Well, not exactly here again, but coming soon. When I heard Warren Buffet earlier this year say he’d buy a couple hundred thousand houses if he could, I thought that idea would likely become an investment mantra for many. It has.

Investors groups are buying homes by the thousands (understanding that you still mostly have to purchase them one at a time) and shrinking the glut of vacant, foreclosed homes. The article The Housing Market: Pulling Its Weight at Last from the Economist shows the homeowner vacancy rate finally dropping while the housing starts increases.

The stock of new homes on sale is the lowest on record. Even though unemployment will likely stay reasonably high and more foreclosures still need to occur, it seems the worst is finally over. Home prices should continue on their rebound, with other home related spending also increasing.

Of course, we won’t be headed back into boom territory due to the tighter (and certainly more reasonable) credit requirements for home purchasers. You now need to do more than just draw breath and sign your name to get a mortgage.

This fact should keep the rental market continuing to be strong. We still build lots of apartments and they fill up as quickly as we build them. So if you are contemplating starting a new construction business or expanding what you have, now looks like a good time to me. Remember the basics: provide amazing customer service, stay current with technology and keep your overhead costs minimal.