Affordable land helps keep costs down to reprice homes for bargain-seeking buyers.
Two years after merging with Centex, Pulte is back to about the same size it was before the merger, only with more land and markets.
Improvements in house plans and cycle times give these companies an edge.
But growth for some companies came from outside residential construction.
But moves by several of the largest for-profit, private builders put them in better shape to reap rewards in 2011.
Despite a challenge from PulteGroup, D.R. Horton managed to hold on to its position as the largest home builder in 2010 based on number of closings.
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