Builders utlookwww.elpasobuilders.com 2015: issue 5

Continued GrowthBuilding Permits Hit Seven-Year High

MARKET WATCH: Housing starts surge 20%

Forbes- Groundbreakings on new homes roseby a dramatic 20.2% in April and permitting hit aseven-year high, the U.S. Commerce Departmentsaid Tuesday. The numbers suggest thatthe ongoing inventory shortage holding back thehousing recovery should ease in coming months.Housing starts stood at a seasonally adjusted,

annual rate of 1.14 million in April. That pace is9.2% higher than the rate of 1.04 million in April2014. Tuesdays numbers surpassedexpectations of economists surveyedby Bloomberg ahead of the release.Single-family housing starts in April rose 16.7%

above the level in March, hitting a (seasonallyadjusted, annual) rate of 733,000. Starts onbuildings with five or more units were up by 32%in April, to a (seasonally adjusted, annual) rate of389,000.

April also marked the highest level of permittingthe nation has seen since June 2008, when the(seasonally adjusted, annual) rate was 1.18million. The number of building permits issued inApril rose 10.1% over March, to a seasonallyadjusted annual rate of 1.14 million. That ratewas 6.4% higher than a year earlier, when theestimate stood at 1.07 million. Single-familypermits were up by 3.7% in April compared toMarch at a seasonally adjusted, annual estimateof 666,000. Buildings with five units or more hit apermit rate of 444,000 in April, up 20% comparedto March.Despite the strong numbers, builder confidence

in the market for newly constructed, single-familyhomes fell two points in May to a level of 54,according to the latest National Association ofHome Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market

Index, released Monday. However, a reading of50 or higher means that more builders rateconditions are good than poor; the measure hasnow hit that mark for eleven consecutive months.Consumers are exhibiting caution, and want to

be on more stable financial footing beforepurchasing a home, said David Crowe, NAHBschief economist. On the bright side, the HMIcomponent measuring future sales expectationshas been tracking upward all year, mortgagerates remain low, and house prices areaffordable. These factors should spur the releaseof pent-up demand moving forward.

By Ruth Mantell, Market WatchWASHINGTON In a show of housing-market

vitality, the pace of construction started on newU.S. homes in April jumped to the strongest levelsince the onset of the Great Recession, thegovernment reported Tuesday.Construction started on new U.S. homes sprang

up 20.2% in April to a seasonally adjusted annualrate of 1.14 million. Thats the biggest monthlypercentage gain in more than 24 years and thehighest level since November 2007, the U.S.Commerce Department reported. The April data also strengthen the view that the

weakness in February and March was largelytransitory and likely caused by harsh weatherconditions, Robert Wetenhall, an analyst withRBC Capital Markets, wrote in a research note.Starts for single-family homes rose 16.7% to an

annual rate of 733,000, the fastest pace sinceearly 2008, while starts in buildings with at leastfive units jumped 31.9% to a pace of 389,000. Economists particularly like to see growth for

single-family-home building, which costs more andcreates more jobs than building one apartment.Thats why Tuesdays data on single-family homeswere particularly heartening, said David Crowe,chief economist of the National Association ofHome Builders.Home buyers have been reluctant to buy until

there is a clear sign that the economy, and moreparticularly their own future, is more positive. Asemployment grows and some wages increase andas home equity improves, some of thosehouseholds break out of their concerns and arebeginning to shop for a new home, Crowe said.Tuesdays strong report leads to a key question:

Was April just a blip?It may prove difficult to sustain the April pace of

1.135 million units in the near term, as itundoubtedly includes some delayedgroundbreaking, said Stephen Stanley, chiefeconomist at Amherst Pierpont Securities.Its also worth noting that there was a

confidence interval of plus-or-minus 14.4% forAprils overall starts growth of 20.2%, showing thatthere may have been a much narrower increase(or a much larger increase) in construction thanthe headline numbers stated.

As always a large confidence interval suggestsavoiding euphoric celebration, said GregoryDaco, head of U.S. macroeconomics at OxfordEconomics.Still, there were several strong elements to

Aprils report that signal that the market is healing,though perhaps at a less frenzied pace seen inTuesdays data. The annual pace of permits fornew construction, a sign of future demand, sprangup 10.1% to 1.14 million, the most since mid-2008. The pace of permits for single-family homesrose 3.7% to an annual rate of 666,000, while thepace of permits for apartments rose 20% to444,000. There are multiple reasons for builders to be

hopeful about 2015 sales. Young families andother first-time buyers are tip-toeing into themarket, a trend that will support the broadereconomy and other homeowners who want to buya new place. Further, applications for mortgagesto buy a home recently hit the fastest pace inalmost two years.However, major stakeholders in the housing

industry still have concerns. Builders have lost some confidence in current

sales of single-family homes, signaling warinessover whether families are ready to take the plunge

into the new-home-buying pool, according to aMonday report. Rising home prices and weakincome growth arent helping home sales. Neitherare the strict lending standards that banks haveset in the wake of the financial meltdown, as theylook to protect themselves from legal and financialrisks of making mortgages. Shares of builders fellin recent weeks after companies reporteddisappointing news about margins, even as ordersrose.Analysts are conflicted about the fate of

builders. One brokerage recently downgradedshares of seven home builders, reasoning thatthey typically lag the broader market during thesummer. Elsewhere, Morgan Stanley researchersreported that builders may be in a relatively goodposition this year, thanks to a strengtheningeconomy.Economists polled by MarketWatch had

expected an overall April starts rate of 1.03 million,compared with an originally reported rate of926,000 in March. The government revisedMarchs starts rate to 944,000.Total housing starts remain far below an

average pace of about 1.5 million over the 20years leading up to the housing bubbles 2006peak.

There are multiplereasons for builders tobe hopeful about 2015sales. Young familiesand other first-timebuyers are tip-toeinginto the market, a trendthat will support thebroader economy andother homeowners whowant to buy a newplace.

2 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5

NATURAL GAS IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY.Todays builders need every advantage they can get, and natural gas homes are instantly more attractive.

Natural gas kitchens sell themselves, and natural gas furnaces, water heaters and clothes dryers offer greater efficiency and lower operating costs than their electric counterparts.

For more information on how to use natural gas to turn prospects into buyers, contact Eduardo Lucero at ealucero@txgas.com or (915) 680-7216.

One of my responsibilities asPresident of the association is to writethe monthly Presidents Messagesand each month I am astonished atjust how much our association isdoing for our industry and members. House Bill 1736 by Rep. Jason

Villalba (R-Dallas) recently passedboth the House and Senate andawaits Governor Abbotts signature.This bill puts the adoption of energycode updates by the state forresidential construction governed bythe International Residential Code ona minimum six year cycle. In short, thebiggest thing that this helps curb is theadoption of the new Energy Coderequirements that would have costbuilders on all newly constructedhomes. I would like to think thateveryone that attended this yearsRally Day played a major role in

building support for this bill with ourRepresentatives and Senator. If yourun in to someone that attended givethem a high five. Our Assessment Committee

recently to discuss how assessmentsare calculated and invoiced. The ideais to simplify the process and increasethe revenue in to the association.Once a plan is in place we will presentthis to our board for a vote and then toour members if adopted. Ourpreliminary discussions have beenvery productive and we are all superexcited with where we are headed. The washer tournament was a huge

success and a ton of fun. I, for one,had never played it in my whole lifebut was pleasantly surprised at howentertaining it truly was. Nineteendifferent teams participated and TeamInterceramic, consisting of Samira

Gonzalez and Roberto Rubio,ultimately won the tournament. Iwould like to thank our majorcorporate sponsors Lone Star Title,Foxworth-Galbraith, and TropicanaHomes for helping make the eventpossible. I would also like to recognizethe t-shirt sponsors Randall SmithCPA, Interceramic Tile and Stone, andHaskins Electric. Our Board and General Meetings

will be on June 10 at the El Paso Club.Our board of directors will meet at11AM and the General Meeting willfollow at noon. Our guest speaker willbe Mr Dean Inniss, President andCOO of Rocky Mountain MortgageCompany. Mr. Inniss is a major assetto our industry and will provide insightin to local mortgage financinghappenings. He brings over 30 yearsof experience in the field so be ready

to soak in all of the invaluableinformation that he will be presenting. Something that I would like to put on

everyones radar are the new CFPBclosing rules and regulations that willbe affecting all of us beginning August1, 2015. There will be newdocuments, steps, and timeframesthat will impact ALL closings afterAugust 1, 2015. If you havent alreadydone so, get with your title company togo over the new policies as soon aspossible. In closing, the hot summer months

are upon us so make sure to tell youremployees and contractors to stayhydrated and safe. As always, I wishall of you the best with yourbusinesses.

32015 issue 5 Builders Outlook

Edgar MontielPresident,El Paso Association of Builders

WHATCHA What the EPAB Is doing

Presidents Message

HOMEO F T E X A S

Ive got a few things Id like to writeabout this month because it was a monthof ups and downs, personally andprofessionally. Let me give you the upsfirst because these things are important tothe membership as a whole. Ourassociation is staying pretty steady as faras membership and while that is normallyinterpreted as good we cant safely staywhere were at and accomplish what weneed to do. I know that some of ourdetractors, and perhaps even you, wonderwhat I am getting for my money. Its amatter of relevancy and every organizationfrom the church to the civic clubs,associations suffer the same questions.

The leadership questioned this at ourrecent board meeting, not to complain butto get a handle on what to tell those naysayers or better yet what to present topotential members as proof that yourinvestment in the association paysdividends. To that end we arecommissioning a simple one page handoutthat you can have printed or send viaemail. In it we list some of the most recentaccomplishments in working to keep you inbusiness. We will highlight our efforts atthe city, the state and the national scene.While weve been working on this issue ofthe Outlook we got a great report out ofAustin about the strong support we got onimportant legislation that will significantlyimpact construction, mainly to do with

energy codes or codes in general. Ourefforts for the industry will give ourmembers a better opportunity to build tocodes that wont be placed out there at thewhim of a political subdivision, i.e. the cityor county. Codes are where I think wehave been most effective, from the firesprinkler debate to the ability to delayunnecessary codes locally. The costsavings per house is in the thousands ofdollars just on the fire sprinkler work,meaning again that our members andstaffs have had a significant savingspassed on to you and the consumer. There isnt a single member of the El

Paso Association of Builders who isntaffected positively by this. So are non-members. The difference here is that thenon-member is letting others carry theammo if you will, pay for it and work on itwhile sitting back and getting the rewards.Moochers is what my dad would call them,others use less kind words. Yourmembership dollars help pay for the lobbyteams at the state and U.S. Capitol andfrankly there arent many businesses in ElPaso that could do that on their own.Membership allows the smaller business tohave equal footing with the multinationals,something very rare in todays businessworld. Its by the power of uniting for apurpose that makes associations like ourswork. It isnt cheap to do this kind of workand frankly weve been holding back on

talking or doing something about that for awhile. Our leadership knows this and isworking on ideas on how to be able tocontinue the work with the rising costs ofdoing so. Some more of the good stuff: The

association tried something new thismonth as well, a washer (or watcha)throwing contest. The initial concernsturned into a great result because of ourpartners. TrusJoist showed us how to put iton and set it up. Lone Star Title partneredwith us to make sure we actually could.Foxworth Galbraith partnered on the foodand beverages, and then our t-shirtpartners made sure we had a real sense ofteam. They were Haskins Electric,Interceramic Tile and Stone, and RandallSmith CPA. Because of their support wehanded out some very nice wicky shirtsthat are comfortable and wick up sweatlike a sponge. Our 19 teams had a greattime and our chef, Chris Morales of SierraTitle did the hot dog cooking, Gina Avilafrom Morrison Supply helped registration.Margaret was the admin in charge asalways. It was especially cool to see thatthis tournament brought in old and newmembers together in a classic competitiveevent where all appeared to have had ablast. So that was some of the good things

that happened this month. We didhowever experience some not so good

news. First we learned of the passing ofJack White, a longtime member whosupported the association for decades. Wealso lost a past President, Zeke Zar,another longtime supporter and friend.May they rest in peace. We had alightning strike at the office the night of thewasher tournament and that strike killedour PBX phone system. Speaking ofphones my cell phone was lost and neverreturned in spite of knowing where I lost itand hoping someone with a little sense ofhonor would return it. If you have everexperienced losing a cell phone youunderstand my frustration and anger. Ouroffice phones are a work in progress rightnow so please bear with us. Summer has arrived and we will be busy

throughout the upcoming months. We willstart to decipher our wins and losses at theTexas Legislature and figure out where weneed help. We are doing the same with thecity of El Paso, working with the CityManagers office to make sure were at thetable and not the main course. Well helpour brethren in Austin, Houston, DFW andother areas struck by the torrential rainsand subsequent floods. If nothing else Ivefound that we are resilient and quickly turnadversity to advantages because of ourpurpose in life and our ability to call onyou. Thank you for your membership.

Perspective

Ray Adauto,Executive Vice PresidentEPAB

4 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5

The value of membership and the loss of friends

52015 issue 5 Builders Outlook

Housing ProductionJumps 20.2 PercentNationwide housing starts rose 20.2

percent to a seasonally adjustedannual rate of 1.135 million units inApril from an upwardly revised Marchreading, according to newly releaseddata from the U.S. CommerceDepartment. This is the highest levelof housing production since November2007.Both housing sectors registered

production gains this month. Single-family housing starts increased 16.7percent to a seasonally adjustedannual rate of 733,000 in April whilemultifamily starts rose 27.2 percent to402,000 units.Our builders tell us that consumers

are slowly returning to the market,said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods, ahome builder from Blue Springs, Mo.This months report shows release ofpent-up demand and evidence of asustainable housing recovery.The April gains make up for the

production dips we saw in the pasttwo months, but single-family housingis still only about halfway back to whatcould be considered a normal market,said NAHB Chief Economist DavidCrowe. With low interest rates andaffordable home prices, we expectmore upward momentum in themonths ahead. Combined single- and multifamily

starts were up in three out of the fourregions in April. The Northeast postedan 85.9 percent gain, the Midwestrose 27.8 percent and the Westincreased 39 percent. Housingproduction dropped 1.8 percent in theSouth.Overall permit issuance rose 10.1

percent in April to a rate of 1.143million.Multifamily permits registered a 20.5

percent gain to a rate of 477,000 whilesingle-family permits increased 3.7percent to 666,000.Regionally, the Northeast, South and

West posted respective permit gainsof 38.8 percent, 9.9 percent and 3percent. Permits dipped 1.3 percent inthe Midwest.

Builder ConfidenceFalls Two Points Builder confidence in the market for

newly built, single-family homes inMay dropped two points to a level of54 on the National Association ofHome Builders/Wells Fargo HousingMarket Index (HMI) released today. Itis a nine-point increase from the May2014 reading of 45.Despite this months slight dip,

builder confidence in the new homemarket remains above the 50-pointbenchmark, said NAHB ChairmanTom Woods, a home builder from BlueSprings, Mo. Overall, the secondquarter of 2015 is shaping up to bevery solid.Consumers are exhibiting caution,

and want to be on more stablefinancial footing before purchasing ahome, said NAHB Chief EconomistDavid Crowe. On the bright side, theHMI component measuring futuresales expectations has been trackingupward all year, mortgage rates

remain low, and house prices areaffordable. These factors should spurthe release of pent-up demand movingforward.Derived from a monthly survey that

NAHB has been conducting for 30years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo HousingMarket Index gauges builderperceptions of current single-familyhome sales and sales expectations forthe next six months as good, fair orpoor. The survey also asks buildersto rate traffic of prospective buyers ashigh to very high, average or lowto very low. Scores for eachcomponent are then used to calculatea seasonally adjusted index whereany number over 50 indicates thatmore builders view conditions as goodthan poor.The indexs components were mixed

in May. The component charting salesexpectations in the next six monthsrose one point to 64, the indexmeasuring buyer traffic dropped asingle point to 39, and the componentgauging current sales conditionsdecreased two points to 59.Looking at the three-month moving

averages for regional HMI scores, theSouth and Midwest each rose onepoint to 57 and 55, respectively. TheNortheast fell by one point to 41 andthe West dropped three points to 55. Editors Note: The NAHB/Wells

Fargo Housing Market Index is strictlythe product of NAHB Economics, andis not seen or influenced by anyoutside party prior to being released tothe public. HMI tables can be found atnahb.org/hmi. More information onhousing statistics is also available athousingeconomics.com.

New-Home SalesRise 6.8 Percent Sales of newly built, single-family

homes rose 6.8 percent to aseasonally adjusted annual rate of517,000 units in April, according tonewly released data from HUD andthe U.S. Census Bureau.Sales are moving forward and our

builder members are telling us theyare starting to see more activity asmore buyers get off the fence andenter the marketplace, said TomWoods, chairman of the NationalAssociation of Home Builders (NAHB)and a home builder from Blue Springs,Mo.Following an unusually low sales

report in March, todays numbers areconsistent with other data weve seenrecently and indicate a continuing,gradual improvement in the housingmarket, said NAHB Chief EconomistDavid Crowe.Regionally, home sales were mixed,

rising 36.8 percent in the Midwest and5.8 percent in the South. TheNortheast posted a 5.6 percentdecline and the West fell 2.3 percent.The inventory of new homes for sale

edged up to 205,000 units in April.This is a 4.8-month supply at thecurrent sales pace.

TEXAS BUILDER OF THE YEAR

2013

A W A R D E D

We build so you can GROW

Historically, the price of WestTexas Intermediate Crude (WTI)

has alwaysbeen slightlyhigher than theprice of NorthSea BrentCrude, themajorbenchmark offwhich two-thirds of theworldsinternationally

traded crude oil is priced. WTI hashistorically been more expensivebecause it is light sweet crude,meaning it contains less than 0.5%of sulfur and is considerably lighterthan water and lighter than anyother crude oil, and therefore theworlds most valuable oil. Despite possessing these very

desirable physical characteristics,for the last several years WTI hasregularly traded for less, sometimesmuch less, than Brent. Thissituation is not only detrimental toAmerican oil exploration andproduction firms but also US

households. Interestingly, thissituation can be easily righted ifonly Congress would passlegislation. Let me explain. Until 1973, US oil, like all other

goods and services, could be easilyexported. However, an export banwas imposed after the 1973 Araboil embargo in an attempt toprevent future oil shortages andarguably to help the US gainenergy independence. Fordecades the ban had no obviousimpact as the US was a huge oilimporter. But now due to hydraulicfracturing and horizontal drilling, theUS now produces about twice asmuch oil as it did a few short yearsago and is now the worlds secondlargest oil producer. Because the US used to import

large quantities of oil, and becausedue to geography and politics theimported oil was primarily heavysour crude, most Americanrefineries are ill equipped to refinethe high quality WTI coming fromthe new and newly-invigorated USoil fields. As a result, US crude oilis quickly filing up storage tanks

and in the process driving down theprice as domestic supply vastlyexceeds refiner demand. If Congress were to lift the export

ban, the price of WTI would rise tothe world price, which wouldexpand domestic oil explorationand production and increase rigcounts and employment in the oilpatch. Counterintuitively, it wouldalso reduce the retail price ofgasoline. This is because gasolineis tied to the price of Brent, since allrefiners except American onesdistill crude into gasoline from oilpriced off of Brent. Because the export ban does not

cover distilled products like diesel,gasoline and jet fuel, the priceAmerican refiners charge fordistillates is the world price, eventhough the crude they purchase ischeaper due to the export ban ondomestic crude. Gasoline here andabroad would thus be cheaperbecause the release of more UScrude onto the world market that isnow bottled up onshore due to theexport ban, would reduce, albeitslightly, the price of Brent, and in

the process slightly reduce theprice of distillates includinggasoline. Of course there is never a free

lunch in economics. Were theexport ban lifted, the losers wouldinclude domestic refiners as theywould pay more for crude, andforeign oil producers such as theSaudis, Russians, Canadians andothers as they would receiveslightly less for theirs. That said,repealing the ban makes sense. Itwould save US consumers moneyand slightly increase returns toinvestors in the oil patch. And if theSaudis are unhappy, they can recallthat the export ban only existsbecause they embargoed us 40years ago!

Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is President ofGraphsandLaughs, LLC and can bereached at Elliot@graphsandlaughs.net.His daily 70 word economics and policyblog can be seen at www.econ70.com

6 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5The Economy

Crudely Speaking

Elliot Eisenberg

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72015 ISSUE 5 Builders Outlook

Builders utlook on the scene |

Build Pac Washer Tournament a hole lot of funBy Ray Adauto, EPABWhen the idea of a Washer Throw

tournament first came around we werent surehow to go about doing one and whether or notour members would be interested. We talkedwith other Texas Builders associations to findout what kind of reception they had in doingone coming away with surprising answers.Seems like the idea of throwing washers, or aswe like to call them here watcha, overrode anymisconception that this kind of event wouldntbe fun. As a matter of fact what we found outwas that the associations had some reallyoutrageous story to tell. Now we have ourown. Lets start with the idea of what is a washer

throwing contest. For the uninitiated the ideais to throw a specific size metal washer certaindistance and drop it into a hole. Traditionalist,like our own Tony Mullen at MTI Ready Mixhas been throwing watchas for years atcompany sponsored tournaments. There theidea is drop the washers into a PVC pipe flushwith the dirt and thrown from a fair distance,something like 25 feet away. After watching arecent outing there is a certain skill setrequired to be good at that throw. It normallyinvolves guys with years of experiencethrowing a specific way, sliders, bouncers, andthe impressive hole in ones. The event wehad planned for the EPAB was different in a lotof ways, but notably in the target and thedistance to it. And one other thing, we didntcare if you were a woman or man so long asyou played. So with all my respects to Tonyand his crew our event was a bit more, no itwas a lot different. Let me share with youhow.First of all we had partners in this event.

From the Texas state association we wereable to hook up with TrusJoist, a division ofWeyerhaeuser, who furnished the officialTexas Builders washer boards and rules.Secondly we had to find partners and we didvery well. Our event partner was Lone StarTitle; our beverage and food partner wasFoxworth Galbraith; and our prizes partnerwas Tropicana Homes. We also got T-shirtpartners with Haskins Electric, Randall Smith,and Interceramic. TrusJoist employees cameto put on the game and brought everything weneeded, boards, washers, rules, referees andscorers. In a matter of a couple of hours wehad the association parking lot ready to go.Our first comers were the eventual third placeteam from Rudy Guel Construction. Theywere allowed to practice until we had everyonesigned in and ready to start. Our 19 teams oftwo included some of our new members andsome of our more seasoned and includedsome first timers like Brad Beasley CPAs outof Las Cruces. We absolutely had a blastcoming down and we did ok, but moreimportantly we made some connections andgot a better look at what the association isabout, said Brad. Others like past presidentRudy Guel took it all in stride. We have neverseen a watcha tournament like this and myguys need to practice, Rudy told the Outlook.The layout of the game took some by surprise,especially the old time watcha throwers. Mydad is totally confused by the layout, sincehes played watcha for decades and never likethis, said Gilbert Pedregon. His dad got rightin the game and said he had fun. I guessyoure never too old to learn something new,he said. For their efforts the top three teams were as

diverse a group as one would like. In 3rdplace was Richie and Carlos from GuelConstruction; 2nd place went to Bella Homes,with Arturo Lucero and Manny Garcia; and 1stplace went to Samira Gonzalez and RobertoRubio representing Interceramic Tile andStone. Can you believe that I shot thewatcha in HIGH HEELS? said Samira.Proved a point that everyone had a goodchance at winning and that this event willthrive. As our cook Chris Morales so aptly putit this event is gonna get big. We agree.Look at the pictures and youll see why.

El Paso's largest shopping center, CieloVista Mall, announced a planned 125,000square foot expansion that will begin in2016. Now, we have the first images ofwhat that expansion may look like.According to the mall's Property

Overview, the expansion will occur off of thewestern wing of the center where thecurrent Dillard's mens and childrens storenow exists. This would mean demolition ofthat location.A new Dillard's will be built at the end of

the expansion to the west, making room foraround 40 new retailers and a handful ofrestaurants. The new Dillard's will becomethe women's store; the men's and children'sstore will relocate to the current three-levelwomen's store. A site plan shows the newwestern wing of the mall expanding into anexisting parking area.The rendering shows a northward view of

the planned new Dillard's building on theleft side of the image. Liner structures areshown as restaurants in the rendering, withdifferent construction materialsdistinguishing them from the larger mallbuilding behind them.This is Simon Property's first major

expansion in decades for Cielo Vista Mall,which is located at Hawkins Boulevard andInterstate 10 on El Paso's East Side. It is partof the $1 billion spent annually in propertyenhancements across all the malls thecompany owns and operates. Construction onthe Cielo Vista expansion should begin inJanuary 2016 with no mention of a completiondate.A short drive to the west at Bassett Place, a

new Dave & Buster's is scheduled to open bythe end of 2015. After months of speculation,the East-Central El Paso mall confirmed thelocation in a press release.he entertainment and dining venue will open

a 36,000 square foot location at Bassett where

the current food court exists. The food court willshrink and have a handful of eateries.The Bassett location is a bit smaller than the

40,000 square foot large Dave & Buster'sprototype, with the small prototype measuring26,500 square feet.Bassett Place was built in 1962 and is located

at Geronimo Drive and I-10.

At Right: This site plan shows the plannedexpansion of the western wing of Cielo VistaMall in East El Paso. Both the first and secondlevels are included here, with the second level'ssite plan floating above the first level in thisimage. (Cielo Vista Mall Property Overview)

El Pasoans are getting a sneak peak at a giant sign that will adorn the Martin Building once itsrenovation is complete. The historic high rise is undergoing a renovation in Downtown El Paso.The image comes courtesy of a Facebook page highlighting the work of Los Angeles based Vuro Art

Gallery, which is creating the sign.Light bulbs will line the inside of giant block letters spelling out "ELECTRICTY," which will sit atop the

seven-story building according to City of El Paso documents. According to a teaser at the project'sFacebook page, that may be the future name of the apartment building.The third through seventh floors of the building will house approximately 40 apartment units. The

Martin Building is at the corner of Stanton Street and Mills Avenue, just one block east of San JacintoPlaza in Downtown El Paso.

el paso development news

Mall News: Cielo Vista Expansion; Bassett Place Makes Dave & Buster's Official

Martin BuildingApartments Couldbe Named'ElectriCity'

The Sun City topped the nation in"purpose" and "physical" well-beingin an recently published index.Overall, El Paso ranked 5th best inoverall well-being for 2014.The 2014 Gallup-Healthways Well-

Being Index measured the 100largest metros in the country in fivedifferent categories of well-being,including purpose, social, financial,community, and physical. El Pasoranked number one in two of thecategories, purpose and physicalwell-being."El Paso is the only community

with the highest well-being in morethan one element," according to thereport.The categories are described this

way in the Index: Purpose: Likingwhat you do each day and beingmotivated to achieve your goals;Social: Having supportiverelationships and love in your life;Financial: Managing your economiclife to reduce stress and increase

security; Community: Liking whereyou live, feeling safe and havingpride in your community; andPhysical: Having good health andenough energy to get things donedaily.El Paso's lowest rankings were in

the Financial (#63) and Social (#57)categories. The city ranked 23rd inCommunity well-being.The only other Texas community in

the top ten was Austin/Round Rockwhich ranked 6th best overall.Gallup and Healthways have

teamed up since 2008 to create theWell-Being Index. It is self-describedas "the most proven, mature andcomprehensive measure of well-being in the world."Well-Being Index website:

www.well-beingindex.com

Builders Outlook Issue 5 2015Content provided byEl Paso Development News visit: elpasodevnews.com

El Paso Ranks 5th Best inNationwide Well-Being Index

10 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5

Reacting to Disaster: Disaster Remediation--Important Statutory RequirementsLEGISLATION

With the devastating floods and other tragediesthat have occurred recently across the state, it isimportant that builders and remodelers be aware ofthe implications of Chapter 57 of the TexasBusiness and Commerce Code that was enacted byHB 1711 effective September 1, 2011. The billapplies to contractors who remove, clean, sanitize,demolish, reconstruct, or otherwise treatimprovements to real property as a result ofdamage or destruction to that property caused by anatural disaster. Specifically, it requires that a"disaster remediation" contract must be in writingand prohibits a "disaster remediation contractor"from requiring payment prior to beginning work orcharging a partial payment in any amountdisproportionate to the work that has beenperformed. However, the statute exemptscontractors that have held a business address for atleast one year in the county or adjacent countywhere the work occurs. As these tragic floods andother devastation subsides and the rebuildingbegins, TAB members must be aware of thestatutory contract limits on those who have not hada business address for at least one year in thecounty or adjoining county of the disaster. Ignoringthese requirements could result in a deceptive tradepractices violation. Please see the text of HB 1711below for details. To purchase the TAB ContractsPackage, or if you need more information pleasecontact the EPAB or go to www.TexasBuilders.org.

Bill Number: TX82RHB 1711 Date: 05-29-2011

ENROLLED AN ACT relating to disasterremediation contracts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OFTHE STATE OF TEXAS:SECTION 1. Title 4, Business & Commerce

Code, is amended by adding Chapter 57 to read asfollows:

CHAPTER 57. DISASTER REMEDIATIONCONTRACTS Sec. 57.001. DEFINITIONS. In thischapter:"Disaster remediation" means the removal,

cleaning, sanitizing, demolition, reconstruction, orother treatment of improvements to real propertyperformed because of damage or destruction to thatproperty caused by a natural disaster.

(2) "Disaster remediation contractor" means aperson who engages in disaster remediation forcompensation, other than a person who has apermit, license, registration, or other authorizationfrom the Texas Commission on EnvironmentalQuality for the collection, transportation, treatment,storage, processing, or disposal of solid waste.(3) "Natural disaster" means the occurrence of

widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of lifeor property related to any natural cause, includingfire, flood, earthquake,wind, storm, or wave action,that results in a disaster declaration by thegovernor under Chapter 418, Government Code.(4) "Person" means an individual, corporation,

trust,partnership, association, or other private legalentity.Sec. 57.002. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER.

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), thischapter applies to a contract between a person anda disaster remediation contractor for theperformance of disaster remediation services onproperty owned or leased by the person.(b) This chapter does not apply to a contract

between a person and a disaster remediationcontractor for the performance of disasterremediation services on property owned or leasedby the person if the contractor maintains for at leastone year preceding the date of the contract aphysical business address in:(1) the county in which the property is located;

or(2) a county adjacent to the county in which the

property is located.Sec. 57.003. DISASTER REMEDIATION

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS; CERTAINCONDUCT PROHIBITED. (a) A contract subject tothis chapter must be in writing.(b) A disaster remediation contractor:(1) may not require a person to make a full or

partial payment under a contract before thecontractor begins work;(2) may not require that the amount of any

partial payment under the contract exceed anamount reasonably proportionate to the workperformed, including any materials delivered; andshall include in any contract for disaster remediationservices the following statement in conspicuous,boldfaced type of at least 10 points in size: "Thiscontract is subject to Chapter 57, Business &Commerce Code. A contractor may not require afull or partial payment before the contractor beginswork and may not require partial payments in anamount that exceeds an amount reasonablyproportionate to the work performed, including anymaterials delivered."

Sec. 57.004. DECEPTIVE TRADEPRACTICE. A violation of this chapter by adisaster remediation contractor is a false,misleading, or deceptive act or practice asdefined by Section17.46(b), and any remedy under Subchapter

E, Chapter 17, is available for a violation of thischapter.Sec. 57.005. WAIVER OF CHAPTER

PROHIBITED. A person may not waive thischapter by contract or other means. Apurported waiver of this chapter is void.SECTION 2. The change in law made by

this Act applies only to a contract for theperformance of disaster remediation servicesthat is entered into on or after the effective dateof this Act. A contract entered into before the effective

date of this Act is governed by the law in effecton the date the contract was entered into, andthe former law is continued in effect for thatpurpose.SECTION 3. This Act takes effect

September 1, 2011.President of the SenateSpeaker of the HouseI certify that H.B. No. 1711 was passed by

the House on April 26, 2011, by the followingvote: Yeas 141, Nays 4, 2 present, not voting;that the House refused to concur in Senateamendments to H.B. No. 1711 on May 23,2011, and requested the appointment of a

conference committee to consider thedifferences between the two houses; and thatthe House adopted the conference committeereport on H.B. No. 1711 on May 28, 2011, bythe following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 1, 2present, not voting

Chief Clerk of the HouseI certify that H.B. No. 1711 was passed by

the Senate, with amendments, on May 20,

2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;at the request of the House, the Senateappointed a conference committee to considerthe differences between the two houses; andthat the Senate adopted the conferencecommittee report on H.B. No.1711 on May 28,2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.Secretary of the SenateAPPROVED:

ElPasoDisposal

772-7495

112015 issue 5 Builders Outlook

21 HOT HOUSING TRENDSEveryone wants to be hip, and the latest trends in design canhelp distinguish one home from another. And its not all flash;many new home fads are geared to pare maintenance andenergy use and deliver information faster. Heres a look at whatscoming.

By Barbara Ballinger , REALTOR.COM

In real estate trends typically comeslowly, often well after they appear incommercial spaces and fashion. Andthough they may entice buyers andsellers, remind them that trends arejust thata change in direction thatmay captivate, go mainstream, thendisappear (though some will gainmomentum and remain as classics).Which way theyll go is hard topredict, but here are 21 trends thatexperts expect to draw great appealthis year:

Coral shades.(right)A blast of a new color is often theeasiest change for sellers to make,offering the biggest bang for theirbuck. Sherwin-Williams says CoralReef (#6606) is 2015s color of theyear because it reflects the countrysoptimism about the future. We havea brighter outlook now that were outof the recession. But this isnt abravado color; its more youthful, yetstill sophisticated, says JackieJordan, the companys director ofcolor marketing. She suggests usingit outside or on an accent wall. Pair itwith crisp white, gray, or similarsaturations of lilac, green, and violet.

Open spaces go mainstream. An open floor plan may feel like oldhat, but its becoming a wish beyondthe young hipster demographic, soyoull increasingly see this layout intraditional condo buildings andsingle-family suburban homes in2015. The reason? After the kitchenbecame the homes hub, the nextstep was to remove all walls forgreater togetherness. Design expertsat Nurzia Construction Corp.recommend going a step further andadding windows to better meldindoors and outdoors.

Off-the-shelf plans.Buyers who dont want to spend timeor money for a custom house haveanother option. House plancompanies offer myriad blueprints tomodify for site, code, budget, andclimate conditions, says JamesRoche, whose Houseplans.com firmhas 40,000 choices. There are lots ofcompanies to consider, but the bestbets are ones that are updatinglayouts for todays wish listsopen-plan living, multiple master suites,greater energy efficiency, and smallerfootprints for downsizers (in fact,Roche says, their plans average nowis 2,300 square feet, versus 3,500 afew years ago). Many builders willaccept these outsiders plans, thoughthey may charge to adapt them.

Freestanding tubs.Freestanding tubs may conjureimages of Victorian-era opulence, but

the newest iteration from companieslike Kohler shows a cool sculpturalhand. One caveat: Some may find ithard to climb in and out. These tubscomplement other bathroom trends:open wall niches and single washbasins, since two people rarely usethe room simultaneously.

Quartzite.While granite still appeals, quartziteis becoming the new hot contender,thanks to its reputation as a naturalstone thats virtually indestructible. Italso more closely resembles themost luxe classicmarblewithoutthe drawbacks of staining easily.Quartzite is moving ahead of lastyears favorite, quartz, which is alsotough but is manmade.

Porcelain floors. (right)If youre going to go with imitationwood, porcelain will be your 2015 go-to. Its less expensive and wears aswell as or better than the real thing,says architect Stephen Alton.Porcelain can be found in traditionalsmall tiles or long, linear planks. Itsalso available in numerous colorsand textures, including popular one-color combos with slight variations fora hint of differentiation. Good placesto use this material are high-trafficrooms, hallways, and areas exposedto moisture.

Almost Jetson-ready.Prices have come down fortechnologies such as web-controlledsecurity cameras and motion sensorsfor pets. Newer models are alsoeasier to install and operate sincemany are powered by batteries,rather than requiring an electrician torewire an entire house,says BobCooper at Zonoff, which offers asoftware platform that allows multiplesmart devices to communicate witheach other. You no longer have toworry about different standards,Cooper says.

Charging stations.With the size of electronic devicesshrinking and the proliferation of Wi-Fi, demand for large desks andseparate home office is waning.However, home owners still need adedicated space for chargingdevices, and the most popularlocations are a corner of a kitchen,entrance from the garage, and themud room. In some two-storyLexington Homes plans, a niche isset aside on a landing everyonepasses by daily.

Multiple master suites.Having two master bedroom suites,each with its own adjoiningbathroom, makes a house work

better for multiple generations. Suchan arrangement allows grownchildren and aging parents to movein for long- or short-term stays, butthe arrangement also welcomes out-of-town guests, according to NurziaConstruction. When both suites arelocated on the main level, you hit thejackpot.

Fireplaces and fire pits. The sight of a flamereal or fauxhas universal appeal as a signal ofwarmth, romance, and togetherness.New versions on the market makethis amenity more accessible withmore compact design and fewerventing concerns. This year, be onthe lookout for the latest iteration onthis classic: chic, modern takes onthe humble wood stove.

Wellness systems. Builders are now addressingenvironmental and health concernswith holistic solutions, such as heatrecovery ventilation systems that filterair continuously and use little energy,says real estate developer GregoryMalin of Troon Pacific. Other newways to improve healthfulnessinclude lighting systems that utilizesunshine, swimming pools thateschew chlorine and salt by featuringa second adjacent pool with plantsand gravel that cleanse water, andedible gardens starring ingredientssuch as curly blue kale.

READ more> Continues page 12

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Storage.The new buzzword is specializedstorage, placed right where itsneeded. Home owners wanteverything to have its place, saysdesigner Jennifer Adams. More homeowners are increasingly willing topare the dimensions of a second orthird bedroom in order to gain asuitably sized walk-in closet in theirmaster bedroom, Alton says. In akitchen, it may mean a superpantrya butlers pantry on steroidswith prep space, open storage,secondary appliances, and even aroom for wrapping gifts. It minimizesclutter in the main kitchen, saysarchitect Fred Wilson of Morgante-Wilson.

Grander garages. (above)According to Troon Pacific, the newtrends here include bringing thedriveways material into the garage,temperature controls, sleek glassdoors, specialized zones for homeaudiovisual controls, and a big sink ortub to wash pets. For home ownerswith deeper pockets, car lifts havegone residential so extra autos donthave to be parked outside.

Keyless entry. Forget your key (again)? No big dealas builders start to switch to biometricfingerprint door locks with numericalalgorithms entered in a database.Some systems permit home ownersto track who entered and when, saysMalin of Troon Pacific.

Water conservation. The concerns of drought-ravagedCalifornia are spreading nationwide.Home owners can now purchaserainwater harvesting tanks andcisterns, graywater systems, weather-controlled watering stations,permeable pavers, drought-tolerantplants, and no- or low-mow grasses.

Salon-style walls.Instead of displaying a few distinctpieces on a wall, the salon styletrend features works from floor toceiling and wall-to-wall. ThinkParisian salon at the turn of thecentury. HGTV designer TaniyaNayak suggests using a commondenominator for cohesiveness, suchas the same mat, frame color, orsubject matter. Before she hangs

works, she spaces them four to fiveinches apart, starting at the centerand at eye level and workingoutward, then up and down. Sheuses Frog Tape to test the layoutsince it doesnt take paint off walls.Artist Francine Turk also installsworks this way, but prefers testing thedesign on the floor like a big jigsawpuzzle.

Cool copper.The 2015 it metal is copper, whichcan exude industrial warmth in largeswaths or judiciously in a fewbacksplash tiles, hanging fixture, orpots dangling from a rack. The appealcomes from the popularity ofindustrial chic, which RestorationHardwares iconic style has helpedpromote, says designer Tom Segal.

Return to human scale.During the McMansion craze,kitchens got so big they almostrequired skates to get around. Thisyear well see a return to a morehuman, comfortable scale, says MarkCutler, chief designer of designplatform nousDecor. In many living orfamily rooms that will mean justenough space for one conversationgrouping, and in kitchens one set ofappliances, fewer countertops, andsmaller islands.

Luxury 2.0. Getting the right amount of sleep canimprove alertness, mood, andproductivity, according to the NationalSleep Foundation. With trendsetterssuch as Arianna Huffington toutingthe importance of sleep, theres nodoubt this particular health concernwill go mainstream this year. Andtheres no space better to indulge thedesire for quality rest than in abedroom, says designer JenniferAdams. Everyone is realizing theimportance of comfort, quality sleep,and taking care of yourself, shesays. To help, Adams suggestsstocking up on luxury bedding, a newmattress, comfortable pillows, andcalming scents.

Shades of white kitchens.Despite all the variations in colorsand textures for kitchen counters,backsplashes, cabinets, and flooring,the all-white kitchen still gets thebrass ring. Seven out of 10 of ourkitchens have some form of whitepainted cabinetry, says builder Peter

Radzwillas. Whats different now isthat all-white does not mean thesame white, since variations adddepth and visual appeal. White cango from stark white to creamy andbeyond to pale blue-gray, saysRadzwillas. He also notes that whencabinets are white, home owners canchoose bigger, bolder hardware.

Outdoor living.Interest in spending time outdoorskeeps mushrooming, and 2015 willhold a few new options for enhancingthe space, including outdoor showersadjacent to pools and hot tubs along

with better-equipped roof decks forurban dwellers. Also expect to seeimprovements in perks for pets, suchas private dog runs and washstations, says landscape architectJean Garbarini of Damon FarberAssociates.

While its fun to be au courant withthe latest trends, its also wise to putwhats newest in perspective for yourclients. Remind them that the ultimatedecision to update should hinge ontheir needs and budgets, notstargazers tempting predictions.

12 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5

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21 HOT HOUSING TRENDSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

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132015 Issue 5 Builders Outlook

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Jack WhiteOn Monday, May 25th, God received another angel, Jack C. White. Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather wenthome, to be with our Lord peacefully surrounded by his family at home. He is survived by his wife Sue and his daughters, Judy Starkand Claudia Lardizabal; son in laws, Richard Stark and David Lardizabal, as well as his grandkids Laura, Rickie, Isabella and Olivia andhis great grandchildren Robbie, Claire, Katie, Madison, Michael and Kelsey. Visitation will be from 4:00-9:00 pm with a Vigil/Rosary at7:30 pm Thursday, May 28, 2015 at Sunset Funeral Home-East, 750 N. Carolina Dr. Funeral Mass was held on Friday, May 29, 2015 atSt. Thomas Aquinas Church. Interment followed at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Julian ZarJulian Lee Zar "Zeke Zar" passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at the age of 93. He was a World War II intelligence officer serving inthe United States Army. In the 1960's to 1970's he was nationally recognized as the civilian authority of Government Programs. He did astint as editor of Builders' magazine. Zeke then went on to be a general contractor and well respected in the Home Building Industry,serving as past President of the El Paso Home Builders' Association and El Paso Remodelers' Association. He was a Past President ofthe El Paso Association of Builders. He was also an accomplished amateur watercolorist and locally well-known cooking teacher inwhich he received many awards for his fajitas. He was a loving husband, father and will be greatly missed. He was preceded in deathby his son William Lee Zar. He is survived by his loving wife Judith Zar. A Celebration of his Life was held on Thursday, April 30, 2015.

The final cost of a medical insuranceplan depends on more than just thepremiums, even when you compareplans with similar benefits.Understanding the following definitionscan help your employees understandthe components that affect theirmedical coverage costs. The final cost of a medical insurance

plan depends on more than just thepremiums, even when you compareplans with similar benefits.Understanding the following definitionscan help your employees understandthe components that affect theirmedical coverage costs. Deductible: A fixed dollar amount you

must pay during the benefit period usually a year before the insurerstarts to make payments for coveredmedical services. If you have a familyplan, you might have both perindividual and family deductibles. Some plans may have separate

deductibles for specific services. Forexample, a plan may have ahospitalization deductible peradmission. To save money, consider raising your

plans deductible. You might pay moreout of pocket, but you could savesubstantially on premiums. Just makesure you have funds on hand to coveryour deductible. With certain high-deductible policies,

you can qualify for a health savingsaccount (HSA), which allows yoursavings to accumulate tax-free to payqualified medical expenses. Coinsurance: Coinsurance is a form

of cost-sharing that requires theinsured to pay a stated percentage ofmedical expenses after the deductibleamount is paid. For example, lets sayyour policy has a coinsurancepercentage of 20. If youve already metyour plans deductible for the year andyour doctor charges you $200 for acovered office visit, your insurer would

pay $160 and you would have to pay$40. Copayment: Another form of cost-

sharing that requires an insured personto pay a fixed dollar amount when amedical service is received. Theinsurer is responsible for the rest of thereimbursement. If you pay $25 or some other flat

amount for a covered medical visit,then your plan has a copayment. Youmost often find copayments inpreferred provider organization (PPO)plans, point-of-service (POS) plans orHMOs, which also may charge highercopayments when you obtain servicesfrom out-of-network providers. Maximum out-of-pocket expense:

The maximum dollar amount aninsured must pay out of pocket during ayear. Until you meet this maximum, youand the insurer share the cost ofcovered expenses. After you reach thismaximum, the insurer may waive thecoinsurance or copayment and pays allcovered expenses, up to any annual orlifetime limit. Under the Affordable Care Act, the

insurer for a non-grandfatheredindividual group plan must pay 100percent of essential health benefitsfor the rest of the year after you reachthe out-of-pocket maximum. Note thatthis is 100 percent of essential healthbenefits, not all covered benefits.Voluntary insurance plans, such ascritical illness insurance, cancerinsurance and hospital indemnityinsurance, can help pay for some ofthese uncovered items. Annual and lifetime limits (or cap):

The Affordable Care Act prohibits majormedical insurance policies from havinglifetime limits, or caps on the maximumamount your insurer will pay towardcovered expenses. Out-of-network charges: Many plans

pay a lower portion of any services youobtain from out-of-network providers.Some also have higher copayments.Before buying a plan, check its list ofpreferred providers or networkproviders to see if your physician(s)and local hospital of choice areincluded. If youre not willing to switchto a preferred provider, factor higherout-of-network charges into yourhealthcare costs. Usual, customary and reasonable

charges: You may find the term usual,

customary and reasonable (UCR)charges in your policy benefitstatements. Usual means theproviders usual charge for thistreatment (i.e., hes not charging youmore because you have insurance!),customary means customary for allproviders in your geographic area andreasonable means reasonable basedon the particular circumstances of yourclaim. Once you pay any deductible amount

and coinsurance, the insurer isresponsible for reimbursing the rest ofcovered benefits up to allowedcharges: the individual could also beresponsible for any charges in excess.If your insurer deems your providerscharges above the UCR amount, youcould be responsible for the difference.

Youre more likely to run up againstUCR charges in indemnity plans. PPO,POS (point of service) and HMO plansnegotiate fixed payment schedules, sowhen you use an in-network providerwho accepts your plan, he or she haslikely accepted the insurers fixedpayment. Regardless of the type of group

health plan you offer your employees, itlikely costs more or covers lessorboththan it did a few years ago.Voluntary benefits allow employees tobuy coverage for additional services(such as vision or dental) or costs notcovered by their major medical plan atcompetitive group rates throughconvenient payroll deduction. Pleasecontact us for more information.

14 Builders Outlook 2015 issue 5

Time flies when you are having fun! Iwas out of town on May 21st when theWASHER tournament took place butRay informed me that it was a bigsuccess and everyone had a blast. Abig thanks to all that helped make thisevent a success. Thanks to ourpartners, Lone Star Title, FoxworthGalbraith, Tropicana Homes, RandallSmith CPA, Haskins Electric, andInterceramic.

We are looking at August for ourBOWLING Pachanga and should havedetails shortly. We do not compete witheach other unless your team has a betwith another team. This is just a way tobeat the Dog Days of summer andshare some fellowship with othermembers. We will have drawing forsome cool prizes.We are shooting for an October time

frame for the fall golf tournament for the

serious golfers. We dont know if it willbe a Pro Am yet as we are going tomake this a very special event. We willrequire established handicaps fromeach participant. The prizes will also bespecial as we realize the high level ofcompetition.Thats about all I have as far as the

associates go. Have a great and safesummer.Sam Shallenberger

Morrison Supply

Associates Council

Expert Advice

Joe BernalEmployees Benefits of El Paso

execuTive oFFicerSedgarmontiel,President

Palo Verde Homes

carlosvillalobos,vicePresident

Pointe Homes

Donrassette,Secretary/Treasurer

Rassette Homes

SamShallenberger,Associateschair

Morrison Supply

FrankTorres,immediatePastPresident

GMf Homes

rayAdauto,executivevicePresident

Executive Vice President

JayKerr-Attorneyofrecord

Firth, Johnston, Bunn & Kerr

couNciL/commiTTeecHAirSAssociatescouncil

Sam Shallenberger

BuildPac

Randy Bowling

Landusecouncil

Linda Troncoso

YoungDesignerAward

John Chaney

remodelerscouncil

Rudy Guel

membershipretentiion

Patrick Tuttle

Financecommittee

Kathy Carrillo

Henry Tinajero

ADviSorYToTHeBoArDJay Kerr, Firth, Johnston, Bunn & KerrJames Martinez, Law Office of James Martinez

BoArDoFDirecTorSAntonio Cervantes, BIC Homes

Bret Thompson, foxworth Galbraith Lumber

Bud foster, Southwest Land Development Servises

Dan Ruth, Millienium Homes

Henry Tinajero, West Star Bank

Joe Bernal, Employee Benefits Of El Paso

John Chaney, Passage Supply

John Dorney, Dorney Security

Kathy Carrillo, Pioneer Bank

Kathy Parry, Hunt Companies

Leti Navarette, Custom Dream Homes

Linda Troncoso, TRE & Associates

Robert Najera, Joseph Homes

Walter Lujan, Dawco Builders

2014BuildermemberofTheYear

FrankTorres

GMf Homes

2014PatcoxAward

BretThompson

foxworth Galbraith Lumber

2014AssociatedofTheYear

JoeBernal

Employee Benefits Of El Paso

2014JohnShatzmanAward

Cindy Bilbe, Stewart Title

HonoraryLifemembers

Mark Dyer

Wayne Grinnell

Don Henderson

Chester Lovelady

Cliff C. Anthes

Anna Gill

Brad Roe

Rudy Guel

E H Baeza

PastPresidents

committedtoServe

ePABmissionStatement:

The El Paso Association of Builders is a

federated professional organization representing

the home building industry, committed to

enhancing the quality of life in our community by

providing affordable homes of excellence and

value.

The El Paso Association of Builders is a

501C(6) trade organization.

2015 Builders Outlook is published and distributed for the El Paso Association of Builders

by Ted Escobedo, Snappy Publishing ted@snappypublishing.com

El Paso Texas 915-820-2800

6046 Surety Dr. El Paso, TX 79905 915-778-5387 Fax: 915-772-3038

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152015 Issue 5 Builders Outlook