Pulte Homes
The Pinnacle of Quality

by Danielle D’Adamo

It all started with a bungalow in southeastern Michigan. A bungalow that still stands today as testimony to Bill Pulte’s quest for excellence and innovation. The philosophy to build the best home and to delight the customer still guides the company more than half a century later.

“It’s definitely a hallmark,” says Jacque Petroulakis, Public Affairs Officer for Pulte Homes. “The company builds on a reputation of quality home construction and commitment to superior customer satisfaction. We exceed expectations by doing things right the first time because we’re building Pulte homeowners for life.”

Today, Pulte Homes has grown into one of the nation’s largest and most diversified homebuilders. “We are one of the few homebuilders that can service virtually every market,” says Petroulakis. “Whether building for a first time buyer, growing family or a new retiree, we are able to go above and beyond the old standard of customer satisfaction to true customer delight.”

After acquiring Del Webb in 2001, the company extended its family of builders to include the active adult brand in the Phoenix market. Utilizing the Del Webb brand of highly amenitized communities, Pulte Homes is able to design neighborhoods depending on the buyer. For example, while Sun City Anthem is a retirement community, it is a part of a larger Anthem division designed for all ages.

“The beauty is that we see so many people who want to live near their families,” explains Petroulaskis. “You’re able to have parents, grandparents and grandchildren all living in the larger community but they each have very unique neighborhoods and homes. That is something very special, and it’s something we found that is growing in popularity.”

By evolving with homeowners over the years, Pulte Homes has constructed more than 500,000 homes. Benefiting buyers at every stage of life, the company is able to focus on needs and desires and provide a variety of options. “It’s our goal and that sets us apart in markets where we build and sell homes,” says Petroulaskis.

Signature Standards
Creating new ways for home buyers to recognize value, Pulte Homes conducts extensive research on how to build homes and what features appeal to residents. Determined to make the process the best home buying experience for every customer, the company developed a multi-step customer care plan.

“It’s a chance for our customers to enjoy the thrilling experience and watch an idea take shape into their new home,” says Petroulaskis. “This is a person’s most important and expensive purchase of their lives and we don’t take that for granted.”

Taking into account many different value items when constructing a home, Pulte Homes promises buyers get what they want—without paying extra for it. The value is in the location, the type of neighborhood, the quality of construction and the amenity package. “It’s really striking for people because many are used to paying a $100 HOA fee for just a small pool and a gate around it,” says Petroulaskis. “We truly offer value and find a way to increase our efficiency by streamlining our construction process and the process of personalizing a home.”

While Del Webb is the grandfather of innovative amenitized communities, Pulte Homes is convinced that programming is the key element in a successful niche community. The building may be fantastic, but making that building come alive with activities, clubs and interest groups is what sets Pulte Homes apart from the rest.

“We facilitate that process and get results,” explains Petroulskis. “Our communities are so vibrant from the get-go because that’s an important component to us. Many times, the reason buyers are selecting highly amenitized communities is not necessarily the home; it’s because there is a socializing component assumed there.”

Offering specialty areas such as fitness centers and more multipurpose areas that can be converted by club, Pulte Homes designates a lifestyle director at each community to keep in pace with cutting-edge trends. “You don’t want to have a space that can’t adapt to a new opportunity,” says Petroulskis. “Here, the consumer is so much more diverse and that’s important when you’re talking about programming.”

Aiming High
Committed to understanding what a buyer wants in a home and in a homebuilder, Pulte Homes has consistently maintained the highest levels of customer satisfaction—especially in terms of energy savings. “It’s something that we have been doing for years,” says Petroulskis. “We created an Environment for Living program that is very popular in our communities. We look at energy costs within the home along with appliances and low water usage items.”

Cabrillo Point in Peoria is a certified green community focused on making it easier for home buyers to live green and save money. It guarantees efficient and predictable energy usage by providing twice the energy efficiency of a standard home.

“In the past, green was technically available but always out of reach for the average consumer,” says Petroulskis. “We make it affordable because it’s important for our customers to save money and feel good about the homes they live in. If green efforts are priced so high that the buyer has to make a choice, that doesn’t accomplish anything. We make it so the green choice doesn’t become a money barrier.”

With every member of the company striving to delivery quality, value and an exceptional home buying experience, Pulte Homes continues to see results in the percentage of homes sold and referral customers, adds Petroulskis. “Our high quality rankings and great customer satisfaction for such a large builder is truly something that we’re humbled by and strive to improve on over and over.”

Danielle D’Adamo is Managing Editor of New Homes Today.

Pulte Home Community Highlights

Anthem at Merrill Ranch—Parkside
Experience a variety of activites at Anthem at Merrill Ranch including rock climbing, golf, a water park, a bustling community center and more. With 30 home plans, Anthem Parkside offers homes for every family and every stage in life.
www.anthemmr.com

Bella Via
Bella Via is a beautiful Tuscan-themed master planned community in the east Valley, providing a great place for families of all ages to grow up. Five model parks are open daily with 15 unique home plans.
www.pulte.com/bellavia

Festival Foothills
Festival Foothills is located in the master planned community of Festival Ranch, just north of the White Tank Mountain Range and minutes away from Surprise. Enjoy pedestrian walking paths, community parks, fields and an onsite elementary school. Four series of homes are offered ranging from 1,230 square feet to 4,068 square feet.
www.pulte.com/festivalfoothills

Fireside at Norterra
Fireside at Norterra by Del Webb is at the base of an expansive mountain preserve in north Phoenix. A 16,500 square foot community center features an indoor rock-climbing wall, state of the art fitness center, an aerobics facility and spa treatment rooms. The community has 36 floor plans from low maintenance flats and terrace homes to cottages and single-family homes.
www.firesidebydelwebb.com

Two Sun Cities
Sun City Festival in the west Valley and Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch in the east Valley offer beautiful homes and spectacular amenities for today’s active adults. Amenities include state-of-the-art community centers, indoor and outdoor resort-style pools and spas, fitness center, multipurpose rooms and courts, a putting green and 18-hole championship golf courses.
www.delwebb.com/festival
www.suncityanthem.com