At ProDealer Industry Summit: Eyes on recovery

As the 2012 ProDealer Industry Summit (PDIS) prepares to convene in Savannah, Ga., the nation’s housing market sits on the precipice of a long-overdue recovery. The LBM industry has watched and waited, knowing that the bottom would eventually arrive. Recognizing -- and responding to -- that turning point will be the subject of several seminars and presentations on Oct. 25 to 26.

An Oct. 26 keynote speech given by housing industry analyst Ivy Zelman may help attendees make some key decisions about their businesses for the next few years. Zelman, who founded her own firm in 2007 after working for Credit Suisse Group and Salomon Brothers, conducts proprietary research that involves all aspects of the housing industry.  Although she was one of the first analysts to predict the depth of the housing bust, Zelman is now sounding bullish on the housing recovery.  One of the positive indicators, she notes, is dwindling inventory of homes for sale. 

“There’s not enough supply, given higher levels of demand,” Zelman recently told the Wall Street Journal. “With every passing month, distressed homes are being absorbed at better and better prices.” Construction of new home has been sluggish for years, and an increasing number of renters are choosing single-family homes, removing them from the available housing market.

In addition to sharing her forecast for 2013 and beyond, Zelman will moderate a panel of pro dealers discussing their views on improved planning in 2013.