Aging-in-place certification classes offered

Charleston Trident Home Builders Association is holding classes next week which can be applied toward earning a “Certified Aging-in-Place” designation through the National Association of Homebuilders. The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program teaches the technical, business management and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest-growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place. As millions of maturing Americans live longer and more active lives they look for ways to revitalize their home environments. Identifying these opportunities and developing the skills to interact with these customers can help building professionals grow their businesses dramatically. Marketing & Communication Strategies for Aging & Accessibility, July 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will cover: best practices in communicating and interacting with the maturing population; the segments within the aging-in-place market that present business opportunities for building professionals; implementing a process for promoting new opportunities for products and services; and enhancing the sales process with effective techniques for the aging-in-place market. Design/Build Solutions for Aging & Accessibility, July 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will cover: the guidelines and requirements of accessibility; the importance of conducting an assessment with input from occupational and physical therapists as well as qualified health care professionals; how to describe the home-ownership market as it relates to the three segments of the aging-in-place market; considering contractual and legal concerns for building professionals providing design solutions to the aging-in-place client; and the significance of good design in making modifications that can transform a house into a safe, attractive, and comfortable home for life. The cost for each course is $175. They will be held at the Noisette Studio, 1360 Truxtun Ave., Suite 100, in North Charleston. For more information, visit charlestonhomebuilders.org or call (843) 572-1414.

Greater Charleston leads in permits

More building permits were issued in the Charleston market for single-family home construction that any metro area in South Carolina, a consulting company reports. A total of 2,937 permits were issued in Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston counties in the past 12 months, California-based John Burns Consulting says. That topped the Columbia area at 2,803 permits, Greenville at 1,790 and Myrtle Beach at 1,479. John Burns Consulting also cites the median home price in the Charleston area at $174,625. That’s second in the state’s metro areas behind Myrtle Beach at $176,509. Greenville is at $129,000 and Columbia, $125,000. Housing stimulus funds on the way At least a portion of the more than $1 billion designated to boost construction of affordable homes will be coming to South Carolina. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development disclosed that $1.04 billion will be awarded to 26 state housing finance agencies, including South Carolina’s, to jump-start affordable housing programs. The program is in its first phase of funding; the remaining states and territories will receive proceeds in the next few weeks. The Recovery Act provides $2.25 billion in grants for capital investments for projects that have stalled from the struggling economy. Every state is getting funds from the program. Other Southeastern states approved for funding last week were Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee.