International Builders Show Attendees Note Sounds Of Optimism!

Ending its four days in Las Vegas, approximately 55,000 builders, remodelers and other members of the home building industry attended the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show.

So what was the prevalent mood among attendees according to Ron Cook of Tamko Building Products?  “I’d call it cautious optimism,” said Ron Cook of Tamko Building Products in Joplin, Mo., one of more than 1,100 exhibitors at this year’s event. “It’s certainly different than it was last year because we didn’t quite know what we were in for,” as reported by the National Association of Home Builders.

Members lined up at the Partnership Pavilion, a new NAHB initiative on the show floor designed to match builders with financing sources. The program was launched to help serve an industry still stymied by a lack of available credit for new housing developments – and tighter restrictions on home buyer mortgages.

Builders and remodelers also attended educational presentations on design trends, energy retrofitting, marketing, low-income housing tax credits and a whooping 175 other topics.

Unfortunately, the New American Home, the much-anticipated demonstration home that usually draws huge crowds, was unavailable for touring this year because of financing issues – a problem plaguing other builders throughout the industry.

A company manufacturing geothermal heating systems saw steady traffic at its booth, according to Steve Smith, managing partner at Enertech Manufacturing, LLC of Greenville, Ill., who said builders are particularly interested in learning more about the tax credits available for installing geothermal and other renewable energy heating and cooling systems.

The next International Builders’ Show takes place Jan. 12-15, 2011 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  Don’t miss it!