U.S. Home Corporation plans a major push in the retirement market.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 1995--U.S. Home Corporation (NYSE-UH), one of the top 10 homebuilders in the United States, has set a goal to increase its retirement and active-adult/second home sales to over 30 percent of the company's volume over the next few years, announced Isaac Heimbinder,

The company presently has retirement or active-adult/second home communities in Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada and Florida, with expansion plans for California and Arizona where communities will open in 1995. In 1994, three U.S. Home communities -- Timber Pines in Florida, Heritage Harbor in Maryland, and Greenbriar at Whittingham in New Jersey -- were named to the "Top 20 Retirement Communities in the U.S." by New Choices magazine, a Reader's Digest publication for seniors. In addition, Timber Pines was named among the "Best in Seniors' Housing" by the NAHB National Council on Senior Housing.

In conjunction with the NAHB Show, the company built three showcase homes with Masco Corporation in their retirement community, Country Place, Houston's only master planned active-adult community. The homes are 2,100 to 2,800 square feet and adaptable to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

The company is expanding its efforts to accommodate the retirement and active-adult/second home market segment. Demographics indicate that the percentage of the population represented by the 55 and over age group will increase by over 37 percent by the year 2020. This rise will require a vast increase in specialized retirement housing.

Heimbinder elaborated on the company's recent activities in and plans for the retirement and active-adult second/home market: "U.S. Home is one of the largest retirement builders in the country. We began building these types of communities in 1969 and have delivered over 36,000 homes in this market segment. Presently, we have 13 retirement and active-adult communities in five states. Next year, we will increase our presence in this market to 17 communities in seven states. These 17 communities, over the next five to six years, will represent in excess of 10,000 new home sales which equates to over one and one-half billion dollars in revenues."

During 1994, the company commenced sales in four new retirement and active-adult second home communities: Greenbriar at Whittingham in New Jersey with 1,200 units; Timber Greens in Florida with 850 units; Stoneybrook in Florida with 900 units; and Country Creek in Florida with 985 units. Additionally, the company plans to build four communities to be located in Arizona, California, New Jersey and Florida, all of which are currently anticipated to open for sales by the end of 1995 -- Heritage Palms in Palm Springs, Calif.; Heritage Highlands in Tucson, Ariz.; Greenbriar at Winding Ways in Jackson, N.J.; and Highland Woods in Bonita Springs, Fla. These four new communities alone represent almost 3,000 potential home sales totaling approximately one-half billion dollars in revenues. "With the customer interest that we are seeing for our communities coupled with the aging of Americans, we believe this represents tremendous opportunity for U.S. Home to increase its business in this market segment over the remainder of the decade," Heimbinder said.

U.S. Home Corporation employs over 1,350 people, and in 1994, had annual revenues in excess of $950 million. The company builds in more than 190 communities in 31 metropolitan areas with activity centered in 12 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.

CONTACT: U.S. Home Corp., Houston

Kelly F. Somoza, 713/877-2391