New column for March 2010 issue of Builder & Developer magazine now online

My column for the March 2010 issue of Builder & Developer magazine is now online. For this issue, I focused on how builders are downsizing square footage but keeping high-quality materials and focusing on compelling designs demanded by today's buyers. You can read the entire article by clicking here.

An excerpt:

For years we’ve been hearing about gradual changes in the interior preferences of homebuyers, but during the boom years many builders stuck with the tried and true rather than risk their production schedules – and profit margins – on risky changes. Of course with discounted short sales and foreclosures continuing to dominate most local housing markets, new homes not only have to be competitively priced, but offer updated design cues and interior amenities...