Searching for the simple life

Ian Webb, Brand Director for David Wilson Homes, comments on why house hunters in 2007 need to look beyond the layers of marketing in order to find the right home for them.

“The ‘Future Foundations, Complicated Lives’ study stated that businesses should have an “understanding that people today have higher expectations, more varied choices and more complex decisions” than ever before. It believes managing complexity will be one of the most crucial issues of the 21st century.

“With the average person making over 200 decisions every day, and even a trip to the supermarket involving a choice from 300,000 competing lines, consumers are facing a state of information overload. Couple this multiplicity of choice with the amplified demands on our time, from increased working hours and new technology ensuring we are contactable at all times, not to mention the number of companies vying for our time, and it’s little wonder that consumer confusion is growing.

“A backlash against this age of consumer cornucopia and marketing hype is steadily gathering momentum, calling for products which do what they say on the tin; and nowhere is this product clarity more important than when buying a home.

“One of the many obvious benefits of new homes is that they help to simplify the consumer’s life; a less complex purchase with little or no chain which can be completed far quicker than the average house sale. And as multiplying demands and opportunities mean that individuals are living increasingly fast, flexible and time-stressed lives, the benefits of a new build extend over many years, providing welcome relief from matters such as maintenance.

“However, in the competitive landscape of homebuilding, housebuilders are being seduced into using more and more complex advertising to vie for consumers’ attention – rather than simply relying on the strength of their product. As a result, new homes purchasers can be faced with layers of image wrapping, not to mention enticing incentives, such as a free car or mortgage contributions that can distract from the real product on offer, the home.

“Attractive incentives will always play a role in the new homes market, but they should be considered as an added bonus to the decision making process as opposed to a deciding factor. Buying a home is the most important, not to mention emotional purchase most of us will make in a lifetime; and while incentives can be key enablers when looking to get on or move up the ladder, purchasers must look beyond the deals on offer to ensure they choose home that meets their lifestyle needs.

“At David Wilson Homes we have developed an approach known as Little Details, Big Difference, which we believe rewards consumers’ intelligence by being proud to be what we simply are. We are getting back to the basics of branding, simply communicating the true functional benefits of our homes and delivering against consumer needs; no more, no less.

“We believe that thoughtful design sells houses. Be it designing outdoor space an as extension of indoors to provide a space to enjoy and entertain when the sun shines, or planting large mature trees and shrubs at developments so each house is part of an established green and pleasant landscape, with a David Wilson home you can be reassured such factors are always considered and implemented to add to your quality of life.

“Additional little details such as streets that are designed first and foremost for people – not cars – guarantee a quieter life, safer roads and peace of mind. Similarly, we build playgrounds and green open spaces to ensure the children are happy, adding to the wellbeing of the entire family; just take our Aspect at Upton development in Northampton, which has been designed to create a sense of green continuity.

“The development has been designed so residents feel they are in a landscape setting to which the wood and park belong. ‘Earthy’ materials such as green roofs have been specially selected to extend this landscape and for their eco-properties which promote insulation and water attenuation.

“Meanwhile, every aspect of our homes are subjected to a thoughtful, thorough design consultation which encompasses everything from the specification of the taps right through to considering the views from each and every window – we design our developments to ensure wherever possible residents don’t look out onto a brick wall.”

With over 40 years’ experience in homebuilding, David Wilson Homes builds a variety of accommodation, from apartments and townhouses to four, five and six bedroom family homes across the country. For further information visit Dwh.co.uk.