Does it take seasoned sales experts to sell new homes in a challenging market like this?

Not when you can have the homeowners themselves selling homes for you.

That's what Caruso Homes' Symphony Village, a Centreville, Maryland 55+ community has proven with its resident sales ambassadors. The 495-unit active adult resort hires ten homeowners at a time to work at a hourly wage at their sales center, according to Karen Leier, the company's VP of sales and marketing.

Some of the ambassadors are part time and some put in a 40-hour work week. In a recent BUILDER Magazine report, Leier admits that Caruso Homes' three full-time salespeople don't hold a candle to their ambassadors, who are their best representatives. "We're kind of like a family," admits Caruso Homes' President David Herzog.

Homeowners also take an active role in planning community events while sales are still in progress, holding anything from wine and cheese parties to family fun days using the community's 13.800 square foot clubhouse.

Published: January 22, 2008

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