Heritage Homes has earned a 98.3 percent customer satisfaction rating, based on a survey conducted by the company.
Heritage Homes is intentional about understanding the needs of its clients and the trends that are influencing the different generations of homebuyers. “Customer’s needs change on a constant basis and no one is more accountable than us to understand those,” President and CEO Tyrone Leslie says.
The Fargo, N.D.-based company attends the International Builders’ Show annually and hires consultants from around the country to stay in tune with buyers’ demands. Heritage Homes has also found its “woman-centric” approach gives it a deeper look into how each of its clients live, resulting in better-designed homes that fit into their lifestyle.
“Women make 91 percent of the buying decisions when purchasing a home,” Leslie says. “They are the ones who understand how the home has to live, work, breathe and function. Communication and making sure women feel heard is our responsibility.”
Heritage Homes does this by maintaining open communication and taking the time to understand its clients. This has resulted in a 98.3 percent client satisfaction rating, based on a survey conducted by the company. Customer service is its No. 1 priority and the company consistently focuses on getting better.
“We hold each other accountable, focus on the teamwork aspect of that and never get complacent,” Leslie adds. “[We] have a good company culture that’s systemic and creates the proper atmosphere to deliver for our customers. When you treat your work as a hobby, it’s no longer a job and you enjoy it. You live one life and you have to enjoy every minute of it.”
Heritage Homes specializes in building within a 60-mile radius of Fargo, as well as in Minnesota. The company started operations in 1995 as a family-owned business that constructed one to three homes a year.
In 2014, Leslie became the sole owner of the company and decided to scale-up its operations. Today, Heritage Homes has more than 1,000 homes in its portfolio. Heritage Homes says it is one of the only builders in the Fargo area with six fully-furnished model homes in two communities open for viewing six days per week.
The Ranch at the Wilds
Heritage Homes’ 25 years of experience as a local builder allowed it to identify gaps in the Fargo housing market, which led to the development of The Ranch at the Wilds, an active-adult community targeting homeowners age 45 to 85 years old. “This is 100 percent different from anything we have ever done,” Leslie notes. “It’s also very different from anything the community has seen, which will make it that much better.”
The Ranch at the Wilds will feature 77 single-family homes on lots ranging from 7,000 to 15,000 square feet. Heritage Homes developed each home site to feature side or rear courtyards, giving the homeowner an optimal view.
Heritage Homes has noticed homeowners want simplicity. Homesites are getting smaller and people don’t want to maintain a large yard, which is exactly what Heritage Homes is delivering in The Ranch at the Wilds.
“Who wants to be in their backyard staring at their neighbor’s yard?” Leslie asks. “When you are in your backyard, you want to spend time with family and friends without people staring at you or into your home. The Ranch at the Wilds will offer people a way to be part of a community that will be engaging and social, but provide an in-home essence of privacy. It’s the best of both worlds that will make this an infinitely better community than West Fargo has ever seen.”
Within the gated community of The Ranch at the Wilds, Heritage Homes is building a 3,000-square-foot clubhouse complete with a full-service kitchen, golf simulator, pool and pickleball court. The community also features a pond and walking paths. Some of the maintenance is handled by the property manager, which includes snow removal and lawn care. “The community is designed around active adult lifestyles, providing ultimate livability,” Leslie says.
The single-family homes all have main floor master bedrooms and guest rooms. For those who want additional square footage, Heritage Homes is also developing a 3,100-square-foot home with a second-story bonus room and additional bedrooms.
“The homeowners in the community aren’t so much downsizing. They are right-sizing,” Leslie explains. “That’s the operative word here because they might be fine with the square footage and want a large family room, master suite and covered porch, but not need a basement or six bedrooms. People may be hesitant to sell their home because they can’t find anything that’s the right size for them, but this project gives them an alternative.”
Construction is expected to begin at The Ranch at the Wilds this spring. Because the model homes in the community won’t be ready until December, Heritage Homes is building two model homes so interested buyers could see the product sooner and reserve their home site.
Moving forward, Heritage Homes plans to deliver more active-adult communities while maintaining its company culture of continuous improvement. “We want to provide products that are ahead of the curve and fulfill that demand with quality homes that mean something and are important to our homeowners,” Leslie concludes.
