Homes Across the Generations

Show Village — Professional Builder's annual model home display at the International Builders' Show — features real homes loaded with building products builders can use, all showcased in the show parking lot of the.

This year our "Across the Generations" showcase features homes catering to home buyers driving your business: baby boomers, Generation X and echo boomers.

All three houses will be modular — built in a plant and set up at IBS.

Modular "provides a level of quality and cost control," says James Seekford, vice president of the builder division for Nationwide. "Builders will find we're able to construct equal quality with the amenities they're seeing in the field. They will not have to sacrifice any quality or any features that they are currently utilizing.

"This is a viable alternative to labor concerns, build time concerns, and weather concerns," says Seekford. "A builder who utilizes building systems will be able to construct a home at a more cost-competitive bottom line than he can in most other applications."

Many builders who visit Show Village are shocked they were touring modular homes. "A lot of people may think of a modular home as being boxy," says Mike Draper, division president of Palm Harbor Homes. Modular houses today are far from that. They have "more quality, more features and more style for a lower price point," says Draper.

Before checking out these modular homes in person, look through the next few pages to see the different features and floor plans each house will offer at the show this year.

You can view manufactured products on the show floor, but at Show Village, you can see what they can do for your homes. All three model homes use the newest products to construct, decorate and furnish each home. See how the latest in technology can fit within the homes you build.

Nationwide Custom Homes' baby boomer house caters to buyers ready for retirement who want a home with luxury, comfort and space all in one. Nationwide's research of baby boomers detailed what this generation expects to find in their homes — something as simple as making sure homeowners have a fireplace and space for their families in family rooms and kitchens to move around and grow can go a long way.

What you'll find in this house:

• Natural materials and aged wood, mosaic tile and stone
• Gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry and plenty of storage space
• Library with complete computer center
• Home theater with step-down seating
• Game room with second kitchen for entertaining
• Private upstairs suite for children and grandchildren

For the Boomers - 1st Floor

For the Boomers - 2nd Floor

The Generation X Home

Palm Harbor Homes' Generation X house is geared to buyers who don't have a lot of free time and need to balance busy schedules with family life. The Generation X house design features open floor plans for family and entertaining. The products in this model will have durability for any coastal environment.

What you'll find in this house:

• Exterior environment meshed with interior materials
• A large great room, kitchen and dining area for family and entertaining
• Upstairs and downstairs laundry rooms
• Two master bedrooms: one on each level
• Loft area for entertaining
• Home theater with seating and bar area for entertaining

Generation X - 1st Floor

Generation X - 2nd Floor

Echo Boomer's Domain

Palm Harbor designed a townhouse with three units focusing on the echo boomer generation. Many echo boomers are buying their first home. Affordability plays into this plan; the selections show what can be accomplished with affordable products. The units will cater to a buyers looking for townhomes with an urban loft or cottage feel.

What you'll find in this house:

• Urban look, loft feel
• High-tech working space
• Energy-efficient products and materials
• Rich, dramatic colors for interior and exterior
• Loft for entertaining
• Multi-purpose space throughout entire floor plan