Industry Insider: Chris Naatz, D.R. Horton Homes
The advantages of buying a home from a large, national builder have become apparent over the past three years.
“Before you hand over a large deposit check, it is good to know you can depend on that publicly-traded builder with a proven track record,” says Chris Naatz, vice president of sales and marketing for D.R. Horton Homes in Chicago.
Naatz is also proud of the many choices D.R. Horton offers to buyers. It has an option for every budget these days.
For instance, Naatz and his sales team can now offer prospective homebuyers the option of a house up to 2,800 square feet built on a slab.
“This is living space that people can use right away and it can save them up to $30,000 on their budget to build without a basement,” he said. “Building without a basement can allow people to add that three-car garage that they wanted or we can give them a second-floor bonus room.
“Flexibility of choice is key today so we are also offering ranch homes with single-floor living in most of our communities, as well as move-up homes with architectural detail in unique locations,” Naatz said. “And we offer lifestyle communities with pools and clubhouses for people of all ages who feel that those types of facilities add to a sense of community.”
The company also has its active-adult plans. In fact, Naatz believes D.R. Horton is the only active-adult builder in the area that offers a first-floor master suite along with a second floor bonus room for the grandchildren.
“We are building in both affordable locations and in the heart of everything, if that is what people are seeking. We are accommodating many different consumer profiles,” he said.
What is the best part of being a builder?#147;I am passionate about selling new homes. I think that everyone should have the experience of building a new home and putting in all of their own personal touches. It is exciting and I love seeing when our models inspire people to make a change like that.#148;Naatz also enjoys helping design new models from comments his team has received from buyers. #147;The way that people live in their homes evolves over time and that makes changes in our models necessary.#148;Naatz also enjoys driving through a completed community and seeing the children playing and the neighbors socializing because he realizes that without his team, that community of people would not exist. It would still be raw land.What is your dream home like?Naatz would like to have two homes to enjoy: a condominium in the city where he could enjoy cultural activities, and a Cape Cod on the beach somewhere in the Northeast. Both would be decorated in a transitional style and neither would be too large.What are your favorite home amenities?A luxury master bath equipped with a television (for watching the news while dressing) and a luxury shower, as well as a first-floor guest suite so guests have a space to call their own.His background:Naatz, a Cary resident, earned a bachelor#146;s degree in journalism and Spanish from Indiana University and a master#146;s in marketing from Roosevelt University. After college he learned that Sundance Homes was looking for weekend sales help, so he took the job as a temporary measure and discovered he enjoyed working in the home-building industry.Naatz stayed with Sundance Homes for five years working his way up to general sales manager, then moved to Concord Homes where he was general sales manager for another five and a half years. Pulte Homes and Del Webb was his next career stop. He spent six and half years there, most of it as vice president of sales and marketing before he left in the fall of 2010 to take a similar position with D.R. Horton, which is locally-based in Libertyville.He now supervises the sales teams at 14 communities around the Chicago area and also oversees the team that handles advertising, public relations, online presence, signage, billboards, model merchandising and the entire consumer experience.Builder details:D.R. Horton#146;s Chicago division closed on 433 homes during their 2010 fiscal year. Its homes range in price from $119,000 to the low $400,000s.What is your business philosophy?#147;Be positive. Make sure the customer is the center of your focus and that you listen to their wants and needs. You also have to be adaptable and innovative, just like any good business.#148;Naatz is also convinced happy employees make happy customers and that pride is contagious.#147;It is rewarding to work in a business that allows people to attain the American dream, which gives them the pride of ownership and lifelong memories. No matter what the market condition, the new-home industry is a great one to work in.#148;What are the biggest changes you have seen over the years?Today#146;s homebuyers are asking for more flexible spaces that can be dedicated to a variety of activities, like second-floor bonus rooms, he said. And thanks to advances in technology, people are sacrificing first-floor dens (unless they telecommute) in favor of first-floor bedrooms. With the increasing use of laptops and iPads, people don#146;t need a dedicated computer room anymore.#147;There is much more of a focus on energy efficiency because people realize that it is a win-win situation if they choose more energy-efficient appliances, windows, doors, etc. They can save money on their energy bills and be more environmentally friendly at the same time.#148;