|
‘Get Housing Moving’ Tour Hits Sales Goal in 53 Days on the Road
Setting an example for home builders coast to coast who face the challenge of communicating with prospective home buyers about the advantages of making a purchase in today’s marketplace, John Wieland, chief executive officer and founder of leading Southeast home builder John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, on April 30 wrapped up his “Get Housing Moving” tour with the sale of his 101st new home and more than $42 million in sales.
Wieland pledged to sleep on the floor of his unsold homes until he reached his sales goal, a feat he accomplished 53 days into his tour with the sale of a home to Mr. and Mrs. Jason Patton in the Green River neighborhood in Canton, Ga.
The community is adjacent to the newly opened Joseph Knox Elementary School, which is equipped with cutting-edge technology. River Green residents can also enjoy a huge clubhouse, full-time activities director, two swimming pools and six tennis courts along with miles of walking trails, including one down to the Etowah River.
“With more than 400 homes already occupied, River Green is destined to be one of Canton’s jewels of a neighborhood. We are very proud of it,” Wieland wrote in his blog, where he chronicled his experiences during the campaign and where he will continue to post entries to promote public awareness of the important role of housing in leading economic recovery.
Wieland logged in more than 6,134 miles and slept in 50 unsold homes while traveling to his home communities in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; Nashville; and Raleigh, N.C. in the “Wiebago,” a John Wieland-branded motor home.
“The tour was a huge success and truly an incredible experience,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to connect with home buyers, home owners, company members, real estate agents and brokers. Plus, we’ve seen our best month of sales in more than a year. While I’m off my mobile mattress and back at home, I’m still fully committed to get housing moving on a national scale and get the American economy back on track."
To continue the momentum he achieved on the road, Wieland said that he is extending the company’s 101 Home Sale, providing savings of 5% to 25% and a lifetime structural warranty on one more home sale in each of his 56 neighborhoods.
“During my travels, I was surprised to learn that hesitancy still exists with regard to buying a home, given the great pricing to home buyers,” Wieland said. “But then again, that’s part of the reason I started the tour in the first place. Through education, I hope to alleviate some of this concern, as unquestionably, the time has never been better to buy a new home.”
Along the way, Wieland provided insights into the current marketplace that builders can use to improve their own sales.
 Wieland took his tour to the executive committee meeting of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, which he served as president in 1980, and he cited the local association’s efforts in “continually working on strategies to spread the word that now is a great time to buy a new home as well as to uphold the professionalism of the industry.”
While NAHB truly is the voice of the housing industry, he said, “it is the local associations, such as ours in Atlanta, that really make the difference. It was great to be back at the housing center with so many people hard at work for a truly great industry.”
Price Isn’t Everything
In an April 16 entry in his blog entitled “There’s More Than Price,” Wieland provided a message that home builders should be sending to their customers when they find themselves in heated competition with bargain-priced foreclosures and short sales.
“Sometimes bargain shoppers don’t ask themselves whether the bargain home really meets their family’s needs,” he wrote. “Is this home in a neighborhood where property values will appreciate? Is it really a quality home or just a long-term maintenance problem? Obviously, price is a huge part of any home purchase, but should it be the only part? Should you forget about all the other aspects of picking ‘the right’ home when you see the ‘unbelievable’ low price offered on a home that someone else couldn’t afford?”
While some of the low prices available represent great buys, Wieland wrote, some “exist for specific reasons and any potential purchaser needs to be wary. Maybe the school district isn’t so terrific after all. What about the neighborhood? Does the neighborhood have recreational amenities? Are the other homes in the neighborhood holding value? Many times when you buy low, years from now you will end up selling low.
“Purchasing in a stable neighborhood with all of the pieces in place for long-term neighborhood success, and paying just a bit more than a bargain around the corner, can easily be one of the best decisions a family ever makes. After all, a home is not something that you can easily trade in when you find that you made the wrong decision. Price is very important, but it isn’t everything. Paying $20,000 more for the ‘right home’ at 4.5% interest is just $2.50 per day of enjoyment.”
During his celebrated tour, Wieland calculated that he shook 378 hands and received 186 cookies. He also reported that the zucchini bread he received from a mystery guest while parked on Peachtree Street in Atlanta was “awesome.”
|
