Despite a decrease of 231,000 total for-sale housing units in 2006, the BUILDER 100 showed their strength, closing just 3,948 fewer homes than they closed in 2005 and increasing their market share from 36.57 percent to 43.58 percent. The top 10 made the biggest gains, increasing their share of the overall market to 25.71 percent from 20.97 percent in 2005.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2002, THE TOP three companies on the BUILDER 100 list traded places. While D.R. Horton remains on top, Lennar Corp. rode a 7,209-unit closings increase to become the new No. 2, and tightened the gap on the list leader to just 3,842 closings. Pulte Homes shifts back to third, after its closings declined 9.08 percent, with Centex Corp. and KB Home rounding out the top five.