Del Webb Twenty-Third Member in Builder Homesite Consortium
Austin, Texas – April 9, 2001 Builder Homesite, Inc., the emerging builder-founded consortium for the new home market, today announced that Del Webb Corporation, ranked 9th by the Builder 100, has signed up as the twenty-third consortium member. Del Webb, based in Phoenix, is the nation’s leading builder of active adult communities for people age 55 and older and is the vanguard of the development of master planned communities for all ages.
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 builder’s home and community assets. The twenty-third consortium members represent over $36 billion in gross revenue for 2000 and build over 172,000 homes across the continental United States.
“Del Webb is very excited about the opportunity to be part of the Builder Homesite consortium, and join with the other builders to define the future of the homebuilding market,” said LeRoy Hanneman, CEO, Del Webb Corporation. “The Internet is an integral part of our business initiatives and we see exceptional market potential in leveraging the consortium’s strength, products and services and be able to deliver immediate value to our customers.”
“BHI consortium members represent a powerful cross-section of the leaders in the homebuilding market,” said Tim Costello, President and CEO of Builder Homesite. “Del Webb with their leadership and focus on creating active adult communities is a perfect example. Each member brings expertise that is invaluable and will help us build the most comprehensive set of services and tools on the web and for the homebuilding marketplace in general.”
New Home Industry
According to Hanley Woods 2000 Builder 400 Report, the top 200 builders in the United States are responsible for over $56 billion dollars in revenue (Single Family Detached Homes) with over 320,000 closing annually. The membership of the Builder Homesite consortium dominate this list and are responsible for over 50% of the homes built by the Top 200 Builders 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 Del Webb Corporation
Del Webb Corporation, based in Phoenix, is the nation’s leading uilder of active adult communities for people age 55 and older. The company operates active adult communities in markets including Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Palm Desert, Lincoln, Calif.; Hilton Head, S.C.; Georgetown, Texas; Ocala, Fla.; and Chicago, Il. The company also builds family and country club communities in Phoenix and Las Vegas.
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.
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- Eleanor Bowman
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