How does Pulte Homes develop the right product for the market?
We have a system that has never failed us. Seven sets of eyes review every new product. In no order of importance, they are marketing, sales, construction, land development, architecture, interior design and business. Marketing is understanding who the customer is, what they want, what they can afford and, most important in our business, where they want it, because you cant pick it up and move it. Also important is what message you use to merchandise. For example, a few years ago a few of us from Detroit toured a model home for yuppies in California. The saleslady, who was in her late 60s, took us through the master bath, the most gorgeous master bath I had ever seen. It had a huge bathtub that could hold 80 gallons of water and four people. This woman turned to me and said, “I dont understand why you would want a tub this big.” Was she the wrong person to sell this house! This builder did everything right for their buyer, but it had the wrong person selling. Construction and land deve
