From commodities and construction materials to interest rates and mortgage lenders, the state of real estate is at the forefront of most business and financial debates.
Many home builders have faced troubles this year, leading to warnings and downgrades from ratings agencies. Top firms including Lennar,KB Homes, Hovnanian Enterprises, Toll Brothers and Pulte Homeshave all reported anemic sales, posted disappointing earnings and given pessimistic forecasts at various points this year.
Beazer Homesannounced it would delay filing its third-quarter financial report; on the news, its shares dropped 10 percent Monday. And every market observer remembers the infamous guidance offered by D.R. HortonCEO Donald Tomnitz in late March: "'07 is going to suck, all 12 months of the calendar year."