Consumer News

New Name, New Look for the KCHBA’s Foundation

May 25, 2021 by Staff Reporter

The KCHBA’s Foundation Committee is pleased to announce that KCHBA Foundation Fund has undergone the rebranding process and now has a new name and logo.

Formerly called the Home Builders Foundation Fund of Greater Kansas City, the new name is now the Home Builders Charitable Foundation. The committee felt this change more accurately reflected the purpose of the foundation and conveyed that purpose it in a more succinct way.

The Foundation Committee also chose to update the logo to reflect the new name as well as give the foundation a more modern, vibrant look. The bright colors are eye-catching while reflecting the qualities of positivity and happiness (yellow) with security and trust (blue).

Because donations stay within the Kansas City region, the committee chose to include “KC” in a heart, similar to the popular Charlie Hustle brand t-shirts.

The Foundation is supported by the generosity and commitment of KCHBA members, affiliates and friends. In 2020, the Foundation was able to donate over $100,000 to local organizations. The KCHBA thanks the following members for their annual monetary donations to assist families across the Kansas City region in reaching their dreams of homeownership.

If you would like to donate, contact Kari@kchba.org or click here.

2021 VISIONARIES ($10,000+)
Ashlar Homes
Bickimer Homes

2021 COMMUNITY PARTNERS ($2,500)
McCray Lumber and Millwork
Shamrock Cabinets

2021 FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION ($1,000+)
BANK21
ProSource of Kansas City

2021 ADVOCATES ($500+)
Phelps Engineering

2021 PATRONS ($250+)
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Koch
Leonard Marks

2021 SUPPORTERS ($100+)
Bill Arnold
Lonny Cohen
Mark Mather
Greg Sims

Tommy Bickimer Interviewed about Lumber Prices on Fox4

May 17, 2021 by Staff Reporter

Last week, KCHBA’s Vice President Tommy Bickimer of Bickimer Homes talked to Fox4 about how the rising cost of lumber is affecting home prices and potential homeowners.

“During the Great Recession there were no buyers. Now we have all the buyers, but we don’t have the material or labor to build the house properly, specifically the lumber,” said Tommy Bickimer, president of Bickimer Homes.

Bickimer noted that telling buyers about price increases have been some of the toughest conversations he has ever had to deal with in this business.

Click here to watch the news clip.

Building Business News May 2021

May 10, 2021 by Staff Reporter

Cover Story:

Digital Marketing is Here to Stay
A comparison of 2020 and 2019 presents clear data on how the pandemic impacted buying and selling within the residential construction market. So what does selling in the virtual space look like now?.

Click here to read the issue.

The Spring Parade of Homes Is Going to Be Held on April 24-May 9, 2021

April 5, 2021 by Staff Reporter

The Spring Parade of Homes returns to Kansas City April 24-May 9 and will feature 255 homes built by 98 home builders in eight counties across the Kansas City metropolitan area. Homes will range in price from $250,000 to more than $1.6 million. In addition to single-family homes, 30 maintenance-provided communities will also be featured on the Spring Parade. Sponsored by Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling, the Parade of Homes is presented twice a year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (KCHBA), the Parade of Homes is the second largest in the United States.

After the pandemic began, the demand for new homes with more space increased. Mudrooms and entryways are no longer an afterthought; they are now a space where mail is dropped off, groceries/delivery boxes are collected, face coverings are removed and hands are sanitized. Additionally, outdoors spaces are being transforming into functional spaces to comfortable host a socially distanced backyard cookout. These trends will certainly be featured on the Spring Parade.

Homes will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and admission is free. Free Parade guides will be available for pickup at the KCHBA (I-435 & Holmes) and at all Parade homes during the dates of the event. Alternatively, consumers can download the mobile app to search homes, save their favorites and map their routes.