New Homes in Round Rock, TX
4/27/08 - Buffington Signature Homes Moves into National Builders’ Territory with Quality Homes and Local Values
April 27, 2008 -- While many of the national builders are feeling the effects of the national housing market slowdown, one local homebuilder is helping Austin buyers find the silver lining.
“It’s actually a great time to build a new home in Austin,” says Tom Buffington, founder and CEO of Buffington Signature Homes. The company is the newest venture from the long-time Austin builder and investor. His list of credentials includes Buffington Capital, a leading area acquisition and development company, and Buffington Homes, which became the second largest builder in Austin before being sold to a national firm in the late 1990s.
“A lot of the national builders are scaling back in the Austin market, we’re able to come in here with innovative designs and a level of personal service that you usually can’t find in these areas,” explained Buffington. “Being locally-owned and operated, we can adjust to the market immediately as it changes. Most of the national companies are managed from a regional office somewhere far away, and they start to take on a one-size-fits-all approach to their offerings.”
The local company’s first major project has been a collection of homes in Silver Leaf, a premier Round Rock community of new homes. Buffington believes 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 will also enjoy the difference of owning a Buffington Signature Home in this prime location.
The biggest difference in the quality of a Buffington home comes from the company’s commitment to old-fashioned hard work throughout the construction process. Engineered foundations and frames in every home ensure stability and longevity, while full wind-bracing and ½-inch OSB wrapping help protect against cracking walls and sticking doors or windows. Buffington also insists that build teams use more labor-intensive building techniques which most of the big firms phased out long ago. The roofs are traditionally framed and all walls are built with 16” centers. In addition, the homes feature deep floor trusses and the ¾-inch sub-flooring is attached with screws and glue to create incredibly solid floors that are less likely to squeak or bounce.
“The key to putting this much effort into building a home is to make sure we do it right the first time,” says James Giddens, president of Buffington Signature Homes. “A little extra work during the construction stage means less work for us in the long run and less daily maintenance for our customers after they move into their homes. Most members of our leadership team have worked with the 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 left off.”
Another 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.
“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 in our homes,” said Grant Whittenberger, Vice President of Sales for Buffington Signature Homes. “The Sales Center gives our customers a chance to experience the quality of the construction, the innovative floorplans and extra features in a way you just can’t do on paper. We’re planning a big Grand Opening celebration in May, but everyone is 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 in two premier Austin communities, with openings in The Bridges at 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.
