Builder Sales Tips to Increase Your Closing Ratio

Home builders and new homes sales professionals had it easy not too long ago. Practically anywhere in the country in 2004, 2005 and 2006 all one needed to do was stick a sign in the ground announcing a new home, or community, and the orders poured in. Our salespeople became order takers, and consequently some basic selling skills weren’t practiced and became rusty. For the sales rookies during this time frame new home sales strategies were sometimes never introduced to them. Why bother? We were all too busy getting rich.

The basics of new home sales are not any different from selling any other big ticket product. 

Just Tell It Like It Is: Energy Labels for Homes

In their better natures, I truly believe people really do like to help. Whether it's holding a door for the elderly or giving unsolicited advice to a friend, people are often taking action for the "benefit" of others. Often times this "help" is not perceived as such, rather its viewed as interference or suspiciously regarded as a play for a favor in return.  The older man takes it as an affront to his fitness ("Don't hold the door for me sonny!") or "mind your own business" from the friend who didn't ask for advice. It seems to me that oftentimes people overthink a situation, rather than communicating in a straightforward way. 

Accessory Dwellings Units: Good for your pocketbook, good for the city

By Guest Writer Jordan Palmeri, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Are you aware of the Accessory Dwelling Units concept? An ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) is a second dwelling unit created on a residential lot. The second unit is created as a smaller auxiliary to the main dwelling.. These homes represent a tremendous opportunity to improve a community’s environmental, economic, and social well being.  From an environmental standpoint, small homes use fewer materials, less energy, create less waste, and increase density.  Initially, they can also provide a more feasible scale for incorporating reused and natural building materials, and achieving green building standards such as Passive House and the Living Building Challenge.