Builders, remodelers invited to education conference in Charlotte

The 21st Century Building Expo & Conference to be held Sept. 15-17 in Charlotte, North Carolina, offers an exceptional line-up of courses and seminars for everyone in the home building industry. With more than 50 general session seminars, North Carolina Builder Institute courses and NAHB Education classes on the schedule, builders, remodelers, and associates will go home with new ideas and techniques to reinvigorate their business.

Nationally-recognized speakers will come from across the United States to share their knowledge of the home building industry. Courses were carefully selected to help builders and associates succeed and prosper in business after months of facing a difficult recession and housing slump.

For example, several seminars will offer builders new marketing and sales techniques, such as The Art of Rediscovering Value, Sales Solutions for Builders on the Comeback, Advertising New Construction, Marketing Self-Help for Builders, Surviving and Thriving in Today’s Economy, and Regaining Your Leadership in the Market.

Other seminars will help builders and remodelers gain more insight into their buyers. Meet the Buyers: Margo, Elisa, Claire & Maggie will look at new home design in regards to women’s primary personalities. Generational Identity Markers will help builders understand consumers through a generational segmentation system. Innovation in Neighborhood Design will explore what today’s buyer is looking for in terms of neighborhood design, and Trends in Retiree Housing will explain trends and preferences in retiree home building.

Business-related courses will help your business and its bottom line: Project Management, QuickBooks Made Easy for Contractors, Reading Economic Keys to Score Big, Business Management for Building Professionals and Maximizing Profits are just a few.

A home building conference would not be complete without information on green building, one of the most prominent trends in housing. Courses include The Ins & Outs of Energy Efficiency Programs for New Construction in NC, Cost Effective Wall Systems that Meet NC Energy Code Requirements, Green Building for Building Professionals, and Building Energy Codes.

In addition, the popular Marketing & Communication Strategies for Aging & Access is the first course required for the Certified Aging-in-Place designation.

This is just a sneak peak at all that will be offered to you and your business at the 21CBEC. Go to www.21buildingexpo.com and click on Attendees, then Conference Schedule for a full list of all courses and seminars. Then use our easy online registration system to register for courses.

 Full Delegate—$75. Register as a full delegate and attend an unlimited number of our carefully selected general session seminars. The $75 fee also includes conference lunches on Thursday and Friday and Expo floor access. Fee increases to $100 after Sept. 14.

 NCBI/NAHB Course—Fee varies depending on course. Course fee includes course materials, unlimited general session seminars, conference lunches on Thursday and Friday, and the Expo floor.

New networking opportunity

The 21st Century Building Expo & Conference is pleased to announce a brand new event for 2010. The "Winners Circle" will be another networking and business opportunity for builders and remodelers. Sign up to meet one-on-one with 10 select exhibitors. They will give you a product demo or tell you why you should do business with them. You'll meet with each exhibitor just 5 minutes, and then on to the next one. For your one-hour commitment, we'll give you a $25 gift card as our thanks. Exhibitors will also be passing out free goodies.

You can sign up for one of three slots: Thursday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.; Thursday, Sept. 16, from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.; or Friday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

For more information or to sign up, contact Tracie Garrett at tgarrett@nchba.org.

Earn green professional designation in three days

Green building is perhaps the hottest topic in home building. NAHB's Certified Green Professional Designation gives builders the chance to learn what green building is all about and how to incorporate green building principles without driving up the cost of a home.

North Carolina currently has the most CGP graduates in the nation, with more than 500statewide. If you haven't gotten your CGP, now is the time ... don't be left behind and let your competition get the competitive edge.

The 21st Century Building Expo & Conference will offer the two required courses for the designation -- Green Building for Building Professionals (two-day course offered Sept. 15 & 16) and Business Management for Building Professionals (Sept. 17). That's right ... you can get your CGP designation in just three days.

Course fee includes all course materials, lunch on Sept. 16 & 17, access to all general session seminars and access to the Expo floor featuring the latest products and services for home builders.

Go to www.21buildingexpo.com and click on Attendees to register for courses.

How's your building business?

In the past few weeks many news articles have written about the positive outlook for the housing market in the Southeast, particularly North Carolina.

But we'd like to hear from builders right here in the Southeast. What you think of the housing market?

Are you hopeful? Have you seen signs of recovery in your business? Do you think the expiration of the tax credit will have a big impact on your sales?

Share your thoughts with us ...

Get your products in front of builders from the healthiest housing markets in 2010

In a recent article in Builder magazine, Boyce Thompson wrote about the top 20 healthiest housing markets for 2010.

The Carolinas region had a seven of the 20 healthiest markets: #2—Raleigh/Cary, #3—Charlotte, #5—Charleston, #9—Durham/Chapel Hill, #15—Myrtle Beach, #17—Wilmington and #19—Greenville, SC. Many of the major cities along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard continue to benefit from a strong influx of people drawn by a comfortable way of life, affordable housing and growing employment prospects.

With these Southeastern markets on the rebound, the big question for you is how do you reach the builders who are gearing up to start building?

Held in Charlotte, NC, the 21st Century Building Expo & Conference (21CBEC) is the perfect venue to reach builders from not only North Carolina and South Carolina, but also Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia.

The 21CBEC attracts more than 4,500 building professionals from the five-state area for the two-day Expo. A High Production Builder Breakfast for the presidents and CEOs of the top production building companies from the surrounding areas brings decision makers to the Expo floor. Last year over 80 executives were present for the breakfast. They are then led to the Expo floor to see you, the exhibitors.

With the lowest rates for a regional builder trade show, the 21CBEC offers you the most “bang for your bucks.”
• Rates are $18/square foot, with booth size starting at 10x10.
• The Charlotte Convention Center is a right-to-work facility, so if you can carry in your product on a dolly or handcart, you don’t have to use union labor.
• Bring in your own carpet and tables.
• Special “pick” rate for POV’s that bring in their product on a pallet. The first trip from your POV to your booth is $45, and the second through fourth are $22.50 o/w.
• Affordable transportation and lodging options.

Hosted by the North Carolina Home Builders Association, the largest HBA in the country with over 14,000 members, this is the show you should check out. For more information, please visit http://www.21buildingexpo.com or contact Tracie Garrett at 800-662-7129 or tgarrett@nchba.org.

Click here to read more about the Hanley Wood survey and how they chose the healthiest regions.