Home buyers could be motivated to purchase higher energy-efficient homes if the mortgage qualifying formula were changed. The mortgage qualification process should factor in energy costs for a home, just as it does for property taxes and insurance. If the U.S. Congress is going to pass a new energy bill, why not include this as a mechanism for increasing the demand for energy-efficient housing? It would create new jobs, save homeowners money, conserve energy, and reduce carbon emissions. [Vlog, HD]

How quickly and effectively you respond to a warranty service call is directly related to a buyer's long-term satisfaction. Although the Internet has changed the way many builders handle service requests, by itself it is not an effective tool for fielding buyers' concerns. Here, Bill Frey shares his recommendation for what he calls a successful "rapid response program." And yes, it integrates an online component. [Vlog, HD]

Employee engagement refers to “the extent to which employees put discretionary effort into their work, in the form of extra time, brainpower and energy" (Towers Perrin Talent Report, 2003). Employers need to understand five key areas in an organization that have bearing on whether or not employees will be enthusiastic performers. [Vlog, HD]

In Canada, government-imposed charges on new homes can add as much as 20% to a home's selling price. It's time for municipal, provincial and the federal governments to reconsider the burden they're putting on buyers and make housing more affordable. [ vlog in HD ]

Heartland Homes of Calgary is the number-one rated builder in Canada for customer experience. A division of Carma Development Corp., Heartland attributes over 30% of its sales originations to customer referrals, twice the industry average. Not surprisingly, the busy home building company's marketing expense is minimal. Two part series. [HD]

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle. Five part series.

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

98% of Starward's buyers would recommend them, 78% already have. The Ontario builder is presented with the 2009 Avid Canada Award for best customer experience, followed by a revealing 2-part interview with president Ward Campbell and Starward's management team. Two part video series

Mattamy knows how to please its buyers. To learn about the corporate culture and business strategies behind Mattamy’s success, AvidBuilder sat down for a Q&A with Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes.

AVID CEO and AvidBuilder founder Paul Cardis introduces a new and exciting housing industry "knowledge exchange" developed to serve the U.S. and Canadian housing industries as a resource for housing news and information, and much more.

Employee engagement refers to “the extent to which employees put discretionary effort into their work, in the form of extra time, brainpower and energy" (Towers Perrin Talent Report, 2003). Employers need to understand five key areas in an organization that have bearing on whether or not employees will be enthusiastic performers. [Vlog, HD]

In Canada, government-imposed charges on new homes can add as much as 20% to a home's selling price. It's time for municipal, provincial and the federal governments to reconsider the burden they're putting on buyers and make housing more affordable. [ vlog in HD ]

Rated high for materials, workmanship, and service, Canada's Mattamy Homes is a perennial award winner for customer satisfaction. Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy sat down with AVID CEO Paul Cardis for a one-on-one discussion that revealed Peter's emphasis on the Golden Rule, the difference between cult and culture, and Mattamy's ROI for investing in the buyer.

AVID CEO and AvidBuilder founder Paul Cardis introduces a new and exciting housing industry "knowledge exchange" developed to serve the U.S. and Canadian housing industries as a resource for housing news and information, and much more.

Employee engagement refers to “the extent to which employees put discretionary effort into their work, in the form of extra time, brainpower and energy" (Towers Perrin Talent Report, 2003). Employers need to understand five key areas in an organization that have bearing on whether or not employees will be enthusiastic performers. [Vlog, HD]

The home builder also shares his philosophy about customer service and the importance of metrics in the company's customer-centric culture.

Rated high for materials, workmanship, and service, Canada's Mattamy Homes is a perennial award winner for customer satisfaction. Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy sat down with AVID CEO Paul Cardis for a one-on-one discussion that revealed Peter's emphasis on the Golden Rule, the difference between cult and culture, and Mattamy's ROI for investing in the buyer.

How quickly and effectively you respond to a warranty service call is directly related to a buyer's long-term satisfaction. Although the Internet has changed the way many builders handle service requests, by itself it is not an effective tool for fielding buyers' concerns. Here, Bill Frey shares his recommendation for what he calls a successful "rapid response program." And yes, it integrates an online component. [Vlog, HD]

In Canada, government-imposed charges on new homes can add as much as 20% to a home's selling price. It's time for municipal, provincial and the federal governments to reconsider the burden they're putting on buyers and make housing more affordable. [ vlog in HD ]

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle. Part 4 of 5

Heartland Homes of Calgary is the number-one rated builder in Canada for customer experience. A division of Carma Development Corp., Heartland attributes over 30% of its sales originations to customer referrals, twice the industry average. Not surprisingly, the busy home building company's marketing expense is minimal. [HD]

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

98% of Starward's buyers would recommend them, 78% already have. In this video, the Starward team shares why buyers praise the Ontario builder for the quality of their homes. Part 2 of 2

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle. Part 2 of 5

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle. Part 5 of 5

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

Winner of the AVID Award for Best Customer Experience in the U.S. among builders with less than 50 closings per year, this Utah home builder reveals why they are one of the nation's best. Six-part series. [HD]

98% of Starward's buyers would recommend them, 78% already have. The Ontario builder is presented with the 2009 Avid Canada Award for best customer experience, followed by a revealing 2-part interview with president Ward Campbell and Starward's management team. Part 1 of 2

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle.

Ruiz Homes' buyers give the Laredo, Texas builder high marks, high enough to win the AVID Diamond Award for best customer experience in the U.S. In Part 1 of this 5-part series owner Jesus Ruiz delivers a poignant "thank you" to his team after receiving the award. Later, Ruiz and his team sit down with Bill Lurz and Paul Cardis for an insightful interview about the values and practices that make this Texas diamond sparkle. Part3 of 5