Check out the graph in this article and see Blog Publisher's Comment

TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014

New Home Sales at 440,000 Annual Rate in February

The first graph shows New Home Sales vs. recessions since 1963. The dashed line is the current sales rate.

Read the full article at this link:

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2014/03/new-home-sales-at-440000-annual-rate-in.html

Blog Publisher’s Comment:

When I looked at the first chart/graph that appears in this article, I said to myself, “hmmm, the zig-zag red-line in this chart appears to mirror gross revenues achieved by the total of all firms in the reprographics business in the U.S.”  Well, not in dollars, maybe, but the trend-line. 

I got into the reprographics business in 1970.  We experienced a downturn in sales in 73-74.  We did not experience a downturn in sales in 79-82, but that’s because we were actively involved in acquisitions and mergers; those acquisitions and mergers boosted our sales.  We sold our business in 1988, so I missed out on the downturn in sales from 89-91 (but my former company did not miss out on that downturn; its sales plunged.)  I got back into the business in 1997, rock and roll times for the next 10 years.  But, I missed out on the incredible downturn that started in 2007; we sold our company in December 2007.

For those of you who’ve been in the reprographics business since the 60’s or 70’s, reflect back on your annual sales and sales trends and compare your historical results to the red line in that chart.