I guess in any industry there are good times and bad times, but I am still amazed at people in the housing industry when the ride starts to go downhill.  They spend all their time_ while the market is good_ planning, financing, developing and selling homes that were poorly planned, over financed, under developed and over sold.  Then, when the market takes a dive, they look at each other with disbelief and wonder “how could it be?” 

There are two types of people in the housing industry, those in it for the money and those who are in it because they love what they do.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a capitalist and I make a decent living but I love what I do and have invested my whole adult life in the industry. 

You may be wondering, what does this have to do with bad times in the housing industry?  I think is has a lot to do with it.  It starts out with a developer who decides that it doesn’t matter what kind of product he will offer as long as he makes money.   He decides that he will use two or three plans in this development and change the façade a few times to give the appearance there are multiple choices.  It continues with the selection of “affordable” materials such as vinyl siding and plastic porch flooring which are marketed as “maintenance friendly” materials. The final product is a subdivision full of bean cans and the only difference among them is the address on the mail box.

There is a solution. Build or have your home built by a contractor who cares about the product he provides.  Spend time planning and designing your home. The best money you’ll ever spend will be getting help with planning and design.  Do research on materials and building techniques.  Use materials that are substantial and long lasting. There are a lot of materials out there besides plastic siding and flooring.  Don’t build to sell, build to live.

Guess what! When the next housing slump roles around and you need to sell your home, your house will be at the top of the list with buyers.  And, if you decide to stay, your home will be a better place to live.

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