Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.
Publication date:
November 23, 2008
By Jean Murphy Daily Herald Correspondent
Pulte/Del Webb Builders is the largest builder in the Chicago area.In an average year, it sells more than 1,000 homes.
Even in recent years, the company has averaged 700 to 800 sales peryear, according to Chris Naatz, vice president of sales and marketingfor the firms Chicago operations, based in Schaumburg.
"We want to remain the leader in the market, whatever that markethappens to be at the time," Naatz said.
"It is challenging right now," he admitted. "But we believe inkeeping a positive attitude."
Because Pulte/Del Webb is a national builder, its customers have avastly different experience than those who patronize smaller builders,Naatz believes.
"We have been building in the Chicago area since 1961 and have asolid foothold in the market," he said. "Peoples trust is well placedwith us.
"Our people are our greatest asset. It is all about attitude,innovation, spirit and customer relations."
His dream home: A Cape Cod-style home with a giant front porchoverlooking a beach somewhere in the northeast. Maybe Cape Cod itself?
His favorite amenities: Inviting kitchens and family rooms thatcombine higher quality cabinets, top-notch appliances and carpeting.
His background: A native of Schaumburg, Naatz, 39, spent most of hisgrowing up years in that suburb before his family moved to Libertyvillein his teens. He graduated from Indiana University with degrees injournalism and Spanish and later went on to earn a masters degree inmarketing from Roosevelt University.
Naatz began his career in sales with Sundance Homes and moved up togeneral sales manager before taking a job as a sales manager withConcord Homes. Four and a half years ago he moved to Pulte/Del Webb asvice president of sales and marketing with a staff of 40 salespeople.
The details: Pulte/Del Webb now has 14 communities underconstruction in the Chicago area. They range geographically fromShorewood in the south to Zion in the north and as far west as Huntley. The Pulte line of products features townhouses in Yorkville startingin the $150,000s and single-family homes in Lindenhurst costing in the$400,000s and $500,000s, and everything in between. The Del Webb homesfeature a similar range. Duplexes in Shorewood start as low as the$150,000s and single-family homes at Grand Dominion in Mundelein listin the $400,000s.
Buyer profile: Most Pulte buyers, according to Naatz, are youngmove-up families and first-time buyers; teachers, policemen, nurses,professionals and commuters to Chicago have all been able to find aPulte home to their liking.
Del Webb buyers, on the other hand, are in the empty-nester,55- and-older category since Del Webb specializes in active adultcommunities.
The best part of being a builder: "I am not just selling a home. Iam truly bringing people the American dream," Naatz said. "This is apassion for me.
"I know that I am selling them so much more than a place to live. Iam selling them the place where they will celebrate birthdays, weddingsand so much more. I talk with my team about that every day."
Biggest changes he has seen in the business: "Buyers today are somuch better informed than they were when I started in this business 17years ago. Much of that is because of the Internet. It just makes it somuch easier for people to narrow their search and focus on variousbuilders quality.
"Today buyers want to be
much more involved in the building process than they ever were inthe past. That has become a huge focus for the whole industry. Buyerswant to get to know the entire building team and work closely with thembecause they have come to understand that buying a new home is a veryimportant purchase.
"That is probably why J.D. Power (and Associates) started evaluatinghome-building companies just like they have always evaluated carcompanies."
Future plans: "I see Pulte/Del Webb continuing to build communitiesin locations with top-rated schools and amenities. And I see uscapturing a larger percentage of the Chicago market in the next fiveyears as people have a renewed appreciation for what it means topurchase from a national builder. That branding has a lot of value andmeans that we are stronger and more reliable than builders without thatbrand behind them."
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