Expressing optimism about a slow, but steady, increase in new-home sales, member of the “Builder 20 – The Hammer” club met October 15-16 in Saratoga Springs, hosted by Witt Construction.

Builder 20 Members (John Witt is pictured third from the left, first row)

This semi-annual meeting of the very first Builders 20 group, formed in 1994 and facilitated by the National Association of Home Builders, is a networking and professional growth support group for non-competing builders from across the country to share information and ideas.  It brought together builders from Florida, California, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Idaho and Montana.  They had not met in Saratoga Springs in more than a decade.

Part of the session included a house tour starting with Palazzo Riggi on North Broadway; 10 different homes in the Saratoga area; one under construction and nine nearly completed homes in the Park Alley, Old Stone Ridge and Saratoga Farm neighborhoods; Bill Parcell’s home and ending at the condominiums at Excelsior Park – all built by Witt Construction.  They also toured Witt’s 2011 multi-award winning Saratoga Showcase Home on Brown Road.

Sales and Marketing professional Charles Clark III spoke to the group about sales closing and included some role playing among the builders.  Mr. Clark was also in town to speak at a Capitol Region Builders and Remodelers Association event.”The building industry has gone through some tough times.  After getting beaten down these past few years it has been tough just to break even.” says company president John Witt.  “It is refreshing to get some good news from different parts of the country.  In reviewing each other’s’ marketplaces we found there are some bright spots, with Saratoga being one of them… at least brighter than some.”  He noted that one mid-Atlantic builder has 25 homes under construction.  Second market builders out west at the ski resort are doing better, though it is still tough.  A West Coast builder is doing well though the market is still slow there.  “It is nice to get some positive news,” Witt said in closing.  “We all come out of these meetings refreshed and ready to do better in our businesses.  Things seem to be improving slowly.