Saturday, June 7, 2003

Housing business to open studio

By AARON LONDON
NEWS-JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The city´s booming housing market has landed another commercial user. California-based KB Homes has taken out leases totaling more than 5,600 square feet at two locations. The leases were negotiated by Danette Potochick of Coldwell Banker Commercial.

The company plans to open a studio in a 3,805-square-foot facility at 25 Pine Cone Drive and use a 1,880-square foot space on Hargrove Grade to house additional staff.

"The KB Homes studio is part of our business plan," said Jaci Chapman, KB spokeswoman. "It allows home buyers to come to the studio and customize their homes."

With trained studio consultants on staff, home buyers can choose from a wide variety of interior and exterior options for their new home.

"Once a home buyer signs a contract with us, they set up an appointment at the studio with one of our studio consultants," Chapman said. "We currently have over 5,000 different options for our home buyers to choose from, and that includes roofing, garage doors, exterior doors as well as wood flooring samples, carpet samples and ceiling fans. There´s just an enormous amount to choose from."

Chapman said the studio consultants work with home buyers one-on-one.

"They´re thoroughly trained and many of them have a background in interior design," she said.

The Palm Coast studio is expected to be up and running some time this fall. Until then, home buyers can visit the company´s Jacksonville studio.

Chapman said the strong residential growth in the city prompted the company to open the design studio. The city topped the 300 mark for total permits for the second time this year in May, according to Jason Gambone, Palm Coast director of development services.

"I don´t see that slowing down," he said. That growth fits in with KB Homes overall marketing strategy.

"Our target market is the first-time home buyer and first-time move up buyer," she said. "This area is booming with that market. We positioned ourselves to be one of the top homebuilders in the area and we plan to be."

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