This Saturday from 12-6, I’ll be covering our furnished model home in Silverhawk.  The weather’s supposed to be on the mild side, and hopefully dry, so it’ll be a good day for house hunting!  I’d love the chance to meet you if you’re out and about and would like to stop by.  If you’re making plans to do so, !

We’ll be closed Sunday in honor of the Easter Holiday, and back …

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Who’d have thought ten years ago...or maybe even five...that you could buy a new house online?

It’s about to happen here in Oklahoma City now that Jeff Click Homes has teamed up with NewsOK.com and this year’s Bid & Buy ‘08 Online Auction.  Just today, the team at NewsOK launched our listing for 16208 Sonoma Lake Blvd, a decked out version of our Luke Plan, built in South Edmond/NW Oklahoma …

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This weekend, the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association will open the doors to its annual Home & Garden Expo at the Cox Business Center in downtown Oklahoma City.  The girls and I will be making our way out there on Saturday to browse the dozens of exhibits, booths, and displays.  We’re excited about seeing the over-the-top landscape displays, and may sneak a stop by this year’s special wine exhibit, showcasing the numerous fine wines from Oklahoma’s wineries.

…

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I’m hearing more and more about how uncommon it is, which surprises me.  And while I know I’m probably tipping off my competitors who frequent this blog (trust me, we know), it actually disappoints me.

“Oh, so you’re the builder?!”

Shoppers are shocked to be greeted by “the builder” when they walk into a model home.  The actual builder.  Yes, the real, live owner of the company.

It seems like a no-brainer to me, especially when my name’s on the sign, that it’s not …

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For all that 2007 brought forth in the housing industry, it sure seemed to blow by in a blur.  Strangely, though, this last year had more challenges than I’ve seen in my building career.  From a correction in the market, to aggressive immigration legislation, there was no shortage of struggle.  Richard Mize’s article in last weekend’s Oklahoman sums up the year in Oklahoma real estate quite nicely, and it’s an eye-opening read to see all of the year’s issues compiled.

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On Friday evening, the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association celebrated its final Christmas Banquet and Officer Installation at our building of over 40 years, closing an era at The Regal Room.  It was a grand event, with friend, fellow builder, and 2007 President Caleb McCaleb awarded with “Builder Of the Year,” and Jim McWhirter of Gemini Homes installed as the 2008 President.  I was installed as Vice President, while Mark Dale of Carriage Homes was installed as Treasurer, and Jim Schuff of Vesta Homes was moved into the Secretary position.  …

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As probably the geekiest builder in this part of the country, I love finding new ways to incorporate technology into the building process, as well as in marketing to new home buyers.  We put a great deal of effort and resources towards our web site, which is the most effective and efficient way to communicate to prospective clients, and showcase our service and product.  From providing detailed information on homes and communities, to a several-thousand-and-counting photo gallery, our web site is every bit as important as a good furnished model …

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It just doesn’t seem like the Holidays until the good ol’ Oklahoma weather kicks in on a moment’s notice.  Now that we’ve found our way into the 30s, let the celebrating begin, and get the cider and chili on the stove!

For Thanksgiving weekend, the Jeff Click Homes Model Home in Silverhawk will be closed on Thursday so that our staff and trades can enjoy time with their families.  Friday through Sunday, we will be open by appointment …

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Now that I’ve had a day off and caught up on some sleep after 18 days straight of preparing for and working during the Parade Of Homes, I’ve had the chance to reflect on it and discuss it with staff and fellow builders.  Here are a few thoughts:

On the Parade in general:
Probably most notable about this year’s Parade is that it was a month later than usual.  Thanks to extended rainy weather during the summer, the Parade Committee elected to postpone it one month …

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One of the most rewarding aspects of building homes, for me, is to witness the expressions and hear the comments of visitors as they walk into one of our homes.  This week is one of my favorite weeks of the year when it comes to work-life, because it’s the one week when more people visit our homes than in any other week. 

It’s also a thrill to be recognized by colleagues in our own industry as a standout among our competition.  I’m pleased to share that Jeff Click …

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Fall is gently easing us into cooler temperatures, making for perfect home shopping weather, and it seems that Oklahomans agree.  Now that we’re into day two of Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association’s 2007 Parade Of Homes, and college games are out of the way for the weekend, lookers are out and about!

We’ve had a broad spectrum of spectators, from single professionals and empty nesters, to apartment renters in the city and home owners as far away as Lawton, many of whom have come out specifically to view …

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For members of the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association, the Parade Of Homes is always a big event.  In fact, it’s the association’s largest and most significant annual event, as it’s our opportunity as the Oklahoma City Metro residential construction industry to showcase our latest and best products and craftsmanship.

Each year, the Parade includes two “Feature Homes,” which are association-commissioned homes built by two chosen builder members.  Each home is privately showcased to the association members on one of the two nights prior to the Parade’s kick-off, …

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Last weekend, Oklahoma City hosted its Oklahoma Centennial Parade, and next weekend kicks off a parade of a different kind.  It’s one of the most anticipated real estate events in the Oklahoma City Metro area, and this year promises to be one of the biggest.  The 2007 Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association’s Parade Of Homes will have all homes open daily from 1pm-7pm beginning Saturday, October 20th and running through Sunday, October 28th, and this year, it’s an official Oklahoma Centennial Event.

Here at Jeff Click Homes, the …

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It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on major aspects and amenities of a home when making what is often an overwhelming decision. Finding the right combination of the several-dozen big-ticket items can often distract from some of the smaller details a home might be missing, but that are no less important to comfortable and practical living. Selecting the right floorplan, getting the granite counter tops in the kitchen, and finding just the right paint color are important, but equally important is what is going into an area of …

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Open any national news paper, web site, or business magazine and you’re likely to find a story about how the real estate market is suffering and the mortgage industry is in crisis.  “Suffering”, “crisis”, and “meltdown” are pretty sensational terms, and they certainly catch people’s attention. That’s the point when you’re trying to sell publications.  Not all real estate markets are suffering, however, and just because the mortgage industry is correcting doesn’t mean that you aren’t still able to find a great loan at a great rate to help you …

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The number one question we’re asked when people visit our furnished model home in Silverhawk is, “So what all in here is an upgrade?”

We’ve tried different strategies when it comes to model homes.  When we built our model home in Summer Ridge several years ago, we based it on The Matthew 1 Plan, …

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Not even industrial-strength Windex can help in trying to wipe the smile off my face when an out-of-state buyer walks through the Jeff Click Homes Furnished Model Home in Silverhawk.  It’s something that we who have lived in Oklahoma City all our lives take for granted, but one of the many things that anyone moving here absolutely loves: the extraordinarily low cost of living and just how far the dollar goes here towards the purchase of a new home, when …

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While the 4th Of July and all the fireworks have come and gone, there’s still a boom that echoes through the Oklahoma City Metro.  Several recent stories from major national magazines have noted Oklahoma City as being a stand-out among the strongest housing markets, all but guaranteeing that the Metro is no dud when it comes to home ownership.

Until recently, most national news stories on the topic have painted a bleak picture of the real estate industry as a whole, which in my opinion has led many …

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Even if you have been living under a rock for the last 12 weeks, odds are you’ve been soaked and are fully aware of just how long the Oklahoma City Metro has been treading water due to record amounts of rainfall.  As builder’s, we’re keenly aware of how weather can affect construction processes, and at this point, it’s beyond just delaying a home’s completion a few days to plug the leaks in the schedule.

This past Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the

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I do my best to maintain a tight relationship with God.  While membership does have its obvious privileges, including the occasional burning bush and moving a mountain here or there, unfortunately things don’t always happen on our terms or time-line even under His favor.  God, with this weather lately, I sure could use that staff and whatever else you gave Moses to part that Red Sea…

I’d hoped that soon after my previous post, I’d be able to follow up with …

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Our little two year old has learned two new songs over the past several weeks: ”Rain, Rain, Go Away!” and ”It’s Raining, It’s Pouring...”.  Her cheerful recitations of those songs are about the only thing that’s brought a smile to my face when it comes to the weather lately.

The most common question I’m answering right now is “Does this rain slow you down at all in the building business?” At this point, that question seems about as rhetorical as “How ‘bout …

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I’ve begun carrying a bullhorn that clips onto my belt.  It’s the one I use to shout from the freshly-decked roof tops that the sky is not falling in the Oklahoma City Metro real estate market despite what is happening in other major, more coastal markets in Florida, California, and Arizona.  I’ve commented many times both here, and in numerous stories in the media that new homes are still a solid and reliable investment in the Oklahoma City Metro, thanks …

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It’s not every day you get mentioned in an article in The Oklahoman.  It’s even more rare to be called a “geek” in front of hundreds of thousands of readers, as I was in this weekend’s paper.

So I like technology.  I enjoy a well-designed, useful gadget.  I like being on the bleeding edge of what’s new.  There’s a term for guys like me, and strangely it has become a badge of honor, despite being the derogatory term it used to be.  No longer is it a label …

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I recently had the opportunity to provide some comments on the local real estate market, how the national media is affecting sales, how increases in the price of oil is affecting the price of homes, and the latest in home technologies in a recent Executive Q&A column in The Oklahoman.

A few excerpts from the column…

On the national media: With so much negative news being reported in the national media about the real estate market, blanket statements that really only apply …

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