"Build to a customer."

— Custom builder Jon Finan of Exeter Builders in Raleigh, N.C., on how he manages his spec portfolio (40% of his business). Even without a signed contract, Finan builds each home to a client type: doctor, tech worker, baby chasers, etc. "It forces you to make decisions," he said. "You don't want to go out there throwing spaghetti on the walls."

NAHB Swarms Capitol Hill to Avoid Gas Ban

NAHB sent its entire Government Affairs team to Capitol Hill last week, pushing for a vote on the Energy Choice Act, which would block state and local governments from banning natural gas in homes. [What they told Congress →]

Mapping the Wealthy Town Hidden from Google Maps

A wealthy Minnesota enclave sued Google to ensure it wasn't part of Google Maps. But then  influencer Chris Carr used a drone to map it himself. "Maps are a piece of public infrastructure," Carr said. "To have an incomplete map is a disservice to humanity." [More on the town that didn't want to be found →]

Top 10 Landowners in the U.S.

The top 10 land owners in the United States manage more than 13 million acres. The list is currently led by the Emmerson Family (2.4 million acres across California, Oregon, and Washington), John Malone (2.2 acres across Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, and Florida), the Reed Family (1.6 million acres across California, Oregon, and Washington), Ted Turner (2 million acres across the Great Plains and Mountain West), and Stan Kroenke (2.7 million acres across Texas, Wyoming, Nevada, and New Mexico). [Full list →]