Note 9.  Housing Inventories

 

Housing inventory includes land and development costs; direct construction costs; certain capitalized indirect construction costs; capitalized interest; and real estate taxes. The costs of acquiring and developing land and constructing certain related amenities are allocated to the parcels to which these costs relate. Inventories to be held and used are stated at cost unless a community is determined to be impaired, in which case the impaired inventories are written down to their fair values.

 

As required by ASC No. 360 (“ASC 360”), “Property, Plant and Equipment,” inventory is reviewed for potential write-downs on an ongoing basis. ASC 360 requires that, in the event that impairment indicators are present and undiscounted cash flows signify that the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable, impairment charges must be recorded if the fair value of the asset is less than its carrying amount. The Company reviews all communities on a quarterly basis for changes in events or circumstances indicating signs of impairment. Examples of events or changes in circumstances include, but are not limited to: price declines resulting from sustained competitive pressures; a change in the manner in which the asset is being used; a change in assessments by a regulator or municipality; cost increases; the expectation that, more likely than not, an asset will be sold or disposed of significantly before the end of its previously estimated useful life; or the impact of local economic or macroeconomic conditions, such as employment or housing supply, on the market for a given product. Signs of impairment may include, but are not limited to, very low or negative profit margins, the absence of sales activity in an open community and/or significant price differences for comparable parcels of land held-for-sale.

 

If it is determined that indicators of impairment exist in a community, undiscounted cash flows are prepared and analyzed at a community level based on expected pricing; sales absorption rates; construction costs; local municipality fees; warranty, closing, carrying, selling, overhead and other related costs; or on market studies that are performed for comparable parcels of land held-for-sale to determine if the realizable values of the assets are less than their respective carrying amounts. In order to determine assumed sales prices included in cash flow models, the Company analyzes historical sales prices on homes delivered in the community and in other communities located within the same geographic area, as well as sales prices included in its current backlog for such communities. In addition, it analyzes market studies and trends, which generally include statistics on sales prices of similar products in neighboring communities and sales prices of similar products in non-neighboring communities located within the same geographic area. In order to estimate the costs of building and delivering homes, the Company generally assumes cost structures reflecting contracts currently in place with vendors, adjusted for any anticipated cost-reduction initiatives or increases. The Company’s analysis of each community generally assumes current pricing equal to current sales orders for a particular or comparable community. For a minority of communities that the Company does not intend to operate for an extended period of time or where the operating life extends several years, slight increases over current sales prices may be assumed in later years. Once a community is considered to be impaired, the Company’s determinations of fair value and new cost basis are primarily based on discounting estimated cash flows at rates commensurate with inherent risks associated with the continuing assets. Due to the fact that estimates and assumptions included in cash flow models are based on historical results and projected trends, unexpected changes in market conditions that may lead to additional impairment charges in the future cannot be anticipated.

 

Valuation adjustments are recorded against homes completed or under construction; land under development; or improved lots. Write-downs of impaired inventories to their fair values are recorded as adjustments to the cost basis of the respective inventory. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, valuation reserves related to impaired inventories totaled $119.0 million and $122.0 million, respectively. The net carrying values of the related inventories totaled $136.4 million and $137.7 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. The Company periodically writes off earnest money deposits and preacquisition feasibility costs related to land and lot option purchase contracts that it no longer plans to pursue. During the first quarters of 2015 and 2014, the Company wrote off earnest money deposits and preacquisition feasibility costs that totaled $413,000 and $618,000, respectively. Should homebuilding market conditions weaken or the Company be unsuccessful in renegotiating certain land option purchase contracts, it may write off additional earnest money deposits and preacquisition feasibility costs in future periods.

 

Interest and taxes are capitalized during active development and construction stages. Capitalized interest is amortized and included in land costs within cost of sales when the related inventory is delivered to homebuyers.

 

The following table summarizes the activity that relates to capitalized interest:

 

The following table summarizes each reporting segment’s total number of lots owned and lots controlled under option agreements: