From Name: From Email: To Name: To Email: Optional Message: Has industry consolidation held back home construction? from The Wall Street Journal The housing sector isn’t dragging on the economy anymore and has begun to provide a modest boost. But housing continues to punch below its traditional weight because home construction is a shell of its old self. Economists cite several reasons, from weak household formation that has held back entry-level demand to rising land costs. Both factors have made construction of starter homes in the outer suburbs, where land is cheaper, a riskier proposition. Instead, builders have deemphasized volume and shifted towards selling a smaller number of more expensive homes with big floor plans. more 7701 Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063