Entry-level homes made the “American Dream” attainable for hundreds of millions of people, but we’re a long way from the days of when Al and Bill Levitt built the first Levittown near Hempstead, N.Y. in 1949.
While builders like D.R. Horton are finding success in the starter-home market with its line of Express Homes, many others are focusing on other demographic segments as they wait for first-timers to emerge from the sidelines in full force. Millennials are taking longer to take the homeownership plunge, and the cost of land, labor and materials has forced many builders to aim at a higher price range, leading to the question: Is the starter home an endangered species?
Over the last year, BUILDER has featured a cornucopia of coverage spanning deep-dive features, plans for starter homes, and a bevy of stories looking at what millennials want, and where they want it. The following are the most popular stories from the past year as voted on by the clicks of our site’s users:
FourPlans: Four Great Starter Plans to Start 2015
Millennial Home Buyer: Fact vs. Fiction
Are New Starter Homes History?
The Rise and Fall of the Entry-Level Home
Top 10 Markets Attracting Millennial Home Buyers
Barriers to Entry-Level: Five Places to Save vs. Spend
The Difference Between the Millennial and the Entry-Level Buyer
When Do Millennials Plan to Buy Homes?
Why D.R. Horton’s Express Homes are a Success
Entry Level Bright Spots
LGI Targets Entry-Level Home Buyers
First Time Buyers and New-Home Demand: Reverting to Normal
An End to the Lone Starter State
