Buffington Signature Homes News
4/14/08 - Could it be the Perfect Time to Build Your New Home in Austin?
Veteran Austin homebuilder, Tom Buffington, says the timing couldn’t be better.
April 14, 2008 -- It’s no mystery that the national housing market has slowed dramatically in recent months, and the effects are being felt even in Austin’s thriving economy. But as economists predict doom and gloom across the country, one Austin homebuilder sees a silver lining.
“Actually, now is a great time to build a new home in Austin,” says Tom Buffington, founder and CEO of Buffington Signature Homes.
Buffington led his first venture, Buffington Homes, to became the second largest builder in Austin before selling it to a national firm in the late 90s. After leading an equally successful acquisition and development company, Buffington has returned to his homebuilding roots with Buffington Signature Homes.
“With a lot of the national builders scaling back in the Austin market, there are some great opportunities for smaller local builders,” explained Buffington. “With the major firms cutting back, we’re able to come in here with innovative floorplans and a level of personal service that you usually can’t find in these areas. Being a local builder makes a big difference in terms of the quality and features we can provide for our customers.”
A key differentiator for Buffington Signature Homes is something they call Signature Features, more than 90 high-end fixtures, finishes and features that they include standard in every home. These include a 3rd car garage, island kitchens with granite countertops and custom cabinets, rounded corners, energy efficient appliances, covered patios and fully sodded yards, all standard in the price of the home. Customers can also choose from a collection of Signature Options, optional designs and features to further personalize their homes.
“Our approach is very different from the national builders,” says James Giddens, president of Buffington Signature Homes. “Tom [Buffington] and I have assembled a team of experienced leaders from many of these national firms, so we understand where their processes succeed and where they fall short. We spent a lot of time on product development, making sure our designs and our features picked up where the others guys dropped off.”
Buffington’s first major project has been a collection of homes in Silver Leaf, one of Round Rock’s premier new home communities. According to Buffington, Round Rock’s highly-rated schools, major employers and easy access to downtown Austin make this the perfect place to build a new home. And he’s not alone: Entrepreneur.com recently placed the area at the top of its “Best Places to Buy” list, citing low prices and high job growth as key indicators. As an added bonus, buyers can now enjoy the difference of owning a Buffington Signature Home in this prime location.
“We just opened our Silver Leaf Sales Center, and it’s exciting to have a model where people can walk in and really see the difference of our homes,” said Grant Whittenberger, Vice President of Sales for Buffington Signature Homes. “The Sales Center gives our customers a chance to experience the innovative floorplans and features in a way you just can’t do on paper. We’re planning a big Grand Opening celebration in May, but people are welcome to stop in now to tour the homesites and check out our pre-construction pricing specials.”
Buffington has also stepped into several other communities in the Austin area, and the team anticipates demand for their homes will be high. In May, they will open a model in Forest Oaks, located just off the new 183A toll road in Cedar Park. Later this summer, they will also begin offering homes two premier Austin communities, with openings in The Bridges of Bear Creek and Southpark Meadows.
For more information on Buffington Signature Homes, visit www.BuffingtonSignatureHomes.com/aas or visit the Silver Leaf Sales Center at: 209 Aspen Trail, Round Rock, TX 78664
About Buffington Signature Homes
Buffington Signature Homes is dedicated to building homes that will last a lifetime. A locally owned company with a wealth of experience, Buffington Signature Homes combines innovative floor plans, skilled craftsmanship and an exceptional buying experience to deliver homes that each and every customer is proud to live in. Proudly building fine communities and new homes in Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville.
