Economy dampens Boomers' retirement dreams – USATODAY.com

Boomers aren't moving as much. How will that affect active adult communities?
Economy dampens Boomers' retirement dreams – USATODAY.com

Home Builder or Community Builder?

I know a number of great home builders, but few of them are good community builders.  That distinction is lost on most, who presume that building a collection of nice homes begets a nice community.  But in this era of shared amenities designed to attract homebuyers, the community is a significant driver in the buying decision.  Builders who do it well recognize that communities draw people together.  Highlighting these attributes helps potential homebuyers see their families building relationships.  Delivering a well-run, harmonious community that meets those expectations drives referrals and builds on the desirability of one community versus another.  

One of the most gratifying roles we have as community managers is to understand and reinforce the vision for a community before it is built.  This is where the nuances of entitlement and development are essential to the big picture.  Governing documents and budgets are an afterthought to the homebuilder, simply punched out from a template of their previous community.  But the community builder sees these details as an opportunity to bring a distinct personality to each community, one that can be championed throughout the sales and construction period and retained for the future through quality management.

You can create a good reputation by building nice homes in desirable locations, but you can build much more by focusing on the intangibles of each community.  This is an opportunity lost on most, but those who get it recognize that each community is an opportunity to build relationships and reputations as well as homes.