Mar 28 2008 8:21AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

We just added a new function to HousingZone.com -- a daily video feed on the home page. Get the latest housing news from around the country through this feed we'll update every weekday morning. Whether it's national economic news reported on Bloomberg or a local report on what's happening in Mobile, Ala., you can track the news you want with these concise nuggets.

Mar 5 2008 9:28AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

We just learned that one of our Best in American Living Award winners was one of the houses burned in Woodinville. It was a fabulous project and Grey Lundberg of CMI Homes in Bellevue is, according to Senior Editor Sue Bady, devastated by the loss. I posted a couple of pictures here, but if you want to see more of this great home, go here. It's called Urban Lodge.

Mar 5 2008 6:26AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

Every year, Professional Builder collects information about the 400 largest home builders in the United States. Given the current housing market, we expect this year's numbers to be considerably lower, and we're asking everyone to fill out a survey. Who knows where number 400 may fall. It might be you.

We also would ask you to fill out a survey no matter what happened to your company last year. We all know it was a tough market. Let's get some solid aggregated information so we can see what's really happened to us.

Please go here to download a survey and return it. We need your info ASAP. Thanks.

Mar 4 2008 7:30AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

The fires set at a "Street of Dreams" project in Woodinville, Wash., yesterday represent the perversion of environmentalism and the green movement. Here's a local news report on the event here. 

 

ELF (Earth Liberation Front) took credit for the blazes, which destroyed several multi-million dollar homes, one of which had earned the NAHB Green Home designation. The ELF Dolts took exception to that claim. So they burned the homes. Now that's a good use of resources!

Now I certainly believe we need higher stan...Read More

Mar 3 2008 2:49PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

In the February issue of Professional Builder, I wrote an editorial that received as much feedback as any editorial I've ever written. You can find the article here. One of my main points is that the U.S. consumes resources at a per capita rate 32 times greater than developing countries, and we need to reduce that consumption. (It should be noted that in spite of the provocative title of this entry, I purposely did not equate resource consumption with global warming. That's a different discussion.)

What surprised me was the thinking in the emails I've received. I expect folks to disagree and -- sometimes -- agree with what I say. However, several writers seemed to think this rate of consumption was the fault of immigra...Read More

Dec 12 2007 1:18PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (3) |

In case you’re not familiar with the phrase, “Jump the Shark,” it comes from that famous episode of Happy Days when Fonzie is water skiing in his leather jacket. Danger arises in the untimely arrival of a shark. People on the beach are frightened, but Fonzie coolly jumps the shark and all is well.

 

The phrase now denotes th...Read More

Dec 10 2007 7:10AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

One of the most difficult issues home builders face is the expanse of time between the neighborhoods and homes they’re designing now and when those homes will be built. Generally, that’s about three years, unless you live in California, when it seems to be about 10 years.

 

So, today you are faced with the task of anticipating peoples’ future wishes and desires – wishes and desires they don’t even know they have yet. Home builders who can do this successfully should also be brilliant at predicting the stock market, anticipating the next Cubs’ World Series appearance, and prognosticating who the future president will be.

 

Where do you turn for help on this kind of...Read More

Nov 30 2007 10:12AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

A little more than a year ago, we ran a couple of stories in the August issue of Professional Builder about the immigration issue and how it affects home builders. (See here and here and here) The response to the articles was significant, including people posting comments below the articles linked to above. In addition, we received letters we ran in the magazine. (See some examples ...Read More

Nov 28 2007 1:43PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

I have been watching the presidential candidates closely the last few weeks. I have also been reading the newspapers and business magazines. There seems to be a big disconnect between the platitudes spouted by the politicians and the reality reported in the media. The reality is the housing market is a huge concern to voters and is having a significant impact on the economy. 

The candidates, though, have ignored almost completely the issues surrounding the housing downturn. Dig through their websites. Look at issues statements. Read their blogs. Browse their press releases. Search their speeches. Housing gets little mention. 

Considering that many economists are worried that the slowdown in the housing market is bringing down the whole economy, you would think the pretenders to the throne would be all over this issue. Also, considering that...Read More

Nov 21 2007 8:23AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

The roll call has begun of home builders who are struggling to make it through the downturn. In recent weeks, two large companies have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection: Neumann Homes in Chicago, and Levitt and Sons, the 78-year old home builder that pioneered suburban development.

 

The Neumann Homes story is getting a little testy as countersuits are flying between Neumann and Tadian Homes, the Detroit-based builder Neumann acquired in 2005. Check out this story to learn more. Neumann vs. Tadian.

 

I spoke with ...Read More

Nov 13 2007 6:22AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

At the Avid Leadership Conference in Phoenix last week, football hall-of-famer Mike Ditka (and hero to all of us who love Da Bears) delivered some well received advice to the home builders in the audience. In these tough times, he said to remember that no one has been able to achieve success without ACE: attitude, character, and enthusiasm.

 

For motivational speakers, acronyms are the stock in trade, but the audience received Ditka’s advice with appreciation. In fact, for the rest of the conference, other speakers and audience members referred to it.

 

Truth told? This is pretty simple stuff. I mean, really? Attitude, character, and enthusiasm? Of course you need that stuff to succeed. Bu...Read More

Nov 1 2007 12:00AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

We had a fabulous web cast last week with more than 900 people registered to attend. Bill Kreager from Mithun Architects and Planners in Seattle joined Ron Jones, editorial director for Green Builder Media, and I in a discussion on "What Is Green." In case you missed it, we've posted on our web site Here.

Professional Remodeler also did a web cast on green building called, "The Quest for Green." You can get it Here

Oct 31 2007 12:00AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

Every couple of weeks, the editorial staff at Professional Builder and our sister publications meet with different product manufacturers and service providers who swing by the office. We enjoy these editorial meetings because it helps us keep up with what’s going on the industry. Sometimes, they’re great meetings when we learn a ton. Other times, they are little more than get-togethers with minor updates on what’s new.

 

Yesterday Louisiana-Pacific came by to announce a major product introduction – LP SolidStart LSL. Just our kind of meeting. A brand new product to talk about. 

So, what’s new about this product? First, it’s laminated strand lumber (as you could guess from the LSL designation)...Read More

Oct 26 2007 12:08PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

The fires that threaten communities from San Diego to north of L.A. still rage in some areas, threatening hundreds of homes. Already 1600 houses have burned. But before the flames even settle into embers, finger-pointing has begun. A Los Angeles Times article (See Here) praises new homes for their fire-resistance and expresses concerns about older homes. It raises issues of improved codes and restrictions on home building sites.

 

Much of the current fire code was put in place after the 1993 fires. It would seem reasonable to assume that there will be more calls for stricter fire control techniques in new home construction as a result of these fires. The C...Read More

Oct 25 2007 8:03AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

Is this any way to run a blog? No entry for nearly 2 months. At some point, they’re going to take me out back and put me out of my misery. Here’s the reason for the lack of attention – travel. And travel. Then travel.

In the past two months, I have been to Seattle, Atlanta, Baltimore, Las Vegas, D.C., and an off-site company meeting in Chicago. That means, I’ve been out of the office for about 5 of those 8 weeks, meaning the remaining 3 weeks were spent trying to catch up.

That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. Sorry for no posts.

The great thing about the traveling is all the stuff I got to participate in. The NAHB Fall Board Meeting in Seattle was surprisingly upbeat, considering the sta...Read More