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Community and energy efficient top their lists of priorities.
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Add these features to boost the value of your homes with your buyers.
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Giant distributor also launches proprietary brands and program that targets builders' specific customer service and marketing needs.
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Business groups and pro-immigration forces were dealt a blow Friday afternoon when a federal judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order on the state's new immigration law, a move that paved the way for the law to go into effect Jan. 1. Under the law, builders and other businesspeople in Arizona can have their licenses revoked on a second offense if they are found to have knowingly employed undocumented workers. The first offense calls for a 10-day suspension.
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Pulte Homes CEO Richard J. Dugas Jr. says he doesn't expect the housing downturn to end anytime soon-in fact, he doesn't expect the downturn to end until 2009. Regardless, Pulte will remain focused on goals the Michigan-based builder set as it entered the fourth quarter.
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As many heating costs rise, heating a home is becoming increasingly expensive for your buyers. Good insulation and an efficient furnace or heat pump can help, but you can also give your buyers an energy-efficient supplemental heat source that will not break the bank: a pellet stove or insert.
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Water is a central element in the site plan development of BridgeWater, which was built on reclaimed phosphate-mining land and includes five deep, crystal-clear lakes. As a result, 90 percent of the lots in the community have a lake view. In brainstorming names for the lakes, the sales and marketing team at Jacksonville, Fla.–based developer LandMar Group decided to find five outstanding women related to the history of Lakeland, Fla., and name the lakes after them.
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In this segment, expert panelists cover current sales and marketing challenges, business plan predictions for 2008, and long-term prospects for the industry.
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Orland Park Crossing, 30 miles southwest of Chicago, has lots of what its target market—young professionals and downsizers—wanted, including good commuting options, top-notch interior features, and proximity to a new redevelopment area in the Village of Orland Park.
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The top executives of the two government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, told the House Committee on Financial Services today that they plan to offer programs to help homeowners facing delinquent subprime loans with opportunities to refinance and stay in their homes. Daniel Mudd, Fannie Mae's president and CEO, estimates that roughly 1.5 million homeowners who face resetting ARMs and payment shock this year could be eligible for Fannie Mae's loan options.
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A slower pace, streamlined choices, and more education lead to higher options sales at Ryland Homes in Phoenix.
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Spring is always an important time for home builders, as nearly 40 percent of new-home sales take place between March and June. This year's spring season is more important than ever, as Wall Street, economists, and the industry at-large try to gauge whether the home building industry can bounce back.
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How often do buyers enter a splendidly appointed model home and say, “I want that,” but are frustrated because the cost of those furnishings would bust their budgets, or they have no way of purchasing the products? Apparently too often for D.R. Horton, which is why the industry's largest builder is marketing homes in its communities in North and South Carolina with models branded under well-known furniture labels or under familiar names of home-décor retailers whose products are showcased.
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Softplan once again proves why it's still one of the most popular architectural CAD programs among builders with its latest release, Version 13.
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KB HOME, THE INDUSTRY'S FIFTH-largest builder, accepted the retirement of its CEO and chairman, Bruce Karatz, after an investigation conducted by members of KB's board of directors concluded that he and two other senior-level officials were involved in a scheme to backdate stock option grants to increase Karatz's compensation.
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NOT SO LONG AGO, THE GARAGE door was a humdrum slab that lacked any style or design options. Today there are seemingly limitless options so home buyers no longer have to settle for the ordinary.
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MANY OF THE ITEMS YOU PUT IN your homes appeal to buyers on an emotional level—a luxurious whirlpool tub that takes buyers' breath (and stress) away or a state-of-the-art entertainment room with all the bells and whistles. Sure, these items are way cool and look great, but do they really make life easier for the buyer?
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INSTEAD OF TRYING TO COMBINE ITS SALES EFFORTS AND DESIGN selection process at its multiple communities around Boise, Idaho, Hubble Homes centralized the latter function with a 10,000-square-foot showroom adjacent to its corporate headquarters. Once buyers sign a contract, they have 45 days to secure financing and choose their standard or optional finishes at the showroom.
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MOVE OVER, INFINITY TUBS AND WARMING drawers. Elevators are fast becoming the new status symbol in residential design.
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It's a rainy Saturday in February, and home buyers Lisa and Chuck Brousseau have an appointment at Creative Touch Interiors (CTI), in Landover, Md., to select the hardwood and vinyl flooring, carpeting, padding, and window coverings for their new 4,700-square-foot home. The task doesn't seem difficult, but CTI's design consultant Patricia Stecklein says it will take about three to four hours.