THE WOMEN OF HERITAGE HOMES

When Tyrone Leslie started Heritage Homes in 1995, he had big plans. In his first year he built three homes. To him those were not just homes, they were proof of people’s dreams coming true, homeowners and his own. But, he knew he had much more to do, and he couldn’t do it alone. Year after year, more homes were built, processes changed to provide an exceedingly enjoyable homebuilding journey, and team members were added. “My team. WOW. They really are incredible,” said Leslie. “They exude passion and are the driving force in the success of our business. One of the things I am most proud of, especially in this industry, out of 26 team members, over half of them are women.”

That didn’t happen by accident. Leslie quickly realized that women were the majority decision makers when it came to buying a new home and what went into that home. Having a good mix of women and men on his team has been key in staying on top of trends, bringing different perspectives to the homebuilding process and providing a superior experience and end product for homeowners. “The women’s roles range from project coordinator to sales specialists to accounting,” said Leslie. “Just as you need all the materials, tools and talent to build a home, we need these women on our team.”

In 2009, Leslie partnered with Designs Basics™ to become the area’s exclusive WomenCentric homebuilder. What that means is a more livable home ― superior entertaining, destressing, storage and flexible living areas, giving every ounce of optimal living. It also means a more effective and enjoyable homebuilding journey and here is a taste of that.

Wowing With Woman-Centric Design

Most homes are designed by men, but it’s the woman of the house who determines how a home is used. We focus on her. What is her style preference? How does she manage her family? What does her day look like? Then we design a home that fits her needs, concentrating on:

Storage and organization

Including added space in the garage and laundry room; generous kitchen pantries and linen closets; over-sized bedroom closets and additional unfinished areas in the basement or upper level

Entertaining preferences

Formal rooms for entertaining; informal, open living spaces; outdoor “rooms”; kitchens; and rooms for media-related get-togethers

Flexible living

Designate rooms for flexible living that can be adapted to unique situations such as in-lawsuites; home offices; bedroom/bath arrangements for blended families, etc.

De-stressing

Personal getaways, including a private master suite; a walk-in shower or whirlpool; a quiet porch or craft area

Those interested in building a home can take the Finally About Me!® Quiz to determine their unique style. The results from this quiz helps Heritage Homes gain more insight, communicate more effectively and listen better.

“I’ve been a part of the Heritage Homes team for over five years and get the pleasure of working with people from the time we move the dirt to handing them their keys on closing day,” said Nicole Schaffer, project coordinator. “Building a home is the largest investment people make and it is truly awesome that I get to help be a part of their journey. We work together to make our homeowner’s dreams become a reality. That is what Heritage Homes is all about!”

Schaffer is involved in every step of the process with the exception of the initial step of bringing customers in the door. Heritage Homes has an enthusiastic, caring new home sales team consisting of sales specialists Mari Santoyo Perry, Kim Meyers and Fatme Younes Zreik, with the glue that holds them all together, sales coordinator Gretchen Taylor.

Each one of them brings unique qualities to the table, yet all have the same love of working in an industry that had been previously built by men. “My favorite part about being in this industry is working with my clients to plan and dream up the home that fits their family and style, while functioning best for them,” said Perry. “The people at this company make every day an absolute joy. Helping clients while working with a great team brings a smile to my face.”

Teamwork is deeply infused into the Heritage Homes culture. When you walk through the halls of their building, you hear a buzz of laughter and conversations―be it meetings with clients, pulling together new ideas for future floor plans or talking about the next community event. “The best part of working for Heritage Homes is the team,” smiled Taylor. “We work with an exceptional group of people who make coming to work exciting and enjoyable.”

Teamwork, innovative ideas like Woman-Centric design and working with respectable, responsible and progressive partners are how Heritage Homes provides homeowners with the most livable home for the money. Their approach is different and makes a difference. “I love the work I do every day, because it makes a difference to the people who have entrusted us with the creation of their home,” said Kim Meyers. “I believe in our company, our products and our services. I know when I go home that I truly did something meaningful and important.”

The stages of their process are important and include Creating Your Vision, using real estate knowledge and an in-house designer to present option packages; Building Your Team, bringing together the project coordinator and the builder to establish a communication framework; On-Site Meeting, a complete tour and electrical walk-through; Finalize Details, a complete and thorough expert inspection; Service Team Tour, a formal tour with a Heritage Homes service team; Your Closing Kit, presentation of a one-ofa-kind closing kit that includes keys; and LongTerm Contact, options for 10, 60, 180 and 365day service contacts and renovation.

Processes have proved positive. 98.3% of homeowners surveyed said they would happily recommend Heritage Homes to their friends and family. Additionally, 100% said they had no economic surprises at closing with their build. Unexpected costs are one of the major complaints in this industry. Homeowners often think they are getting a better price when they choose a different builder, and then end up paying more and getting less at closing.

Although Heritage Homes has been involved in the construction and sale of more than 1,000 homes, their primary focus is not units. It’s doing what they can to ultimately positively influence people’s lives every day. They want to make sure when given the honor to build a home, which is still the American dream, that they’re very passionate and don’t take it lightly. “I love working in this industry! I get to help my clients turn their dreams into reality,” said Zreik. “Their homes will be the place they gather with friends and family, spend holidays with their kids, celebrate birthdays, decorate a nursery―it’s so cool to be a part of that.” www.HeritageFargo.com

What Heritage Homes does is cool, and it’s changing lives. They are proud to serve Fargo, Moorhead, Detroit Lakes and surrounding areas, and have been building dreams for over 20 years with a solid group of women {and men} at the helm.