Social Networking: How Housing Might be Missing the Boat | Big Builder Online

This is a great blog post from Big Builder magazine, but will the audience it’s intended for ever find it?

This group of professionals saw an opportunity to move the needle on SG&A by reducing marketing and advertising expenditures. However, participants agreed that any reduction had to be strategic; remaining dollars in the budget had to be thoughtfully deployed to return the greatest number of serious rather than just curious prospects.

The consensus was print advertising was dead–it was deemed expensive and ultimately lukewarm in its effectiveness–which left the Web as the go-to source for fresh blood. However, there was uncertainty around how best to use the Internet to connect with younger buyers. They were aware of the growing importance of blogs, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and instant messaging technologies. However, not a soul in the room had any sure-fire ideas about how to use these interactive tools to drive builders’ businesses.

view the rest here: Big Builder Online: news and analysis exploring the management, finance, and operations of America’s big builders.

Now, if there was only someone that knew how to manage all this new “technology” stuff… hmmmm…

D.R. Horton’s Tampa Bay division goes viral! | NHD Buzz Press Releases

Tampa, FL – D.R. Horton diversifies its online strategies by joining social media networks and industry-related websites.

Jonathan Torres, marketing and advertising coordinator at D.R. Horton Homes in the Tampa Bay region, said “with reduced marketing budgets and the growth of new media, we have to find new and more cost-effective ways to reach potential buyers. That’s why we’ve made a conscious effort in joining networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and even starting our own local blog. We’re also targeting websites that put us in front of active buyers and their realtors looking for new homes such as Realtor.com, NewHomeGuide.com, NewHomeSource.com, and BuilderInventoryDeals.com.”

via D.R. Hortons Tampa Bay division goes viral! | NHD Buzz Press Releases

StreetInsider.com – More Insider Buying At Homebuilder Lennar (LEN)

October 31, 2008 1:46 PM EDT

Homebuilder Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN) sees more insider buying. Director Kirk Landon disclosed today he bought 20,000 Class B shares on 10/29 at $4.24.

A few days ago, two other Lennar executives, the CFO and another Director, disclosed purchases.

Lennar Class A shares are up 10% today to $7.73. The 52-week range is $5.52 to $22.73.

via StreetInsider.com – More Insider Buying At Homebuilder Lennar (LEN)

What does this mean for Lennar? Are they in trouble or are they taking advantage of the drop in its stock price seeing a potential “light at the end of the tunnel”?

Doerful to succeed Narkiewicz as head of TBBA – Tampa Bay Business Journal:

Jennifer Doerful has been named the new executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, a position that will soon be vacated when Joseph Narkiewicz retires.

Doerful currently is the director of governmental affairs at TBBA, and was the unanimous choice by a search committee headed by TBBA president Peggy Templeton.

Doerful to succeed Narkiewicz as head of TBBA – Tampa Bay Business Journal:.

Good News, Bad News

Oh, if it were only a figment of our imagination...

 This will more than likely be a topic I’ll be doing pretty frequently. Here are two articles from the same publication (St. Pete Times) that contradict each other.

First, let’s rip the band-aid. The bad news focuses on the builders, building starts and permits (nationally). Yes, they’ve slowed down, but we’re still building right? There’s quite a bit of comparisons to the 80’s and 90’s for such a short article, but then again isn’t that when things were “normal”? Robert Toll (Toll Brothers) makes a cameo in the article saying things are “dismal” and then using some odd metaphor. It’s no secret the luxury home builders are feeling the crunch more-so than most.

Happy Time! GTAR does a good job here of leaking every bit of positivity they can proclaiming a higher number (5% increase) of sales in Tampa Bay than the previous month. There’s no breakdown of exactly what types of homes are selling (short sales?) and just when we’re ready to jump on the “love train” the article manages to commit a major party foul by reminding us that “The top July for sales was 2,932 homes in 2005. This year’s showing is 54 percent below that peak.”

Yeah, we know. We were there. Thanks.

St. Pete Times: Home building activity, confidence drop in unison; Tampa area home sales post July rebound

An outsider on the inside…

I think I see something… wait, guess not.

Being a part of the real estate industry over the past few years has been interesting to say the least, and continues to be on a daily basis. What I hope to accomplish through this blog is to bring to light the great things and the not-so great things about this downturn in the industry and more specifically, the Tampa Bay market. I plan to bring the knowledge and information of someone in the industry with a perspective from someone who is still trying to get his bearings on the future of the real estate industry locally and nationally.

With a focus on news, marketing, and advertising, my intent is to constructively criticize and analyze the strategies used by the companies that may be mentioned, and the news that will help shape the perception of the industry throughout the lifespan of this blog. I hope for those that read this site that they are able to take knowledge, information, and a fresh perspective on the real estate market in Tampa Bay as the industry goes through one of its most evolutionary periods.

Your comments and contributions are encouraged. Let’s have some fun.