Pro-oriented dealers' average days for accounts receivable widened to 49.76 days in August from 45.16 days in 2008, a ProSales survey found. The average varied by region and dealer size, but it went up in all cases except for dealers with $100 million-plus in annual revenues, where it was essentially unchanged.
Dealers vary substantially regarding when they expect to be paid. More than half those responding expected a payback in 30 days, a fifth wanted their money in 45 days and more than a third permitted up to 60 days. When looked at in five-day increments, the stretching out from 2008's payment rate appears most pronounced at about the 26- and 61-day points.
ProSales survey results echo findings by the National Association of Home Builders. A third-quarter survey by the NAHB reported 33% of the 362 builders responding said they had problems repaying land acquisition loans in the second quarter of 2009. Other trouble areas were with land development loans (36% had trouble repaying), single-family construction loans (30%) and multifamily construction loans (21%).
