Silent Success for Some Charlotte Builders
By Mark Baldwin, Executive Vice President, Home Builders Association of Charlotte
By Mark Baldwin, Executive Vice President, Home Builders Association of Charlotte
Baldwin has worked with home builders associations throughout the southeast since 1979. He received the Building Industry Association Executive (BIAE) designation from the National Association of Home Builders in 2003. He is a past Board Member of the NAHB Executive Officers Council and has served as chairman of the Professional partnership Committee. He served as the NAHB/EOC liaison to NAHB Workers’ Compensation Task Force for three years. Currently serves as the Vice President of the North Carolina Home Builders Association Executive Officers Council.
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Story Highlights
• Builders are continuing to build homes in the Charlotte area
• In January, Ryan Homes enjoyed a 33.8% sales increase
• Buyers are still very interested in the Charlotte area
Believe it or not, there are builders in Charlotte that continue to build new homes and fill them quickly with happy homeowners. • Builders are continuing to build homes in the Charlotte area
• In January, Ryan Homes enjoyed a 33.8% sales increase
• Buyers are still very interested in the Charlotte area
In much of the nation and even in some parts of Charlotte, builders are cutting back and pulling fewer permits to build new homes. This is the side of the story we hear most often. What may not be as well known is the success a number of builders in Charlotte are experiencing as they compete for sales in some of Charlotte’s growth areas.
Fresh off a record sales year in 2007 which saw sales grow 16 percent over 2006, Simonini Builders continues to enjoy strong demand for their homes. Simonini is building new homes in some of Charlotte’s hottest areas including Lake Norman, the Concord/Kannapolis corridor, and south Charlotte. Anticipating future growth in Charlotte, Simonini recently announced new projects in Cornelius, Robbins Park, and in the in-town area of Charlotte, Ashton.
As reported in the local media, Saussy Burbank, a prominent Charlotte builder, recognized the potential in another south Charlotte neighborhood and agreed to complete an upscale project that a national builder backed away from. In entering the Ballantyne area, Saussy Burbank is expanding its presence in Charlotte and positioning itself in a high-growth area. According to Metrostudy, a housing industry research and analysis firm, “based on anticipated demand, the number of available houses and lots (in Ballantyne) is low compared with much of the Charlotte region.”
These builders are representative of many others in Charlotte finding a sweet spot in the market: great product at competitive prices in locations where people want to live.
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