Home again, home again...

We just returned from Florida where our buyer’s group met. It is a mandatory annual meeting where the group must have a quorum of its membership to act on items.

It is interesting to see how others in the industry are doing both personally and professionally. It was nice to see some old familiar friendly faces who asked about the boys. They were surprised when they heard that Josh just turned 16. Many of them met him when we first joined the group in 2000, after taking ownership at PHO. A few met him even before that in '97 on a Fleetwood Homes cruise (photo.) He was just two then and we were the only ones who brought our kid. Needless to say, he got a lot of attention from the moms in the group missing their own children. I’ll never forget when he said to me after returning home “Mom, when are we going back to the boat?” Funny kid.

It was nice to see some new faces too, mostly the next generation in a family owned business. There were a couple of young men in their early twenties clearly trying to get out of their father’s shadows and make a name for themselves. And there were other young families that looked like ours when we first started. Amazing how fast this all goes by.

I was surprised by the optimism in the room. This is not a naïve group of people. Many have been building homes for 3 or 4 decades, and they represent all areas of the country. While most thought there were still challenges ahead, they were excited by the traffic at their sales centers and number of commitments to build they have received. We too are feeling excited about the opportunities that this year will bring. With 54 in attendance at the seminar, we felt like most folks have realized they need to take advantage of these low interest rates. And while not everything is necessarily perfect, that’s life. We have often found that when people wait for everything to be just perfect, they never achieve their dream, because perfect rarely comes.

So, it’s back to the cold as I write this on the plane, and I am looking through the new agreements we forged with our building partners, pleased about what was accomplished and excited to pass on our efforts to our customers for a great housing value.

Oh, and there was a celebrity sighting to report- we saw Johnny Damon at Margaritaville enjoying lunch with his wife and kids. Eric says he signed with Tampa. Pretty cool.

What is your inspiration?

Beyond the walls and R-value or our homes, what I find most interesting is the story behind a new home.  Each home is different, and the reason to do so varies as well.

Sometimes, like today, its to celebrate an expanding family.  I had the pleasure of having a great yong couple in today with their new baby daughter.  They have a 2 year old son at home as well.  They have the land and now we are helping to design their new home!

Other times, customers come to see us later.  I had a great phone conversation with a customer today and her husband passed away a couple of years ago.  She is now ready to start a new chapter in her life, and she has someone interested in their current home and business.  The new home will offer her peace of mind as she will have little upkeep in a new home. 

Regardless of the reason, we would be honored to help you.  A home is where you feel most safe.  Thank you for allowing us the privilege to assist you.

Start the new year on the right foot!

Our first home building seminar of the year has been scheduled- and if this year your resolution is to finally build your dream home, then consider yourself invited!

There is no cost or obligation to join us- and even if your plans are for some point in the future, the information will stay with you.  We have built homes for folks who came to seminars two years before!

We hold the workshop at Dino's Pizza so it is a relaxed environment- not high pressure "condo sales!"

You will learn about financing and lending requirements, how to find land and develop your property, how long building takes and more.

The best part is often the question and answer section- if you have a question, chances are the person next to you is thinking the same thing!

So mark your calendar for Thursday, January 20th!  We can't wait  to see you there!  All the details are on the website.