Q and A with Matt Morrow - Las Vegas style

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Matt Morrow, executive officer with the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, attended the National Association of Home Builders' International Builders Show Jan. 19-22 in Las Vegas. |ret||ret||tab|

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Question: What about the International Builders Show had the most impact on you?|ret||ret||tab|

Answer: The sheer size of the show and the economic engine it represents is breathtaking. The show boasts more than 1,600 national exhibitors and 1.6 million square feet of exhibit space. Even though it is a private show (only registered members may attend), more than 100,000 people were in attendance over the four-day period. |ret||ret||tab|

The fact that former president George H.W. Bush was our keynote speaker at the opening ceremonies also served as a reminder of just how vital a role residential construction plays in our national economy.|ret||ret||tab|

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Q: Interest rates directly affect home building and buying. Were those addressed at all during the event?|ret||ret||tab|

A: Without a doubt, historically low interest rates have fueled much of the housing boom nationwide. The home-building industry is optimistic that rates, even if they increase somewhat, will remain an incentive to build new homes. Locally, low interest rates are only a small part of the overall equation that has led to our unprecedented growth. The largest factor has been the status of the Ozarks as a desirable place to live. |ret||ret||tab|

As long as people want to live in the Ozarks and continue to move here and as long as housing here remains relatively affordable housing demand will remain strong.|ret||ret||tab|

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Q: Of the issues addressed at the show, which do you feel have the most direct impact on home building in southwest Missouri?|ret||ret||tab|

A: Ever-increasing regulation from local and state governments has crippled home building in many parts of the country. In many parts of the East and West coasts, for example, the American dream of homeownership is no longer financially possible for most families. |ret||ret||tab|

This "critical mass" of industry regulation does not happen overnight. |ret||ret||tab|

It is incremental, and we must remember that every increment adds to the whole. |ret||ret||tab|

Today, in the Ozarks, as local governments seek innovative infrastructure solutions and new sources of revenue, the temptation to "make builders pay" is strong. However, the end result of onerous fees or costly and unnecessary regulation on home building and development is to increase the overall cost of housing, and ultimately, to slow or stop growth. Like any living organism, a community is always doing one of two things: growing or dying. We prefer growth. We must guard carefully against the same slippery slope that has priced millions of hard-working American families out of owning a home of their own elsewhere.|ret||ret||tab|

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Q: Indicators often come to the Midwest later than in other areas. |ret||ret||tab|

Was there any information exchanged or presented at the show that gives us an indicator of what to expect in the home building industry in 2004? |ret||ret||tab|

A: It is always hard to predict which of the current "experiments" happening out on the coasts will be successful enough to make it in the Midwest.|ret||ret||tab|

However, some of the newest innovations unveiled at the International Builders Show were truly amazing. Among the products I enjoyed were combination microwave oven/television (watch TV while you stand waiting for your leftovers to heat), and refrigerators with built-in Internet and microchip inventory (keeps inventory of your refrigerated goods, then automatically prompts you to order online when supplies are running low).|ret||ret||tab|

Kitchen, bathroom and high-tech innovations remain among the most popular at this show. Among the building trends to watch are highly specialized rooms (homes already are built with in-laws' quarters, home theater rooms, game rooms, etc.). These are becoming more and more common, even in moderately-priced homes. Look for even more specialized rooms in new homes. New methods for building more energy-efficient homes, and development options for mixed uses and preservation of natural amenities already are making their way into the Ozarks after being "tested" in other markets. The key to all of these is a free and open marketplace of ideas.|ret||ret||tab|

While these and other innovations fill important niches in the market, we must remember that home buyers have a variety of tastes. A healthy community will help these various demands to be met by builders and developers who want to meet them.|ret||ret||tab|

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