April/May 2013 • FREE
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The Building Market in Big Sky…On the Rebound? A Viewpoint of Lone Pine Builders
By Elizabeth Severn-Eriksson In a recovering economy with an oppressed building market, Brian Scott of Lone Pine Builders sees a reason to be optimistic. After a grueling few years of a stagnant building market as well as a struggling economy, things seem to be looking up. Scott says they are seeing more requests for pricing than in recent years and they seem to be coming in earlier than usual. Although the building market has been relatively quiet over the past few years, Scott sees an upturn on its way. “Confidence seems to be a lot stronger,” says Scott, “and there are people who are getting ready to make a move.” Scott clarifies, “It would be presumptuous to assume everyone has the same confidence level in the economy, so naturally it varies person to person; the point at which someone is ready to make a move is different for each individual. The general feeling seems to be that the real estate market is at a low, therefore, when someone is ready to make the jump, they feel as though they are making a safe
decision, investing in something they own, whether it be buying property, building on a lot or remodeling their existing home.” As Scott explains, “The risk factor is reduced because people are basing their decisions on a longterm, tangible investment that they are going to use, not simply a piece of paper they’re unable to enjoy with a varying value.” It seems the majority of projects that are being built now, and will continue to be built in the Big Sky area, are second homes. There are quite a few remodels going on as well, for those that have decided their current home is satisfactory and they would simply like to make some upgrades and updates. Spec homes and office and commercial buildings are definitely in the minority, at least for now. Looking for a change of pace and scene, Scott moved from the east coast 10 years ago. After building a spec home and choosing the route of builder over developer, he started his own company in the early 2000s. Lone Pine Builders’ relative infancy when hard times hit economically may have been a blessing in
disguise, according to Scott. His model to remain small and use reliable subs he could depend on and trust worked to his advantage, as things haven’t changed much from the early days. His subs are still the same and they know his expectations. Scott feels that as things continue to get ironed out in the surroundings resorts, a stronger and better overall community will emerge. The Yellowstone Club is doing well, with quite a few building projects in the works. Moonlight has worked through their initial problems and Spanish Peaks is hopefully next on the list. The frantic building years of the early 2000s will doubtfully ever return, but, at the same time, a stronger economy will bring about
confidence to build. The steadiness of building will return and, hopefully, that’s just on the horizon. While the recession saw the departure of many builders in Big Sky, the group that remains is comprised of solid companies with good reputations. As Scott says, “Hopefully, the building market improves enough soon for all of us Big Sky contractors to be busy.”