How confused are you? To buy or not to buy a new home is the question.

Debbie Rosenstein reports on the latest news in the homebuilding industry.

This issue, I am diverging somewhat from my typical report on internal happenings in the new homes industry to encourage those of you who are truly interested in a new home, to purchase!

Your home purchase should be viewed as an emotional decision. The average length of time that you spend in a current home before moving is seven years in the Washington, DC area. Additionally, since 1950, the average yearly appreciation on your new home works out to be approximately 7% and this includes all of the lulls and boom years seen during this time in housing. At all times, your home is your haven. It is unlike any other asset you own. You not only own the asset, you spend the better part of your time, away from work, living in your asset. From the birth of your fi rst child to those of your grandchildren and all the events in between, your home is the backdrop for the events of your life. Don’t compromise; live in the home of your choice!

Having said this, let’s look at the building business.

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Changes in companies reflect the everchanging market conditions. At Ryland, Mike Disler has stepped up as the new Washington Division President, while at the same time Sue Martinez takes the reins as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Basheer/ Edgemoore has hired Leslie Fitzpatrick as its Vice President of Sales and Marketing, replacing the to-be-missed JoAnn MacHammer who is moving to North Carolina. Jodi Trusner is with M/I Homes as its General Sales Manager in its Virginia Division. Cathy Baum makes her new home at Waterford Development as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Ron Heath, back in the DC market after a sojourn in Atlanta, is selling for Potomac Heritage Homes in Maryland. Lance Leibler has taken over as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Richmond American Homes. At Stanley Martin Companies, Inc., Barry Redler is now Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Earlier this year, Gary Garczynski, Chairman of the National Housing Endowment and President of National Capital Land and Development, Inc., not to mention Past President (2002) of NAHB, was named to the Federal Home Loan Bank Atlanta Board of Directors.

Congratulations to Van Metre Homes for capturing the top spot in the Washington DC area rankings in both overall customer satisfaction and new home design in J.D. Power and Associates 2007 studies. Family-owned Van Metre Homes scored 127 on a scale of 160 in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction StudySM and 819 on a scale of 1,000 in the inaugural J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New- Home Design StudySM, outpacing 14 other fi rms in the region, most of them national in scope.

associates circle

Delucchi + launched earlier this year. With its President, Christine Delucchi and Vice President, Ann Gueffier, Delucchi + is an innovative marketing fi rm delivering smart, strategic and creative solutions for marketing residential and commercial real estate throughout the Mid-Atlantic. At this same company, promotions were recently awarded to Patricia Delk to Director of Account Services and Shawn Bankston to Creative Director. New to the Delucchi + Account Services team are Jaime Hannan and John Kelley. The firm’s new Production Director is Amy Fabbri.

Creating Results, a full-service, strategic marketing, PR and advertising company, had a busy summer, with the hiring of three new professionals – Bianca Williams was hired as Marketing Assistant for the Mid-Atlantic offi ce; Karen Cormier joined as Director of First Impressions for the Mid-Atlantic office; and Susan Bayley was hired as Marketing Programs Manager for the New England offi ce. Also, over the summer, Creating Results won the Gold Award for “Best Overall Black and White Print Advertisement” at the 2007 Best of 50+ Housing Awards given by the National Association of Homebuilders.

At a gala introduction to the industry in September, Hammer Couture introduced its new Interior Design Company to the new homes industry.

Leslie Hathaway, serving for many years as Senior Associate Publisher at New Homes Guide has been named Publisher of this same publication. Charlie Browning, former publisher, now assumes the title of Vice President, Greater Washington Publishing, Inc.