An informed customer is a happy customer

Eight years ago we started our home building seminars.  The first one was held in May at the Holiday Inn, Plattsburgh.   We weren't sure what to expect-whether customers would be interested in taking time out of their busy days to come listen and learn.

But while the content has evolved over the years, and the venue is now Dino's Pizza, one thing has stayed the same- our customers are appreciative of the information we provide.

The first year we did one seminar, the second year we did two, and since then we have done 4-5 every year.  We space them out so that there will always be a new learning opportunity in the not too distant future.  We go over how to finance a home and what a lender is looking for to qualify you for a mortgage, the differences and advantages of manufactured and modular homes, and how long the building process takes. 

One of my favorite points in the evening is the question/ answer portion because it changes each time.  I "bride" the attendees with little prizes for asking a question because people are shy at first, but it always gets going and sometimes gets pretty animated.

And while we offer this service with no cost or obligation, and while its primary intent is to educate our clients on what to expect during the somewhat daunting home buying experience, there has been an interesting unexpected effect from these workshops.  An informed customer is a happy customer.  It has also helped us as the builder when a new client has been to the home building seminar.  They have an idea of what happens next and aren't surprised when we talk about things like appraisals or NYSEG delays.

Our second session of the year is scheduled for tomorrow.  We have a couple "second timers" who are now a little closer to building who wanted to come learn a little more and several new faces- some have been into our see us, and some who saw the advertisement in the paper and tomorrow we will meet for the first time.

So as long as we have continued interest, we will put in the effort to host them!

A special thank you

We received a special acknowledgement of our and our contractors work yesterday.  It warmed my heart.  Our customer, Mary, came in and presented us with a beautiful play-by-play photo album of her home's completion from start to finish.

It was done with love, and she was so proud of her work, which made it even more special.

On a busy day, in a busy week, it was nice to get a thank you.  It reminds me of why we work hard at what we do.