Builder Magazine

Reading the Tea Leaves

Looking back at news reports on the housing industry over the course of the last year, patterns emerge that were difficult to discern while in the thick of things. After talking about soft landings for quite a while, this time last year analysts were starting to admit that a harder landing was...

House Blend: August 2007

Home Depot to reassess how to capture more business from pro customers; the housing industry loses two highly respected analysts; and Florida remains the top location for retirees.
Down-Payment Woes

In yet another tightening of mortgage lending, HUD has proposed the elimination of seller-funded down-payment assistance programs for loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

Build It Yourself

MENARDS, THE THIRD-LARGEST HOME improvement retailer in the United States, is more than 75 percent through the build-out of 164 single-family homes in a subdivision it is developing in Yorktown, Ill. The Eau Claire, Wis.–based dealer has received approval for phase two of this development, which...
Ponying Up

Move over, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. The names that have lent bragging rights to many an upscale golf community are about to see some stiff competition. In March, Lake City, Fla.–based developer Bradley Dicks broke ground on The Oaks, a 1,222-acre parcel slated to become the world's first...

School Ties

When you live and work in College Station, Texas, it's pretty hard to ignore the teeming number of Texas A&M students who make this college town—and its neighbor, Bryan Station—their home. After all, there are more than 45,000 Aggies attending A&M. Unfortunately, the university only has room for 10...

Top Shelf: August 2007

This month's top shelf products include the heavy-duty Contractor Series Fold-A-Cart from Fold-A-Tools, the Professional Ladder Utility System from Creative Sales, and the energy-efficient APEX Block.

High and Rising

While foreclosures were down 7 percent from May to June, they were up 87 percent in June of this year compared to June 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online service that tracks foreclosure activity and acts as a marketplace for foreclosed properties.

Keep an Ion Lithium

Once upon a time, power tools came with a cord and life was good. Then came cordless, and life got better. Today, as more manufacturers adopt and perfect lithium-ion battery technology, tool users can be downright giddy at the prospects.

Tech Tools: August 2007 no. 2

- Mark Systems and QlikTech offers users an Executive Dashboard—a system that gives builder owners a fast snapshot of their business. - BuilderMT's Trade Portal to home builders continues to grow in popularity.
A Welcome Return

DANIEL ZINMAN, GENERAL manager for Markham, Ontario–based Constellation HomeBuilder Systems' new BuildSoft group, is quite aware of what he's up against in reviving the old guard software brand.
Tech Tools: August 2007

- IT systems offer home buyers the information they need at the point of sale. - Constellation's plan to revive BuildSoft is on a slow-but-steady course. - Mark Systems and QlikTech offers users an Executive Dashboard—a system that gives builder owners a fast snapshot of their business.

Safe Guard

THE NAHB RESEARCH Center and the National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association (NOMMA) are partnering to conduct an independent study on guardrail safety in relation to young children. In contrast to past industry studies focused on jobsite fall protection, this study's goal is to analyze...
Justice Prevails

The NAHB's first venture before the U.S. Supreme Court as a named party resulted in a great victory for members earlier this summer. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled in favor of our position that the EPA did not need to consider listed endangered species when handing Clean Water Act permitting...
NAHB Briefs: August 2007

- Online registration is now open for the 2008 International Builders' Show. - The NAHB urges lawmakers not to abandon efforts to overhaul the nation's immigration laws. - The NAHB produces two new products to increase jobsite safety and reduce the chance of job-related accidents.

Designed to Sell

WHY IT WORKED: Even in uncertain markets, homes that are well-located, well-designed, and well-priced continue to sell. At Knightsbridge Gate, Winnick Homes came up with plans that work well on smaller lots, which allowed the builder to charge less than the going rate for new construction.
Smooth Sailing

WHY IT WORKED: Attractive, no-maintenance townhomes, plenty of storage, and access to the Intracoastal Waterway for yachts up to 100 feet—what could be better for an active downsizer?
Move-Up Appeal

WHY IT WORKED: These semi-rural estate homes, located in an established community that borders one of the region's largest open-space preserves, have been especially popular with move-up buyers. They like having more square footage and a bigger yard without having to leave a quality school district.

Georgetown, Colo.

Breaking free from their mining party in Central City, Colo., miners George and David Griffith set out to find gold. Within two days, on June 17, 1859, the pair spotted a glimmer in Clear Creek on the site of what is now Georgetown. The town was officially recognized by the territorial legislature...

Are We There Yet?

THE DRAMATIC DOWNWARD CORRECTION IN U.S. housing markets has been underway for roughly two years. In this regard, the NAHB's single-family Housing Market Index (HMI) hit a current-cycle low of 28 in June, down from a high of 72 in mid-2005. The HMI was down by more than 50 percent in all four...

Table of Contents