Unlocking the future of affordable high-performance homes with Landsea Homes’ Florida Division
As an award-winning builder, Landsea Homes (Landsea) has established a remarkable presence in the real estate sector by designing and constructing master-planned communities and homes across the nation. With a formidable reputation as the 2022 Builder of the Year, Landsea continues to push boundaries and redefine the concept of sustainable living. The company’s pioneering commitment to sustainability is evident in its high-performance homes, which seamlessly integrate technology and energy-efficient features. Landsea is driven by a passion for making homeownership more accessible and affordable, ensuring that everyone can experience owning a quality-built home.
The company’s Florida division stands out as its largest and most profitable branch, showcasing Landsea’s unwavering dedication to innovation, profitability, and delivering exceptional living experiences to residents across the Sunshine State. Megan Bakel, VP Sales and Marketing, tells us more about Landsea’s Florida division.
Making big strides
“We have recently expanded our team with new sales leaders, including three managers, as part of our ongoing growth. Our Florida division has seen significant expansion, with approximately 61 new hires in the past year alone, bringing our total team size to around 160 people. Furthermore, we continue to enhance our community offerings, currently boasting 29, with more launches planned for the upcoming year. In Florida, we’ve made consistent strides in building high-performance homes that seamlessly integrate into communities despite being relatively new to the state. Our focus on efficiency and quick turnaround times has been pivotal in facilitating smooth moves and swift home closings for our customers, thereby addressing affordability challenges they may face. With sluggish resales and increasing demand for new homes, we’ve positioned ourselves well by offering incentives and prioritizing quick move-ins, which now comprise around 70 percent of our business. This approach has proven effective in meeting customer needs and preferences,” she begins.
Throughout its existence, Landsea’s Florida division has undergone significant evolution and growth, but not without encountering various challenges. “Every builder has faced the difficulties posed by fluctuating interest rates. It is clear that rates have significantly increased, and we must find ways to assist customers in moving forward. Ensuring our team is trained to help customers feel comfortable and aligning our marketing efforts to drive the right traffic are crucial. This means, we are continually improving our understanding of buyer profiles and conversion rates to optimize the process. Moreover, overcoming these challenges involves leveraging marketing strategies, effective training, and instilling confidence within our teams. Sharing knowledge and energy is vital. We are quickly becoming a leading builder in Florida and are making significant strides towards that goal,” Megan adds.
She goes on to discuss Landsea’s renowned high-performance homes. “These homes contain four innovative and unique pillars that set us apart from the competition. This distinction is particularly notable in Florida, where we emphasize home automation and technology integration. Our homes feature an Apple® HomeKit that allows homeowners to control various aspects of their home through apps, including the garage, doors, and lights. Sustainability remains a key focus within our high-performance homes as we prioritize the future by implementing features like our REME HALO® system, which promotes cleaner air quality. I believe that what makes us unique, not only in Florida but also in the broader national context, is that Landsea is the only builder we are aware of that incorporates all these components into its homes. While other builders may offer certain similar elements, we have made a substantial investment to provide a higher quality product that exceeds customer expectations. Additionally, our ability to educate buyers about the features they may not yet realize they need gives us another competitive edge. While not every buyer may be aware of the benefits of high-performance homes, we are dedicated to showing them and helping them understand the value of these innovations. This approach is akin to what Apple has achieved on a broader scale by consistently being ahead of people’s expectations and introducing products that redefine their needs,” she informs.
Community support 
When it comes to improving the sustainability of its operations, Landsea pays attention to even the smallest details. “We’re transitioning into becoming a paperless company, which means we’re also moving away from paper brochures. While this might seem like a minor change, if you consider the 30 communities we work within, reducing paper usage and waste is significant. In the field, we emphasize waste reduction and maintain close collaboration with vendors to optimize product usage. Sustainability is at the core of our ongoing efforts. While we may not have adopted every advancement available in Florida, we’re proactively working on implementing changes where feasible. We firmly believe that these small steps collectively contribute to making a meaningful impact,” she explains.
In addition to its commitment to innovation and sustainability, Landsea also ensures it positively impacts communities. “One of the initiatives we strongly support is HomeAid®, a national organization dedicated to addressing homelessness. In Florida, we collaborate with Russ Beymer, who leads this initiative locally. For every home we close, we contribute $100 towards HomeAid®, ensuring our support reaches the local unhoused population. Our commitment has made us the charity’s largest donor in terms of contribution. Indeed, with nearly 1000 homes closing each year, the cumulative impact of our $100 donations is significant. We also extend our support in other ways. This ongoing partnership allows us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people living in Florida, and we are dedicated to continuing our support and expanding our involvement with this organization,” she emphasizes.
Exceeding high standards
Regarding the long-term outlook for Landsea’s Florida division, Megan reveals the company’s approach. “For now, continuing to assess the diverse markets throughout Florida remains a pivotal aspect of our strategy. We are committed to maintaining our presence within our current footprint, which spans a wide range of locations, from Lakeland to Ormond Beach and Palm Coast. Furthermore, we will continue offering high-performance homes within this market. As we look forward to the new year, we plan to remain highly attuned to market trends, particularly in terms of floor plans and the opportunities they present. Our objective is to introduce a more affordable housing product line in response to the clear demand for such options. This initiative is designed to provide high-performance homes that can be customized, catering to markets where price sensitivity plays a significant role. Our aim is to make homes accessible to those who may have been priced out of the market by offering a product that strikes the right balance between quality and affordability,” she ends.
By forming community partnerships and introducing more accessible high-performance homes, Landsea’s Florida division is steadfast in its commitment to promoting sustainability and affordability for all residents. Fueled by innovation and adaptability, the company is actively steering future growth in the state.