HomeBuilder.com™, the new homes Web site of Homestore.com, Inc. (Nasdaq:
HOMS), has partnered with the National Association of Home Builders™ (NAHB) to
create the GroundBreaker™ program, which provides free Web sites and
productivity tools to custom homebuilders. Launching today, the new program
seeks to establish a Web presence for the custom home building marketplace,
which accounts for more than 30% of the U.S. housing market, as well as improve
the available technology resources to help custom builders market themselves to
new-home shoppers online.
The Web sites and productivity tools, which currently cost $900, will be
sponsored by several industry participants including Solutions-on-Site. The
sites will link custom builder home listings directly to HomeBuilder.com™, the
new-homes site on the Homestore.com™ network, the collective sites of which
attract an average of more than five million unique users each month1.
In creating the GroundBreaker™ program, HomeBuilder.com and the NAHB have
also established the first national database of custom homes and builders.
Using an enhanced search tool designed specifically to locate custom
builders, consumers can now easily gather information online about custom
builders’ history of quality craftsmanship, geographic work areas and the
styles of homes in which they specialize. Consumers can also contact the
builder directly through HomeBuilder.com’s lead generation system and find out
how to choose a custom builder and manage the unique process of building a new
custom home.
Participants in the GroundBreaker™ program receive a HomeBuilder.com™
Classic Web Site, including eight feature tabs, a selection of different site
designs and the ability to update the site online. Custom builders do not even
need to own a computer or have Internet access to participate in the program.
HomeBuilder.com™ can build and update the Web site and fax leads to
participating builders. Custom builders with existing Web sites can benefit
from the program by ensuring their site is linked to the Custom Builder Search
results on HomeBuilder.com.
To register for the GroundBreaker™ program, the builder must be a member of
the NAHB or his or her local HBA. Companies can also opt to purchase the
HomeBuilder.com™ Classic Web Site at its regular price without an NAHB
membership. To enroll in the Ground Breaker program please stop by the
HomeBuilder.com booth (#936) in the TecHomExpo to pick up an information kit.
Enrollment can also be completed online at http://resource.homebuilder.com or
by calling 800-252-9001. For further information on the benefits of joining
the NAHB or contact information for local HBA’s call 800-368-5242.
Published: February 12, 2001
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