IBS Sessions – Editor’s Picks

Two nationally recognized residential architects team up with a leading high performance builder to present a holistic approach to designing and constructing truly sustainable, attainable, and resilient climate-responsive custom homes. And here’s the twist — rather than rely on canned checklist-based programs or certifications (that may or may not apply to your specific climate), they’re giving you proven, common sense strategies and design-based solutions. This is the thinking that comes before building science; the bridge between design, sustainability and attainability. They will demonstrate real-world, region-appropriate project programming strategies and high performance planning concepts for creating homes that are healthier, more durable and less expensive to own and operate.

This session will address the crucial strategy of niche specialization in residential construction, featuring insights from a panel of industry leaders who’ve done it themselves. Their direct experience and proven results provide practical, actionable guidance for builders aiming to differentiate and excel in a crowded market. Through a blend of expert advice and interactive discussion, you’ll learn the strategic advantages of niche specialization, uncover practical steps to identify and develop your niche and gain insights into how a well-defined niche can enhance market presence and customer loyalty. Discover how carving out your unique position in the competitive marketplace is essential for your business and financial success.

Join industry experts as they dissect critical pricing strategies designed to maximize net profit margins for residential builders. Discover effective methods to understand and optimize your pricing structure, ensuring your building company not only survives but thrives. Learn to distinguish between markup and margin, implement strategic pricing that covers all operational costs, and identify opportunities for increasing net profit. This crucial discussion for builders will enhance your financial outcomes and secure a competitive edge in the market.

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Many families and individuals share the common goal of having a place to call their own, owning a home. The thought process to get there differs based on our familial status and cultural background. Better understanding how to approach people from varying cultures during the new home sales process is critical. Industry experts representing the Asian, Latino and Muslim communities share their perspectives on the cultural nuances sales agents and real estate professionals should be aware of when buyers from diverse backgrounds shop online or walk through their sales center doors.

Efficient and effective jobsite management is critical to keeping a project on time, on budget, and ready to deliver with a high level of quality and long-term performance. This session will focus on “hands-on” best practices for managing labor shortages, trade relations, cycle time, quality assurance, and reliable scheduling by a panel of builders who have been there and done that successfully.

As a new generation of employees enters the workforce, the importance of good communication could never be more important. Join us as we show you how effective communication can make the difference between success and failure. Learn effective team-building techniques to enhance efficiencies between departments with team-building activities. Discover how the power of concise communication enhances customer experience and is a catalyst for workplace improvements. Uncover communication tools and strategies you can easily incorporate into your meetings and business interactions. Whatever position you hold in your company, this dynamic discussion helps prepare you to be the leader in enhancing your company’s communication standards and break down department silos.

An IBS Education favorite, this fast-paced session takes you on a journey with six industry-leading architects, interior designers, developers and builders as they reveal—in just 10 minutes each—the most current design ideas and strategies to jazz up your interiors, update your elevations, renew floor plans, animate streetscapes, enhance amenities and develop dynamic neighborhoods. Explore imagery that illustrates how cutting-edge design can capture your buyer’s attention to help you make a sale.

The ability to age in place has appealed to baby boomers for years, but the industry hasn’t yet offered them something compelling to move them from their current homes into the new home market. Can a more holistic approach to home design unlock the potential in this segment? Discover how to use new homes to take aging-in-place further and promote longevity alongside vitality for boomer homeowners. Two industry experts share their insights on incorporating health and wellness to thrive in place, introduce new ways to design for health and longevity and how to create a compelling strategy and approach to win over on-the-fence boomer home buyers.

There are countless IBS educational programs and exhibits showcasing the abundance of great new tech and AI tools to benefit builders and their sales teams. But what lies beyond flashy product demos and decisions of “what” is crucial back-end preparation, asset planning and a challenge or two to be navigated. For small builders, particularly, who can’t afford trial and error, this session will outline exactly where to begin, what is achievable and how new tech and AI will (hint: positively) impact your bottom line. Through real-world examples and affordable, easy-to-implement recommendations, our panel — including a savvy small-volume builder – will help you successfully navigate implementation and lay the groundwork for putting these incredible tools to use in your new home sales.

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