Beating competitors' prices by $10,000 to $15,000 and including standard amenities other builders tack on as extras, California's Highland Ranch has become a sales success.
Fireplaces, tile countertops, tiled entries, and half-wall exterior brick veneers. These amenities, typically offered as upgrades by builders in the competitive central California market, come standard in Highland Ranch's six plans. And move-up buyers, delighted by the savings, are sinking an average of $11,000 into upgrades such as floor tile, countertops, textured backsplash tiles, and landscaping. Translation: Buyers get more bang for their buck at Highland Ranch. Money talks, and so do happy buyers. At press time, the community, which had recently been named the fastest-selling neighborhood by the California Real Estate Journal, was selling 13 units a month and about to release 42 more. Three hundred people were already on the waiting list, and the builder hadn't run an ad in three weeks.