Karl E. Case’s recent OP-ED piece in the New York Times offers a contrarian view from today’s headlines about the value of home ownership.  He makes several good points about why home ownership still makes sense.  A good read for builders and manufacturer’s of building materials.

Existing home sales showed a 7.6% increase to an annual rate of 5.77 million homes in April. Existing home sales are expected to continue to outpace new home sales growth until the employment level improves.  Building material manufacturer’s should continue to focus on the remodel and repair market and pay special attention to those fixing up their homes for resale and that key period of the first six month’s after a new home owner moves in.  Read the article in the WSJ.

While reading a review of Meghan Daum’s new book, “Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived In That House”  in the New York Times Book Review, I came across an interesting fact.  After married couples, single women are the nation’s largest group of first time home buyers.

How many builders and building material manufacturer’s are targeting this important market?  Not many from what I can see.

In another positive sign for housing and the economy, home builders are once again buying up land at higher prices.  It wasn’t too long ago that they were selling off land at fire sale prices to get it off their books. Now builders like Pulte are bidding against other builders for lots.  You can read more in the article from the Wall Street Journal.