(RECAP: Many first-time and entry-level buyers have been sidelined for the past two years for a variety of reasons, including stringent mortgage-qualification standards, mounting student debt and tepid wage growth. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that first-timers will account for 16% of new-home sales this year, down from a range of 25% to 28% between 2001 and 2007. The anticipated return of first-time buyers to the housing market remains, like many economic indicators, prone to fits and starts. This week, two more leading home builders differed on whether first-timers are on their way back.)