PB June 2003

Seven standouts Professional Builder toured this spring in the Inland Empire and Orange and L.A. counties

Sales consultant Bob Schultz of New Home Specialists in Boca Raton, Fla., is a longtime advocate of the full demonstration. He estimates that only 5% to 10% of all new home sales people offer a detailed demo and not many more could offer one if asked.

The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing is a public/private partnership dedicated to increasing the development and adoption of advanced building technologies.

While nobody can argue that green building isn't the right thing to do, local building officials still need to be convinced about the soundness of pursuing unfamiliar development proposals or building techniques.

New countertop products offer the opportunity to forge bold buyer memory points in model home kitchens and baths.

The difference between a profitable land deal and one that ends up as an expensive mistake is often found in the details of the contract you draft

Bringing your team along as you innovate is another part of the challenge. People hate change. Builder John Wesley Miller calls it the Jonah Complex: Don't tell me it's better. I like it here inside the whale.

With impact fees as high as $60,000 in some parts of the country, moderately priced homes with fees passed on by builders are increasingly out of reach for targeted buyers.

For small builders interested in experimenting with new technologies, educate yourself with whatever resources you can find and start with what you're comfortable.