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The International Builders' Show is here once again and offers a wealth of products, exhibits, speakers, and more. Make your plans now with our online guide to Vegas and the show.
D.R. Horton is one of the most acquisitive builders in the industry, picking up 17 companies since 1994 from Hawaii to Florida. But three deals stand out in CEO Donald Tomnitz's mind: Continental Homes in 1998, Cambridge Properties in 1999, and Schuler Homes in 2001.
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By Steve Zurier. Builders have wanted to integrate field data from a handheld task management application to a back-office system for years, but many of the available solutions on the market were too expensive for most builders. Now, Punch List, a task management application for the Palm handheld...
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The vast majority of builders--well in excess of 50 percent according to the NAHB--now offer home theaters as an upgrade. But that doesn't mean all builders are making money on home theaters. Talk to a home technology integrator and he'll say too many jobs still wind up as retrofits, because...
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Back-office software helps Arizona builder control costs and increase net income.
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Permit and inspections software takes the pain out of processing permits.
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Blue Line Series speakers are specifically designed to meet standard builder requirements.
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By Steve Zurier. Realm Business Solutions has sold NewStar to Toronto-based Quorum Group for an undisclosed amount of cash. Eric Shishko, the company's president and CEO, says NewStar is committed to the construction industry and that it will have a strong presence at the International Builders'...
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By Steve Zurier. After trying to sell off the FAST portion of it business, Dallas-based Hyphen-Solutions has chosen instead to operate FAST as a separate business unit. Web-based customer relationship management software for FAST will be released in spring 2004, and a new version of FAST, 7.3, will...
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By Steve Zurier. Sigma Design, the makers of eZ, a live online meeting software product, have recently added the ability to distribute software online, which makes it simpler for the company to sell the product as an online service. Now, instead of charging $399 for each user, eZ costs $99 a month...
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New sales and marketing software analyzes customer preferences to predict what customers want today.
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Bullnose corners. Layered geometric patterns. Fiber optic glamour lines and sweeping curves. With dozens of specialty beads, new tools, and even complete dome-building packages available, why not enhance your drywall detailing? For a couple hundred bucks' worth of labor, you can create a...
Trends to look for in 2004: Colors and textures get all mixed up, especially in the kitchen; The look of the moment is designs from the past; Energy-saving is big with conservation-minded buyers. And more...
By BUILDER Magazine Staff. When times are good anyone can sell, but as the market softens, sales software can help builders sharpen the way they manage documents and sales leads. Sales software from companies such as Builder1440, Sales Simplicity, and Homestore's Computers for Tracts should have...
By BUILDER Magazine Staff. Concerns about the cost, availability, and deductibles for liability coverage ranked as three of the top five problems for builders, according to the NAHB's 2003 "Critical Issues" survey. Syncon Homes of Northern California, for example, this year made quality its...
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Trends in design, technology, business, and products bring builders and their customers closer together in a big year for housing.
It's not unusual to hear land planners talk about communities that have dedicated themselves to being good stewards, about local officials and developers working together to preserve precious resources, about building plans that promise to maintain habitats and open space. There's a lot of that...
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If you can't find or afford adequate liability insurance, you're not alone.
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A small number of companies have gained significant market share, thanks to mergers and acquisitions.
Home builders should be proud of their contributions this year to both the U.S. economy and the stability their product creates.
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- Congress debates the future regulatory oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
- Department of Commerce awards $397,899 to the NAHB to help fund Access Mexico.
- EstimatorPro 5.0 provides builders and customers with accurate, timely estimates.
One consequence of the traditional neighborhood design movement is that the front-loaded garage has become a pariah. The garage, critics charge, is an overpowering element on the elevation and an eyesore to passers-by--hence, a preference for the alley-loaded garage.No doubt the backlash against...
If you build entry-level houses for buyers who prefer value to flash, a run-of-the-mill storage system will be more than adequate. If you're catering to the move-up buyer, however, you better change your strategy. To this group, closet storage is more important than it used to be.
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National homeownership rate hits new high of 68.4 percent in third quarter as Americans choose to buy their own place.
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What do you get when you combine a super-tight, energy-efficient home with a large photovoltaic array and a solar hot water heater? You get a home that produces more energy than it consumes--in theory at least.
A storefront sales gallery draws attention for multiple mid-rise projects nearby.
History comes alive at The Pinehills.
A creative approach encourages Realtors to visit the entirety of Vista Lakes.
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Will alternatives to CCA-treated wood eat away standard metal fasteners?
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Innovative California program helps low-income residents put their voucher dollars toward homeownership.
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According to the Census, the cheapest U.S. city for homeowners is Flint, Mich. The costliest? Stamford, Conn.
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Remember your old erector set? Here's the adult version.
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In North Carolina, a contemporary art museum challenges designers to come up with a new housing model.
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The Palmetto Brick Co. in Cheraw, S.C., says it has created a new estimating tool that increases the materials efficiency of brick work and could save builders $300 to $500 per job.
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A Florida builder who lost his son to leukemia hopes to take fundraiser national.
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Builders face health insurance cost increases of 15 percent or more, as a potential remedy for small businesses stalls in the Senate.
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By Matthew Power. Florida developer Rene Lepine, who heads Maison Saint-Antoine, has undertaken an unusual modular project in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He purchased 60 lots over two years and fitted them with affordable, code-approved modular units.
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By Steve Zurier. The First American Corp., a financial and real estate services company based in Santa Ana, Calif., and the Greenlining Institute, a San Francisco coalition of consumer, church, civil rights, and business groups, have joined forces to extend homeownership opportunities to minorities...
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By Nigel F. Maynard. Lunar Realty in Melbourne, Australia, is selling one-acre blocks of property on the moon for $40 and 10-acre "lifestyle" blocks for $202. Businessman Paul Jackson bought the Australian rights to sell the land from Nevada-based entrepreneur Dennis Hope, who had registered a...
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By Alison Rice. A federal district judge has dismissed a Texas homeowner's lawsuit against KB Home. While the Federal Trade Commission agreed with that assertion in its friend-of-the-court brief, it said that a third party like Pruitt couldn't sue to enforce the decree.
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By Alison Rice. Terms were not disclosed for the deal, which is expected to bring Toll a new presence in luxury mid- and high-rise development in northern New Jersey. Coppenbarger is expected to provide 450 homes and $100 million in revenue to Standard Pacific in 2004.
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By Steve Zurier. The Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA) has released a position paper on local tax reform policy in the wake of the state's attempt to wean itself off using property taxes to fund schools and offset its $500 million-plus budget deficit. The PBA also says it's open to discussing...
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By Matthew Power. A new study by the National Association of Realtors shows that 62 percent of Americans have deep concerns about whether firefighters, teachers, and others in their communities can afford housing. Seventy-one percent believe government should put affordable housing higher on its...
A massive newspaper investigation exposes the weak underbelly of new-home construction.
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By BUILDER Magazine Staff. A discussion and demonstration on how builder design centers and warranty departments can leverage the tools of technology and the internet to create 1. This session will explore how progressive builders are turning internet leads into sales, the profile of a successful...
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The Educational Seminars listed on these pages are included with your full registration for The 2004 International Builders' Show(R). Builders and sales professionals will learn how to improve their own sales programs from the presentation and discussion of the compilation of 40 field-tested forms...
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By BUILDER Magazine Staff. We'll give away one motorcycle each day of The International Builders' Show, and you could be a winner! Just complete an entry form and drop it off in the Harley-A-Day box in the Theme Center in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center before the Exhibit Floor...
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Where do 90,000 building industry professionals go to find the most complete set of tools for increasing profits? Head back to Vegas for another four-day record-breaking event and find the suppliers, the education, and the networking opportunities you need for the year ahead.
By BUILDER Magazine Staff. At KB Home, Leah Bryant is committed to top-notch customer satisfaction. Bryant was recently made regional general manager of KB Home's Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson, Ariz., divisions.
Co-sponsored by BUILDER and Home magazines, this idea home demonstrates how families really want to live. Built in Nevada Trails, a 335-acre, 1,550-unit master plan in southwest Las Vegas, the Ultimate Family Home eschews modern design trends by putting all of the bedrooms on the same level instead...
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By Pat Curry. There's no shortage of ways to keep busy during the 2004 International Builders' Show (IBS). Topping virtually every builder's list of places that make Las Vegas memorable is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
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By Kent Conine. Mark Jan. 19-22, 2004, on your calendar, and start packing your bags and planning what you're going to see and do during the upcoming International Builders' Show (IBS). The highlight of a day of special programs showcasing the use of technology in new homes, Immelt's keynote...
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Maple Street Homes is making it easier for public service workers (police, fire, and EMS personnel) and other groups it calls "hometown heroes" in Cincinnati and northern Kentucky to own homes.
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By Steve Zurier. Running your business over the Web doesn't mean anything unless the information on the site is up-to-date and the sales leads that come in get into a salesperson's hands fast enough to convert into sales. Mark Stahl, vice president of sales and marketing for PN Hoffman, a...
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After all the time and money it takes to set up a small-office wireless network, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to easily share files between the desktop that sits in the office and the wireless laptop that a builder uses out in the field. The only thing worse is losing the data...
Generations of builders continue the legacy of their fathers and grandfathers. Two words come up repeatedly among builders who work in their family companies: honesty and integrity.
Show homes may push builders to the limit--but they also provide exposure to thousands of people in a short amount of time, open doors to developers they hadn't worked with before, offer additional sales, and enhance reputations. A semi-custom builder that builds 80 to 100 high-end homes a year in...
A New York builder resurrects a problem-plagued development and delivers lofts, townhomes, and a community center with a heavenly past.
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Win or lose, arbitration has become one of the more controversial practices in home building today. The process, first adopted in the home building industry by U.S. Home (now part of Lennar Corp.) in its contracts in 1989, requires dissatisfied buyers to resolve disputes with their builder outside...
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A new consortium seeks to build a Web-based options selection system.
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Linear Corp., based in Carlsbad, Calif., the electronics subsidiary of building materials manufacturer Nortek, recently purchased SpeakerCraft for $58 million.
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Builders looking for an easier way to prewire an in-house security system can now opt to install the Cat5 Camera Monitoring Solution from Pittsburgh-based Greyfox Systems.
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SiteStream Software is looking to duplicate its popularity in the United Kingdom here in the United States with construction management software that features modules for land, construction, sales, and warranty management.
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BeHomeWise recently went live with E-Leads.
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Volumes have been written on how companies can reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of an information technology investment, but most of the case studies are geared toward information technology departments and rarely deal with the specific concerns of the building industry.Now, builder...
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Integrated security can boost new-home sales.
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Each year, with feedback from builders nationwide, the NAHB Research Center's Annual Builder Practices Survey (ABPS) documents materials usage in new-home construction. The ABPS covers new-home construction material purchases by volume, size, style, type, and other characteristics. A review of 2002...
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By BUILDER Magazine Staff. Each year, with feedback from builders nationwide, the NAHB Research Center's Annual Builder Practices Survey (ABPS) documents materials usage in new-home construction. A review of 2002 results shows a continued movement toward the use of durable exterior materials.
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NAHB's current long-term forecast shows housing production numbers that compare quite favorably with recent performance. In fact, the housing production pie promises to expand significantly over the next 10 years.
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Thanks to a major push by the NAHB, home builders are finally getting their day in court and prevailing on issues that have major repercussions for the cost of housing. Nobody wants to become embroiled in a lawsuit if they can help it. But there are times when legal action is the only remedy, and...
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- The NAHB urges the U.S. Forest Service to ensure the adequate supply of timber nationwide and protect the livelihood of builders and other local businesses in Alaska.
- Chairman and CEO of General Electric Co. to provide the technology keynote address on at the 2004 International Builders' Show...
You expect your truck to take you to work and haul all your tools and equipment to the jobsite. But what has it done for you lately? Has it done anything unexpected? The truth is, your truck should be working harder. It would be more useful if it could, say, double as a covered work area or simply...
Building homes efficiently is all about having the right tools to make the job easier. Power tools can be a big help; so, too, can having the right kinds of job-site equipment. Manufacturers are stepping up with old and new offerings to meet this need.
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While consumers may not be as sensitive to rate increases as expected, they are still watching those numbers closely. As interest rates rose steeply in early September, enthusiasm for home buying cooled a touch. According to preliminary numbers from New York-based research firm The Conference...
Why it worked: Located in the heart of Vero Beach, Fla., Kenwood Village offers both full-time residents and visiting snowbirds a wide choice of floor plans, a long list of standard amenities, and prices that can't be beat.
Why it worked: Buyers were willing to trade a 45-minute commute to San Diego for such creature comforts as high-ceilinged family rooms, oversized three-car garages, and 6,000-square-foot lots. Prices start at $270,000, which is downright affordable for Southern California.
Why it worked: Location and lifestyle combined to make The Residences at Black Rock in Hingham, Mass., an instant hit--even with prices ranging from $800,000 to $1.3 million. The former granite quarry is just 15 miles from downtown Boston and offers golf club membership for every homeowner...
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When asked for the one word that describes family life at home, participants in our focus groups expressed amazingly similar sentiments. "They used words like crazy, frantic, chaotic, and wild," says Barb Nagle of Marketscape Research and Consulting, who conducted the focus groups. "For parents and...
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With manufactured home shipments at 40-year lows, even top HUD-code builders are struggling for profits. In September, Champion Enterprises, the country's biggest manufactured housing builder, announced plans for ending its red ink: the closing of four factories, 35 stores, and HomePride Finance...
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A new four-year study conducted by two professors of agricultural and environmental economics shows that in at least one rural Pennsylvania county, open space within 400 meters of a house has the most positive impact on house prices, followed by single-family homes on large lots. A landfill within...
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Builders and developers in the United States should take note of the sudden demise of posh, oversized custom homes in Britain. You think planning regulations are too tough here? English lawmakers recently set a moratorium on permits for the building of "grand country manors." On the other hand...
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Caldera Place Apartments in Concord, Calif., is just 12 units of very low-income housing, but it's been garnering some mighty big praise lately. Erick Mikiten, the architect responsible for its inventive design, was recently presented with the 2002 Alan J. Rothman Award for Best Accessible Housing...
Lack of land, regulatory barriers, and the dearth of affordable housing are all challenges that haunt the future of the building industry. But Kent W. Colton, senior scholar at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, thinks there's a bigger--if somewhat unexpected--challenge on the horizon:...
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Getting your power tools serviced and repaired can be a hassle. If you send them away it can be expensive, and it can be tricky ordering the right parts if you're doing the work yourself. Baltimore-based DeWalt has taken the hassle out of servicing its products
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For Texas custom home builder Kelly Beal, plans for the 60-foot residential pyramid he's constructing outside Fort Worth, Texas, came about just the way many designs for more conventional houses do--on a piece of scratch paper. "You've heard about the old bar napkin?" says Beal, president and CEO...
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A collaboration tool saves one builder nearly $60,000 in annual costs.
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One U.S. forest products company and its customers adopt a dramatic new policy of environmental stewardship.
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The popularity of SUVs is forcing custom home builders to rethink the standard 21-by-21-foot garage with a 7-foot-tall door. Current trends include three-car, 22-by-22-foot attached garages with 9-foot door openings; supplemental unattached garages; and, for the truly space-oppressed, two-story...
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Barratt American is going urban. Early in 2004, the Carlsbad, Calif.-based builder expects to begin work on the Metrome, a 184-unit, mid-rise condo building in a rapidly developing area of downtown San Diego. It represents one of the first ventures for Barratt American's urban development division...
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Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is calling for building code changes that will require 10 percent of single-family homes and townhouses to be made livable for people in wheelchairs and 10 percent more to be built with wider doorways and wider staircases, in addition to other changes.
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The California Association of Realtors reported in the fall that only 26 percent of the state's households could afford a median-priced home, a drop of 2 percent over the past year.
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Housing values are still rising, but more slowly than they have in the past, which has soothed bubble-related concerns. Year-over-year, the average U.S. home price increased 5.56 percent between the second quarters of 2002 and 2003, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight...
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U.S. Census data show that the median lot size for new single-family homes declined from 9,750 square feet in 1992 to 8,612 square feet last year. One result of this down-sizing, experts say, is an increasing demand for zero-lot-line homes.
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New Jersey's Council on Affordable Housing plans to eliminate the state's quota system based on projected population growth and will instead tie development of low-cost housing to job and population growth. Under the plan, one in every 10 units would be set aside for low-income residents, and for...
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The Sunshine State is the place to be for growth-oriented builders. In September, M.D.C. Holdings bought the assets of Crawford Homes, a top 10 builder in Jacksonville, Fla., for an undisclosed price. Crawford closed 302 homes in the first eight months of 2003, with an average sales price of $157...
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The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that the hourly wage needed to afford fair market rent rose 37 percent in four years: from 1999's $11.08 an hour to $15.21 in 2003. The group's report, "Out of Reach: 2003," says the least affordable states are Massachusetts, California, New Jersey...
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Fannie Mae plans to launch its Smart Commute initiative program in Baltimore. The program provides larger mortgages as a reward to home buyers who choose to live near transit stations. It will be the 12th market to participate in the program. The initiative requires that the property being...
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Unless you've been on vacation for the past six months, you've been slammed by huge cost increases in plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and softwood framing. How did this happen?
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If housing were a professional sport, newspapers would be full of praise right now for its heroic performance. Cities would be throwing ticker-tape parades. Fans would be lining up to buy season tickets. Columnists would be campaigning to give housing the most valuable economic player award.
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Distributed audio is no problem--if you take the time to plan properly.