Modular homes, luxury hotel, hotel REITS

Modular homes for Arizona - Dallas-based Palm Harbor Homes (NASDAQ: PHHM), one of the nation's largest mobile home marketers, is making its modular homes available in Arizona. The homes feature a variety of external styles and can be built to local codes or building specifications to be placed on a buyer's lot or in a subdivision. The modular homes offer new options to people who may have felt they could not afford a custom-built home in the past.

Atlanta's most luxurious hotel - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE:HOT) plans to build a new St. Regis property in Atlanta. The 26-story, 150-room hotel is expected to be Atlanta's most luxurious hotel. Scheduled to open in the first half of 2008, The St. Regis will also feature 50 luxurious, wholly-owned St. Regis Residences. Many of Atlanta's most prominent residents have already reserved more than half of the exclusive residences.


Checked into a hotel REIT lately?
A number of factors are spurring growth in hotel REITS. Business travel and conferences are enjoying a recovery. Domestic tourism, which had been suffering since 9/11, is also recovering nicely and should continue to rise as unfavorable exchange rates dampen international travel. According to Business Week, hotel REITs have reported an increase in revenue per available room between 7% and 12% in each of the past few quarters.