Home sales down for Beazer, but exceed expectations

The Atlanta-based homebuilding company Beazer Homes said it exceeded its sales expectations for new homes, even though the spring selling season started more slowly than the company expected.

In Beazer’s second quarter, new home orders were down 8.6 percent from a year ago, to 1,390. Closings were down 13.3 percent, to 977 closings in the quarter.

But prices were up 7.5 percent, and Beazer lost less money in the second quarter than it did last year — $8 million, as opposed to $19.6 million a year ago.