A number of builders spent their summer vacations getting bigger. Florida continued to reign as the hottest spot for acquisitions, as The Drees Co., based in Fort Mitchell, Ky., bought Jacksonville, Fla.–based Harmony Homes of North Florida; Columbus, Ohio, builder M/I Homes picked up Shamrock Homes, headquartered in Tavares, Fla.; and Meritage Homes Corp. expanded into Orlando, Fla., with its purchase of Greater Homes of Orlando. M&A activity picked up in the Midwest, too: Haworth Homes bought lots from Pulte Homes just south of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Hovnanian Enterprises acquired Oster Homes, based in Lorain, Ohio. More
