What's The Real Problem For Builders?
Mark Mitchell
Building Materials Sales and Marketing Growth Consultant. Win and keep more customers to grow your sales
In my discussions with builders, the most common refrain I hear is, if I could get more labor, I could sell more homes. I have also wondered about how much the financial problems, from student debt or affordability and disinterest in home ownership of younger, first-time buyers is slowing growth.
I don't hear builders tell me that first-time buyers are holding them back today, they say it is labor. When we were at the peak of the market, before the crash, the availability of materials was sometimes a problem.
I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal that the availability of affordable, desirable land is holding back some builders.
I assume this is a geographic issue. Finding land in Toledo, Ohio is probably a lot easier than in Denver, Colorado.
So my question is which of these three issues is having the most effect on builders? Is it labor, first-time buyers or the availability of land? Or is it something else that I haven't even thought about?
What are your thoughts?