Industry Developments

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  • SVN Gilmore Auction & Realty and SVN Urban Properties Announce Belle Terre Land Auction in Laplace, Louisiana

    SVN Gilmore Auction & Realty and SVN Urban Properties Announce Belle Terre Land Auction in Laplace, Louisiana

    247± Acres of Residential and Commercial Land to be Offered in Four Parcels via Online Bidding May 14–20

    SVN Gilmore Auction & Realty and SVN Urban Properties are pleased to announce the upcoming Belle Terre Land Auction, an online real estate auction featuring 247± acres of residential and commercial land in Laplace, Louisiana. Bidding will take place May 14 through May 20 at www.svngilmoreauction.com/auctions.

    This auction presents a significant opportunity for developers, investors, and commercial users to acquire well-located land with Interstate 10 frontage, golf course frontage, existing utility access, and a range of residential and commercial zoning. The property will be offered in four parcels, ranging from 1.9 to 234 acres, with selected parcels selling to the highest bidder at or above the very low starting bids.

    The featured offering includes Belle Terre “Parcels C and D”, which will be sold together as a 234.1847±-acre contiguous tract. Located adjacent to I-10 and with golf-course frontage, the property includes a mix of undeveloped residential and commercial land, with subdivision approvals in portions and strong potential for phased development. The tract is positioned to support both residential growth and commercial expansion in one of the region’s most strategically located corridors. Belle Terre is located about 30 minutes from downtown New Orleans.

    Additional offerings include Belle Terre One, Parcel A, a 1.9095±-acre commercial site at Cannes Drive; Belle Terre One, Parcel B, a 2.2821±-acre residential site at Calais Drive, both selling to the highest bidders at or above the starting bid of $25,000 each or about 30 cents per square foot; and a combined 8.8628±-acre commercial land offering, Belle Terre Two, Phase 2, Parcel A-1 & St. Andrews Blvd. Extension Subdivision, Parcel X & Y, along Fairway Drive with good frontage and development potential. These sites benefit from proximity to established neighborhoods, office developments, retail centers, and Belle Terre Country Club.

    SVN Gilmore Auction Realty Managing Director, David E. Gilmore, CCIM, CAI, AARE states, “This is an incredible opportunity to purchase development land within 30 minutes of New Orleans with starting bids as low as 30 cents per square foot.”

    Laplace, the largest community in St. John the Baptist Parish, is located between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and benefits from access to major transportation, logistics, and employment hubs. The area also stands to gain from continued infrastructure investment, including the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project, further strengthening long-term development appeal.

    For additional information, contact Dave Gilmore at (504) 468-6800 or Sam Hurley at (504)408-2285.

    Visit www.svngilmoreauction.com/auctions for auction details, property information, and bidding terms.

  • Trumark Homes purchases nearly 200 sites in Oxnard

    Trumark Homes purchases nearly 200 sites in Oxnard

    Trumark Homes announced that it purchased 183 single-family homesites at Mandalay Bay, a master-planned community adjacent to Mandalay State Beach in Oxnard, Calif. Breakwater at Northshore in Ventura County will expand the company’s footprint in the central coast region while marking its return to Oxnard.

    The community will  include 183 single-family homes across two distinct neighborhoods, with homes ranging from 2,614 to 3,948 square feet. Model construction will begin in May, with sales following in late 2026.

    “Breakwater at Northshore at Mandalay Bay presents an incredible opportunity to build modern single-family homes offering stunning views and beachfront living in a prime area of coastal California”, said Josh Peterson, Central California Division President at Trumark Homes. “Building on our legacy in the city, we are excited to be adding much-needed housing to Oxnard for a variety of homebuyers looking to live in this one-of-a-kind coastal community.”

    Mandalay Bay is a 90-acre, 292-home master-planned community with more than 15 acres designated as environmentally protected open space.

    “Oxnard is a wonderful community for families, empty-nesters and anyone seeking a coastal lifestyle and the endless outdoor activities a prime location like Breakwater at Northshore provides,” added Peterson. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase a new single-family home in a beach community, and we look forward to showing homebuyers what Trumark Homes has to offer.”

    Photo Credit: Trumark Homes

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  • KB Home reports first quarter 2026 results

    KB Home reports first quarter 2026 results

    KB Home operates in 49 markets, in the first quarter 2026 results reported net orders of 2,846 increased by 3%. KB Home President and CEO, Robert McGibney stated that his team expects to hit peak community count during the spring selling season. He also looks to continue reducing building times to enable more efficient home delivery.

    However compared to year over year data, revenues were down 23% to $1.08 billion and homes delivered decreased 14% to 2,370. Additionally, the average selling price was down to $452,100, compared to $500,700 the year before.

    “Concerns surrounding the conflict in the Middle East have introduced an additional layer of uncertainty for consumers who were already working through numerous challenges,” said Jeffrey Mezger, Executive Chairman. ” Still, we believe we are well positioned to navigate the current environment, with the distinct personalized homebuilding experience we offer, strong financial flexibility, and a disciplined, balanced approach to capital allocation.”

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  • Taylor Morrison reports strong 2025 results

    Taylor Morrison reports strong 2025 results

    Taylor Morrison announced results for the fourth quarter and full year on Feb. 11, 2026. The builder reported 12,997 closings at an average sales price of $597,000 for the full year. Taylor Morrison expects in 2026 to close 11,000 homes at an average sales price between $580,000 to $590,00. 

    “We are pleased to report strong fourth quarter results that met or exceeded our expectations across nearly all key operational metrics, despite continued challenging market conditions,”said Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison Chairman and CEO. “”We pride ourselves on developing thoughtfully-designed communities in prime locations, often with amenities, and offering a balanced mix of spec and to-be-built home offerings that meet the needs and aspirations of our customers. As we head into 2026, I expect these competitive strengths—our diversification, attractive product offerings and consumer-centric philosophy—to be even more critical to our success as we move forward. With competitive pricing pressures unlikely to meaningfully abate in the foreseeable future and housing fundamentals continuing to evolve, we are taking proactive steps to ensure our portfolio remains well positioned to perform regardless of the market backdrop.”

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  • One builder accounts for a third of San Antonio’s permits

    One builder accounts for a third of San Antonio’s permits

    Homebuilders in San Antonio, Texas pulled nearly 3,885 residential permits in 2025. Production builder Lennar pulled of those 1,246 permits, almost exactly one third of the citywide total. Overall, the city reported a drop in permit activity compared to the post pandemic boom. Reported from the San Antonio Business Journal, permits are is down 38% from the 6,271 filed in 2021. This is not a city-wide trend, but echoes of the affordability constraints facing many would-be buyers. Lennar attributes to their success to continued incentives, including mortgage rate buydowns to sustain sales momentum.

     “Even as interest rates moved slightly lower in our fourth quarter, the overall market remained challenged.” said Stuart Miller, Executive Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Lennar, said in their Q4 earnings report. “During the quarter, we delivered 23,034 homes and achieved 20,018 new orders. Our average sales price was $386,000, while our gross margin was 17%, with SG&A at 7.9%, resulting in a net margin of 9.1%.

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  • Van Metre Companies names new CEO

    Van Metre Companies names new CEO

    Van Metre Companies, a privately held real estate development, construction and investment firm announced Mike Dunleavy as Chief Executive Officer. This comes as previous CEO, Rick Rabil, is retiring after nearly 20 years leading the company. Dunleavy previously served as CFO of Van Metre Companies since 2018.

    “Van Metre has always taken a long-term view of our business, our people, and our responsibility as a family-owned company,” said Beau Van Metre, Chairman of Van Metre Companies. “Mike is the right leader for this next chapter. He understands the enterprise at a strategic level and shares our commitment to thoughtful growth, strong governance, and enduring partnerships. We are confident in his ability to lead Van Metre while honoring the values and discipline that have defined our success.”

    “I am honored to step into the role of CEO at such an important moment in Van Metre’s history,” said Mike Dunleavy. “This is a company with an extraordinary legacy, a strong culture, and a talented team across every division. I’m grateful for Rick’s leadership and mentorship, and I’m excited to build on the foundation that has been created—continuing to grow responsibly, invest strategically, and deliver long-term value for our stakeholders.”

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  • KB Home names new CEO

    KB Home names new CEO

    KB Home announced its board of directors appointed Robert McGibney as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2026. McGibney will succeed Jeffrey Mezger, who joined KB Home in 1993.

    McGibney holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting/Finance from Missouri State University. He joined KB Home in 2000 in its Las Vegas division. He has held roles of increasing responsibility with the Company from Division President to Regional General Manager, Regional President and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President.  In 2024, McGibney was elevated to President with overall responsibility for the Company’s operations.

    “It has been a true privilege to serve as KB Home’s Chief Executive Officer since 2006 and to deliver our personalized, high-quality homes to thousands of families across the United States,” said Mezger . “I am pleased to recognize Rob in his promotion to serve as our next Chief Executive Officer.  In working closely with Rob for several years, I have been consistently impressed by his exceptional performance as he progressed through the executive ranks, and especially with the job he has done as Chief Operating Officer.  I am confident that with the experience Rob has gained over his more than 25 years with KB Home, as well as his deep understanding of our business model, he is well prepared to serve as Chief Executive Officer.  I look forward to continuing to work with Rob along with our highly seasoned senior leadership team, who have an average tenure of nearly 20 years with us, to further advance our growth.”

    “I am honored to be appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of KB Home, a special company where I’ve spent nearly 26 years, the majority of my professional career,” said McGibney.  “I have tremendous admiration and appreciation for everything Jeff has done in leading the company. I am excited about the future of our business and to work with Jeff and the KB Home team, as well as the board, to create long-term value.”

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  • D.R. Horton reports rising net sales

    D.R. Horton reports rising net sales

    D.R. Horton, one of the nation’s largest production homebuilders, reported an increase of net sales orders 3% to 18,300 homes with an order value of $6.7 billion in their 2026 first quarter earnings.

    It is noted that their enticing incentives are attracting a higher rate of first-time homebuyers. The company also reported their homebuilding return on inventory (ROI) for the trailing twelve months ended December 31, 2025 was 18.6%. Their rental segment generated revenues of $109.5 million from the sale of 397 single-family rental homes and $0.2 million of pre-tax income, resulting in a pre-tax profit margin of 0.2%. D.R. Horton is known for their diverse product portfolio, with sales prices generally ranging from $250,000 to over $1,000,000.

    “The D.R. Horton team delivered a solid first quarter,” said David Auld, Executive Chairman. “We exceeded the high end of our closings and revenue guidance and leveraged our strong financial position and cash flow generation to return $801.2 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends during the quarter.”

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  • Fed pauses easing cycle

    Fed pauses easing cycle

    The Fed at their January meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee decided not to continue easing interest rates. This holds the short-term federal funds rate at a top rate of 3.75% which was set in December. This is the first time since September that the Fed has not eased rates.

    Their FOMC statement read. “Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.”

    NAHB economists predict two more rate cuts in 2026.

    “While reductions for the federal funds rate do not have a direct effect on mortgage interest rates, which remain slightly above 6%, federal funds rate reductions do lower interest rates on builder and developer loans, helping the supply-side of the housing market,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Supplying more housing and at lower cost is key to solving the ongoing housing affordability challenge. Lower financing costs are part of the overall solution.”

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