New Homes, Real Estate, Consumer ResearchAs a GLG Network Member, I bring 25+ years of expertise in all types of housing matters, from Canada to America, to Southeast China, to help clients gain insight, then resolve, their most pressing performance issues. GLG is the world’s insight network. It connects decision makers to the right experts to deliver to them the confidence that comes from clear vision. This empowers those decision makers the very best insight to make the very best decisions to get ahead. GLC’s network of experts is the world’s largest and most varied source of first-hand expertise.

I co-founded iHAVE5Questions to conduct person-to-person interviews for all types of housing industry stakeholders: land sellers, homebuilders, apartment builders, “SFD / BTR” operators, architects, capital providers, master plan developers, advertising agencies, title & escrow companies, HOA’s, and land brokers. In a ONE MINUTE interview, we uncover respondents’ highest motivations and preferences. We also build in several questions that that also test the strength of those preferences. We are trusted advisors to best-in-class developers of US & Chinese master plans, 7 of the Builder-10 and 13 of the Builder-20. They have engaged us in WA, CA, NV, AZ, TN, UT, TX, MD, VA, & DC. Occasionally, we conduct successful telephone studies for them.I custom-design each study so our clients can see, often in real time, “while real consumers are actually making real decisions” and therefore can capitalize immediately. I propose each panel of questions, then our clients confirm. I do not suggest “off-the-shelf / everybody needs the same” questions. I deliver work product that includes extremely detailed analyses of each respondent’s complete set of responses. As a housing expert, rather than simply pass on raw data, I make certain that any inconsistencies in a respondent’s answers are examined, and I will advise clients which responses are valid and why. I train all our staff so that we achieve over 97% participation rates, without giving away gas cards, movie tickets, etc. I also serve clients in other “kitchen table” issues, studying consumers of health care, travel, sports & entertainment, fashion, gaming, supermarkets, labor-management issues, transportation & telecommunications and politics.

HARDintelligence produces training sessions for new home sales professionals and other stakeholders in successful sales programs. I have been published in every single major national publication for new home professionals, and was recognized as the NAHB Sales Manager of the Year. I'm a member of Builder-Developer Magazine's Who' s Who--The Industry's Finest. I instruct practitioners from virtually all of the Builder Ten, plus regional and super-regional builders, niche builders in the United States, Canada and China. I also deliver high-impact programs for construction lenders, equity providers and their attorneys, health care suppliers, property managers and leasing professionals, lawyers, judges, and other dispute resolution professionals.

I am UCI-X's resource for sustainability leadership, land search & acquisition, master planned development, sustainable planned communities, and options/upgrades/design centers. As its "subject matter expert," I created, & own, several courses within (1) Light Construction & Development Management and (2) Sustainability Leadership programs. On campus, & around the world by distance learning, I've personally instructed battle-tested industry professionals, in current, relevant, & challenging real estate issues. My students include architects, landscape architects, engineers, land planners, appraisers, apartment developers, brokers, building technologists, and other professors from UCI and elsewhere. Their employers include Army Corps of Engineers, Banning Lewis Ranch, Caruso, Hillwood, Land Advisors / Lakebridge Capital, Lennar-Corporate Legal, Irvine Company, Jackson Hole Resort, Kiawah Island Resort, Meyers Group / Zonda, Portland State University, Rancho Mission Viejo, Samsung Securities, Shea Properties, Socal Edison, Spectrum Brands, Taylor Morrison Homes, Trammell Crow, Tri Pointe Homes and Walt Disney Company. Students attended from California, and by distance learning, from Oregon, North Carolina, Wyoming, India, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Thailand.From my Department Head in Sustainability Leadership:Dave Harding is an instructor in the UC Irvine Extension continuing education programs in Sustainability Leadership. Dave always goes over, above and beyond in his online classes. He's dedicated, a true expert in all things "green," and is a gem to work with. Dave takes complex issues and makes them real and accessible. He takes a personal interest in the lives of his students and has mentored a number of them in their professional endeavors. Simply put, Dave is the proverbial scholar and a gentleman. Kirwan Rockefeller, Ph.D.My UCI-X Department Head moved to Brandman University (now UMass Global) as Dean, re-recruited me there.

Brandman University, part of the Chapman University System, is now part of UMass-Global. They were approached to custom-create a proprietary program for the 22 senior leaders of Rancho Mission Viejo. BU's Dean of Extended Education had originally recruited me to UCI and asked me to create and present this program. It was designed to be of significant economic benefit to Ranch Mission Viejo, enhance its perpetual commitment to sustainability, as well as provide continuing education credits for multiple professional disciplines. The team enjoyed the beginning so much, at the first coffee break, RMV’s Chief Operating Officer called his wife to come join us.While the program’s contents continue to be proprietary, I was honored by the following comments: 1. Outstanding experience. 2. Fast paced and no down time. Ample breaks and lunch. This would be an outstanding course for merchant home builders for all departments, i.e., purchasing, sales, Marketing, Proj. Mgmt.3. Eased the negative perception related to sales activities (i.e., could actually be respectful)4. This course presented negotiating in a very fresh perspective and in understandable components. Descriptions were vivid and relevant.5. Dynamic presenter. Importance of being in control & listening.6. Been to a lot of these type of training sessions…this was the best. 7. Organized well, solid content, and great presenter who made it fun.8. Exceeded (expectations)9. Very effective at communicating principles and application of real world situations.10. Dave made it fun.11. Actual tools that can be applied both professionally & personally.12. Better than expected.13. The instructor was very entertaining and knowledgeable. I liked how he tailored the program specifically to RMV. (COO of Client, Rancho Mission Viejo)

UNHS is a 3rd-party sales & marketing firm serving small - medium sized homebuilders. Using metrics I used at the nation’s largest builders, we grew from SOCAL-focused, to strong presences throughout CA. I was responsible for all day to day operations: staff recruiting, training & deployment, creation of a stand-alone research team, and a quality control team that ensured the smallest client in the most remote location the same high level of performance as those in our Orange County HQ.During my tenure, we became the go-to resource for several capital pools including Phoenix Realty Group and Oaktree Capital. They relied on us to value engineer everything…from architecture to personnel to marketing budgets and option programs.Using big builder disciplines, we conducted persuasive research to determine the real motivations of real consumers. This often led to conclusions different from the original idea, the lending assumptions and absorption projections. The market had peaked, then sank, so accurate and timely intel was vital in allowing clients more ability to react.Even as markets eroded, our ability to read them positioned us as a trusted resource when clients evaluated acquisitions. I insisted that our advice be LASER-focused and based on actual data, not anticipated demand, prices, or constraints. While others hoped, we reminded clients that “hope is not a strategy.” This grew us to the #2 third-party sales & marketing company in the nation based on mid 4-digit closings / year.With robust commitment to the Building Industry, several of us held elected office; many taught NAHB courses around the nation. Members of my management team were recognized by several industry awards including Sales Manager of the Year for multiple geographic markets.During my tenure, we doubled closings and increased sales revenue to the high 9 figures. Homes sold ranged from entry level condo conversions to super-luxury trophy homes in a Greg Norman golf community.

Recruited by 2 founders of Western Pacific Housing, I quickly hired, replaced (re-) energized and trained all sales, marketing, escrow, and options teams, plus 3rd party mortgage providers. By better understanding each consumer, they all had success in everything from stacked flat, age-restricted condos to large, detached estate homes. Powering through the 9/11/2001 market pause, I reduced sales staff from 22 to 13, marketing staff from 3 to 1, reduced SG&A by 40%, doubled sales & elevated PTI 1800%. Replacing a 3rd-party I launched an in-house design studio. Weekly dynamic pricing avoided the “cost-plus” approach. I hired not designers, but sales professionals who could serve buyers the same way our other salespeople did. To build teams & division profits, we paid bonuses for selling different options each month. Site sales professionals participated, so they did early presales of that month’s target option. Enhancing their experience by free daycare & CCTV, parents could “see” their kids while in Studio. We offered those travelling over 75 miles to Westlake Village overnight accommodation in a suites hotel between their home & our studio. I hosted my sales leaders & local broker leaders for monthly dinners in Studio, giving them insight & early intel to upcoming opportunities. This all bore great fruit, but cost little. In year 1, only 3 took this offer. In year 1, Studio added more PTI than the entire division produced the prior year. Replacing the entire escrow team, I brought a keener eye to the closing process, created bullet-proof backlog & 8 consecutive quarters of defect free closings: “not 1 dollar missed, nor 1 day lost.” During my tenure, WestPac merged with Schuler Homes (NASDAQ), and D R Horton (NYSE) bought the combined entity. Despite several acquisition audits and internal / compliance audits, we were consistently defect-free in all parts of the business I managed.

1 of 3 KB people, I relocated to Tucson to turn an acquired company it into a new KB division AND PROFITABILITY.Then the largest homebuilder in the nation, that energized land sellers. Consumers, local competitors, brokerage community & acquired staff members yawned. I relentlessly recruited new talent & attitude. I was KB’s first to offer a relo package to a sales superstar to move from another state. Having thrived under my tutelage in WA, he agreed, moving his family to Tucson. And thrived even more! Those I recruited brought additional energy & enthusiasm. The demoralized, acquired team members quickly responded to inspired leadership. Despite “sage advice” to the contrary, based on good research, we introduced counterintuitive, 30-wide, single-garage, all-electric homes to outstanding market acceptance. I created a “Super Model Complex” of 9 models, 3 product lines, & a 1000 sf detached sales gallery. Opening Day crowds created such press coverage, it dramatically increased ongoing traffic, sales, referrals & PTI, reducing net cost-per-sale. I personally designed & delivered weekly sales training for the entire KB sales, mortgage, escrow, design studio, & marketing teams. That lifted spirits. And morale. And performance. Building bridges, I invited co-brokers to our in-house sales training as well. They received a welcome, coffee & snacks, continuing-ed credits, and awards. Embracing co-brokers “grew the pie,” bringing in sales we otherwise would have missed. That training worked. In a small market, as KB pioneers in that market, shedding the anti-Realtor attitude, we grew co-op sales from negligible to 22% in year 1, accomplishing 150 otherwise foregone net sales. In a flat, hostile, fiercely-competitive market, we took market share from long-established Builder-10 operators. And grew deliveries 28% from 531 to 681 in 1 year. And became profitable with 18% PTI in 1 year.

Metro issued and bought high risk mortgages. As part of this, it repossessed troubled assets in multiple states, but did not have staff to work out, sell out, and build out of a substantial REO portfolio. I did that. The business was in serious jeopardy, believed to be on the ropes. Sharks were circling. Nevertheless, I was completely successful competing with them for the few deals available. • I advocated & achieved entitlements for raw land. • I If it took mini-perm loans, joint development agreements, lease/cross-lease/reciprocal easements for the commercial portfolio... whatever was needed to succeed, I delivered.• I negotiated multiple forward purchase transactions / build-to-suit leasehold deals, then managed construction through closing.• I purchased property adjacent to our holdings to increase our overall value, visibility, & success. • I was a persuasive & passionate advocate approval for an "after-acquired trust" by the Kalispel Tribe’s property adjacent to our holdings. In the face of most intense political opposition, I appeared personally before tribal leaders, citizen groups, Gaming Commission, City Councils, County Supervisors, other boards, panels, and press.Successfully supporting construction of their major casino, Northern Quest, https://www.northernquest.com, I dramatically increased the value of our neighboring property.• I negotiated transactions with heavyweights including Wal*Mart, Toys "R" Us, Conoco Oil, Sleep Inn, Burger King, Land Rover, Napa Auto Parts, etc. I had full P&L responsibility for multiple development projects simultaneously. Each successful transaction generated excellent press coverage, helping me attract other business to resolve a troubled portfolio. Metro came under Federal & State investigation for multiple offenses, resulting in jail time for some officers. My own operations were thoroughly free of any suspicious dealings. I left with no clouds over MY head. Or reputation.

One of 4 non-equity founders, I created the sales, marketing, customer service, escrow, preferred lender, and DRE entitlement teams. In the face of bitter competition, and where very few builders had in-house sales teams, we were able to grow through the largest decline in the airline industry and military base closures. Often called by the homebuilding community “6 young guys in a hurry,” we needed to compete against entrenched builders with established teams, long pipelines of land, established reputations, and successful track records with construction lenders. We had none of those. So had to create them. From scratch. So, we did. Within 4 years, we became market-dominant as the largest homebuilder by volume in the Pacific Northwest. Every single sale came by organic growth, not acquisition of other builders. Every single sale and every single customer was earned, not inherited. While the real estate market fell, we managed our backlog with such accuracy that our construction lenders totally relied on our assessment of the book of business and kept funding our construction. And we prospered. While several other builders foundered, including the nation’s largest public builder, we took market share from them.It was accomplished by understanding consumers, working harder and smarter to serve them, and deploying the most effective (by far) marketing campaigns focused on our buyers not ourselves. My teams continually trained to an intensity unheard of in that market. Polygon Northwest is now part of the Taylor Morrison group of homebuilding companies.