Builder Trade In Program exceeds expectations
Twins launched program in 2014
When twins Robin and Robert Smith launched the Nevada Builder Trade In Program in 2014, neither would have predicted that the program that helps current homeowners sell their residence while buying a brand-new one on contingency would grow so quickly with an astounding 200 percent increase in happy clients in 2017 when compared with its combined number of clients in 2014 and 2015.
This equates to 140 brand-new homes purchased on contingency in brand-new neighborhoods throughout the Las Vegas Valley and Mesquite in 2017.
“When we began the Nevada Builder Trade In Program in 2014, we knew that current homeowners wanted to buy homes at the new neighborhoods that were under construction, but they had to sell their current home first in order to afford it. There was a sense of uncertainty of what to do. Could they ask a builder to construct a home for them if they had one that needed to be sold?” explained Robin Smith, who operates the program with her brother through their Smith Team at Keller Williams Las Vegas office.
“When we approached homebuilders about the prospect of developing a contingency program that could help connect them to financially stable homeowners seeking to buy one of their new homes, builders were interested because they knew that this group of homeowners could realistically afford their new homes,” she said.
“We started the program with one builder-partner who I had heavily worked with in the past and grew the program by adding one new builder-partner at a time and by successfully helping homeowners sell their homes and buy new ones at the same time,” she said, adding that the program is offered at more than 50 neighborhoods constructed by builder-partners Beazer Homes, Calatlantic Homes, Century Communities, Pulte Homes, Woodside Homes and Sun City Mesquite by Del Webb.
The program’s 2017 clients ranged from families looking to upsize, retirees downsizing, couples planning for future families, homeowners wanting to live closer to work or a specific master-planned community and multigenerational families combining households.
Whatever the reason for their wanting to purchase a new home, the Smith Team’s focus remains the same: Sell each client’s home for the highest price possible and help each move into a new home.
To reach these goals, the Nevada Builder Trade In Program follows a strategic approach similar to that of Keller Williams International’s successful contingency program.
“The first thing that we do is meet with a potential client to discuss their needs and goals, and to look at the home they plan to sell. During this visit, we offer a comparative market analysis or an estimate of what their home may sell for based on the recent sales prices of nearby homes of similar size and condition. We also offer advice on what you can do that may help increase the sales price like re-painting, re-landscaping, making minor home repairs, or staging,” Robin Smith said.
“Getting the facts and a realistic idea of how much you can sell your home for is very important when deciding how much you can spend on your new home and if selling your home makes sense.”
For those who select the program, the Smith Team lists the home at a reduced commission while offering the buyer’s agent the standard 3 percent commission. The Smiths work with the client and the homebuilder as a liaison throughout the process because of the nature of a contingency purchase.
For information about the program, contact the Smith Team at 702-460- 5080 or www.iselllasvegas.com.
“We are excited about our program’s success in helping 140 local families ring in the new year in brand-new homes, and Robert and I look forward to helping even more families do this in 2018,” Robin
Smith said.
In addition to the program’s exponential growth in Southern Nevada, the Nevada Builder Trade In Program made its debut in Reno in 2017.