Homebuilders Predict Low in Early 2007

Builders will use the housing slowdown as a chance to become more efficient before the market improves, which is expected to happen by the middle of next year 2007.

The correction is about 2/3 finished and that the market would hit a trough in the first half of the coming year.

Average home prices across the U.S. would appreciate by 3 % in 2007.

The slowdown offered developers a change to make operations leaner.

Industry conditions were good for consolidation, either from acquisitions among the large public companies or from private equity firms buying them out.