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Session Week 11
Look for Our Mid-Season Report
It’s half-time at the MN Legislature. The policy committee work is complete and the budget work and march towards the conclusion of the session will begin when the legislators return next week. Look for BATC’s Special Edition of The Voice later this week for a full recap of the legislative activity affecting BATC members.
Stormwater Comments Submitted by BATC
The five-year update to the State’s Construction Stormwater General Permit is upon us. The State publicly released the permit update in February, basing much of it on Federal EPA guidance. However, in several areas the State used its discretionary authority to propose regulations more stringent than the EPA. BATC has opposed many of these proposals in its submittal to the MN Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) last week. A special thanks to the Technical Team who assisted with the comments: Jason McCarty (Westwood Professional Services), Aaron Mlynik (Westwood Professional Services), Ian Peterson (Pulte Group), Larry Frank (Arcon Development), and Kris Ronning (Lennar).
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How to Utilize Google Analytics to Boost Business
If you're not fully taking advantage of Google's free Analytic tools, you're likely missing out on valuable website tweaks that could increase the traffic and the efficiency of your website.
Discover what Google Analytics can do for you, including 10 NEW features you need to start using...keep reading
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More Good News
Home Prices are up; Buyers are still Benefiting
Trulia - Despite the fact that asking home prices are outpacing rent increases (home prices are up seven percent from last year), the average home is still 44% cheaper to buy than rent. And this trend rings true in all of America's 100 largest metros [read the full article].
Minnesota Job Gains Approach Pre-Recession Peak
Twin Cities Business - "Minnesota has regained 159,100 of the 160,100 jobs that were lost during the recession; meanwhile, the jobless rate held steady at 5.5 percent in February" [keep reading].
Sales and Inventory on the Rise
NAHB - "Existing home sales increased 0.8% in February from an upwardly revised level in January, and were up 10.2% from the same period a year ago. February 2013 total existing home sales were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.98 million units combined for single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops" [keep reading].
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Finding Labor Still a Big Challenge
Despite good news on the growing housing market, all facets of residential construction are continuing to experience increased labor shortages.
According to a recent NAHB survey, over half of the builders surveyed reported that the last six months of labor shortages "have caused them to pay higher wages or subcontractor bids to secure projects, and consequently, to raise home prices. Moreover, 46 percent of the builders surveyed experienced delays in completing projects on time, 15 percent had to turn down some projects and nine percent lost or cancelled sales as a result of recent labor shortages."
See the complete results of the NAHB survey here >>
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Not Just a Number
You can tell a lot by a person's age, especially when it comes to preferences in home sizes. According to NAHB's "What Home Buyers Really Want" survey, age plays an important role in a buyer's home size preference.
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The median desired home size is 2,226 sq.ft.
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The average home size desired by those younger than 35 years is 2,494 sq.ft.
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The average home size desired by those 65 years and older is 2,065 sq.ft.
Read the full article for more statistics >>
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Find Out Why April 9th is an Irish Coffee Kind-of-Day
On Tuesday, April 9th, grab a cup of Joe and head to Studio C for a free morning seminar that will perk up your sales and marketing efforts. Then, swap out your mocha for a more spirited presentation at the Re-Build Happy Hour. Enjoy drinks and appetizers as a panel of experts weigh in on the current marketplace for builders and realtors.
Marketing Council's Mocha Meeting
Tuesday, April 9 | 10:00-11:30am | FREE to attend | At Cities 97 Studio C
Clear Channel's Sales Manager Dean Peterson will present on Bricks and Mortar Marketing: Creating a plan that sets you apart with a consistent message. After the presentation, there will be time for a brief Q+A and radio station tour.
Re-Build Happy Hour, hosted by YP's and MAAR
Tuesday, April 9 | 4:00-6:00pm | $10 | At Mingle
Builders and realtors are joining forces to make a better marketplace for everyone. Learn from each other, mingle and network for future business opportunities. Enjoy a brief presentation that will illustrate where the numbers are heading and hear from a panel of experts on "best practices" to serve our clients.
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