Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for the second quarter were $686 million, which was closer to the low end of guidance due to a mix of deliveries with higher-priced home deliveries slipping into future quarters [7] - Adjusted gross margin was 17.3%, just below the low end of guidance, primarily due to increased incentives which rose to 10.5% from 9.7% in the first quarter [8][10] - Adjusted EBITDA was $61 million, slightly above the high end of guidance, while adjusted pretax income was $29 million, near the high end of the range provided [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Contracts for the second quarter, including domestic unconsolidated joint ventures, decreased by 7% year over year, with significant monthly sales volatility observed [12] - The average contracts per community were 11.2, which is higher than the quarterly average since 2008, indicating a strong performance relative to peers despite a year-over-year decline [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The percentage of home buyers utilizing mortgage rate buy downs was 75%, indicating a continued reliance on these strategies to combat affordability issues in a high mortgage rate environment [17] - The company ended the quarter with 42,440 controlled lots, equating to a 7.7-year supply, which increased by 15% year over year [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on pace over price, successfully raising net prices in 31% of communities despite a challenging sales environment [22] - A strategic decision was made to burn through less profitable land parcels to clear the way for new acquisitions that meet return metrics [26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed satisfaction with the quarter's performance given the difficult economic environment, emphasizing a focus on community-level adjustments and monitoring sales [48] - The company expects to return to more favorable performance metrics as it replaces older land positions with newer, more profitable ones [26] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in reducing base construction costs by 7% since the first quarter of fiscal 2023 [28] - The liquidity at the end of the second quarter was $2 billion, within the targeted range, indicating a strong financial position [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: Have you seen lower land prices on recent acquisitions? - Management noted that land sellers are slow to adjust prices, but they are finding opportunities to replenish land supply at better returns [54] Question: What markets are yielding better results for land acquisitions? - Better results are being seen in Delaware, Virginia, Southeast Coastal Charleston areas, New Jersey, and Maryland [55] Question: What is the current incentive structure? - The company is using a mix of closing costs, rate buy downs, and price adjustments as incentives [61] Question: Is the focus still on spec building? - The strategy remains focused on quick move-in homes (QMIs), which allows for affordable mortgage rate buy downs [62] Question: How long will it take to clear older vintage land? - The timeline varies by community, with some areas already cleared out while others may take two to three years [68] Question: What is the outlook for construction costs in the back half of the year? - Management is optimistic about controlling costs, except for potential increases in lumber prices [76]