On Your Lot Floor Plans

HiLine Homes: Have You Ever Built A Home Near Woodland, Washington?

2009-11-06T19:03:00Z

Tell us about your HiLine Homes experience?

HiLine Homes Woodland Branch
1888 Belmont Loop Road in Woodland, Washington 98674
Phone (360) 225-1768
Serving Cowlitz, Clark, Wahkiakum, Skamamia, Lewis Counties in Washington and Serving Multinomah and Washington Counties in Oregon
www.HiLineHomes.com | www.housingindustrynews.com

HiLine Homes: Have You Ever Built A Home Near Puyallup, Washington?

2009-11-06T19:01:00Z

Tell us about your HiLine Homes experience?

HiLine Homes Olympic Peninsula Branch
11210 Woodland Ave East in Puyallup, Washington 98373
Phone (253) 840-1722
Serving Pierce, Kitsap, North Thurston, Mason and King Counties
www.HiLineHomes.com | www.housingindustrynews.com ...

HiLine Homes: Have You Ever Built A Home Near Washington's Olympic Peninsula?

2009-11-06T18:57:00Z

Tell us about your HiLine Homes experience?

HiLine Homes Olympic Peninsula Branch
92 Kala Square Place in Port Townsend, Washington 98368
Phone (360) 379-1799 Serving Jefferson, North Kitsap, Clallam and North Mason Counties
www.HiLineHomes.com | www.housingindustrynews.com
...

HiLine Homes: Have You Ever Built A Home Near Grays Harbor, Washington?

2009-11-06T18:54:00Z

Tell us about your HiLine Homes experience?

HiLine Homes Grays Harbor Branch
306 4th Street in Satsop, Washington 98583
Phone (360) 482-4224
Serving Grays Harbor, South Mason and Pacific Counties
www.HiLineHomes.com | www.housingindustrynews.com
...

HiLine Homes: Have You Ever Built A Home Near Centralia, Washington?

2009-11-06T18:48:00Z

Tell us about your HiLine Homes experience?

HiLine Homes Centralia Branch
1213 Long Road in Centralia, Washington 98531
Phone (360) 807-1722
Serving Thurston, Pacific and Lewis Counties
www.HiLineHomes.com | www.housingindustrynews.com

...

Broken Home Finance System Due for Major Revamping

2009-11-02T18:45:00Z

SOURCE: Nation's Buildnig News

November 2, 2009 - With Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now in conservatorship and the housing finance market in turmoil, housing finance experts participating in an Oct. 27 NAHB webcast offered markedly different proposals for revamping the regulatory structure of the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and defining what new role they should play in supporting mortgage market liquidity and addressing affordable housing needs.

The only unanimous conclusion was that the status quo cannot be maintained.

"The question is how to make the transition from the current structure to the future structure without undermining ongoing financial rescue efforts and throwing the housing finance system into even more chaos," said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, moderator of the event.

"There are many possibilities, ranging from extremes, such as complete privatization or operation as government agencies, to a number of public-private versions between those extremes," Robson added. "NAHB wants to go to the table with sound ideas that will produce the best possible long-term outcome for home buyers and home builders."

Spinning Off Fannie and Freddie

Declaring that the current mortgage market is "not functioning," Lewis Ranieri, CEO and president of the private investment firm, Ranieri Partners, LLC, said that it is imperative to re-establish a market-based system while addressing the problems that caused Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to become "wards of the state."

To respond to the needs of the capital market and improve the distribution of mortgage credit, his solution is for the government to spin-off Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into new entities.

"I would take Freddie and use it in a co-op manner, by having it owned by the Federal Home Loan Bank System," he said. "Therefore, the Bank System and its member institutions would be stakeholders and risk would be shared and backed with a government guarantee."

Fannie Mae, he suggested, should be restructured as a public utility to purchase mortgages and bundle them into securities with a credit guarantee backed by the federal government. It would, however, only be allowed to hold modest amounts of mortgages and related securities as investments, and could only borrow at a market rate of interest.

Moving forward, the government can then take a look at which of the models is working best.

Bringing Back Private Investors

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) in early September unveiled a proposal designed to ensure mortgage market liquidity in both good times and bad without presenting unnecessary risks to the taxpayer.

To bring private investors back into the market, the MBA proposed creating privately capitalized mortgage credit-guarantor entities (MCGEs) that would buy, package and securitize loans. They would operate under the auspices of a strong regulator to ensure they would remain functional even during times of market duress.

"An explicit government guarantee would be necessary because we believe that many private investors will not re-enter the marketplace if they have to take a credit risk," said Michael Berman, president and CEO of CWCapital and chairman-elect of the MBA.

Under MBA's proposal, the government securitization guarantee would support only "core" mortgage products such as 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate loans with well-understood, well-documented risk characteristics.

As for what impact MBA's proposal would have on the multifamily mortgage market, Berman said: "We believe that the multifamily mortgage involvement of MCGEs is a critical element. At a time when 90% of multifamily financing is being shouldered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we believe that a permanent solution would incorporate those businesses within the MCGEs."

To make the MBA's proposed framework for a refined government role in the secondary market acceptable on Capitol Hill, Berman said the MCGEs would pay risk-adjusted premiums into a federal insurance fund each time they issued securities.

During this transition, Berman added that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would need to remain as functioning entities and continue to provide financing to prospective home owners on a long-
term basis.

Privatizing Fannie and Freddie

Taking a contrarian view, Peter Wallison, Arthur F. Burns fellow in financial policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and an outspoken critic of the GSEs, said any plan that seeks to place Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under a new government-sponsored or government-backed housing structure would result in the same serious financial problems that caused the two housing finance entities to be placed under conservatorship just over a year ago.

Wallison advocates privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and ending the government backing for the secondary mortgage market.

"Fannie and Freddie are no longer going concerns. The government has to take their bad mortgages off their balance sheets," said Wallison. "We ought to use the conforming loan limit as a way of re-introducing the private sector to the secondary mortgage markets."

Protecting the Federal Home Loan Banks

Meanwhile, the Federal Home Loan Banks (FLHBs) have had far less difficulty and continue to operate outside of direct government control. But because of the problems with Fannie and Freddie, the regulatory system for the GSEs was overhauled, and they are all now under the oversight of a single regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Geoff Bacino, who formerly served as a director of the Federal Housing Finance Board (the former regulator of the FHLBs) and is now president of Bacino and Associates, cautioned that "being painted with the same regulatory brush as Fannie and Freddie leaves the FHLBs in a tenuous situation."

Calling on NAHB to urge Congress to "protect the FHLB franchise," Bacino said that the biggest roadblock facing the FHLBs may be a lack of political support.

"The FHLBs need to convince Congress they are an essential part of the future finance mission," he said. "As NAHB moves forward, you might ask yourselves what can be done."

Heavy Lifting for Congress

It is difficult to predict just when Congress will take up GSE reform, said former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael Oxley, currently with the law firm of Baker Hostetler.

"GSE reform is one of the most difficult issues that I've ever dealt with in my 25 years in Congress because there are so many moving parts," he said. "My old committee is up to their eyeballs in regulatory reform. Once major efforts at regulatory reform are completed, I would hope that GSE reform would not be that far behind."

Oxley added that "there is no clear solution. There are no votes for nationalization; liquidation depends on how you do it. Privatization in a Democratic Congress and Administration? I don't think so."

Turning to the issue of a secondary market for jumbo mortgages, Berman said it will take time to resuscitate this sector.

"Investors need to be confident that a loan they make at 80% loan-to-value today will be a 75% to 80% LTV tomorrow," he said. "Stabilization in single-family homes is another critical component. We need the economy and home values to stabilize and investors to have confidence in the rating system. It will take awhile."

Explicit Government Backing

Panelists were divided on whether the federal government could ensure mortgage market liquidity and stability in a future financial crisis if the GSEs were to be privatized.

"If we develop a system in which the securitization market is back, then it is perfectly possible for the private sector to take over the secondary mortgage market without a crisis developing, just as no crisis results when credit markets handle credit card receivables," said Wallison.

However, Berman cited previous financial crises, such as the 1998 Russian financial tumult that wreaked havoc on the global community and left Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as the lenders of last resort after liquidity dried up in the U.S. mortgage markets.

"Our belief is to get through those times of economic stress and keep mortgage rates down for home buyers, we need explicit government backing to make sure the situation does not lead to distortions in the market," said Berman. "The best of both worlds would be government involvement in a private-public partnership that will keep liquidity in the market during times of stress."

Wallison and Berman also disagreed on whether mortgage interest rates would rise when the Federal Reserve discontinues purchasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage-backed securities, which could occur after the first quarter of next year.

"I'm puzzled why the Fed has to keep buying securities to keep rates down," said Wallison.

"The Fed has been buying between 80% and 90% of Fannie's securities," said Berman. "At some point, private investors will come back in. The question is what extra spread is needed to get them back. It is unlikely to be 25 basis points. Is it 50 or 70? No one knows. We need to re-establish price in the private market in a delicate way."

White House Gives a Boost to Affordable Mortgage Finance

2009-10-19T18:42:00Z

SOURCE: Nation's Building News

October 19, 2009 - In its continuing efforts to stabilize the U.S. housing market, the Obama Administration on Oct. 19 announced a new initiative for state and local housing finance agencies (HFAs) that will help support low mortgage rates and expand resources for low- and middle-income households to purchase or rent affordable homes.

The initiative has two parts: a new bond purchase program, through housing government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to fund home loans and finance rental production at affordable rates; and a temporary credit and liquidity program to improve the access of HFAs to liquidity for outstanding HFA bonds.

This program could reinvigorate state HFA mortgage loan programs that have been dormant for the past two years, according to economists at NAHB.

As a result of the financial crisis, state FHAs have been virtually frozen out of the housing bond market and have been struggling to find investors willing to buy their long-term, fixed-rate bonds at rates that allow them to finance state first-time home buyer mortgage programs.

Although most HFAs have managed to keep their mortgage programs operating, they have had to reduce their lending and charge higher costs.

Discussions on the need to resuscitate HFA funding have been underway with U.S. Treasury officials for some time. NAHB sent a letter supporting this assistance earlier this year and has been monitoring developments in coordination with the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA).

"This initiative is critical to helping working families maintain access to affordable rental housing and homeownership in tough economic times," said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

"Through the years, many low- and moderate-income Americans have been well served by state and local HFAs, but the housing downturn has hit these organizations too," Geithner said. "Through this initiative, the Administration aims to help HFAs jumpstart new lending to borrowers who might not otherwise be served and to better support financing costs of their current programs - key components in stabilizing the housing market overall."

Under the new HFA initiative, the Treasury will be purchasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities backed by the new mortgage revenue bonds. The program can support several hundred thousand new mortgages to first-time home buyers this coming year, as well as refinancing opportunities to put at-risk but responsible and performing borrowers into more sustainable mortgages.

The new bond issuance will also support the development of tens of thousands of new rental housing units for working families.

The initiative is expected to cost taxpayers little or nothing because HFAs will pay a fee to access both the new bond and liquidity programs. Those fees will increase over time and the initiative is temporary, both of which are designed to give the HFAs an incentive to transition back to market sources of capital as quickly as possible.

For further information, e-mail Bill Renner at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8597; or contact Claudia Kedda, x8352.

New Home Consultants Working For On-Your-Site Builders

2009-10-01T19:31:00Z

What is the most rewarding aspect of working as a new home consultant for an on-your-site (on-your-lot) builder in Washington? ...

HiLine Homes: Unbeatable Value With On Your Lot Construction watch!

2009-07-24T03:39:00Z

The pride of owning a HiLine home comes from knowing you live in a stylish new design that truly embraces your lifestyle, while making a statement of intelligent home buying. You'll see fine quality in every part of your home, from the name-brand products to the excellent construction and careful craftsmanship. Visit: www.hilinehomes.com

Northwest Door (NWD) manufactures garage doors in steel, wood and aluminum for for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:41:00Z

Northwest Door is a privately owned and operated corporation located in Washington State in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. The company was founded in 1946 in Tacoma, Washington. Over the years Northwest Door has concentrated on the preferences of its customers and also met the challenges of the industry. This has resulted in a stable, growth-oriented organization committed to providing quality products and superior customer service.

Northwest Door is proud of its more than 270 employees and their commitment to excellence. In 2006 their new 300,000 square foot manufacturing facility was completed in Fredrickson near Tacoma, Washington. This new technically advanced facility is also Northwest Door's Corporate Headquarters. Their size has grown to include seven distributions centers. These are located throughout the Western United States; Spokane, Portland, San Jose, Boise, Salt Lake City and Denver.

Northwest Door manufactures sectional garage doors in steel, wood and aluminum for both residential and commercial applications offering the largest selection of styles, models, sizes and materials in the industry. Both the traditional panel style or carriage house style garage doors are available in variety of materials. Many standard designs are offered as well as custom built garage doors to meet architectural specifications.

In addition, Northwest Door also manufactures oil tempered torsion springs and inventories an extensive supply of hardware, parts, residential and commercial garage door openers.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Milgard WIndows & Doors manufactures vinyl windows and wood doors for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:38:00Z

In 1958, Maurice Milgard, Jr. and his son Gary started Milgard Glass Company in a small building in Tacoma, Washington. Gary's brother, Jim, joined the company in 1961. Within a short time, the Milgards diversified into aluminum windows.

In 1962, Gary Milgard left the glass company to start an aluminum window fabricating company called Milgard Manufacturing. The company's objective was to provide a reliable source of quality aluminum windows styled and crafted to meet the unique architectural requirements of the western United States.

In 1968, Milgard Manufacturing started producing sliding glass doors. Two years later, aluminum frames were redesigned to fit both single-pane and insulating glass. Milgard developed a type of aluminum frame that was suitable for cold weather areas where only wood frames had been effective.

The year 1989 marked the introduction of the first Milgard® windows with vinyl frames. WoodClad™ windows and doors, a dramatic new line of fiberglass windows and doors, was introduced in 1990.

Growth continues to be the norm at Milgard. In addition to the Tacoma operation, the company now has manufacturing, sales and service locations in Marysville, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Las Vegas, Nevada; Sacramento, Hollister, Simi Valley, Temecula and Dixon, California; Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; Phoenix, Arizona; Chicago, Illinois, and Fredericksburg, Virginia.

In 2001, Milgard was purchased by Masco Corporation, one of the world's largest manufacturers of brand-name consumer products for the home and family. Masco owns many admired companies within the building community, such as Delta Faucet Company, Merillat Cabinetry, and KraftMaid Cabinetry. Masco is a leading provider of services that include the sale and installation of insulation and other building products. Through Masco, Milgard is receiving the support it needs to bring its high-quality windows and doors to more homes throughout the country.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

LP Corp manufactures and distributes building products for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:35:00Z

People across the building industry tell us the LP^® name represents quality, dependability and consistency. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, we are a leading manufacturer and distributor of building products. Founded in 1973, today we operate 26 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada, Chile and Brazil.

We strive to deliver innovative, high-quality building products to retail, wholesale, home building and industrial customers. That's how we like it: we thrive on our reputation for ethics and teamwork — both internally and with our customers.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Kilmer's Flooring America distributes carpet, vinyle, tile, hardwood and laminate floors for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:33:38Z

At Kilmer’s Flooring America we’re here to help you make your house a home… it’s our passion. Do you have 20 year old flooring in your home? Would you like to make your current home your dream home? We can absolutely help with that. Why purchase a new home when you can make your current home sparkle? We can help you make that happen with new carpet, vinyl, tile, hardwood or laminate. We offer the finest in carpet including Stainmaster, Resista and Downs Decade along with quality pad and professional installation.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

GTS Interior Supply delivers drywall for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:29:00Z

Founded in 1979 in Eastern Washington by a drywall applicator who was dissatisfied with the service provided by his suppliers, GTS grew and subsequently expanded into Western Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

We take pride in having well-trained stocking crews and a variety of well-maintained delivery vehicles, which means we can stock even the most difficult jobsites.

We offer our customers quality products at competitive prices with dependable, on-site delivery and stocking services.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Chehelis Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling delivers heating and cooling services for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:22:00Z

Chehalis Sheet Metal was established in Lewis County in 1962. From our start 42 years ago in a garage to our new location on Riverside Drive, Chehalis Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling continues to grow with Lewis County. Chehalis Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling also has three other locations within Washington State, Olympia, Shelton, and Port Orchard.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Cabinet Distributors Inc (CDI) delivers kitchen, bath and other cabinet-use designs for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:18:00Z

Building a new home or addition, or remodeling what you currently have can be both an exciting and an unsettling time. There are dozens of decisions to make, often a great deal of money involved and you might even be living in the home while the work is being done.

If there is one thing you can do right now to help your remodeling project go smoothly, it's this: contact us and let us help you achieve the results you want.

At Cabinet Distributors, Inc. (CDI), we specialize in helping you create the kitchen, bath and other cabinet-use designs you want on time and within budget so you can enjoy the process and the end results.

We offer much more than cabinets, and create results that speak for themselves. Our customers - homeowners and builders know they can count on the quality products we represent and our consistently excellent service and follow-through.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

BMC West delivers building materials for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:17:00Z

Our company is one of the largest providers of building materials and residential construction services in the United States. We serve the homebuilding industry through two recognized brands: as BMC West, we distribute building materials and manufacture building components for professional builders and contractors in the western and southern states; as SelectBuild, we provide construction services to high-volume production homebuilders in key markets across the country.

We provide the residential builder with a total construction package of high-quality products including building materials, doors and millwork, and assembled components, plus integrated construction services, all supported with expertise, logistics and services designed to save time and reduce risk in the building cycle.

Our success results from our approach to the market with our "Best Value Model". Under this philosophy, we provide the best combination of services, product mix and level of expertise. We approach our customers as consultants, assisting with the evaluation of a project, conducting field visits and finding the best solution to meet their needs.

By providing innovative products, services and cost-saving ideas, and by serving the builder with excellence in every aspect of our operation, we add superior value to the homebuilding equation.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Boise Cascade delivers quality wood products for HiLine Homes, the Pacific Northwest's leading on your lot builder of new homes in Washington and Oregon

2008-07-24T19:13:00Z

Boise Cascade has a proven track record of providing quality wood products and a nationwide building materials distribution network for our customers, helping them to enhance their own businesses.

We manufacture engineered wood products, plywood, lumber, and particleboard and distribute a broad line of building materials, including wood products manufactured by the company’s wood products division. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Boise, Idaho.
Boise Cascade has a proven track record of providing quality wood products and a nationwide building materials distribution network for our customers, helping them to enhance their own businesses.

We manufacture engineered wood products, plywood, lumber, and particleboard and distribute a broad line of building materials, including wood products manufactured by the company’s wood products division. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Boise, Idaho.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

Allied Building Products Corp: The Allied Story

2008-07-24T19:07:00Z

Allied Building Products Corporation was established in Jersey City, N.J. in 1950as a family-operated roofing and custom sheet metal fabrication business. This firm initially serviced the New York / New Jersey metropolitan area with just five employees, two small trucks, 700 square feet of office, 5000 square feet of warehouse space and a burning desire to build for the future.

Allied showed strong commitment to both customers and manufacturers and developed meaningful relationships with key commercial roofing accounts. This ultimately led to expansion in product lines and customer base to produce one of the largest andmost successful distributors in the building materials industry. Allied's acquisitions in the East, Midwest, Northwest and Southwest firmly established it as a national distributor of building materials.

Today, Allied has operations in more than 200 locations coast to coast with well over one million square feet of warehouse and office space. Its modern corporate headquarters is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Allied's workforce consists of more than 3,500 committed individuals, from outside and inside sales professionals, warehouse, dispatch personnel and equipment operators to product, marketing, credit and architectural managers. Allied maintains a modern, efficient fleet of more than 1,500 cars, trucks and tractor trailers. All of these resources are effectively brought to bear in Allied's commitment to service.

The company looks to a future of long-term growth with continued product and market diversification. Allied strives to meet the needs of customers at every level of the building industry-residential, commercial, and industrial- from large architectural accounts to the home remodeler. As part of this commitment to the industry, relationships are maintained with many large and small architectural firms. Allied, from the start,has maintained high standards of integrity and service. Dedication to these ideals is the key to Allied's past and future in the building industry.

Building Products | On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News

K & M Plumbing Service

2008-07-24T18:45:00Z

K & M Plumbing Service Wholesale Hardware Whol Lumber/Plywood/Millwork Plumbing and heating and air conditioning, Painting and paper hanging, Masonry and stonework and tile setting, Carpentry, Flooring service, Refurbishing services, Grounds maintenance services, Site preparation services, Building construction and support and maintenance and repair services, Building support services

| On Your Lot Floor Plans | Housing Industry News