedhome is the savings that come from reducedenergy and maintenance expenses. Data fromthe 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) offerproof. The AHS classifies new construction ashomes no more than four years old.

For example, for routine maintenanceexpenses, 26% of all homeowners spent $100or more a month on various upkeep costs.However, only 11% of owners of newly con-structed homes spent this amount. In fact, 73%of new homeowners spent less than $25 amonth on routine maintenance costs.

Similar findings are available for energy

expenses. On a median per square foot basis,homeowners spent 78 cents per square foot peryear on electricity. Owners of new homes spent65 cents per square foot per year.

For homes with piped gas, homeownersspent on average 53 cents per square foot peryear. Owners of new homes spent 38 cents persquare foot per year.

These data highlight that a new home offerssavings over the life of ownership due toreduced operating costs. This is one of the manyreasons that the current system of appraisalsneeds updating to reflect the flow of benefitsthat come from features in a new home.

April 2013 The NAIL 9

Prospective home buyers have the choiceof two types of houses on the market:resale or new.

Home buyers planning to buy a brand-newhouse or condominium often cite energy-efficien-cy, open layout, a warranty, and being able toselect appliances, flooring, paint colors and otherdesign elements as factors driving their choice.

But builders say that buyers can be drawn to anew house for reasons that aren’t so obvious.Below are a few more benefits of a brand-newhome that you may not see in the sales brochure.

Building a Community TogetherA brand-new community is one of the built-inbenefits of many new homes. When familiesmove in to a subdivision at the same time, oftenlasting bonds of friendship and neighborlinessare formed right away. Nobody is the “new kid onthe block,” and many home builders host com-munity block parties in new developments to helpowners meet and connect.

Popular amenities like pools, walking trailsand courts for tennis and basketball offer addition-al opportunities for interaction among neighbors

of all ages. Often new communities are comprisedof home owners in the same stage of life, such asyoung families or active retirees, so neighbors canget to know each other through carpools, PTAmeetings, tennis matches or golf games.

Entertaining Throwing a party in an older home can be a chal-lenge because smaller, distinct rooms make itdifficult to entertain guests in one large space.Builders are responding to today’s home buyerpreferences with layouts featuring more openspaces and rooms that flow into each other moreeasily, like the popular great room. While youare in the kitchen preparing dinner, you can stillinteract with guests enjoying conversation in thefamily room without feeling closed off. The feel-ing of spaciousness in today’s new-home layoutsoften is enhanced the higher ceilings and addi-tional windows that bringing in more light thanyou would find in an older home.

A Clean SlateFor some buyers, parking the car in asparkling-clean garage or being the first to

cook a dinner in a brand-new kitchen is partof the appeal of new construction. In addition,you won’t have to spend time stripping datedwallpaper or repainting to suit your own senseof style. You can create your own home décorfrom the get-go!

The advantages of being the first owner of ahome extend to the outdoors. Instead of inherit-ing inconveniently or precariously placed trees,or having to tear up overgrown shrubs, you candesign and plant the lawn and garden you want.

Outlets, Outlets EverywhereHomes built in the 1960’s and earlier were wiredmuch differently than houses today. Builders hadno way of anticipating the invention of high-def-inition televisions, DVRs and computers that weenjoy today — and the very different electricalrequirements they would introduce. New homescan accommodate advanced technologies likestructured wiring, security systems and sophisti-cated lighting plans, and can be tailored to meetthe individual home owner’s needs.

Anyone who has ever lived in an older homecan also attest to the fact that there are neverenough outlets, inside or out! New-home buildersplan for the increased number and type of elec-tronics and appliances used by today’s families,so you can safely operate a wine cooler,Christmas lights or your computer.

The Not-So-Obvious Benefits ofBuying a New Home

Prospective home buyers have the choiceof two types of houses on the market:resale or new.

Home buyers planning to buy a brand-newhouse or condominium often cite energy-efficien-cy, open layout, a warranty, and being able toselect appliances, flooring, paint colors and otherdesign elements as factors driving their choice.

But builders say that buyers can be drawn toa new house for reasons that aren’t so obvious.Below are a few more benefits of a brand-newhome that you may not see in the sales brochure.

Outstanding OpportunitiesWith the country still emerging from the recentrecession, many people are wondering if this is agood time to buy a home.

The answer is easy: Yes. It’s a very goodtime to purchase a home. Even though thehousing market is beginning to recover, it isstill a buyer’s market.

There are many opportunities in today’smarket including affordable prices, low mort-

gage rates and great new homes. But marketconditions can change, and these opportunitiesmay not be around for long, so home buyersshouldn’t wait.

And despite the housing downturn, homeowners still place high value on owning a home,and recommend homeownership to others.

Great Selection An excellent selection of homes on the market

makes today a very good time to buy. A plenti-ful inventory provides a great choice of homes,and there are builders that have brand newhomes that are “move-in ready.”

Additionally, many owners of existinghomes who postponed trading up or downsizingdue to market conditions are now ready to sell.And as employment improves, the number ofrelocations will increase, bringing more homesinto the market.

Attractive PricingIf there’s a silver lining to the recession andthe housing downturn, it’s that homes in manymarkets are more affordable. Prices in someareas have moderated significantly, especiallyin major markets where they increased themost during the housing boom that occurredin most of the country.

Low Interest RatesLike inventory and pricing, mortgage interestrates are still at very (continued on page eleven)

Homeownership: Opportunity isKnocking!

HOUSING FROM THE RELATIONSHIP UP - REGISTRATION FORM

Name: _____________________________ Name for Nametag: ___________________________

Realtor No.: _______________ Company Name:________________________________________

Business Phone: ___________________________ Email: _______________________________

Payment: $PRICE (SMC members) $PRICE (non-SMC members)$PRICE - Event PLUS 1-year SMC membership (non-members only)

{ } Check is enclosed to reserve my spot - Check No.: ______________________________

{ } Charge to: VISA | MC | AMEX | DISC

Card No.: ____________________________ Exp.: _______________ V-Code _________

Total Paid: $__________ Signature:_____________________________________________

Kerry MulcronePresident of Kerry & Co., aNew Home Sales Training andBuilder Consulting companybased in Minnesota, Kerry hasbeen selling, training andteaching in the new homesales arena since 1986.

Fast becoming known as the"Presentation Pro" across thecountry with her patented"Perfect-Practice" method ofteaching in the most criticalareas of the sales process,Kerry is an approved instructorfor NAHB courses and holdsthe prestigious MIRM designa-tion along with the CSP, CMPand MCSP designations.

LEARN and EARN with instructor Kerry Mulcrone!Learn how to understand the commonalities and differences in the process of theResidential Real Estate Professional and the New Home Sales Professional. Inthis course you will gain the knowledge regarding the globalization and industrytransformation that have occurred. You will take away how to learn and earnmore through the “Match Up” of talents and processes from speaker and author,Kerry Mulcrone. Come find the MAGIC that goes on behind the Doors; ModelHome Door, Showing Door, and Listing Door!

3 HoursContinuingEducationCredit*! with KERRY MULCRONE

Author, Model Home, Model Store; President, Kerry & Co.

Event sponsored by:*pending approval from TREC

April 2013 The NAIL 11

SPIKE REPORT

Seventeen SPIKES (in bold) increased their recruit-ment numbers last month. What is a SPIKE?SPIKES recruit new members and help the associa-tion retain members. Here is the latest SPIKE reportas of February 28, 2013.

Top 20 Big Spikes

Jim Ford 910Virgil Ray 817Bill King 776Mitzi Spann 636Jim Fischer 566Terry Cobb 563John Whitaker 326James Carbine 324Dan Stern 306Jennifer Earnest 297Bruce Hancock 297Kevin Hale 285Tonya Jones 271Reese Smith III 256Steve Moody 219David Crane 210Sonny Shackelford 210Michael Apple 185Cyril Evers 181Jackson Downey 173

Life Spikes

Davis Lamb 167Jim McLean 164Louise Stark 163Harry Johnson 146Steve Cates 140C.W. Bartlett 138Tim Ferguson 136Tonya Alexander 123Steve Hewlett 119Tom Kelley 115Carmen Butner 101Johnny Watson 101Bill Kottas 97Lee Santiago 95Dave McGowan 93Kim Dykes 89B.J. Hanson 88Sam Carbine 85Duane Vanhook 77Randy Parker 75Jordan Clark 73Trey Lewis 73Erin Richardson 72Jeff Slusher 70John Baugh 68James Franks 66Don Bruce 62Jim Ford, Jr. 62Hill McAlister 57Joe Morgan 54Gerald Bucy 53John Broderick 52 Beth Sturm 49Wiggs Thompson 48

Al Davis 47Sheila Rawlings 47Bernie Laine 46Greg Langley 46Benny Sullivan 46Kim Nichols 45Bryan Edwards 44David Hughes 44Andrew Neuman 44Kay Russell 44Peggy Krebs 39Chuck Clarkson 36Brad Butler 35Lori Fisk-Conners 35Andy Wyatt 35Al Hacker 34David Lippe 34John Ganschow 33Ray Edwards 32Dan Strebel 32Steve Wheeley 30Alvin Basel 29Matt Burnett 25

Spikes

Christina Cunningham 17Jess Dillon 16Tracy Lomax 14Marty Maitland 12Frank Tyree 10Don Mahone 10Pam Smith 9Michael Dillon 8Kelvey Benward 7Don Alexander 6

(continued from page nine) favorable levels, butrates are sensitive to market forces and canchange quickly. There’s no indication that rateswill suddenly surge upward, but even a slightrate increase can push monthly payments to thepoint that a buyer might miss out on their firstchoice for a new home.

Prospective home buyers also should beaware that lenders are looking more closely atborrowers today than in recent years. To ensurethat the process goes smoothly, buyers shouldconsider pre-qualifying for a mortgage and hav-ing financing in place before shopping for a newhome. Buyers also may find that some homebuilders have arranged favorable financing fortheir customers or offer financial incentives.

Greener and BetterWith energy costs near the top of consumer con-cerns, it’s good to know that new homes can bemore energy efficient than ever. Innovative mate-rials and construction techniques mean thattoday’s new homes are built to be much moreenergy efficient than homes constructed a genera-tion ago. Not only can they be more affordable tooperate, new homes also are significantly moreresource efficient and environmentally friendly.

Designed with Buyers in Mind Designed to accommodate today’s busylifestyles, new homes feature open floorplans,flexible spaces, improved safety features, low-

maintenance materials and other amenities thatmake them more appealing than ever before.

And in many areas, prospective home buy-ers who wish to live in age-qualified communi-ties for those 55 and older will find a largeselection of homes tailored to the evolvinglifestyles of the baby boom generation.

Tax BenefitsUnique tax benefits that apply only to housinghelp lower the cost of homeownership. Both

mortgage interest and property taxes aredeductible. Moreover, for married couples,profits of up to $500,000 on the sale of a prin-cipal residence ($250,000 for single taxpay-ers) are excluded from tax on capital gains.

The Advantage of LeveragingLeveraging is another advantage of homeown-

ership. A buyer can purchase a home andreceive the full benefit of homeownershipwith a cash downpayment that is only a frac-tion of the total purchase price. This is calledleveraging, and it makes the rate of return ona home purchase greater than on other pur-chases with the same value, such as stocks,where the buyer must put up the entire price.

Building Personal ResourcesFor most Americans, homeownership is a pri-mary source of net worth and an important stepin accumulating personal financial assets overthe long term. Although property values havedeclined in many markets, Americans currentlyhave a total of more than $6 trillion in equity intheir homes, and for most families, home equityrepresents the largest share of net worth.

There’s No Place Like HomeAlthough there are many positive financial aspectsto homeownership, a home cannot be valued inmonetary terms alone. Not only can homeowner-ship be a steppingstone to greater financial well-being, it provides a permanent place to call homeand great personal satisfaction.

Academic research also shows that home-ownership provides a wide range of social bene-fits and strengthens the nation’s people and itscommunities.

Homeownership is truly a cornerstone of theAmerican way of life.

12 The NAIL April 2013

APRIL CALENDAR

CHAPTERS & COUNCILSCHAPTERS

CHEATHAM COUNTY CHAPTER Chapter President - Roy Miles: 615/646-3303Cheatham County Chapter details are currently being planned.Next meeting: to be announced.Topic: to be announced.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 310

DICKSON COUNTY CHAPTERChapter President - Mark Denney: 615/446-2873. The Dickson County Chapter meets on the third Monday of themonth, 12:00 p.m. at the Ponderosa Restaurant in Dickson. Next meeting: Monday, April 15.Price: FREE, lunch dutch treat.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 307

MAURY COUNTY CHAPTER Maury County Chapter details are currently being planned.Next meeting: to be announced.Price*: to be announced.Chapter RSVP line: 615-377-9651, ext. 312; for callers outsidethe 615 area code, 1-800-571-9995, ext. 312

METRO/NASHVILLE CHAPTERChapter President - John Whitaker: 615/843-3300. The Metro/Nashville Chapter meets on the fourth Monday of themonth, 11:30 a.m. at the HBAMT offices.Next meeting: Monday, April 22.Topic: “Nashville Next,” with Rick Bernhardt, Metro PlanningDirector. Before retiring following 42 years in the planning andland use field, Bernhardt will oversee an update of the 25-yearplan for the growth and development of Nashville Next.HBAMT members: $20 with RSVP; $25 w/o RSVP.Builders Free pending sponsorship.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 304

ROBERTSON COUNTY CHAPTERNext meeting: to be announced.

Topic: to be announced.Price*: to be announced.Robertson County RSVP line: 615-377-9651, ext. 313.

SUMNER COUNTY CHAPTER The Sumner County Chapter meets on the fourth Tuesday of themonth, 11:30 a.m. at the new Hendersonville Library. Next meeting: to be announced.Topic: to be announced.Price*: to be announced.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 306

WILLIAMSON COUNTY CHAPTER Chapter President - BJ Hanson: 615/884-4935. The Williamson County Chapter meets on the third Tuesday of themonth, 11:30 a.m. at the HBAMT offices. Next meeting: to be announced.Topic: to be announced.Price*: to be announced.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 305

WILSON COUNTY CHAPTER The Wilson County Chapter meets on the second Thursday of themonth, 11:30 a.m. at the Five Oaks Golf & Country Club in Lebanon.Next meeting: to be announced.Topic: to be announced.Price*: to be announced.Chapter RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 309

*Builders free pending sponsorship.

COUNCILS

CUSTOM BUILDERS COUNCIL Council President - Alan Looney: 615/309-8200.The CBC meets on the second Tuesday of the month, 11:30 a.m. atthe HBAMT offices. Next meeting: to be announced.

Topic: to be announced.Council RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 311

GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL Council President - Erin Richardson: 615/883-8526. The Green Building Council meets on the fourth Wednesday of themonth, 11:00 a.m. at the HBAMT offices.Next meeting: April 24.Topic: to be announced. Price: free for Green Building Council members pending sponsorship;$20 for non-members with RSVP ($25 w/o).Council RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 308

HBAMT REMODELERS COUNCIL Council President - Don Mahone. The HBAMT Remodelers Council meets on the third Wednesdayof the month, 11:00 a.m. at varying locations.Next meeting: Wednesday, April 17 at Louisville Tile; 650 MelroseAve Nashville, TN 37211.Topic: “Glass Tile Installation Demo” from Laticrete Company.Price: free for RMC members with RSVP thanks to our sponsorLouisville Tile; $15 for non-members with RSVP ($20 w/o).Council RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 301

MIDDLE TENN SALES & MARKETING COUNCIL Council President - Trey Lewis. The SMC meets on the first Thursday of the month, 9:00 a.m. atthe HBAMT offices. Next meeting: Thursday, April 4 - 9:00 a.m.Topic: “International Buyers in Middle Tennessee.” Understandingdifferent cultures will increase your sales in every price range. Apanel of local sales and marketing professionals will lead thisinformative discussion about cultural diversity in the marketplace.FREE for SMC members with RSVP thanks to Goodall Homes andCommunities; ($10 w/o RSVP).$20.00 for Non-SMC members with RSVP ($25 w/o RSVP).Council RSVP Line: 615/377-9651, ext. 302.

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