Professional Builder (1993) articles from December 2008

Professional Builder (1993) archives from December 2008

Wilderness at The door.
December 1, 2008... By Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor BackCountry's Colorado outdoor lifestyle woos move-up buyers to the 'last, great place.' BackCountry - built on the last available land in Highlands Ranch - has opened and is selling at an encouraging...

Dream Builder.
December 1, 2008... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor Legacy Communities, whose ability to cater to its community and change with economic times, earns accolades as the 2009 Builder of the Year. Our 2009 National Builder of the Year is Atlanta-based entry-level...

When Less Means More.
December 1, 2008... By Paul Cardis, CEO, Avid Ratings How downsized homes can delight buyers Gone is the age of extravagance, where supersized floor plans and expensive amenities abound. Instead, many builders have changed their tact to reengineer smaller...

Could It Happen to You?
December 1, 2008... By Kristin Foster, Staff Writer The commercial sector has been slammed with lawsuits regarding green building certification regulations. What does this mean for green home builders? LEED for Homes, the green home certification leg of...

More than a Ceiling.
December 1, 2008... Sue Bady, Senior Editor Ceiling treatments can create high perceived value in a home. Take this dining room: it has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with what appears to be solid wood beams. However, each 'beam' is actually made of three 2-by-6s,...

Chicken and Egg.
December 1, 2008... Paul Deffenbaugh, Editorial Director The housing industry needs Congress to act now to bring buyers back into the market, stabilize home prices and begin reducing inventory. Which came first? Falling home prices? Or decreasing consumer...

Gather 'Round the Fire.
December 1, 2008... Staff Cast into the Flame Staff The Bella's unique styling and cast-iron finish makes it both an attractive new fireplace and the first cast-iron pellet stove Lennox offers. The standout fireplace features an ultra-quiet...

What Do We Do Now?
December 1, 2008... By Rodney Hall, The Talon Group Lean times don't necessarily call for lean measures. Here's what to focus on during down time. By now, every builder or developer has felt some degree of pain from this downturn. I asked some top HR...

What Luminous Beings We Are.
December 1, 2008... Staff Here Comes the Pitch Staff CFL-based lighting systems are popping up everywhere. Cooper Lighting recently added two new slope ceiling CFL housings to its Energy Star and Title 24 compliant recessed downlighting line. The...

Creative Ideas to Nail the Sale.
December 1, 2008... By Mark Jarasek, Senior Editor, Electronic Media At the 2008 Professional Builder Bench-mark and Avid Leadership Conference, Dan Barnaba, president of Liverpool, N.Y.-based Eldan Homes, shared several creative tricks he has up his sleeve...

Realtors Go Green.
December 1, 2008... Staff If you build green and rely on Realtor relationships to sell your homes, you can have a Realtor specifically for your needs. The National Association of Realtors now offers a green designation, which goes to Realtors who have...

10-Second Tip:Web Sites.
December 1, 2008... Jennifer Powell, Staff Writer Running out of ideas on how to promote your communities? Use videos and flashy photos on your Web site. Does your Web site do everything it can to usher buyers to your communities? Put up a video and sharp...

Number Crunch.
December 1, 2008... Staff Special Bailout Edition Think about it 2 According to the bailout bill, two oversight committees will be set up. The first one is a Financial Stability Board, which will include the Federal Reserve chairman; the...

We Won't Lose a Sale Over Value.
December 1, 2008... By John Rymer, New Home Knowledge Readjust your sales team's approach and get a leg up on the competition. In a very difficult sales environment, I'm hearing the best sales professionals tell me their sales presentation is themed...

Greener Pastures.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)(Company overview)
December 10, 2008... By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design Jeff Rutt was a dairy farmer before he became a home builder. He likes to say that he changed careers because he was looking for an occupation with less risk and fewer hours. 'Most people who haven't...

This Cycle's Recovery Will Be Distinctive.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
December 10, 2008... By John Burns, John Burns Real Estate Consulting To find which market will recover first, put on your consumer hat. In the 1980s and 1990s, a diversified geographic footprint served builders such as Centex and Pulte very well. Note in...

News & Moves.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
December 10, 2008... By Jennifer Powell, Staff Writer Beazer Gets New Vice President, Treasurer Jeffrey S. Hoza is the new vice president, treasurer for Beazer Homes. He previously worked for Wachovia Securities as a director in the real-estate division....

Middle-East Investors Eye Real-Estate.(SUPPLEMENT: GIANTS)
December 10, 2008... By Bill Lurz, Senior Editor These equity investors are going to be key to the industry's recovery, Bill notes in his blog. If you want to know why I'm optimistic that home builders will eventually find sources of capital to replace...

Exterior.
December 15, 2008... Staff East Coast Style Staff Hurricanes and storm seasons have been as random as a craps throw. If you want your homes to stand up to the worst and meet Florida building codes and missile impact test requirements at the same time,...

Interior.
December 15, 2008... Staff Simplified Elegance Staff White River Hardwoods took old-world style and found a way to get it at a fraction of the cost. The result is the Elegant Additions line of compact molding. The collection uses a fine-grain overlay...

Kitchen/Bath/Lighting.
December 15, 2008... Staff Fuzion Reactor Staff Jacuzzi must love its name recognition -- and the company is poised to get more of it with the Fuzion whirlpool bath. The bath is the first from the company to combine wood and acrylic construction with...

Mechanical/Electrical.
December 15, 2008... Staff Cold Gets Rheemed Staff With inputs ranging from 11,000 BTU/hour to a broiling 180,000 BTU/hour, Rheem's RTG-66X is capable of delivering hot water goods at a continual flow rate between 5 and 8.4 gallons per minute,...

Software.
December 15, 2008... Staff Best-Laid Plans Staff SoftPlan Systems has released Version 14 of its venerable software platform. Version 14 contains top drawing features including selection set capabilities that allow users to pick multiple items prior...

Structural/Tools.
December 15, 2008... Staff Fast Fasteners Staff The expanded and improved line of the versatile P13 Series Autofeed Screw systems by Pam Fastening Technology will give contractors everything they need to get 'er done faster. The P13 combines a long...

Windows & Doors.
December 15, 2008... Staff Two Scoops of Insulation Staff Clopay is introducing 1-3/8- and 2-inch-thick polyurethane insulation options to its Gallery Collection vintage-style steel doors. According to the company, this sandwiched model nearly doubles...