PB December 2004

One simple rule governs marketing at Bigelow Homes: say nothing in any communication that any other builder in the market could say. As is usually the case with what looks simple on the surface, the secret of Bigelow Home's marketing efforts goes far beyond the sell line in any advertisement. What Bigelow does so well is articulate to buyers the values that the built-in features of the communit...

Keeping up with the times of busy lifestyles and people wanting to stay close to home, Toll Brothers' latest model features a room dedicated to meditation or a spa-like environment. This room creates ideas for home buyers wanting a room different from the rest of the house, a place to get away from home within the home.

Imagine a community where home buyers can watch their children ride their bikes along the sidewalk from their front porch without the worries of traffic being a danger. Imagine a neighborhood where residents walk to the community post office each morning to drop off outgoing mail, and stop in at the attached café for a coffee to start the day.

While 2004 looks like another banner year, healthy top-line numbers can mask a growing problem for those in politically constrained markets like Massachusetts. There, despite a 10.5 percent increase in total permits, those issued for detached single- family homes are expected to continue a trend of recent years by dropping 5.

For years we've placed tremendous emphasis on the design and construction of front entries. From richly detailed doors to elaborate foyers with vaulted ceilings and multiple layers of crown molding, formal entryways all contribute to the initial impression of a home. At least they do if you're a guest who actually enters through the front of the home.

The good news out of the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate is that experts there see no pricing bubble in the California housing market. The bad news is that they are concerned about current high use of adjustable rate mortgages — especially down the road, as more of these loans convert from fixed to adjustable rates.

Building industry consultant John Burns believes multifamily housing is about to break out of the doldrums afflicting that sector for the last decade

If there were a way to increase a home's value by up to six percent, most builders would rush to learn how. One answer lies in paying attention to the entry door, according to the National Home Valuation Study, recently conducted. "Why build a house without a beautiful front entrance? It doesn't make sense," says Dave Koester, brand manager for Weather Shield Windows & Doors.

The once red-hot Las Vegas housing market is now showing signs of a return to normalcy, proving once again that markets do work, if they are allowed to function. Larry Murphy, president of Sales Traq, a Las Vegas firm that tracks new housing production within the context of the whole housing market, reports prices are now on a plateau in both the new and resale housing sectors.

San Francisco Bay area's Ponderosa Homes showcases its Zero-Energy home — one of the home builder's newest options — at The Classics at Ironwood in Pleasanton, Calif., through an inviting "Green Gallery." The gallery, located in the garage of a Zero-Energy model home, features comfortable seating, Zen-like décor, and four main exhibits: Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources, Wat...