Build a Stronger Business with EOS
A Proven System for Focus, Accountability and Growth
Running a successful homebuilding business takes more than delivering quality homes. It requires strong leadership, clear priorities, effective teamwork and the ability to navigate an increasingly complex business environment.
The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a proven set of practical tools and processes designed to help business owners and leadership teams get more from their businesses. Rather than adding complexity, EOS helps organizations simplify operations, establish accountability and focus on what matters most.
For members of the El Paso Association of Builders, EOS can offer valuable benefits, whether you operate a small contracting business, a growing construction company or an established homebuilding operation.
More Focus. Get everyone working toward the same vision, with clearly defined goals and priorities. EOS helps leadership teams identify what matters most and concentrate their efforts on achieving measurable results.
Stronger Teams. Establish clear responsibilities, improve communication and create a culture of accountability. When everyone understands their role and what is expected of them, teams can work more effectively together.
Sustainable Growth. Identify and solve problems before they become larger obstacles. EOS provides a structured approach to making better decisions, improving processes and building a business that can grow without sacrificing efficiency or quality.
For builders and industry professionals juggling projects, employees, customers and daily operations, EOS provides a framework for working on the business, not just in it.
Learn More at EPAB's EOS Training
The El Paso Association of Builders invites members to discover how EOS can help them build stronger, more successful companies. Call (915) 778-5387 to reserve your spot.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is an internationally acclaimed economist and public speaker specializing in making economics fun, relevant and educational. Dr. Eisenberg earned a B.A. in economics with first class honors from McGill University in Montreal, as well as a Master and Ph.D. in public administration from Syracuse University. Eisenberg is the Chief Economist for GraphsandLaughs, LLC, a Miami-based economic consultancy that serves a variety of clients across the United States. He writes a syndicated column and authors a daily 70-word commentary on the economy that is available at www.econ70.com.
RENTAL REVIVAL
The national median residential rent is down 0.8% Y-o-Y to $1,390/month, the smallest Y-o-Y decline since 7/25. Moreover, Y-o-Y median rent growth has increased four months running after declining 12 straight months and bottoming at -1.6% Y-o-Y in 4/26. Still better, median rent increased 0.1% M-o-M in August, the first August increase since 2022. These are signs the rental market is turning the corner. Rents peaked in 8/22 at $1,442.
HURRICANE HIATUS
The Friday File: This storm season, which began 6/1/26, has set the modern record for the longest the Atlantic has gone without a recorded hurricane. The prior record latest date was 9/11 in 2002 (Gustav) and 2013 (Humberto). Only in 1907 and 1914 were no hurricanes reported, but that was pre-1950 and the start of reliable records, long before airplanes and satellites were able to detect lone open-ocean storms.
PRICEY PARKING
The cost of building parking structures will rise 6% in 2026 to $33,300 per space, a dumbfounding $98.75 per square foot. This is due to material volatility, labor shortages, and new mandates for fire suppression and EV charging. San Francisco remains the nation’s highest-cost market at $42,624 per space, or $126.40 per foot, while Houston remains the most affordable at $27,806 per spot or just $82.46 per square foot.
AI ARITHMETIC
While the AI investment boom has been a key pillar upholding the US economy in the face of numerous headwinds, roughly 90% of high-tech equipment is imported. In 26Q1, AI hardware spending and capex on software, data center construction, and utilities collectively added 1.2 percentage points to GDP, but imports critically subtracted 0.5PP, for a net contribution of 0.7PP. Large, but hardly mesmerizingly gigantic.
REPURCHASE REMORSE
Over the past year, net share buybacks by public firms totaled $961 billion. Unfortunately, while firms are in a good position to know when their shares are frothy, they don’t act like it. For example, share buybacks peaked at $175 billion in 2007Q3, the quarter the stock market peaked. In 2009Q2, when the market bottomed, so did buybacks at $25 billion. Maybe, despite less favorable tax consequences, issue more dividends.
HIKE HARM
Domestically generated inflation due to an overheated economy warrants rate hikes. But with the labor market weak enough that wage growth is declining and is now less than inflation, and with house prices barely rising, a hike is a mistake. Inflation pressures are being driven by three largely temporary exogenous supply shocks: tariffs, war (energy/food), and the AI buildout, and none of those pressures will lessen with rate hikes.
DAUGHTER DATA
After tracking every worker and single-manager firm in Denmark between 1992-2007, researchers found when male managers had a first-born daughter, women’s earnings rose 4.1% compared to males, and women employed at the firm rose by 4.5%. Sons and subsequent daughters made no difference. Gains came from new hires and promotions, not pay raises for existing women. Firm performance didn’t improve, suggesting men and women are equally qualified.
The Connected Home:
What's New in Home Electronics and Entertainment
From immersive entertainment to intelligent controls, technology is changing how new homes are designed and built.
Home technology has moved well beyond programmable thermostats and video doorbells. Today's buyers are increasingly interested in homes that deliver seamless connectivity, personalized entertainment, enhanced security and convenient control of everyday systems.
For homebuilders, the opportunity is to incorporate these features during construction, when wiring and infrastructure can be planned efficiently rather than added later.
• Entertainment Without the Clutter
Dedicated home theaters remain popular, but sophisticated entertainment systems are increasingly finding their way into everyday living spaces. Large-format televisions, laser projectors, immersive surround sound and speakers concealed within walls or ceilings deliver impressive experiences without sacrificing interior design.
Multiroom audio allows homeowners to stream music throughout the house or enjoy different content in individual rooms. Outdoor entertainment systems, including weather-resistant televisions and landscape speakers, extend the experience to patios and outdoor living areas.
• Smarter, More Connected Homes
One of the biggest developments is the movement toward integrated control. Rather than operating separate applications for lighting, entertainment, security and temperature, homeowners can manage multiple systems through a unified interface.
A single command might dim the lights, lower motorized shades, adjust the thermostat and activate a television or music system.
Artificial intelligence is also entering residential technology, enabling more sophisticated automation and personalized routines.
Behind these conveniences is an increasingly important component: a reliable home network. Wi-Fi 7, structured Ethernet cabling and strategically positioned wireless access points help support simultaneous streaming, gaming, remote work and connected devices.
• Intelligent Lighting and Energy Management
Programmable LED lighting can adjust brightness and color temperature throughout the day, create personalized settings and coordinate with automated window shades.
Occupancy sensors, scheduling and integrated climate controls can also help homeowners manage energy consumption while improving comfort.
For El Paso builders, these technologies offer opportunities to address the region's abundant sunshine and cooling demands while enhancing indoor-outdoor living.
• Building for Tomorrow
The most important investment may not be the latest television or control panel, but the infrastructure that allows technology to evolve with the home.
Builders should consider working with qualified home technology integrators early in the design process to plan structured cabling, whole-home Wi-Fi, speaker locations, security cameras, lighting controls and dedicated equipment space.
Prewiring during construction can reduce the expense and disruption of future upgrades while providing homeowners with greater flexibility.
The bottom line: The connected home is no longer defined by how many gadgets it contains, but by how well those technologies work together. For builders, thoughtful planning can transform home electronics from an optional luxury into a meaningful selling feature that delivers convenience, entertainment and lasting value.
