Capital Sources for the Private Homebuilder
Meyers Builder Advisors recently hosted an event “Capital Sources for the Private Homebuilder” that provided insight into capital resources available to private builders. Jeff Meyers, Founder and CEO at Meyers Builder Advisors, brought together a strong group of panelists from Sentient Capital Funding, Argosy Real Estate Partners, Resmark Equity Partners, and Morgan Stanley Merchant Banking Group... more.

East Contra Costa Land Activity
Dataquick’s November data shows that Contra Costa County is performing like much of the state, with pockets of improvement as well as areas of continued instability. Of the thirty-five Contra Costa County zip codes studied, approximately half reported declines in median prices from 2008. However, there are definitely signs of improvement on the volume side, with more than 70% of Contra Costa County zip codes posting sales increases over 2008... more.

Start of 2010 Brings Exciting Changes to Meyers Builder Advisors
We are pleased to announce the addition of Wissam Chouceir as a Market Analyst at Meyers Builder Advisors. Wissam will be working alongside the consulting group performing research and analysis to assist in providing our clients with a tool for making informed investment decisions. He brings with him a solid background in both Finance and Real Estate... more.

Recognizing "hidden" Costs
Now that the majority of for-sale finished lots are quickly being purchased, attention will soon be focusing on mapped or “paper” lots which are now approaching historic raw land values. But unlike finished lot projects that have already capitalized a bulk of the improvement costs, mapped lots may come with a history of issues that can have a significant impact on improvements costs... more.

Sacramento Land Rush: Finished Lot Values by Zip Code
The Sacramento market has seen a flurry of land activity in recent months. Lots in Whitney Ranch that are currently in escrow are reportedly selling for $70,000 a finished lot with fees estimated at $55,000. There have been a number of bids for a stalled John Laing development comprised of 151 finished lots, 6 models, and 1 standing home in Lincoln Crossing. Bids for the small lot project run the gamut, ranging from $2.5 to $7.0 million. Roseville-Rocklin deals with $60,000 in fees are estimated to garner a price tag between $125,000 and $130,000 all in... more.

Finished Lot Supply in the Dairylands
Builders and investors will need to decide how to fill the new housing pipeline when Riverside’s current supply of finished lots runs out. To better gauge the pipeline, Meyers Builder Advisors recently compiled a detailed list of on active, halted, and future detached projects in the Inland Empire’s “Dairylands”. The converted dairyland area that straddles both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties remains one of the region’s most active submarkets because of its proximity to employment in Orange and Los Angeles counties. . more.

Where Deals Pencil in the Inland Empire
DataQuick’s May figures revealed single-family existing home prices down 36% in Riverside County while San Bernardino fell 42% from a year ago. The staggering loss in resale values has subsequently pulled down new home values as homebuilders compete with the overhang of cheap distressed homes. Despite the depressed housing values, land deals have been exchanged with more frequency in recent months as builders begin to stockpile assets in hopes of positioning themselves in time for the next upswing... more.

Jeff Meyers Brings Capital Raise Experience to Advisory Group
Jeff Meyers is highly regarded as the real estate industry’s leading strategist in market research. He built his reputation as a housing market expert as the founder of the Meyers Group, a real estate data provider and consulting firm that grew to a nationwide company with 20 offices and 300 employees nationwide. Since selling the company to Hanley Wood, he has worked in both land development and consulting. His experience in growing Meyers Group nationally, his former experience in land development and his relationship with Ivy Zelman who works close with hedge funds has further honed his skills in networking with capital partners and capital raises... more.

Due Diligence Difficulties Can be Costly
City and County budget cuts and staff reductions have begun to have an impact on services normally used by builders to identify and assess development opportunities. Information that has been easily assessable on-line is rapidly disappearing from City and County web sites, making the due diligence process more time consuming. According to David Hudson, Principal in charge of Development Services at Meyers Builder Advisors, “Home prices are not the only thing that has gone back to 1990’s”…”gathering information about a particular project is quickly becoming what our industry was like in the pre-internet days.” ... more.

Where Foreclosures Have Hit Hardest in California
There were fewer properties in California seized in the month of February according to the latest statistics by Foreclosure Radar. While default notices in the state were up 17% from a year ago to 43,836 filings, foreclosures, or Notices of Trustee Sales (NTS) inched down 2% compared to a year ago. While it may appear that banks are foreclosing upon fewer homes, the dip reflects the passage of state’s legislation (SB 1137) last year that forced lenders to make contact with troubled borrowers and explore their financial options... more.

David Hudson, Adds Planning and Entitlement experience to Meyers Asset Management Group
We are pleased to announce the addition of David Hudson as Director of the Asset Management Group being developed at Meyers Builder Advisors. Having been employed in both the public and private planning sectors for the last 25 years, Mr. Hudson has attained a broad perspective on both the philosophical concepts and practical realities of planning issues and methods by which to resolve potential conflicts between them... more.

Mixed Resale Market in Phoenix
According to the latest statistics from Arizona State University (ASU), sales of resale homes were up substantially in the Phoenix metro area in 2008 amid slowing economic conditions. There were 81,700 homes sold last year, up a staggering 50% from a year ago. When compared to historical levels, the volume of sales activity last year was robust, coming in 54% above the 21-year average... more.

Jeff Meyers is Back in the Game
OC Metro Business
These are busy days for Jeff Meyers, a man who – in a sense – is reinventing himself in the real estate consulting arena. After spending 20 years building his company into the largest homebuilding consulting firm in the United States... more.

Homebuyers seek help after builder walks away
East Valley Tribune
Industry watcher John Fioramonti, senior managing director of Scottsdale-based Meyers Builder Advisors, said Randall Martin Homes is a prime example of a startup builder that was hoping to make big bucks at the height of the construction boom but couldn't survive the market downturn. more.

For Single-Family Builders, Going Vertical Carries Risk
CNNMoney.com
"You've got to have some long-term financial strength to be able to carry the expense of that high-rise ghost town until you've sold it," says John Fioramonti, senior managing director of Meyers Builder Advisors, a real- estate consulting firm. more.