In an industry where model homes typically showcase finishes, floor plans, and features, Fulton Homes is using theirs to tell a deeper story. The Arizona builder has carved out dedicated rooms inside its models to spotlight the local causes it champions year-round.
These immersive spaces go beyond traditional philanthropy messaging, inviting visitors to experience the company’s mission firsthand and understand the values woven into every community the company builds.
To learn more about the initiative, BUILDER spoke with Doug Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes, on the inspiration, causes, and impact they are having on potential buyers.
What inspired Fulton Homes to turn model-home rooms into storytelling spaces rather than relying on traditional marketing or philanthropy messaging?
Rather than telling people about the philanthropic causes we support, we wanted people to experience it in an immersive way. These rooms visually communicate the statistics, challenges, and stories behind the causes we support, including water safety, education, and veteran support. Each room becomes a space for reflection, allowing visitors to understand why Fulton Homes supports these causes.
Ultimately, the rooms express our company’s ethical and moral commitments by reinforcing that community support is woven into our identity.
Do you expect these rooms to influence buying decisions—or is the intent more about values alignment and trust-building?
Their purpose is strictly values-based, demonstrating the alignment between Fulton Homes and the community it serves.
When buyers see these rooms, they’re invited to understand the causes that matter to us, and to decide whether these values resonate with their own. If a home buyer feels inspired to engage with or support these causes, that’s a meaningful outcome.
The rooms exist to foster trust, transparency, and an authentic sense of shared purpose.
Courtesy Fulton Homes
How do sales teams integrate these rooms into their tours and conversations with visitors?
The sales team encourages visitors to browse the rooms on their own. That way, they can engage the space on their own terms, ask questions if they’re interested, and better understand the heart and culture behind our company. We want them to feel what it’s like to become part of a Fulton Homes community and the Fulton family, looking beyond what the home itself provides.
How do you balance the practical needs of a model home with the narrative elements of a storytelling room?
The balance comes from ensuring the message enhances the room rather than overwhelms it. This way, the visitors can walk through a model home and experience an added layer of the meaning behind our causes.
How did you decide which causes to highlight and how they should be physically represented in the rooms?
The chosen causes reflect areas where Fulton Homes has invested time, resources, and partnerships like the water safety, education, and veteran support campaigns.
The physical representation of each cause is intentionally designed to highlight impact and significance. Each room honors the integrity of the cause and the people affected by it by showcasing statistics, imagery, and symbolic objects. The goal is to raise awareness and visually portray the values that guide Fulton Homes into our communities.
What reactions have you observed from prospective buyers?
Prospective buyers often respond with curiosity and surprise. It’s just something that isn’t traditionally done in model homes. Many express that they didn’t expect a home builder to showcase community issues so openly or thoughtfully. Common reactions include a sense of connection for our community involvement, deeper conversations during tours about values, just an emotional connection in general.
