The NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas is to the homebuilding industry what the Superbowl is to football fans. It’s a huge and highly anticipated event full of excitement, fanfare, and all the biggest names in construction and design.
When we say “huge,” we mean thousands of building professionals from across the country and the world visiting 3,700 exhibitors and attending more than 100 education seminars.
When we say “biggest names in construction and design,” we mean, for example, Mike Lyon and Myers Barnes, two renowned new home sales and marketing trainers, who presented during IBS. In the world of new home sales, they are two of the best. If you don’t recognize their names, maybe you have heard of the IBS keynote speaker Jon Gruden, a former NFL coach who is now an analyst for ESPN. Or perhaps you have heard of Mike Holmes from HGTV's hit show, Holmes on Homes. Even Vanilla Ice stopped by to represent Lumber Liquidators. You’ve definitely heard of companies like Kohler and Sherwin Williams, who were among the exhibitors at the event. Kohler is known for their amazing displays that, "blow it out of the water!"
But we don’t mean to name-drop! 
All of this took place this week, and members of our Eastwood team were in attendance to investigate new potential product offerings, and to sharpen their sales and marketing skills. This year’s theme was All Homes Start Here. We think that is fitting, as the construction of new homes starts long before a home buyer walks in the front door of one of our models, or even before the first footer is poured or the first nail is driven into a board. Each new home starts with months of planning and design long before the building begins. IBS is another opportunity for our team to make sure we are integrating the best products and designs into our homes to make sure our homeowners are comfortable and happy with their Eastwood home for years to come.
We would also like to take a moment to congratulate our own Bryan DeGabrielle, Vice President of Sales, for his prestigious Silver Honor award in the 2015 Nationals Competition for Sales Manager of the Year. The Silver Award recipients were chosen from a field of over 1,300 entries and were finalists for the Gold Award, which was presented Tuesday at Ceasars Palace. Although Bryan didn’t win the gold honor, we think our Charlotte Division President, Mike Conley, summed up all of our thoughts perfectly.
“We all feel that you are of a Platinum caliber, not gold,” he said.
Yes, we couldn’t have said it any better! Congratulations Bryan on the award and the recognition from your peers in the industry!
Want to see more pictures from this event packed with fresh new designs and ideas? Check out our Facebook page!
The FHA has lowered its annual mortgage insurance premiums by 50 basis points, from 1.35 percent to 0.85 percent. Lower mortgage insurance premiums are going to allow people to afford more home on the same budget!
As designers ring in the New Year with the trendy must-have design features for 2015, you may be surprised to learn what’s hot, and what’s not. Instead of exploring new design territory, the trends for 2015 are recycled trends from years past!
We can provide you with an endless list of reasons why you should buy a home. If you are renting, you should buy a home so that you can have more space, personalize your space, paint your walls, park in a garage, have a backyard, take advantage of tax savings, etc. The list is endless. If you already own a home but are considering a move, we can provide myriad reasons to make the change as well. A new home can provide you with an updated open floor plan, easier for entertaining. Maybe you need more bedrooms. Maybe you need less space to maintain. Perhaps you want to live closer to work, or closer to loved ones. A new home can provide exactly what you are looking for. Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, here are 3 reasons why 2015 is the time to BUY a NEW HOME.
