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Background: Ideal Homes was founded in 1989 by Gene McKown, Vernon McKown and Todd Booze. Seventeen years later, Ideal Homes is the fastest growing and most successful builder in Oklahoma. With gross revenue approaching more than $75 million, the company has built over 6,000 homes and is on target to build approximately 500 more in the Oklahoma City metro area during 2007.
The 1997 Walker Builder’s Report named Ideal Homes the leading producer of single-family homes in the metro area. Ideal took the top position from a company that had held that designation for a decade and has held it ever since.
History: Initially, Ideal Homes started business in Norman, as a co-op of seven independent builders who teamed up to leverage buying efficiencies and a centralized marketing/sales team.
Building 200 homes, and having achieved a 30 percent growth for each of its five years in business, in both 1996 and 1997 the company won the “Metro 50 Award” for being one of the fastest growing companies in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
In 1995, Ideal Homes opened Ideal Construction Co. to continue the growth into other suburban communities in the Oklahoma City metro area and to position the company for future growth opportunities in other states.
Two years later, Ideal Homes moved to bring a higher level of quality control to its product by disbanding the builder co-op and consolidating with Infinity Homes, giving Ideal Homes a combined total of more than 100 years of home building experience.
In spite of the enhanced product quality, revenue declined in 1997 under the new business structure, and Ideal was faced with having to double growth in 1998 to make up for the change. According to Vernon McKown, that meant building 396 houses...a goal some said was impossible. However, thanks to aggressive marketing, Ideal opened five communities in 12 months and built more than 400 houses that year.
What’s Different About Ideal? The company has always integrated the newest innovations into its home product, making home buying hassle free with a one-stop shopping system — providing building lots, construction financing (now available through Smart-Financing™ Lenders) and full-service sales.
From the beginning, Ideal’s philosophy focused on bringing an added-value dimension to its product — competitive pricing, better quality, more consistency, a better sales process, a higher level of customer satisfaction. All to help people realize the American dream of becoming homeowners.
In 1998 Ideal introduced a series of truly affordable homes. Today that line continues to be popular with prices, including land, beginning in the $100s.
It’s easy to see the Ideal commitment to build quality, energy efficient homes at an affordable price. Designers work diligently to create the most efficient, well thought out, workable designs without compromising comfort or architectural style.
All the 17 communities developed by Ideal Homes are in the state’s finest school districts, conveniently accessible to nearby churches, shopping centers and entertainment. The newest of them are master-planned developments, featuring curving streets, private cul-de-sacs, lighted sidewalks and landscaped entryways. Ideal builds quality homes in Edmond, Deer Creek, Moore, Mustang, Norman and Oklahoma City.
Awards and Recognition:
Over the years, Ideal has searched for innovative, new products and services to help serve the entry-level and move-up housing market more effectively. It has been nationally recognized time and time again for its efforts.
- 1997 – Ideal Homes was the first builder of affordable homes in the nation to be recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as a 5 Star Energy Value Builder.
- 1998 – the National Association of Homebuilders’ Research Center awarded Ideal Homes the silver National Energy Value Housing Award for developing innovative energy-saving systems.
- 2001 – The company received two gold National Energy Value Housing Awards.
- 2001 – an independent group of energy efficiency professionals awards Ideal’s products Engineered For Life status.
- 2003 – the Environmental Protection Agency designated the entire line of Ideal Homes as 5 Star Energy Rated, the highest rating achievable by a builder in Ideal Homes’ price range.
- 2004 – the National Association of Homebuilders awarded Ideal the prestigious Silver National Housing Quality Award.
- 2004 – The company received two gold National Energy Value Housing Awards.
- 2005 – the National Association of Homebuilders awarded Ideal the prestigious Gold National Housing Quality Award.
- 2006 – the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center certified Ideal Homes as a National Housing Quality Certified Builder.
- 2007 – the National Association of Homebuilders and Builder Magazine named Ideal Homes America’s Best Builder 2007.
Green Leader: These awards are no doubt due in large part to Ideal Homes’ early and ongoing commitment to energy conservation. Since 1997, every Ideal Home has been Energy Star certified by EPA.
Ideal homes feature the SMART-HOUSE™ energy package, which is dedicated to energy efficiency and cleaner air.
The company also partners with the American Lung Association to offer Health House for asthmatic and allergy sensitive people. The package can be incorporated into any of Ideal’s home plans or added to existing homes. Vernon McKown serves on the American Lung Association Technical Advisory Committee for Health House.
In 2005, Ideal built the nation’s first Zero Energy Home priced under $200,000. By the end of 2007 the company will convert the lighting in every new home built to compact fluorescent, giving future owners the potential to save hundreds of dollars over the life of the bulbs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Vernon McKown is a past chairman of the Energy and Environmental Building Association and serves on the board of the US Green Building Council.
Of Note: NHQ Builder Certification For the last two years, Ideal Homes has been preparing for certification as an NAHB National Housing Quality certified builder. The NAHB Research Center’s National Housing Quality Program is the industry’s pre-eminent product and quality assurance system certification program. Ideal Homes recently joined the ranks of fewer than 50 builder-leaders, nationwide, that have achieved the NHQ Certified Builder designation. Ideal is the only NHQ certified builder in Oklahoma. For more information on the NHQ certification program, please visit their web site at http://www.nahbrc.org/qualitybuilder.asp?TrackID=&CategoryID=1927#. NHQ certification is important to homebuyers because it:
- Shows the company has a documented plan to produce a quality product
- Increases customer confidence that the job will be done right the first time
- Creates a sense of working with the industry’s best
- Differentiates those builders that talk about quality from those who demonstrate a commitment to quality
Credentials: Ideal Homes is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and the Central Oklahoma and Norman Home Builders Associations.
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