Hello readers in print and online. Fall is here and the days of endless Summer are over for another year. This is my favorite season. The weather is great here in southern California, save for the occasional wildfire. Halloween pumpkins, logs burning on the fire during the odd chilled evening and of course

Clearly any home builder with either a captive or independent design center vendor has a decided advantage over the ones that don’t. Two such examples are presented within this issue. On the one hand we have Bob Toll’s famous homebuilding company and their captive design center approach. Toll Brothers are still enjoying success with their high end product in markets as hard hit as South Florida. Options and upgrades play a large role in the sales of this type of home. On the left coast here in Southern California, Rutter Development’s high end in fill town home community is taking a different approach with an independent design center and a lot more standard packages available to buyers. The common factor is simply that options continue to play an important role in the sales process and must not be overlooked or undersold.

We have been preparing some very exciting custom home features for your consideration and perusal too. One such home also here in Los Angeles is Byrd Development’s Leed Platinum ‘Alter Eco’ home. A modern take on a celebrity inspired 1920’s Spanish Colonial that is very green indeed. There are also some kitchen ideas within and my favorite piece in this issue our tounge in cheek peek inside the fantasy ‘Man’s Room’.

Once again I would like to acknowledge all of the wonderful advertising partners who continue to support OPTIONS For Today’s Fine Homes magazine. Please be sure and tell them you saw them here!

Enjoy the Fall in your neck of the woods. Work hard and I will see you in the marketplace, or at the BIS show in Long Beach, California!

Slainte,

Nick Slevin
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
nslevin@penpubinc.com

the most fantastic sunsets imaginable all happen during this time of year. All of this and the hustle and bustle of the office and family life serve as a welcome distraction from Wall Street’s gyrations and the looming elections. By the time this gets to you we will have just elected our new President, who will have concluded an historic and expensive lengthy campaign.

Regardless of the outcome, everybody is ready for this election season to be over and for whomever gets into office to get on with the job of putting our economy back together

I tend to be a bit of an optimist, however I must say I am certain new home construction activity will begin to improve, as we move into Spring and Summer quarters of 2009.

There is a perceptible slowing in foreclosure activity across the country. The take up of distressed properties by buyers is good news for home builders and their design center vendors, seeking to get back to a more volume driven business model. Builder’s options programs are being used in a variety of ways to close deals and provide incentives to customers. Options packages are becoming more creative as individual building companies find unique programs to make that sale work.