FEATURES

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    Hard Choices

    With the threat of a continued downturn, builders are faced with no-win propositions.

     
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    Off the Fence

    Meet 10 projects with vitality that defied the slump.

     
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    Fast Track 2008: Still on Their Rails

    In a dreadful economy, a handful of builders is finding ways to keep moving forward, profitably.

     

INSIDE STORY

  • Nose Dive

    Lot liquidations by big builders drive down finished lot values in Southern California.

     
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    Bump in the Road

    Re-evaluating a conservation easement puts one of Pulte Homes’ active adult communities on the right path.

     
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    Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

    Builders shortening selling hours because of lighter traffic could discourage potential buyers.

     

TOP SHELF

GREENHOUSE

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    Lakeside Living Green

    An extensive addition makes a minimal impact on its Lake Norman, N.C., lot while promoting a comprehensive approach to green design and building.

     

BUSINESS UPDATE

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    Cocoon Theory

    Game plan for failing builders: Shut down operations to wait for a better future.

     
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    Facing the Future

    A new builder aims to take “construction” out of home building.

     

SALES STRATEGIES

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    Green Sells

    Home buyers at all income levels are increasingly interested in purchasing a house with green features.

     

  • Retirement Postponed

    People are working longer and postponing retirement, according to Dr. Gene Warren, a Phoenix-based economist who specializes in public policy issues and the mature market.

     

  • Print Preview

    BUILDER is approached regularly about reviewing products that would be of interest to our readers. We think it makes a lot more sense to have builders try them out.

     
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    Sales Strategies: Coaching Skills

    Today’s sales managers need a complex set of abilities to succeed.

     

HOUSECALL

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    Airobatics

    Q: Heating and cooling contractors in my area can install flexible-duct systems for less than they charge to use metal duct or fiberglass duct board. But is it smart for me to choose that lower-cost option in a high-performance house?

     

PRODUCTS

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    Lay of the Land

    Landscaping holds considerable sway over your project's curb appeal.

     
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    Off the Grid

    What will your buyers do when the power goes out?

     

TECH TOOLS

  • Skip a Step

    Builder MT’s BPM tool automates dozens of standard business processes.

     
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    Green Jumpstart

    AEC Software offers a green template for its FastTrack 9 project management software.

     

NATIONAL BEAT

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    No Better Time

    The housing stimulus bill offers a good reason to get off the fence and buy.

     

LAST WORD

OTHER ARTICLES

  • Gravitational Pull

    Mounting floods of foreclosures continue to pull home and land prices down.

     
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    Learning

    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger—right?

     

  • Noble Action

    It’s hard to quibble with the housing bill that emerged from Congress.