Publication Date:
Fri, 2012-09-07 10:03
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Homebuilder Blu Homes and real estate broker Redfin have teamed up to allow customers the option of building a sustainable home on well-chosen land. Customers can now find and buy property through Redfin, and then personalize, site and build their new home on that land with Blu.
The collaboration is now active for customers in the San Francisco Bay Area and is expected to expand nationally in the coming months.
"This partnership is unique as it brings together two pioneering, customer-centered companies that have already independently improved the process of buying and building homes. Together, the result is a completely new, smoother and more buyer-friendly process for the client," said Maura McCarthy, vice president of strategic development for Blu Homes.
While demand for Blu precision-built green homes continues to grow, 80 percent of Blu's prospective customers do not have land. Blu customers can now expect a homebuilding process that starts with working with Redfin agents and using its website to find a piece of land.
Redfin has access to hundreds of listings for land in Northern California, and more than 100,000 listings across the country. Like other Redfin buyers, most Blu Home customers will receive a refund of a portion of the agent's commission when buying land through Redfin.
"Bringing together a technology-powered real estate broker like Redfin and a technology-driven homebuilder like Blu has the potential to transform the way consumers think about the home buying process on a very large scale," said Adam Wiener, Redfin's vice president of new business and analytics.
Homebuilders will start their land search by contacting a Blu sales associate, who will connect them with a local Redfin real estate agent. Customers can browse land listings on Redfin’s website, and work with a Redfin agent to purchase the land. Blu Homes will perform site assessments to ensure building readiness.
Once land is purchased, customers can use Blu's online tool to personalize one of seven architect-designed homes. Blu Homes' Vallejo, Calif. Craftsmen will then build the home in six to eight weeks. Once complete, the Blu home is installed on-site in one day and completed in two to three weeks.
