News Room
First Time Home Buyers - Meet the Experts
For many years Southern Homes has been helping first time home buyers become happily involved in home ownership by providing quality packed homes at an affordable price throughout Polk County Florida. Now Southern Homes has launched a new web page directed specificlly towards first time home buyers (see it now). Learn about the $8,000 Federal Tax Credit, new home mortgage programs, how to start the home buying proccess and more.
Contact a New Home Specialist today to start your journey towards home ownership or call (888) 899-7434 now for immediate assistance. There has not been a better time in the last several years to build or buy a new home than now.
Southern Homes Donates to Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a company that builds affordable homes for people in need. Southern Homes was able to contribute to this effort by donating the proceeds from one of their home sales to the foundation. Southern Homes with Habitat for Humanity strive to give hope to those in need.
Visit our Website for more information!
Salvation Army Food Drive:
Collections Being Received Now until December 17th!
Southern Homes has volunteered to collect food this year for the Salvation Army Food Drive. Over 1,600 families received boxes last year from the food drive.
If you would like to donate to the Salvation Army Food Drive this year, drop off your donations at any of our 10 model centers!
1925 E. Edgewood Drive, Suite 100 Lakeland, FL 33803
Click here to print out a list of needed items
and information on the food drive!
Southern Homes has Customers Satisfied!!
August 6, 2009 Update: Southern Homes has done it again! 2009 Customer satisfaction ratings are in and Southern Homes has yet again amazed home owners by acheiving a staggering 97.4% customer satisfaction rating. Well done to all of the Southern Homes team. Southern Homes is truly "A Neighbor You Can Trust."
Southern Homes is pleased to announce that they have reached a 98% Customer Satisfaction rating as of August 21, 2007.
BUSINESS 2.0: The New Rules of Real Estate
“TOP 10 CITIES: WHERE TO BUY NOW
Business 2.0, in its November 2006 issue, ranks the country's real estate markets that are most likely to post the biggest home price gains by 2001.”
1. Panama City, FL
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6. San Luis Obispo, CA
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The Giant 400
Southern Homes is proud to rank on the Giant 400. Our commitment to affordable, quality homes and superior customer service has once again put us in the spotlight.
The Professional Builder Giant 400 is based on a two-step process. First, the 400 largest builders based on the number of housing units closed in the previous year. Then those 400 builders are sorted by housing revenues, which determine the actual ranking for those companies. This dual criteria of units and housing revenues best defines the Giants of housing.
Southern Homes, a neighbor you can trust.
Southern Homes Model Centers served as drop off locations for the 2007 Back to School
Blast.
Southern Homes is pleased to support Family Fundamentals and the United Way of Central Florida in their efforts to collect supplies for Polk County students in need. All ten of the Southern Home Model Centers throughout Polk County have served as drop off points for school supply donations back in July of 2007. Lakeland, FL - June 18, 2007
What’s New: The Shores at Lake Sears
“Southern Homes is rolling out its first maintenance-free community with the addition of The Shores at Lake Sears, located off Winter Lake Road in Winter Haven.
"This is our first maintenance-free community," said Callie Neslund, Southern Homes' marketing assistant. "All of the homes have architectural shingles and carriage lights in front. It is a step up that we are offering in this community."
The company will be constructing three- and four-bedroom homes between 1,200 and 2,700 square feet. While the lot sizes in the community vary, they average about 50 feet by 110 feet and the price of the home includes the property.
The maintenance-free community will include monthly lawn service, annual pest control, upgraded landscaping, painting and roof replacement. All residents will have access to the lake, which will include a dock, a gazebo and a clubhouse” The Ledger December 9, 2006
What’s New: Magnolia Preserve
“Magnolia Preserve is beginning to bloom as Southern Homes' newest community.
The subdivision is located off Spirit Lake Road in Winter Haven.
"It is like old Florida. It has that southern charm." said Callie Neslund, marketing coordinator with the company. The community’s entrance which was completed about a week ago, is lined with magnolia trees.
The company will be constructing three- and four-bedroom homes between 1,200 and 2,700 square feet. The lot sizes have been set at 70 feet by 115 feet and the price of the home includes the property.” The Ledger November 4, 2006
What’s New: Dinner Lake Shores
Southern Homes isn't standing by the axiom "If you build it, they will come." With home sales slumping statewide, the Lakeland-based home builder is starting to hold grand opening celebrations for its new communities to attract more buyers.
"That is part of the motivation," said Callie Neslund, marketing assistant for Southern Homes. "This is to bring out the local residents. But no matter what the market does, the grand opening is going to be part of our regular routine."
The first celebration is today at Southern Homes' upscale Dinner Lake Shores subdivision. And while the developer has sent out nearly 250 invitations for the event, you don't need one to attend.
"We want to show off our larger lot sizes and some of our newer options," said Leslie Velasco, a new home specialist with Southern Homes. "This is a new thing we have started. It is a great way to bring people in and get them out here."
"Out here, a lot of people just don't know how much Lake Wales is growing," Velasco said." The Ledger June 24, 2006
At a Glance
“Curious to know who’s got the biggest builders on the run in some of the most attractive markets? Check out this one: Southern Homes of Polk County. Established 15 years ago, Southern Homes brings a variety of product type to Central Florida, building everything from entry-level and move-up to vacation homes. The company has 12 actively selling communities clustered around five cities. Another community in South Lakeland is in the pipeline. President Greg Masters says one of the company’s core strengths is its attention to process to ensure consistency.” Big Builder Magazine June 1, 2006
Community Spotlight
“The Polk County Builder’s Association named Greg Masters of Southern Homes as the 2005 Polk County Builder of the Year. Mr. Masters has been a member of the organization since 1991 and single handedly recruited more than 79 new members last year alone.
His contributions to the community are admirable as well. In 2005, Southern Homes built the Foundation House for the Polk County’s Builders Association charitable contributions. Money raised through the Foundation will support scholarships for area students, Future Home Builders of America, and will fund growth and education in the homebuilding industry.” State Senator Paula Dockery District 15 May 5, 2006
Builder MT Heats Up Southern Homes’ Performance and Profitability with Integrated Workflow Management Suite
“BuilderMT, the nation’s leading provider of production management software for residential homebuilders, announced that it’s client, Southern Homes (Lakeland, FL) was awarded the Lee Evans Award for Management Excellence in 2006. Southern Homes’ award is substantial third-party validation that the right software tools blended with leadership and discipline to adhere to the industry best practices as taught by Shinn Consulting, are powerful fuel to boost dramatic spikes in performance and profits.” Business Wire April 20, 2006
Southern Homes has Good Management
Southern Homes is ranking at the top of its class. The Lakeland-based company recently received the 2006 Lee Evans Award for Management Excellence.
"I didn't expect to get this award," said Greg Masters, president of Southern Homes. "I figured we would submit our stuff and then they would tell us what we needed to improve on."
Southern Homes' award was based on customer satisfaction ratings, company profits, business plans, policies for growth and the company's marketing approach, said Emma Shinn, vice president for the Lee Evans Group, an organization that provides management education for the home building industry. The company is based in Littleton, Colo., and holds educational seminars for builders nationwide.
"Builders historically have been known for building houses but haven't been good about managing their business," she said. "Southern Homes has really, in the last five or six years, established a discipline of management excellence. They really shine.”
The award was created by National Association of Home Builders in 1990 and named for Lee Evans, a builder in the 1950s who was dedicated to educating builders on business practices. In 2003, the national award duties were passed to the Lee Evans Group from the National Association of Home Builders. The Ledger March 25, 2006
Greg Masters: BUILDER OF THE YEAR
Greg Masters, 42, is practically a Polk County native. He has called Lakeland his home since he was 3 years old and moved with his family from Michigan.
Following his graduation from Lakeland High School in 1981, Masters attended the University of Florida to pursue a degree in hospital administration.
But that was never really completed. Instead, he was lured by his first accounting job with James P. Baldwin Inc. into the world of construction.
"I started liking it more and more," he said. "Eventually, I was making more than I expected to make in hospital administration."
Masters worked in the accounting department for Baldwin before he left to work for Bob Adams, president of Highland Homes. His work with Adams taught him the ropes of the business on the construction side.
Before long, Masters met Ed Laderer, who was in land development at the time.
"It was one of those afternoons on a napkin kind of things," he said. "We figured if we could build between 25 and 30 homes a year, we would be all right."
With $500 between the two in 1991, Masters and Laderer became partners and formed Southern Homes. Fifteen years later, the company with a staff of almost 50 employees, produces approximately 400 homes a year and almost $100 million in total sales.
"I love what I do and can't imagine doing anything else," he said. "We are really blessed."
Following the example set by Adams, Masters joined the Polk County Builders Association in 1991 with his new company, but had no direction as a member.
The more he learned about the association and the impact it has, the more involved he became, joining several committees and recruiting new members.
"He never quits. When the rest of us get lost in the trees he always leads us to the real issue at hand," said Pat Spalding, last year's PCBA associate of the year.
Now, instead of struggling to make ends meet, Masters is giving back to the community through both the PCBA Foundation and from donations through Southern Homes.
He also is ranked third in the nation for recruiting new members to the builders association, recruiting 79 members last year, and was presented with a Big Spike Award for member recruitment Tuesday evening.
"When we do business with sub contractors, we want to work with members," Masters said. "Now they will go out and become members if they want to work with us."
Masters is also helped by his wife, Ansley, and three children, Austin Evans, 19; Brant Masters, 13; and Caroline Masters, 10. The Ledger December 10, 2005
LOYALTY, SERVICE RECOGNIZED
Builders' Group Honors Top Workers
Another year means another round of awards to recognize the Polk County Builders Association's top members.
The honors were announced during the association's annual banquet, held Tuesday, at the Lakeland Yacht & Country Club. This year, Greg Masters of Southern Homes was named the association's builder of the year and Nan Webster of Integrity First Title Co. was named associate of the year.