I gave sharpened yellow #2 pencils with pads of paper to our employees as a gift at our last meeting of the year. We all operate in this digital world where we communicate in rapid speed. So, we think!! I…

The housing market had a good year. We have participated in that good fortune. Next year looks promising. Interest rates and inventory levels are down which is good for housing. We see continued population growth. We are really excited for…

Incredibly interest rates have hit below 4% to finance a new home. In the last year it has dropped about 1%. Is this the new normal? Are we going to be in a period of where super low interest rates…

We must have an excellent process in communicating so that our clients trust us. We must provide them timely and pertinent information so that they feel comfortable throughout the build process. Otherwise we can easily get overwhelmed with the daily…

My 30-year career spans the evolution of handwritten letters, typewriters, word processors, face to face meetings, cell phones, fax machines, email, texting, instant photos/videos via the smart phone, video conferencing, etc. We have been working on an effective communication system…

I have been tracking interest rates for about 40 years. When I was finishing my accounting degree in the early 1980’s we were experiencing interest rates in the 18 to 20% range for purchasing homes. A very difficult time for…

Orginial article posted on The Columbian Homes Website. Until 30 years passes, you don’t realize how fast it goes. Nor do you realize how much change occurs. A Motorola cell phone “the brick” was the hot and exciting phone. A…

It all starts at the top. I want crawl spaces that function properly. I do not want warranty calls for water in the crawl space. I have spent a lot of time collaborating with those who are involved in excavating…

All things water is a major concern for a builder. Especially in the crawl space. I drive a lot. When I drive I listen to the radio.  A day does not go by when I hear advertisements for fixing crawl…

Let’s discuss the concept first. Then I will follow up with future articles on specific products and techniques that will apply to create maximum value. I am often surprised how people make decisions when purchasing a new home. Cost is…