How Texas Home Builders Are Weathering the Coronavirus Storm
Home building in Texas amid the coronavirus continues, but the going is slow: Sales are down, permitting is delayed, and the limitations on the number of workers on site is bringing some projects to a crawling pace. However, builders are making do with what they have, turning toward virtual showings and other digital tools to interact with clients. And due to the successful beginning of the new year, some Texas builders are hopeful that once we are on the other side of the pandemic, it will pick back up again when there is more economic stability.
Amid the global coronavirus crisis, homebuilding is continuing in Central Texas, but at a significantly slower pace to observe social distancing and other public health policies, some builders say.
In addition, as the impacts of the pandemic ripple through the new-home construction industry and the economy as a whole, builders say they are pivoting to digital business models that allow customers to tour, and even purchase, homes online.
“Obviously things are slowing down dramatically and it (homebuilding) may come to a screeching halt, but we don’t know,” said Joe Fowler, president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin, a nonprofit association that supports the residential home building industry.
Fowler, who is also a custom home builder, said builders are responding to the latest developments as best they can in the rapidly changing environment.