Zonda Takes the Stage at the International Builders Show

Here’s a breakdown of the engaging presentations Zonda experts delivered at the International Builders Show along with related upcoming events you won’t want to miss. 

Zonda was predominant both on the stage and on the showroom floor at last week’s International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, Fla. Our experts delivered a variety of programs and presentations, sharing national and regional outlooks, consumer product trends, e-commerce updates, the future of build for rent, and more. Attendees were able to see live demos of our newest platform, Enterprise, and get immersed in Alpha Vision, recently acquired by Zonda.

Explore recaps of the IBS sessions below and learn more about upcoming Zonda events.

Are Buyers Willing to Pay for That?

Learn more about Mollie or book her to speak at your event.

Hear more consumer product insights from Mollie at her next free Outlook webinar on June 16. Register today!

Housing, the Hottest E-commerce Ticket Item

Karyn Bonder, VP, Business Development, Builder Sales + Marketing, Zonda
Jennifer Cooper, Fractional CMO + Executive Marketing Strategist, Evolution Marketing
Kevin Oakley, Managing Partner, Do You Convert
Will Duderstadt, VP, Chief Marketing Officer, M/I Homes, Inc.

In this engaging session, our speakers discussed adapting to home purchasing as an e-commerce model.

• Key takeaways to successfully selling homes online:
  • Transparency is key. Offering detailed information on a home and all of its options helps to increase consumer trust. Transparency allows the buyer to self-shop and leads to more qualified buyers.
  • Sell an experience rather than providing a list of specs. Offering a visual experience, such as interactive floor plans, and positioning content to convey the lifestyle within that home is likely to intrigue more customers.
  • Provide choices. As one can grocery shop using a traditional check-out line, self-check-out, or delivery, home builders should give the consumer options every step of the way. Whether traditional or online, either process should be able to integrate into the home buying process well.
  • A proper e-commerce setup with the takeaways above can help accelerate this trend.

Economic Outlook

Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, Zonda

In this session, Ali Wolf provided the latest economic update on the housing market.

• Key takeaways:
  • Amidst many obstacles, we are continuing to experience growth. By the end of 2021, home sales were up 18 percent in comparison to 2020 and new home sales were up 35 percent in comparison to 2019.
  • Builders are still facing supply chain challenges, which are expected to continue for another 12-18 months.
  • Forty percent of builders say the spring selling season started early, while 30 percent of builders say it hasn’t started yet but there is still strong demand. Ninety percent of builders raised prices in January 2022.
  • The inflation rate is over seven percent, the highest inflation rate in 40 years. As a result, mortgage rates are climbing. January saw a 0.5 percent increase in just three weeks.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have its own impact on the economy. Some parts of the country are permanently more expensive.
  • 2022 sales will be dependent on supply, but we are estimating a 10.9 percent increase. Buyer hesitancy was at 60 percent in July 2021 and is currently at only 21 percent.

Get the latest economic outlook at our Q1 Forecast webinar presented by Ali Wolf. Register today!

Peering Into the Build for Rent Future

Bryan Glasshagel, Senior Vice President, Zonda
Tim Sullivan, Senior Managing Principal, Zonda

In this session, Tim Sullivan and Bryan Glasshagel reported on the future of build for rent homes.

• Key takeaways:
  • Single-family build for rent is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. housing market and is predicted to keep growing in the years ahead.
  • Build to rent renters are renting by choice or financial necessity. They are less transient and often become potential clients for purchasing homes in the future, especially in a master-planned community setting.
  • Desired amenities include private outdoor space, a clubhouse or fitness room, a swimming pool, recreational space such as a dog park (over 60 percent of renters have a pet), an on-site leasing office, and maintenance.
  • One size does not fit all. When considering build for rent, ask these seven questions to determine if it makes sense:
    • Who are our expected renters?
    • Does our product meet their needs?
    • How is supply and demand?
    • What rent can be achieved?
    • How do rents compare to other housing options?
    • How high are operating costs?
    • Does the risk-adjusted return make sense?

Learn more about the future of build for rent at the Single Family for Rent conference in Dallas, March 28-29. Register today!

Multifamily Insights

Kimberly Byrum, Managing Principal – Multifamily, Zonda

In this session, Kimberly Byrum shared current trends and insight in the multifamily industry.

• Key takeaways:
  • Occupancy rates have bounced back to 97 percent since the dip in Q2 2020.
  • Construction times have increased by 33 percent in almost six months.
  • We are estimating 300,000 units in 2022. Typically, we would estimate 400,000, but we expect to get back to that number around 2024.
  • Renewal rates were at a record high in 2021 at 57 percent. The increase is due to rent hikes during the COVID-19 pandemic, so renters are choosing to stay put in order to save money.
  • From Q2 2021 to now, we saw a 14.4 percent increase in new lease prices and only 6.8 percent growth for renewal rates.

Don’t miss the MFE Leadership Summit conference March 6-8 in Vail, CO.

Hear more from Kimberly at the multifamily update webinar on May 12. Register today!

Corporate Social Responsibility + Making an Impact

Scott Larson, CEO, HomeAid America
Mollie Carmichael, Principal, Zonda

In this impactful session, Mollie Carmichael and Scott Larson covered strategies that can make a difference in a community, and HomeAid’s mission and connection to the home building industry. HomeAid is a leading nonprofit developer of housing and facilities for people experiencing, or at-risk of, homelessness.

• Key takeaways:
  • Half a million Americans are homeless. There was a 30 percent increase in homelessness from 2016 to 2020.
  • A focus on prevention is important. Once someone loses their home it becomes more difficult to re-home them.
  • HomeAid founded a Family Care Center in Orange County, Calif. that is focused on family homelessness.
  • HomeAid’s impact:
    • Over half a million lives improved
    • Over 3.8 million square feet of housing added
    • 12,700 beds added
  • Developers need to be a part of the conversation. Their expertise can be used to create more efficient programs to help solve homelessness.

“As a home builder, what’s more noble than providing homes for those who really need it?” – Scott Larson, CEO, HomeAid America