SOMETIMES, A GOOD PRODUCT NEEDS A little push to become a best-seller. That was the case with Waterford Village, a community of single-family homes full of desirable features.
It was in a great location, and the product was affordably priced for first-time buyers, but with enough features to also attract move-up customers.
The problem was visibility. Tucked behind another community a bit off the main road, Waterford Village was hidden from drive-by traffic, and local government wouldn’t allow the builder, Windsor Homes of Greensboro, N.C., to put signs on the main highway.
“We thought this neighborhood would be great. It was so slow, we were concerned,” says Beth Whicker, sales and marketing manager. “We were getting no traffic and no sales.”
Three small strategies turned things around. The first was an active effort to inform the Realtor community about Waterford Village and the great features of the homes, which have sold well in other Windsor Homes neighborhoods, Whicker says.
“The feedback across the board was that they’re very well designed,” she says, with large, open rooms, plenty of storage, and second-floor laundry rooms.
That was followed by some stepped-up advertising pointing out Windsor Homes’ strong reputation as a quality-minded local builder.
The third leg of the triangle was putting the right person in the sales office. “We have an energetic, enthusiastic salesperson,” Whicker says. “She’s sold all the plans really well.”
Project: Waterford Village, High Point, N.C.
Date sales started: April 2005
Sales through February 2006: 60
Total units planned: 87
Unit size: 1,800 to 2,700 square feet
Price range: $180,000 to $210,000
Builder: Windsor Homes, Greensboro
Developer: Builders Land, King, N.C.
Architect: Builders PlanSource, King
BEHIND THE SCENES Proximity to caffeine: One mile to Starbucks
Poultry items in a model: 19, on rugs and in pictures
Sales center munchies of choice: Wine, at the wine and cheese Realtor event
Sunset central: Best view is from the patio, right next to the sunroom in the model
Sales staff’s fave feature in the best-selling plan: The spacious size of the bedrooms
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Greensboro, NC.
