Builder Homesite consortium membership grows to 12 builders, including Gateway Homes, Beazer Homes USA, Centex, D.R. Horton, David Weekly Homes, Hovnanian Enterprises, KB Homes, Lennar Corporation, M.D.C. Holdings, Pulte Homes, Ryland and Toll Brothers.
AUSTIN, Texas – March 5, 2001 Builder Homesite, Inc., the emerging new home technology consortium founded by 10 of the premier US homebuilders to develop web-based solutions for the homebuilding market, announced today that Gateway Homes, ranked 117 in the 2000 Builder 400, has agreed to become the twelfth consortium member. Gateway Homes, a regional homebuilder currently building in over 18 communities, is focused on building affordable homes with quality features for the Texas market.
Builder Homesite is backed, endorsed and driven by a consortium of the nation’s premier homebuilders and focused on improving the home selection, buying and ownership experience through the use of online technologies. BHI products are being designed to provide consortium members with the benefits of new sources of revenue from an open, un-biased new home channel, reduced technology acquisition costs and the monetization of each builders’ home and community assets. The twelve consortium members represent over $29 billion dollars in gross revenue for 2000 and build over 145,000 homes in 30 states across the continental US.
“We are very excited to be a part of Builder Homesite and to be associated with these leaders in the new home marketplace,” said Tom Walker, Gateway Homes CEO. “We know the Internet is changing our market. Consumers that contact Gateway after using the web are better prepared and more motivated to purchase a new home than random walk-in traffic. Our participation in the Builder Homesite consortium is right on target with our long term Internet strategy. We believe Gateway Homes can both play a key role in and benefit from all the activities of the consortium.”
“Gateway Homes is a very successful regional builder and increases our penetration into the top 50 US homebuilding markets,” said Tim Costello, President and CEO of Builder Homesite. “We are delighted to have Gateway Homes join the consortium and become an active participant in defining the future tools and products that will be required to complete the digitization of the entire new home lifecycle.”
New Home Industry
Currently, the new home market is estimated to be a $230 billion market in the United States. PaineWebber’s eBuilder Report states that builders effectively using the Internet could see profits per-home improving by up to 30% in the next ten years. Consumer use of the Internet during the home selection process is increasing—research studies show that 62% of all new homebuyers already use the web for sources of information and service. Other research has revealed that over 85% of consumers will use or plan to use the Internet to shop for homes in the next two years.
About Gateway Homes
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Gateway Homes was founded in 1990 to provide Texas families with beautiful, distinctive, quality constructed homes at affordable prices. Gateway Homes currently has over 18 communities under construction.
About Builder Homesite, Inc. and NewHomeSource.com
Founded in Austin, TX in 2000 by a consortium of 32 of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Builder Homesite, Inc. (BHI) represents over 225,000 new home sales annually. BHI’s mission is to offer improved technology and marketing solutions for the new home industry. The first product by Builder Homesite is NewHomeSource.com, a consumer website offering the most comprehensive information and selection of new homes available on the Internet. Because of the extensive distribution network, more and more builders are making BHI their entry point into the Internet. By providing data to New Home Source, builders can also participate in BHI online partner channels, including Yahoo, eBay, CitySearch, Homegain, newspaper and realtor websites.
If you are a member of the media and have a question or interview request, please contact:
- Eleanor Bowman
(512) 413-5278