Table of Contents September 2008

FEATURES

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  With the Threat of a Continued Downturn, Builders are Faced with No-Win Propositions

  With the threat of a continued downturn, builders are faced with no-win propositions.

   
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  Hot Selling Neighborhoods Defy the Housing Slump

  Meet 10 projects with vitality that defied the slump.

   
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  As Industry Forces Collide, Some Builders Stay On Their Rails

  In a dreadful economy, a handful of builders is finding ways to keep moving forward, profitably.

   

EDITOR'S NOTE

• The Housing Bill Was a Logical Response to the Housing Downturn

  It’s hard to quibble with the housing bill that emerged from Congress.

   

INSIDE STORY

• Nose Dive

  Lot liquidations by big builders drive down finished lot values in Southern California.

   
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  Bump in the Road

  Re-evaluating a conservation easement puts one of Pulte Homes’ active adult communities on the right path.

   
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  Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

  Builders shortening selling hours because of lighter traffic could discourage potential buyers.

   

TOP SHELF

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  Top Shelf Products: September 2008

  Shower lights, primers, drywall cutters, window trim and ceramic tiles

   

GREENHOUSE

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  Home Remodel Makes Minimal Impact on Surrounding Environment

  An extensive addition makes a minimal impact on its Lake Norman, N.C., lot while promoting a comprehensive approach to green design and building.

   

BUSINESS UPDATE

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  Suspending Operations Can Be a Choice for Failing Home Builders

  Game plan for failing builders: Shut down operations to wait for a better future.

   
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  New Home Builder Launches Using Hybrid Modular Building System

  A new builder aims to take “construction” out of home building.

   

SALES STRATEGIES

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  Buyers at All Income Levels are Increasingly Interested in Green Building

  Home buyers at all income levels are increasingly interested in purchasing a house with green features.

   

• Census Data Indicates People are Delaying Retirement

  People are working longer and postponing retirement, according to Dr. Gene Warren, a Phoenix-based economist who specializes in public policy issues and the mature market.

   

• Builder Tests Office Depot's Large-Format Printing

  BUILDER is approached regularly about reviewing products that would be of interest to our readers. We think it makes a lot more sense to have builders try them out.

   
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  10 Qualities of a Great Sales Manager

  Today’s sales managers need a complex set of abilities to succeed.

   

HOUSECALL

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  Flexible Ducts Provide a High-Performance, Low-Cost Solution

  Q: Heating and cooling contractors in my area can install flexible-duct systems for less than they charge to use metal duct or fiberglass duct board. But is it smart for me to choose that lower-cost option in a high-performance house?

   

PRODUCTS

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  Landscaping Products

  Landscaping holds considerable sway over your project's curb appeal.

   
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  Benefits of Standby Generators

  What will your buyers do when the power goes out?

   

TECH TOOLS

• Builder MR's Business Process Management Software Lets Builders Build Workflow Processes

  Builder MT’s BPM tool automates dozens of standard business processes.

   
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  AEC Software's FastTrack Offers Green Building Templates

  AEC Software offers a green template for its FastTrack 9 project management software.

   

NATIONAL BEAT

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  The Housing Stimulus Bill Gives Prospective Home Buyers a Good Reason to Purchase a Home

  The housing stimulus bill offers a good reason to get off the fence and buy.

   

LAST WORD

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  Questions and Answers About Product Innovation with Pat Neal, Owner of Neal Communities

  “People prosper when they make a decision against the trend.”

   

OTHER ARTICLES

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  Foreclosures are Pushing House Prices Down

  Mounting floods of foreclosures continue to pull home and land prices down.

   
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  Builders Must Learn from the Current Downturn if They Want to Avoid Making the Same Mistake in the Future

  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger—right?