THE E-MAGAZINE OF THE HBRA OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY - JANUARY 2019 UPCOMING AIG Smart Build IBS 2019 - Las Vegas Building Science FEATURES PWB Meeting Beyond The Blueprints Member Recruitment Challenge New Trainings & Seminars MEMBER BENEFITS mynpp.com NAHB Benefits MunnCo
THE E-MAGAZINE OF THE HBRA OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY Building Connections is a monthly digital magazine produced and published by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield County. Inside you will find the latest association news, legislative updates, upcoming events, and featured articles about the industry. Editorial Staff Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer Sarah Iannarone Membership & Events Coordinator Clare Michalak Marketing & Graphics Coordinator hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com www.buildfairfieldcounty.com Find Us On Social Media Subscribe Advertise Sign up here to subscribe to have Building Connections Magazine delivered to your inbox every month Advertise your business to a list of over +1200 recipients! Click HERE for more information and opportunities Got News? Exciting news to share? Send your press release or article to hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com to be featured in the next issue
IN THIS ISSUE HBRA NEWS • Message from the Executive Officer • Member Recruitment Challenge • Upcoming Events • HBRA Trainings & Certifications • Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser • Walls Can’t Quite Contain Randy Salvatore • Empty Entry: Tori McBrien • Don’t Miss - Stephanie Rapp Spotlight • Professional Women in Building • Natural Gas Moratorium • Dear Sales Coach • Member Benefits BUILDER NEWS • Attention: Builders in Westchester County NAHB NEWS • Very Good Year • Government Shutdown Continues • Older Americans Burdened by Housing Costs • Avoiding Poor Performance Homes • International Builder Show STATE NEWS • CBIA Issues Policy Priorities Advertisers: Acadia DiMatteo Ridgefield Supply Interstate Lumber Marlin Pella Windows and Doors County TV & Appliance Huber Engineered Woods United Bank Tooher Ferraris Fairfield County Bank Ed’s Garage Door CTC&G Ring’s End p. 5 p. 7 p. 8 p. 10 p. 12 p. 12 p. 13 p. 13 p. 14 p. 16 • Don Wetmore: Reduce Your Employees’ Turnover p. 18 • New Members p. 22 p. 30 p. 31 p. 16 p. 24 p. 24 p. 25 p. 25 p. 26 p.29 p. 6 p.15 p. 17 p. 18 p. 19 p. 21 p. 23 p. 24 p. 25 p. 28 p. 31 p. 33 p. 34 p. 35 ON THE COVER HOBI Award Winning Riverside Design and Build Marc Vandenhoeck Riversidedesignandbuild.com
2019 VIP PARTNERS HOME BUILDERS AND REMODELERS ASSOCIATION OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY ELITE 2018-19 OFFICERS President Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders Sr. Vice-President Kim DiMatteo DiMatteo Group Vice President John Hertz Hertz Construction Secretary Rob Michaud The Michaud Group Immediate Past President Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc. 2018-19 DIRECTORS Propane Pete Battaglio Hocon Gas Max Bender Bender Supply Steve Berko Four Square Build & Design Michael Church William Pitt Sotheby’s Ken DeLeo Doherty & DeLeo Brian Kurtz Interstate Lumber Steve LoParco LoParco Associates, Inc. Steven Roth Elevator Service Company Alex Shook Pella Commercial Michael Wood Wood Builders Joanne Carroll JMC Resources Jerry Effren LIFE DIRECTORS Peter Fusaro Preferred Builders The Greyrock Companies Gary Fanali City Carting Maureen Hanley United Bank Michael Palumbo ERI Building & Design Peter Gaboriault Bear Paw Builders Thank you to the following VIP Associate Members for their support in 2019. Due to their generosity the Association greatly benefits - from developing new events and educational opportunities for the membership, to keeping our lights on! MEDIA GOLD PLATINUM TITANIUM DIAMOND
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dear Members, Happy 2019 to the HBRA! It’s going to be a great year full of new events and seminars. We are looking forward to the next few events and we hope you will join us. On February 6th we will have a breakfast at JM Wright Technical High School, where they are training the next generation of our industry’s professionals. Please come see the incredible facilities and the talented students you can hire. Immediately following the breakfast, Huber is presenting a Building Science course with nationally recognized architects Peter Yost and Steven Baczek. Three CEU credits will be given to architects for attendance. On March 6th we are presenting Beyond the Blueprint, a panel featuring HOBI Award Winning builders at a brand new venue in Stamford. You surely don’t want to miss our first evening GMM of the year! We are launching a New Member program with special pricing that goes along with a recruitment challenge for our members. Great prizes will be given to members who recruit the most new businesses to join. Results will be tracked and shared on social media and prizes will be given out at our Member Mixer on May 1st at Two Roads Brewery. As always if you have any questions about your membership, would like to discuss sponsorships or marketing your business I am always available at jackie@buildfairfieldcounty.com or 203.335.7008. Best, Jackie L. Bertolone Executive Officer JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 5
HBRA EVENTS The HBRA is launching a membership recruitment challenge. New members can join at a reduced rate for their first year and in return you can receive prizes. Click below for more information. JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 7
HBRA EVENTS MARK YOUR CALENDARS UPCOMING EVENTS AIG Smart Build Training January 25, 2019 Click here to register February GMM Breakfast & Training Building Science Seminar February 6, 2019 Click here to register March GMM Beyond the Blueprint March 6, 2019 Save The Date Employee Liability Seminar With DiMatteo Group at County TV & Appliance March 19, 2019 Save The Date Mold, Asbestos & Lead Q& A With Big East Environmental March 28, 2019 Save The Date Upcoming Committee Meetings Associates Council Tuesday February 12th, 4:30pm | HBRA Office Golf Committee Thursday February 14th, 3:00pm | HBRA Office Membership Committee Wednesday February 27th, 10:30am | HBRA Office Professional Women in Building Council Thursday February 28th | time and location TBD 8 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
SAVE THE DATE March 6, 2019 The Farmhouse 39 Scofield Town Road, Stamford Panelists Julio DiBiase DIBICO CONSTRUCTION Robert Sprouls BLUEWATER HOMES Darren Andreoli BLUEWATER HOMES FLETCHER DEVELOPMENT LLC Ryan Fletcher Paul Harris ARCHETYPE & COLE HARRIS HOMES LLC Join the HBRA for a behind the scenes look to find out what it takes for these top builders to produce award-winning million dollar homes in Fairfield County. JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 9
HBRA TRAININGS & CERTIFICATIONS PRESENTED BY Eric Ferraris Tooher-Ferraris Insurance Group, Chief Operating Officer Stephen DelGuidice AIG Risk Management Specialist, Eastern US Paul Fisher Director, Art Collection Manager, Eastern US Allison Zito AIG Private Client Group, Sr., Business Development Manager Kenneth D. Fox Leak Defense System, VP of Sales & Business Development DATE: January 25, 2019 10:00AM ADDRESS: Woodway Country Club 540 Hoyt Street Darien CT 06820 AIG Smart Build Certified Risk Management: From Conception to Completion Join top AIG specialists in risk management and art collection and a leak defense expert, to learn how to build a safer home for your client. You work tirelessly to bring their custom home to life – now help ensure that dream is protected. Topics Include: - Residential safety and security - Construction risk mitigation - Water, lightning and fire prevention - Flood prevention and wind mitigation - Collection management HBRA Members: $10.00 General Admission: $20.00 Registration begins at 9:45am Questions? Email hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com or call 203335-7008. If your schedule changes, you may cancel up to 3pm the Tuesday before the event without charge; thereafter there are no refunds. TOMORROW!
PRESENTED BY Peter Yost President, Building-Wright Steven Baczek Nationally Recognized Architect DATE: February 6, 2019 Breakfast 8:15 Class 9:45 ADDRESS: J.M. Wright Tech 120 Bridge Street Stamford, CT 06905 Build Better with Less Risk: Building Science + Quality = Durability + Risk Management Homeowners are asking more of us and so are our buildings. Building better means greater customer satisfaction; building science means increased durability and decreased liability. This workshop will connect all the dots between building science, quality, durability, and risk management. Steve will kick things off with his definition of quality as a job-site architect. Pete follows with how building science is the foundation of building better and Steve returns to show how he works all this into his details, by assembly. Pete wraps up with his Wingnut Test Facility work; you do NOT want to miss how and why a wingnut tests pressuresensitive adhesive tapes! After completing this workshop, attendees will be able to: 1. Use the three-legged stool of quality in your building business. 2. Connect quality, durability and risk in your front office and job sites. 3. Design, spec, and construct high performance wall, foundation, and roof assemblies, according to the four prioritized continuous control layers. 4. Select the right “sticky stuff” to make your air and water control layers continuous. Architects earn 3 AIA CEUs. Breakfast provided by the JM Wright Students in the Culinary and Hospitality programs HBRA Members: $20.00 General Admission: $30.00 Attend a breakfast prepared by JM Wright Students and learn about the advanced technical programs training the next generation of our industry. Breakfast begins at 8:15 and the class begins at 9:45. REGISTER FOR BUILDING SCIENCE & GMM REGISTER FOR GMM ONLY
HBRA NEWS Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser Karen Bradbury, of Closet and Storage Concepts, is participating in a Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser for the Elder house in Norwalk. Tickets and donation opportunities are available. Saturday, March 23, 2019 Rolling Hills Country Club 333 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton, CT 06897 6:00pm to 11:00pm Cocktails ~ Dinner ~ Dance Competition ~ Live Auction ~ Paddle Raise Black Tie Optional All proceeds from the event will support the care and services Elder House provides to older adults and their family caregivers. Read More It May Be His Job To Build Them, But Walls Can’t Quite Contain Developer Randy Salvatore. Nor can borders. The much buzzed-about founder and president of RMS Cos., a real estate development firm based in Stamford, is about to make his mark on the burgeoning waterfront in Yonkers. It’s a typically firebrand move for Salvatore, whose career has been characterized by leaps of faith and a commitment to staying ahead of industry trends. Colleagues tout his efficient managing style and ability to realize a vision quickly. They are traits that inspire confidence around his projects and have facilitated the velocity of his rising star. Salvatore has been called an interesting case study for the savvy moves he made during the height of the recession. But he says his formula for success is simple — “meeting the trends and continuing to evolve. The next thing I do has to be better than the last.” As one of the development pioneers in downtown Stamford, Salvatore had the foresight to anticipate the city’s renaissance. He jumped into the hotel business in 2009 with Hotel Zero Degrees, a New York-style boutique hotel with 97 guest rooms that he converted from the YMCA. The move proved he was brave. Read More 12 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
Architect Paul Harris Is Moving From Spec Homes to Bigger Projects Paul Harris gets worked up. He’s a man of enthusiasms: wine, films, the state of the Union. Meeting in the kitchen of his Weston home, he insists on standing, pacing back and forth behind the island, choosing his words carefully, like a younger, caffeinated version of John Houseman’s Professor Kingsfield in The Paper Chase (minus the patrician accent). “Obviously, you don’t go buy a $4 million piece of land and put a $2 million house on it,” he says. “You need to leverage the property.” The West Hartford native has set out to do just that with the two adjacent spec houses he’s built on Darien’s Brush Island, one listed at $7.25 million and its neighbor asking $7.75 million. The properties represent a new venture for Harris, but he’s no newcomer to the spec home business. Harris launched Westport-based Cole Harris Associates (Cole is his middle name) in 1991 and made his reputation designing substantial custom homes for private clients. In 2004 he built his first spec property, a five-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot home on Near Water Lane in Darien, which sold for the asking price of $1.35 million in just four days. Christening his new venture Archetype, he bought another parcel, razed the existing house, and hasn’t looked back. He recently acquired three lots, part of a six-acre estate on Old Farm Road in Darien’s Tokeneke enclave. Read More Empty Entry: The Making of an Entryway By Tori McBrien McBrien Interiors I’ve always found it funny when people say to me, “Your home must be amazing!” It seems to be a common misconception that an interior designer’s home is as perfect as his/her clients’. Well, when it comes to my home, that hasn’t been the case, at least not yet. My husband and I bought our first house and spent years renovating and designing it, turning it into the home we wanted. It took us four years just to finish our basement due not only to our penchant for perfectionism (we’ve both been cursed with the affliction) but also because we have busy work schedules and decided to start our family during the process. It was the addition of those two beautiful kids that nudged us out of the recently perfected home we had created. So, this past summer, with a little reluctance to leave after seven years of blood, sweat and tears, we sold it to move into a new house which we hope will be our “forever home.” This new house is one that needs a major overhaul. Yes, the bones are great, the property is fantastic and it is nestled in a great neighborhood within walking distance to the local elementary school. Many visiting our house would think, “This is amazing. There’s no need to renovate.” However, the layout and flow are….let’s just say interesting. Read More Image credit: Jane Beiles Don’t Miss! - Stephanie Rapp’s amazing work including original ”An Emperor’s View” profiled in the pages of @ athomefc magazine’s May/June Color issue! JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 13
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS Professional Women in Building Council January Meeting at Saugatuck Rowing Club Our January Professional Women in Building Council had the largest turnout yet with 37 industry professionals in attendance. Now one year old, the council has grown to 46 members ranging from builders, architects, designers, lenders, insurance agents, suppliers and more. At this meeting, Michelle Hogue of Hogue Interior Design led an inspiring presentation entitled “Contracts & Boundaries” with a special emphasis on the importance of the work/life balance and it’s unique challenges for women. The council also celebrated the top award from the National Association of Home Builders for the largest member retention rate in the large council category. For more information on joining the PWB, please contact our office. Chairwoman: Amber Wilder DoyleWilder, LLC Vice President: Stephanie Rapp Stephanie Rapp Interiors 14 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019 Treasurer: Lisa Bancroft Fairfield County Bank Secretary: Emilia Ferri Emilia Ferri Architecture + Design
Congratulations to the HBRA of Fairfield County PWB Council In 2018, NAHB PWB membership increased by 17%. That’s because members across the country are sharing the value of membership and inspiring others to join and stay members. In Fairfield County, PWB membership increased 45%. NAHB awarded the HBRA of Fairfield County as the Large Size Council Winner with 96.43% Member Retention! The PWB received a $250 grant from NAHB for their efforts. Stay tuned for upcoming events with the PWB. JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 15
HBRA NEWS Attention: Builders in Westchester County Natural Gas Moratorium Here are answers to the most common questions about the moratorium. 1.Why do we need a moratorium? We’ve made great strides in our efforts to help New York State meet its clean-energy goals, largely due to customers switching from heating oil to natural gas. As we continue to pursue innovative fuel alternatives, non-pipeline solutions, and geothermal projects, natural gas has allowed a smooth transition to more renewables and a cleaner energy grid. The demand for natural gas, however, is outpacing its availability due to pipeline constraints in a portion of our service area. We made every effort to explore alternatives to avoid a moratorium on new natural gas connections. While we are advancing new solutions— including substantial reductions in usage by existing customers and deploying compressed or renewable natural gas—we have not currently identified enough to meet growing natural gas demand. We will continue to investigate pipeline projects that could meet New York’s requirements. 2.Is the moratorium only for Westchester? Will it affect New York City? The moratorium is for most of Westchester County. There are municipalities at the northern border of our service territory that are not affected because those municipalities are served by a different pipeline. See a map of the areas affected. We will continue to accept new gas customer applications in New York City. We will continually monitor increases in demand and our ability to meet that demand with traditional supplies or clean alternatives in our New York City gas service area. 3.How long will the moratorium last? The moratorium will remain in effect until sufficient supply is available to meet new demand. That can be through additional nonpipeline alternatives, or a pipeline project that meets federal and local requirements. We’re encouraging customers explore long-term alternatives to natural gas for heating, hot water, laundry, and cooking needs. 4.There is plenty of natural gas in the United States. Why can’t we get it in New York? Although natural gas supplies are plentiful in the United States, transporting it to our service area is restricted by the lack of adequate pipelines to serve growing demand. The last new pipeline to our service territory went into service in 2013. Read More 16 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
DON’T JUST INVEST IN WINDOWS, INVEST IN THE CONTRACTOR. ANDERSEN DID. Even the best windows don’t perform well if they’re not installed properly. Andersen Certified Contractors are trained by Andersen to install Andersen® 2-year installation limited warranty.* When you’re ready to replace, Andersen contractors are here to help. You’ll not only be choosing someone certified by Andersen, you’ll be choosing the window company ranked #1 in quality and the one most trusted and recommended by trade professionals.** eS* e Anedrs ne certifi de cnotracto r limit de warrnat y fo r edtails . **Base d o n 201 6 surve y fo tradc eontraotcrs . “Anedrsne ” na d al l oteh r mark s wehr e onedt de ar e tredamark s o f Anedrs ne Coropratino . ©201 8 Andrese n Croparotion . lA l right s ersreved . F ro m ero inrofmtaion , visit naedrsnewinodws.co m 2 9 Propsce t Street , Ridefiegld , TC 77860- 9150 302-834- 6262 www.ridefieglusdpply.oc m windows and patio doors. In fact, Andersen is so confident in their contractors, they offer a
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS Six Steps That Will Reduce Your Employees’ Turnover By: Dr. Donald E. Wetmore Employee turnover, the loss of good employees, no matter how low that rate is, significantly takes away from your bottom line because it is costly and it reduces productivity. Reducing turnover significantly reduces those replacement expenses. How much does turnover cost? You have to include lost productivity, lost opportunity cost, recruitment costs and new training outlays and while there are many variables, from one group to another, research indicates that for entry level people of say $30,000 in salary, the replacement cost is approximately 40% of that annual salary, $12,000. For more mid-level people of say $60,000 in salary it jumps to 150% for a cost of $90,000. For senior people it goes to 400% of salary and higher. Bottom line? If a mid-level person costs $90,000 to replace and their average length of employment is 2 years, you incur an annual replacement cost for that position of $45,000. If the average length of employment can be increased to 4 years, your annual replacement cost for that position $22,500. That’s a reduction of $22,500 and if you have a staff of 10 people, that is an annual expense reduction of $225,000. Read More Dr. Donald E. Wetmore Certified Executive Coach, Consultant and Trainer Author, “Organizing Your Life” and “The Productivity Handbook” Productivity Institute Personal Productivity Solutions to Leverage Your Impact 127 Jefferson St. Stratford, CT 06615 (203) 386-8062 (800) 969-3773 ctsem@msn.com http://www.balancetime.com Follow me on LinkedIn Follow me on Twitter 18 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
HBRA RESOURCE Looking for a Member? Use the membership directory on our website to look up members by trade, location, alphabetically, or by housing category. This directory is available for all website visitors. Members - if you need to update your contact information you can log into your account and change your profile information - For assistance please call the office at 203-335-7008. JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 19
HBRA NEW MEMBERS Daniel Beaudoin Andersen Windows Choose the Brand Recognized Most by Homeowners. From our most popular 400 Series to the ultimate design freedom of the Andersen Architectural Collection, homeowners trust their homes to Andersen windows and doors... READ MORE Constantin Oltean bulthaup Greenwich | Kitchen Design Studio bulthaup kitchens and living spaces are places where people come together to connect, relax and feel at home. They allow people to be creative and experience making things with their own two hands. To create such places, people, and their needs and customs, must be at the heart of all our considerations... READ MORE Scott Keet Chloe Winston Lighting Design The Premier Lighting Store in the Norwalk, Stamford, Darien, Westport, New Canaan & Fairfield, CT Area Visit Our Lighting Store Today!... READ MORE Colin Healy Colin Healy Design LLC Colin Healy Design turns your ideas and aspirations into imaginative, workable solutions – and it’s what we love to do. When you contact us, we will run through a “needs analysis” with you on the phone to establish the approximate size of the project to make sure we can help you... READ MORE Erik Rutkowski Eco Windows and Doors Eco Windows & Doors LLC, is a distribution partner of a leading European manufacturer of wooden, aluminum and Polymer products. Our brand of window and door carpentry is produced by combining precisely selected materials, premium German hardware, latest technologies and long-term experience in production. All these aspects translate to the guarantee of the highest quality and best performance of use... READ MORE Deborah Maffettone J Geiger Shading Technology Accentuate the architectural aesthetic of your space with J Geiger’s fascia-free window shading systems. Our systems are smart home compatible and strategically designed to conceal unsightly wires and screws for an elegant, minimalist look... READ MORE 20 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
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HBRA NEW MEMBERS Chris Forestiere Long Neck Custom Homes LLC Welcome to Long Neck Custom Homes. Custom home builder focused on quality and customer service. We strive to make your new home construction or home renovation an experience to enjoy, along with quality workmanship second to none... READ MORE Alex Modica Shelf Genie Founded in Richmond, Virginia in 2000, ShelfGenie® has expanded across the U.S. and into Canada. Our expansion has been fueled by local franchisees. Our local franchisees are passionate members of their communities. Many of our franchisees joined ShelfGenie after having Glide-Out shelves installed in their own homes and discovering the high quality solutions we offer... READ MORE Tanner White Tanner White Architects Tanner White Architects is a innovative design group of talented architects and designers specializing in residential design. Our philosophy hinges on the belief that our design is the embodiment of our clients dreams, and as architects it is our mission to create a home that brings that vision to life with both function and beauty... READ MORE Maureen Hanley Maritime Aquarium The Maritime Aquarium inspires people of all ages to appreciate and protect the Long Island Sound ecosystem and the global environment through living exhibits, marine science, and environmental education... READ MORE Welcome to our new affiliate members Woodland Partners LLC Maria Bufalini Connecticut Stone Judy Doyle DoyleWilder LLC Pete Davenport Pella Windows & Doors Vince Milone Pella Windows & Doors 22 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019 Peter Hendrick Legacy Construction Northeast Amber Penberthy Woodland Partners LLC
COUNTY HAS ALL YOUR APPLIANCE & SMART HOME NEEDS From Kitchen Appliances to Home Automation... WE HAVE IT ALL! BEST SERVICE AT THE GUARANTEED BEST PRICE In-Store And Online www.countytv.com 2770 Summer Street • Stamford, CT 06905 • 203-327-2630 STORE HOURS: MON & THURS: 9AM-9PM | TUES, WED, FRI & SAT: 9AM-6PM | SUN: 11AM-5PM
NAHB NEWS 2018 – A Very Good Year As we say goodbye to 2018, let’s celebrate NAHB’s many achievements in the past year. We can’t list them all, but these are some of the most important. HBA and member efforts to grow NAHB paid off with the addition of 2,000 new members nationwide, the best net improvement in more than a decade. What a great achievement! Thanks to all for the hard work and good will. As if home building wasn’t already challenging, builders have been struggling with a labor shortage for several years. A much-appreciated $50 million grant from the Home Depot Foundation to HBI will enable it to train 20,000 new skilled workers over the next 10 years, truly something to celebrate. Part of building a home is making sure it meets all applicable building codes. NAHB works hard to ensure those codes are reasonable and fair. In 2018, we asked members to explain the builder perspective to their local code officials in a new campaign called “One and Done.” Those efforts had a big impact. Read More Government Shutdown Continues as Political Leaders Remain Deadlocked As the partial government shutdown enters its 17th day, no resolution to the dispute over border wall funding appears in sight after weekend discussions between White House officials and congressional Democrats produced no deal to reopen most of the government. Read More IT’S NOT A TREND. IT’S A REVOLUTION. Visit ZIPRevolution.com to learn how easy it is to make the switch. © 2017-2019 Huber Engineered Woods LLC. ZIP System, the accompanying ZIP System logo and design are trademarks of Huber Engineered Woods LLC. Huber Engineered Woods’ ZIP System® ZIPSystem.com/patents for details. HUB 81860 REV 1/19 products are covered by various patents. Please see 24 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
Older Americans Increasingly Burdened by Housing Costs As the housing industry continues to deal with an affordability crisis, a new report shows that nearly one-third of households age 65 or older – 9.7 million – pay at least 30% of their income for housing, and more than half of these pay over 50%. The report, Housing America’s Older Adults 2018, released recently by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, found that more than half of U.S. households are now headed by someone age 50 or older. It cautions that older generations will increasingly need more accessible and supportive housing than is currently available. This is consistent with NAHB analysis of data from the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey that found nearly one-third of America’s 119 million households are cost burdened and pay more than 30% of their incomes for housing. That number includes almost half of the nation’s renter households and a quarter of the owner households. Read More Avoiding PoorPerforming Homes and Profit-Killing Call Backs The success of a builder is not simply determined by how many homes are built or even how much money is initially made: It’s the amount of profit that the builder retains over the long term. Building expenses don’t always finish accruing once you turn over the keys to the buyer. The secret to maximizing your bottom line depends on how well you control your call-back costs. Read More Personal Banking Mortgages Commercial Banking Personal and business solutions for your life. As a community bank, United Bank is dedicated to helping you reach your goals. So whether you’re looking to save money, manage your business finances, buy a new home, or save for retirement, you can count on us to provide the solutions and service you need. To learn more about our full line of personal, mortgage, and commercial banking services, talk to us today. SM Call 866.959.BANK (2265) Click bankatunited.com Come on in To any branch NMLS ID 430007 | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 25
INTERNATIONAL BUILDER SHOW 2019 Please join us to celebrate the election of Greg Ugalde as NAHB Chair, as well as the election of the NAHB Third Vice Chair. The party will take place following the Spike Party, Thursday February 21st, from 8:30 to midnight. After the week in Las Vegas, After the IBS, After the Board Meeting, After the Election, After the Spike Party.... Join us for AFTER Please RSVP to make sure you and your guests are on the guest list. 26 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019
Rental Car Discounts MEMBERS ONLY Airline Discounts JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 27
Because you need the solution before the problem. Your business is one that deserves to be protected, and our job is to minimize risk. Tooher-Ferraris’ Home Builders Specialty Program has been supporting and protecting the reputations of builders and contractors for over 85 years. From general contractor construction liability and workers compensation, to commercial automobile insurance, subcontractor risk transfer, and OSHA compliance assistance, our high-touch service is delivered with honesty, integrity, and dependability. 28 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019 TOOFER.COM 43 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 1.800.899.0093
STATE LEGISLATIVE NEWS The 2019 Connecticut legislative session is open. We have a new Governor and a largely new legislature. Twenty percent of the 151member House Chamber are freshmen legislators and 7 of the 25 member Senate Chamber are freshman. We must take extra care to meet and educate our local legislators, especially the newly elected officials, on issues affecting our industry. Please reach out to us if there are state regulations or codes that are impacting your business so that we are aware of any challenges and can advocate effectively on your behalf. Your membership supports lobbyists in Hartford to be your voice but we need to hear from you. Click here to find your legislator JANUARY 2019 | HBRA of Fairfield County 29 CBIA issues policy priorities for this year’s legislative session The state’s largest business lobby, the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, has issued a list of 12 policy priorities for this legislative session, ranging from taxes and economic development to transportation and regulatory reform. “We are encouraged that Gov. (Ned) Lamont is emphasizing certain things critical to employers in Connecticut — the importance of growth, a bold approach to budget fixes and committing to solving our fiscal problems once and for all,” CBIA president and CEO Joe Brennan. Brennan said lawmakers must significantly reduce the cost of operating state agencies and delivering services by tapping private providers and aggressively adopting best private sector practices to improve service delivery. Noting that Connecticut’s private-sector job creation accelerated in the last 12 months and the latest GDP numbers show consecutive quarters of expansion, the organization’s Vice President of Government Affairs Eric Gjede said, “The state’s economy and providing greater fiscal stability have to be the top priorities. Obviously, anything the governor can do to negotiate more affordable public sector retirement and health benefits is key to providing that stability.” Gjede also warned that across-the-board mandates such as raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and paid family and medical leave could slow Connecticut’s recent economic growth. The CBIA’s 2019 Policy Priorities include: State Spending – Adopt a new two-year budget that closes any deficits without inhibiting economic growth; use more nonprofit health and service providers that supply quality services at lower cost; cut waste and implement Lean processes in the largest state agencies; and adopt the latest cost-saving collective bargaining reforms from the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth. Tax – Enact specific reforms that will make Connecticut more competitive for jobs, including lowering the business personal property tax, liberalizing rules allowing the use of net operating losses, eliminating the business entity tax, lowering the top income tax rate, and repealing gift and estate taxes; maintain tax incentives for activities such as research and development that trigger economic growth; and reject expansion of the sales tax base or rates on business-to-business services. Read More
DEAR SALES COACH Please take our quick survey! OSHA10 IN SPANISH Dear Sandler Coach, If a prospect tells us that they are not going to do business with us, is there any way to recover and convince them to change their mind? – Joe L. Dear Joe, There could many reasons why a buyer decides not to do business with you including that they don’t have the budget or that they just would not be a good fit for you and your company. First of all, dispel the myth that you have to close all of the business that you prospect. But let’s go with the scenario that you really feel like you can help the buyer and the decision should have been a yes. There is a way to turn a no back into a yes. Ask the buyer, “Now that its over, can I ask you some questions?” This approach takes the pressure off of all parties and you can learn the buyer’s real motivations. Why do many salespeople bail out when a prospect says that the sale is not going to happen? One reason is that many salespeople expect, before the call is even made, that the prospect will end it. “I call any ten prospects, and nine of them are a waste of time. Nine times out of ten I lose.” So they gear themselves up to not succeed. They expect not to succeed. It’s now a lot easier, when the call is headed toward “no interest,” to give up. They know what the prospect is going to say, and they know what they are going to say. Both are following the “no interest” script. Both are comfortable in their respective roles. If the prospect figures that the pressure for them to make a buying decision is over, just about any question you ask them at that point will be answered. Once she makes that “no” decision, she’s relieved. Once you seem to accept the “no” decision, she’s even more relieved. “Thank goodness that’s over.” Yes, it may be over. No matter what you do now, you won’t make the sale. But you need to try one last time so that the “end it” decision is yours. -Ed Ed Schultek Ed began Sandler/PEAK with focus on medium and small size firms to Corporate organizations who must lift their Management and Sales competency to Win, improve their ability to lead others to change their future, and position themselves as the Trusted Advisor to their Clients above all others. 30 HBRA of Fairfield County | JANUARY 2019 Have a sales question? Email Ed at ed.schultek@sandler.com. We have had some requests for an OSHA10 certification class in Spanish. We need to know how many people are interested. Please complete the 1 minute survey here to let us know. SURVEY CLICK HERE
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