Meeting Ideal Homes

What to expect at your first appointment with a new home consultant

So you’ve made that exciting – and sometimes a little scary – decision to purchase your first home. Congratulations! We hope you will consider Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods as part of your home search – it’s a wise choice. At Ideal, your first meeting on the path to new homeownership is with a new home consultant.

In this article, we talk with Cheli Porter, one of Ideal’s new home consultants. She’s been with the company for almost 12 years and serves as the customer’s point of contact through the entire build. She is not a Realtor®; her position is to help you feel comfortable with the home buying process, whether that’s answering your questions, or helping you understand and become comfortable with the process. She will be your “person” until closing and won’t just hand you off to someone else. She’s yours for the duration!

First appointments are often made by an online salesperson (for those who’ve contacted Ideal Homes through the website) or by your realtor if you’re working with one. Occasionally, you’ll meet a consultant by dropping by the model home. While consultants are happy to serve walk-in customers, they always protect their appointments and may not be able to help you at that exact moment. The best advice is to contact the online sales consultant by visiting IdealHomes.com and clicking in the upper right corner.

The first meeting is an information gathering time; you don’t need to bring any kind of paperwork. Just have your requirements and investment budget in your head or on paper so you can share those numbers. Your consultant will introduce you to Ideal Homes communities and house plans that will fit your needs, based on the information you provide. Your consultant will always ask your permission before delving into these questions:

• Which community are you interested in?
• What’s your moving situation? Are there time constraints, are you moving from out of state, or do you want a specific school district?
• What size home are you looking for? How many bedrooms?
• What’s your investment range?

These questions may seem personal, but your consultant wants to get you into the right community and the right space for you. 

According to Cheli, this first meeting is to get to know you. “The more information you can share, the better job I can do as your new home consultant,” she says. “Finding the perfect home is a higher priority than making a sale.” 

To get to know you better, your new home consultant might want to know what’s changing in your life that would make you purchase a new home and if you’re interested in a “just for now” home or a “forever” home. She’ll ask you about design features that work and don’t work in your current home. And what your timeframe will allow … do you have enough time to build or would a pre-designed homework better for you?

Your consultant will also share information about Ideal Homes, our communities and neighborhoods, schools, community amenities, warranties, customer care, our building practices, and energy efficiency. You’ll get to visit several houses and learn how we build homes that last a lifetime.

“My goal, and the goal of every new home consultant at Ideal, is to help. I’m here to help your family find a home, not to sell you a house,” says Cheli. “If my community doesn’t fit your needs and timeline, I’ll take you someplace else. It’s my pleasure to try my best to help you make the best decision for you.”

A home is a big purchase and deserves some thought and planning. But you should be aware that homes are selling quickly, these days. Take the time you need to discover and investigate but hesitating to sign a contract may result in losing a particular house. The status of homes changes minute by minute. Your new home consultant is always available to answer any questions you may have to help you feel comfortable about your purchase. Give us a call to help you find your Ideal home!