Mr. Stephen Anderson This is Me

 View all 11 references Web References

1. 1. www.newszap.com

   www.newszap.com/articles/2004/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 10/22/2004   Last Visited: 10/22/2004

   What is still being discussed is whether the homeowners association or the parks department will develop it," said Stephen Anderson, lawyer for Pulte Homes.

2. 2. New Castle Business Ledger: Real Estate

   www.ncbl.com/archive/04-01real - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/1/2001   Last Visited: 6/20/2001

   Stephen Anderson had enjoyed a successful career in the corporate side of the homebuilding industry.
   
   As the local executive for Pulte , Anderson had led the national giant's successful expansion into Delaware.
   
   Despite Pulte's deep pockets , he moved cautiously.
   
   Anderson , who grew up in the Washington , D.C. area , said it was important to gain an understanding of the market before buying land and building homes. The strategy worked well and Pulte remains a major player.
   
   After leaving the First State and completing another assignment for Pulte in Florida , he faced the prospect of moving to another corporate position.
   
   I learned a lot from them , Anderson said of his nearly two decades of work for Pulte and Ryan , another large builder.
   
   However , Anderson and his family wanted a respite from the frequent corporate transfers. Anderson began looking at returning to Delaware. He had enjoyed his time in the state and had maintained relationships with the players in the industry.
   
   Better yet , he was comfortable with the local market. While at Pulte Anderson had learned that Delaware , unlike some other areas did not see a flood of homes on the market when corporate downsizings took place.
   
   Thanks to buyouts and the ability to find jobs within the area , those affected by corporate downsizings stayed around.
   
   As a result , the new market in Delaware remains relatively steady , with supply and demand in fairly close balance.
   
   ...
   It has been said that you are alone when you start a business , Anderson said. It did not happen that way.. Anderson said he received strong support and encouragement from lenders , land-owners and suppliers.
   
   When it came to the vital business of land acquisition , he found sellers were weighing the reputation of the buyer , as well as the price.
   
   Anderson opted to move into what some might view as a crowded category of the market -- homes in the 200s in the Middletown area. The company is also building an executive home community near Kennett Square , Pa. with prices in the 600s.
   
   Anderson said he chose that niche in the market because it allowed the flexibility to offer the features and high quality being sought by homebuyers. He also sought to blend the advantages of a national builder and a local firm.
   
   Anderson uses the same architectural firm as the nationals and retained a Washington , D.C. advertising agency that shared his vision. At the same time , he strives to maintain a personal touch and stay close to the market.
   
   From his work here and elsewhere , he knew the market had changed in Delaware and elsewhere.
   
   For one thing , the peaks and valleys in the business are not as pronounced. Gone are the days when sales moved in tandem with interest rates.
   
   Some of our strongest activity was when rates were highest , he noted of the historical performance of the industry.
   
   Also , the days of rapid appreciation in value are gone.
   ...
   Anderson also learned that potential buyers had been shopping the market for an average of 18 months. As a result , they had a good idea of what they wanted by the time they were ready to buy.
   
   Armed with this information , Anderson has refined the company's marketing strategy , avoiding such things as live broadcast events , grand openings and muddy shoe previews -- not for budget reasons but because he figures that serious buyers will find the homes.
   
   Anderson does advertise , but has taken the somewhat unusual step of advertising in the News-Journal's Friday entertainment section as well as its hefty real estate section.
   
   The Internet is also part of the strategy , not as an advertising tool , but as a way to supply information.
   
   Anderson , a voracious reader of anything related to the home-building industry , also offers an opinion piece on the website.
   
   By offering homes in the 200s , Anderson said the company has the ability to customize homes home to meet the desires of those buyers.
   
   While it has become a cliche in the home-building business , Anderson said the firm is serious about maintaining a close relationship with buyers throughout the sales and building process. The company was careful in picking the right people dedicated to satisfying customers , he said.
   
   While gentle in his criticism , Anderson said an all-too-common problem in the industry is the barrier that exists between the builder and the buyer. He also believes that hard-to-please buyers and builders end up in an adversarial situation. Sometimes that can result in that buyer facing a chilly response from the builder , superintendent and others in the process. As a result , the perception of poor treatment becomes a reality.
   
   At the same time , Anderson said the company works hard to ensure that buyers are fully informed of their rights and responsibilities.
   
   Buyers are also involved in the process of picking out options for their homes , meeting with those supplying flooring and other products. The meets provide a way to explain the strengths and weaknesses of various products.
   
   Everyone wants granite , he said of the popular material for kitchen counters. At the same time , Corian and recently introduced Zodiac are excellent materials. Both Corian and Zodiac are from DuPont Co..
   ...
   Anderson said that while a few buyers are never satisfied , I want to have a clear conscience that we did everything we could..
   
   After its launch last year , Anderson has fared well in the market. He estimated that the firm has sold between 30 and 40 homes following its launch in the fall of last year.
   
   We can be as big as we want to be , he said of future growth. The limiting factor is the ability to find the people who share my enthusiasm , he said.
   
   Degli Obizzi wins Charter Cup from ABC Delaware
   
   Ralph G. Degli Obizzi , Jr. of Ralph G. Degli Obizzi & Sons was presented with ABC Delaware's most prestigious award , the 2001 Charter Cup during the annual Charter Night dinner , which marked the associations 20th anniversary.

3. 3. www.newszap.com

   www.newszap.com/articles/2004/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 10/9/2004   Last Visited: 10/9/2004

   "We have swapped the locations of some of our single-family detached and multi-family attached homes," Pulte Homes' lawyer Stephen Anderson said.
   ...
   "We have also set aside 10 acres for a central recreation area," Mr. Anderson said.
   
   He also said that the developer will maintain the two large natural washes and have a trails system that will connect to neighboring community's trails.