05 Nov 08 
Things Home Builders are doing to Stay Afloat and Sell More Homes
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Amid a market plagued by declining real estate prices, strict lending practices, low consumer confidence, foreclosures, short sales, and high inventories, selling new homes seems next to impossible. However, many home builders are hoping to increase sales by changing sales and production strategies. In markets across the nation, home builders are altering nearly every aspect of their businesses to increase sales and remain afloat during a U.S. recession and one of the worst real estate markets our nation has ever experienced. Below are a few things both large-scale and small-scale home builders are doing to sell homes.
Going Green - Increasingly, new home builders are going green by implementing green building strategies and using energy efficient products to build homes. Building a green home saves the homeowner money on their electric bill and reduces the carbon footprint that a home leaves. Products like solar-panel roofing may reduce a homes carbon footprint by as much as 48%, but combine that with energy efficient appliances, recycled insulation, water management faucets and toilets, dual pane low-e windows, CFL or LED light bulbs and any other energy saving product; and any homes carbon footprint and monthly electric cost is drastically reduced. Green homes cost more to build but many consumers are willing to pay more for an energy efficient home and home builders are discovering that the “green” label pays off in more sales.
Asking Uncle Sam for a Little Help - In 2007, the construction industry as a whole employed 11% of America’s workforce and helped create income and jobs for professionals in several industries supported by construction. New homes are a crucial component of our nation’s economy; homebuilders’ stability is vital for our recovery. Recently, national home builders and the National Association asked the government for more tax incentives for home buyers stating that the $7,500 tax incentive passed earlier this year did little to stimulate new home sales.
Auctions/Short Sales - Many widely recognized national home builders have resorted to auctioning off their inventories. D.R. Horton and Lennar are two of the largest builders who have listed properties at auction. If auctioning a home, the builder must consider the cost of construction. The National Association of Home Builders in Washington has stated that the average 3,340 square-foot home costs $403,925 to build. That is $219,015 for construction, $45,507 for undeveloped land, $65,969 to prepare the land, $11,258 for marketing expenses, and $19,499 in sales commission. As you can see, much of the expense is in the purchase and development of the land. For those builders who have purchased land prior to the 2005 peak of the housing boom, auctioning a single-family home at 30 - 40 percent lower than the asking price may not result in a loss for the builder. However, John Burns, of John Burns Real Estate Consulting in Irvine, California, warns that price declines of as little as 10 percent might wipe out any profits.
Offering Smaller Homes - California-based KB Home is one of the first large-scale home builders to launch new developments mainly comprised of smaller less expensive homes. The move is designed to compete with foreclosed home pricing. Jeffrey Mezger, KB’s Chief Executive Officer, stated that the company had to shift to smaller, cheaper houses in order to compete with foreclosed houses flooding markets such as the Inland Empire region of California. A year ago, KB’s main focus was on building 3,400 square-foot homes with a price tag of $450,000, to building 2,400 square-foot homes selling for $300,000. And while Mezger has said this worked for a time, the company has now shifted again towards even smaller, less expensive housing - 1,230 square-foot homes for $200,000.
Tags: $7500 tax credit, cost of construction, dr horton, green home building, green homes, home auctions, Home Builders, house short sales, info: home builders, jeffrey mezger, kb home, lennar, new home sales, news: home builders
18 Aug 08 New Homes in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia and had a 2006 population of 486,411 residents. In 2000, the city had 168,147 households with a 43.7% homeownership rate. There are 13 fortune 500 and 24 fortune 1000 companies with headquarters in Atlanta. The city of Atlanta has enjoyed tremendous growth in population over the last two decades, and the many economic opportunities that the city offers, will ensure a prosperous future.
Atlanta is home to several national and local homebuilders including top 10 national builders such as Beazer Homes, Centex Homes, KB Home and D.R. Horton Homes. Below is information about Atlanta homebuilders and new home communities.
KB Home is a national homebuilder with new home communities and homes located in 13 states across the U.S. In Atlanta, KB Home offers homebuyers 11 new home communities with homes starting from $110,990. KB new homes in Atlanta offer 3-6 bedrooms and 2-3.5 baths.
Feature KB Homes Community – Waterford Commons I – The Waterford Commons I offers one and two story homes from $125,990. These homes range from 1,577 – 3,319 sq. ft. and offer as many as 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Every floor plan offers a 2-car garage. This new home community is close to shopping, dining, the Wolf Creek Golf Course and interstate 285 and 20. Within the community, residents will find a swimming pool, tennis courts and a community clubhouse.
Traton Homes is a local Atlanta homebuilder building single-family new homes and townhomes in Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, S. Fulton and Paulding counties. Within the Atlanta area, Traton has 10 communities with homes ranging from the mid $200s to the low $400s.
Feature Traton Homes Community – The Verandas at Barnes Mill – The Verandas at Barnes Mill is a new home community located in Cobb County only seven miles from Vinings and I-285. This community of townhomes offers residents a large community center, swimming pools, play areas, walking trails and tennis courts. Townhomes in this community start in the mid $200s and have as many as 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths.
Homeland Communities is a ranch, single-family and townhome builder in Atlanta and has been building new homes for over 40 years. Homeland Communities has 13 new home communities located in the Atlanta area, with Atlanta new homes for sale from the $80s.
Feature Homeland Communities-Community – Woodward Hills – The Woodward Hills community is located in College Park, GA and offers residents 7 floor plans to choose from with homes starting from the $80s. New homes in Woodward Hills are 2 and 3-stories with 2-3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.
John Thomas Homes offers Atlanta homebuyers attached and detached single-family homes. John Thomas homes builds homes in four Atlanta area communities located in Cumming and Alpharetta, Georgia. John Thomas Homes start from $169,900.
Feature John Thomas Community – Kennewick Place is a single-family home community located in the prestigious area of North Fulton (Alpharetta). This community offers new homes from the low $200s and three floor plans offer basement options. In all, Kennewick Place has seven available floor plans with 10’x 10’ patios, 2-car garages and up to 2500 sq. ft.
The above information was gathered from each homebuilder’s website in August of 2008 and is considered reliable. However, please contact each homebuilder for the most up-to-date information about their Atlanta homes and communities. For more information about Atlanta real estate and Atlanta home builders, visit New Homes Section.
Tags: atlanta home builders, atlanta new homes, beazer homes, centex homes, d.r. horton homes, homeland communities, kb home, traton homes, verandas at barnes mill, woodward hills
16 Mar 08 KB Homes – Featured Dallas Home Builder
KB Homes is a premier new home builder in Dallas.
For over 50 years, KB Homes has been building homes for families across the U.S. and is currently one of the nation’s top 10 home builders. In February 2008, KB Homes was recognized as the nation’s first home builder to earn the National Housing Quality (NHQ) Certified Builder Program for all of its operations. In March 2008, KB Homes earned the recognition of one of Fortune Magazine’s most admired companies and was the top ranked home builder on the list. KB Homes builds homes in 15 states across the U.S. including the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.
KB Homes currently has the following 14 new home communities located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area:
- Spring Ridge located in Balch Springs – 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms from the high $170s
- Green leaf Village II located in Dallas – coming soon – call 888-KB-Homes for more information
- Trinity Forest located in Dallas – Up to 4 bedrooms and up to 3.5 bathrooms from the low $140s
- Trail Lake Estates located in Fort Worth – 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms from the mid $150s
- Valley Brook Estates located in Fort Worth - coming soon – call 888-KB-Homes for more information
- Lake Parks located in Grand Prairie - 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms from the low $160s
- Lake Parks 60′ V & S Series located in Grand Prairie – 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms from the mid $160s
- Monterrey Park located in Grand Prairie – Up to 4 bedrooms and as many as 2.5 bathrooms from the high $120s
- Sunset Point located in Little Elm – Up to 4 bedrooms and as many as 3.5 bathrooms from the low $160s
- Harvest Bend located in McKinney – Up to 5 bedrooms and as many as 3.5 baths from the mid $130s
- Oakpoint – Garden Homes located in Plano – 3 bedrooms and as many as 2.5 bathrooms from the low $200s
- Oakpoint – Townhomes – Up to 3 bedrooms and as many as 2.5 bathrooms from the high $150s
- Cascades – Garden Homes – 3 bedrooms and as many as 2.5 bathrooms from the high $170s
- Cascades – Townhomes – Up to 3 bedrooms and as many as 2.5 bathrooms from the mid $130s
Many of these KB Homes communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area offer quick move-in homes. These new homes in Dallas all come with the KB Home 10-year limited warranty. For more information about these new homes and new home communities in Dallas, visit www.kbhomes.com today.
*All of the information was found on the KB Homes website.
Tags: balch springs, dallas fort worth real estate, dallas homes for sale, dallas real estate, kb home, new home builder in dallas, quick move in homes, spring ridge
