Sun City Peachtree Attracting Attention in a Tough Market

[SPALDING COUNTY, GA- January 31, 2008] Contrary to housing industry trends, Sun City Peachtree, the Pulte Homes/Del Webb active adult community located in south metro Atlanta, continues to attract hundreds of qualified prospects every month. Additionally, company officials say many of them are signing contracts to build a home in the 1,726 acre active adult community.

By using a web-centric marketing strategy and a variety of creative promotions, Sun City Peachtree is succeeding at a time when others in the Atlanta active adult market are not. Using an approach that seems counter-intuitive to many traditional builders, Sun City Peachtree’s advertising and direct mail rarely feature images, descriptions or prices of their homes. Instead, the marketing campaigns focus on what truly sets Pulte/Del Webb communities apart: Lifestyle. Well-designed print and direct mail advertising clearly communicate how much fun it is to live in a Sun City community. They also position Sun City communities as places filled with people who have not “retired” but who have moved on to a more interesting phase of their life. Backed by one of the most sophisticated marketing databases in the industry, these finely-tuned messages are reaching the right kinds of people and motivating them to first visit the Sun City Peachtree website http://www.suncitypeachtree.com and then make an appointment to visit the property. A formulaic approach? Perhaps, but it’s one that has evolved from over four decades of experience in perfecting this style of residential community.

According to Dan Owens, publisher of Retirement Lifestyles magazine, Sun City Peachtree is succeeding precisely because Del Webb has experience that its competitors simply can’t match. "It is clear that Sun City Peachtree is a ‘second generation’ Del Webb property that incorporates everything the firm has learned in decades of building for active adults”, Owens says. “Sun City Peachtree carefully blends a planned 3,400 unit development around a 40,000+ square foot amenity center and a fabulous golf course with all the activities and recreation you could hope for.”

Owens is also the Director of the National Active Retirement Association [NARA], a unique national organization that helps businesses, professionals, academicians, and government entities prepare for and take advantage of the coming age wave that is sweeping America. NARA recently named Sun City Peachtree its 2007 Gold Award winner, the highest recognition the organization bestows. This year, dozens of active adult communities entered the competition, which is judged by a panel of independent industry experts. “The judges were impressed with the community flow, as well as the thoughtfulness in design and, of course, the amenities,” he says.

David Vitek, Division President for Pulte Homes’ Georgia South Division, has overseen the grand opening of multiple Sun City communities and knows having the right amenities to encourage lifestyle is important. “Every major builder in the last 10 years has been trying to enter the active adult market. However, not all of them understand what’s really important to the active adult customer.” Vitek noted that cost of living is often the single most important factor for senior households. “When an active adult retires, they don’t get a raise. Their lifestyle can change substantially with even a modest difference in the cost of living.” So the benefits of planned amenities need to be weighed carefully against what they add to the cost of living in an active adult community.” Del Webb’s 45+ year history is extremely valuable when planning for incredible amenity offerings at a real value compared to other alternatives.

It’s the amenities that are attracting people like Doug and Mary Ellen Austin, who were the first couple to move into to their Sun City Peachtree home on November 4, 2007. The Austins moved from another active adult community in Newnan, GA that couldn’t deliver on the original concept. “They built 60 homes for people 55 and older and then they sold out the rest of the land and started building for families,” says Doug. “Ultimately, the builder couldn’t afford the amenities. There was a big beautiful clubhouse with absolutely nothing going on. That’s not what we signed up for when we bought there.”

To ensure that it keeps its finger on the pulse of what kinds of amenities active adults really want, Del Webb/Pulte appoints a Lifestyle Director at every one of its active adult communities. Full-time Lifestyle Directors, like Sun City Peachtree’s Catherine Holder, listen carefully to individual resident interests and help match them with an array of activities and events that fit their personality, passions, and style. Beyond the obvious things like golf and tennis, activities might include a night of ballroom dancing, tours to historic places like Savannah, or interesting workshops such as the recent one hosted by accomplished gardener, radio/TV personality, author and Georgia native, Walter Reeves.

“Catherine is fabulous. She has lots of interesting activities going already,” says Mary Ellen Austin. “The Del Webb people here are super nice. When we see them around the community, they always ask if there is anything they can do for us. They seem to go out of their way to make you feel special. You don’t find that everywhere.”

Sun City Peachtree is located in the metro Atlanta area in Spalding County, Georgia. Just 30 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and 40 minutes to downtown Atlanta, Sun City Peachtree’s proximity to top-ranked entertainment, shopping and dining venues sets the community apart. The Sales Center is open 7 days a week: Sun-Mon: 12pm - 6pm; Tues-Sat: 10am - 6pm For more information, please visit http://www.suncitypeachtree.com or call (678) 688-7910.