A Look at the Slightly Sick Home Building Industry

A spotty market for new homes, strong in some places, weak in others, is evident in the West.

The Journal of Homebuilding, official monthly magazine of the National Association of Home Builders, surveying Western building in its September issue, reports that most of the decline is in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona. with some softening in parts o{ California.

Defense and military-base cutbacks were blamed for the Pacific Northwest decline, while Arizona contractors pointed to over- building as the source of their difficulties.

No major new trends were visible, but most areas are now using a sprinkling of designs and materials not ordinarily associated with the locality, such as brick homes in the Pacific Northwest and Cape Cod styling in California.

Here are some stat€-by-state conclusions of the survey:

Arizona business has been cut back drastically to compensate for the overbuild. ing during the state's growth boom. Asked to describe the local housing market, Whit-