Business Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 12, 2000

HomeWrite announced today that it has launched a pilot program to provide its online homeowner's manual to selected Ryland homes in Houston. Upon successful completion of the pilot, a national rollout of the online service

Business Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 12, 2000

HomeWrite announced today that it has launched a pilot program to provide its online homeowner's manual to selected Ryland homes in Houston. Upon successful completion of

the pilot, a national rollout of the online service for Ryland Group Inc. is planned. HomeWrite's online homeowner's manual will provide a means for collecting and storing information about a home from construction through occupancy, creating additional customer contact opportunities for Ryland, added value to Ryland's customers through the use of technology, and a complete record of home management and maintenance information.

"The Ryland pilot will demonstrate the value HomeWrite brings to the home building industry and to Ryland's customers," stated Mike Mulka, vice-president of sales and marketing for HomeWrite. "It's the first of several partnerships we are planning to announce over the coming months and the first step toward moving the home industry online in a meaningful way."

HomeWrite provides the homeowner simple, secure access to all information about their home from any PC, and empowers the homeowner to purchase goods, schedule services, and maintain their homes from a growing network of online providers.

"Ryland is one of the top homebuilders in the United States; this partnership will help them create additional value from their customer relationships, well beyond the sale of a home," stated Beau Engman, HomeWrite's CEO. "We are the first to bring this technology to the marketplace, and can provide it better and faster than the homebuilders could themselves. Partnering with HomeWrite also frees homebuilders to concentrate on their core competency -- building homes."

The pilot program began June 7 and will run through July 21, 2000. HomeWrite's technology specialists will work closely with Ryland and its suppliers to facilitate database interface and integration. Once linked, information in Ryland's database will be used to create personalized homeowner's manuals for each of the homes selected for the project. Additionally, HomeWrite's training team will provide onsite and offsite training where needed to Ryland's staff.

"At Ryland Homes, we constantly search for opportunities to provide value to our customers, especially through new technology," explained Eric Elder, senior vice-president of marketing for The Ryland Group Inc. "We are impressed with HomeWrite's commitment to our customers and to the homebuilding industry."

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"The Ryland pilot will demonstrate the value HomeWrite brings to the home building industry and to Ryland's customers," stated Mike Mulka, vice-president of sales and marketing for HomeWrite. "It's the first of several partnerships we are planning to announce over the coming months and the first step toward moving the home industry online in a meaningful way."

HomeWrite provides the homeowner simple, secure access to all information about their home from any PC, and empowers the homeowner to purchase goods, schedule services, and maintain their homes from a growing network of online providers.

"Ryland is one of the top homebuilders in the United States; this partnership will help them create additional value from their customer relationships, well beyond the sale of a home," stated Beau Engman, HomeWrite's CEO. "We are the first to bring this technology to the marketplace, and can provide it better and faster than the homebuilders could themselves. Partnering with HomeWrite also frees homebuilders to concentrate on their core competency -- building homes."

The pilot program began June 7 and will run through July 21, 2000. HomeWrite's technology specialists will work closely with Ryland and its suppliers to facilitate database interface and integration. Once linked, information in Ryland's database will be used to create personalized homeowner's manuals for each of the homes selected for the project. Additionally, HomeWrite's training team will provide onsite and offsite training where needed to Ryland's staff.

"At Ryland Homes, we constantly search for opportunities to provide value to our customers, especially through new technology," explained Eric Elder, senior vice-president of marketing for The Ryland Group Inc. "We are impressed with HomeWrite's commitment to our customers and to the homebuilding industry."

About Ryland Group Inc.

With headquarters in Southern California, Ryland is one of the nation's largest homebuilders and a leading mortgage-finance company. The Company currently operates in 21 markets across the country and has built more than 170,000 homes and financed over 150,000 mortgages since its founding in 1967.

About HomeWrite Inc.

HomeWrite is the world's first Internet-based resource that provides communications and management tools for builders and a permanent online home record and owners manual for homeowners. With HomeWrite, everything about a home is recorded online: from floor plans, construction graphics, appliances and fixtures, to warranty information and an ongoing maintenance record. HomeWrite provides the homeowner simple, secure access to all information about their home, and empowers the homeowner to purchase goods, schedule services, and maintain their homes from a growing network of online providers. The company is headquartered in Houston and has established partnerships with major homebuilders, inspection companies, and service providers around the country. HomeWrite is the one-stop home information destination for all homeowners in America. For more information, visit the HomeWrite Web site at www.homewrite.com or call 888/236-8804 or 713/850-0409.