Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
PLACE Opens Ventura Housing project
Congratulations PLACE on Giving the Gift of Home for the Holidays … the WÄ€V project in Ventura, California is complete.
The Title is a link to a Business Week article that came out this week about our WÄ€V project. Working together with the City of Ventura PLACE has touched many individuals and families, taken dozens of people off the streets and putting them into healthy, green homes.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays
The holiday season is here and for families struggling financially, this can be a very stressful time. Parents want to treat their children with special holiday gifts, but also need to support the practical needs of the family. In Orange County, Families Forward extends special programs to families in need in order to help alleviate this burden from their lives and bring hope and cheer to their homes during the holidays.
Continuing its commitment to helping deserving families and children through charitable efforts, Kovach Marketing supports Families Forward, the Irvine-based non-profit organization that helps homeless families help themselves. We salute their efforts and ask you to help support their cause and consider Adopting A Family.
There are many ways to help, please contact holidays@families-forward.org for more information or visit their website at www.families-forward.org.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Hope, Vision and Value Creation Book Signing on Friday, December 4th in Laguna Beach
The real estate industry is in a severe economic recession; John Martin offers his prospective on how-to accelerate the recovery by three to four years so the industry can go back to work creating great places for people to live.
His new book, Hope, Vision & Value Creation, is about hope ~ beginning the recovery; vision ~ seeing future opportunities, and the imagination to design the homes and communities that create value.
The purpose of this book is to identify market niches to satisfy the needs and wants for today's buyer; to attract and convenience the financial community to return to and invest in new projects, so the industry can once again, thrive and prosper.
A special book signing will be held on Friday, December 4th at Art for the Soul, 272 Forest Street in Laguna Beach, CA. For more information please visit www.martin-associates.net.
Martin & Associates are dedicated to assisting those who design, develop, market and manage communities and neighborhoods by providing vision, strategic thinking and positioning and by implementing action plans through research and analysis.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Shea Homes is the First National Builder to Launch Applications for Iphone and Ipod Touch
CORONA, CA – November 17, 2009 -- Because of Shea Homes’ success with Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and by listening to their customers, the company continues to embrace technology and is now the first national home builder to release a dedicated “App” for the Apple iPhone. As the iPhone continues to gain market share and more and more people are turning to their Smartphones for information, Shea Homes is pleased to announce, “They have an App for that.” The App is compatible with iPhone as well as the iPod Touch, and is a free download from the iTunes AppStore
What does this mean for Shea Homes’ customers, Realtors®, and TradePartners®? The Shea Homes Southern California iPhone App provides users with easy access to important community information. Some of the benefits and features that users of the Shea Homes App will enjoy include:
Finding detailed information about all of Shea Homes' communities
- Easily browsing all of the plans available at each community and sharing them with friends
- Seeing pricing, square footages, exterior elevation images and floorplans
- Instantly calling, emailing or getting driving directions (GPS enabled) to any Shea Homes community
- Staying informed with frequent updates about communities, specials and limited-time opportunities
- Instant access to Shea Homes’ Facebook and Twitter pages
According to Gartner Research, the “iPhone OS had 8% of the Smartphone market in 2008” in spite of the fact that the iPhone 3G wasn’t released until July 2008. With the release of the recent upgraded model this past summer, Apple is expected to dominate this sector. The iPhone and iPod Touch combined hold the top spot for mobile browser market share at 30.5% from August to October of 2009. With over 50 million iPhone and iPod Touch customers and over 100,000 applications available, Apple far exceeds any of their competitors. To date there have been over 2 billion AppStore downloads with availability in 81 countries. All this is amazing considering the iPhone has only been available since the summer of 2008.
“Shea Homes is very excited to be the first national home builder offering an iPhone Application which acts as a robust digital and interactive green brochure,” said Bert Selva President and CEO of Shea Homes. “With the increased use of mobile technology and the popularity of Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch, this was a natural transition. As we move forward into the future, Shea Homes is dedicated to utilizing technology to provide easy and convenient ways to instantly share information any place, any time, and best of all, it’s free. We are also currently working on applications that will be available to other mobile device users, and we expect to offer them by year's end.”
“We are extremely thrilled with the release of our Southern California iPhone App which provides a much needed solution based on numerous consumer requests,” stated Janet Benavidez, director of sales for Shea Homes Southern California. “In addition, it offers more functionality than we had originally thought possible. You have to download it today to see for yourself.”
For more information about the Shea Homes Southern California iPhone or iPod Touch App, visit http://itunes.com/apps/sheahomessoutherncalifornia.
The Shea Homes Southern California iPhone and iPod Touch App provides instant access to detailed information about Shea Homes communities in Orange and Ventura Counties and the Inland Empire.
In Orange County, they include Tapestry in La Habra; Latitudes North and Latitudes South at Vantis in Aliso Viejo; and Harbor Station, Pasadera, Birch River and Vista Vallarta at Glenwood in Aliso Viejo.
In Ventura County, Shea Homes is offering Meridian, Boardwalk and Reflections at RiverPark in Oxnard and Canterbury Lane in Moorpark.
Home buyers in the Inland Empire can choose from these Shea Homes neighborhoods: Tetherwind at The Preserve at Chino; Newbridge, Carmody and SPACES at Avonlea in Corona; Topaz at Eldorado in Menifee; Three-65 at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga; and Meadowbrook at Adeline’s Farm in Winchester.
Complete details on those communities, including floor plans, driving directions and more, are also available by visiting the company's website at sheahomes.com.
Shea Homes Southern California is a division of Shea Homes Limited Partnership, one of America’s largest privately held homebuilders. As a member of the Shea family of companies, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2006, Shea Homes has won numerous prestigious awards for quality, integrity, innovation and customer satisfaction. Shea Homes’ pursuit of excellence is typified by Shea Superiology, the art and science of designing and constructing homes that offer homeowners superior value by maximizing their quality of life, minimizing their costs and making a positive contribution to the environment. For more information, please visit the company's website at sheahomes.com.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Solar Conference 2009 - Anaheim, California
One of our staff was luck enough to attend the solar conference earlier this month. It was very well attended with 900 exhibitors on the entire show floor of the Anaheim California convention center; more than 20,000 industry attendees from 90 countries.
Images showing use of solar panels – one on a custom home (Craftsman style) and one on a commercial building, really tell the story of its “come a long way”. Many of the commercial buildings are able to get government funded loans to cover the install, once they are up and running the extra energy generated by the panels is sold to the electric energy grid – the income generated pays back the loans.
For more information on the next generation of solar and the next conference visit, http://www.ases.org.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
TRI Pointe Homes, Inc. - Launching new company and new communities!
“We believe that in the face of today’s many challenges, it is time for a new generation of homebuilders to deliver quality homes for new home buyers,” stated Douglas Bauer, who, with Thomas Mitchell and Michael Grubbs, is one of the three founding principals of TRI Pointe Homes. “We plan to establish TRI Pointe Homes as the vanguard of the homebuilding industry's future. Our company’s core values of quality, integrity and excellence are the driving forces behind energy efficient, innovative designs that will connect with today's and tomorrow's buyers and exceed their expectations.” We have the perspective to provide environmentally friendly, energy-efficient residences that anticipate families’ needs.
Bauer, Mitchell and Grubbs, agreed that it is an unwavering commitment to think, renew and inspire that guides TRI Pointe Homes. “Insightful thinking means anticipating and encompassing all the events and needs of the individuals and families that will live in our homes,” Mitchell explained. “We have a passionate desire to renew a sense of belonging by creating spaces that invite both energized interaction and peaceful solitude.
Grubbs noted that he and his partners saw a business opportunity in the current economic climate. “As the market turns around, which it has already started doing, many doors open and opportunities present themselves.”
One key focus of TRI Pointe Homes will be connecting with its customers on a personal level. “The difference between a homebuilder and an exceptional homebuilder is customer service,” Mitchell explained. “Our buyers will understand that difference firsthand when we arrive at their final walk-through, personally answering any questions that may arise. It’s all about that one-on-one connection with the homeowner. We want the home-buying experience to be memorable and special for every one of our customers.”
Additional information on TRI Pointe Homes and their first two communities is available by calling (949) 596-8660 or visiting http://www.tripointehomes.com/.
Monday, October 5, 2009
PLACE Starts Awareness Campaign
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Team Led By John Martin Wins PCBC Gold Nugget Grand Award For “Imagining The Future”
Spearheaded by John Martin of Martin & Associates, a leading community planning, design and marketing firm, the GEN M 2345 team created a comprehensive plan to transform a 23-acre site in Huntington Beach that was previously slated for single family homes. Their new concept, Sea•Shore Village, is envisioned as a collection of multi-generational neighbourhoods with affordable homes to fit changed lifestyles and life stages. The new village design features a three unit building with proximity and privacy for 3, 4, and maybe even 5 generations, home-based business opportunities, two story townhomes with the master bedrooms on the first level, and compact carriage units. The unique layouts are designed to accommodate move-down baby boomers, their aging parents, and their boomerang adult and returned-from-college children to all live comfortably together. GEN M stands for multi-generational and 2345 represents the 2, 3, 4 and 5 generations of residents who could live together in similar villages, neighbourhoods, and homes in the future.
“Gen M 2345’s message is one of hope,” Martin explained. “Hope that we can turn the market around sooner rather than later. It provides the vision to create new concepts for a different market reality, and it demonstrates how to increase values in a down economy. We are very proud that our innovative blueprint for the future was rewarded with the Gold Nugget Grand Award.”
The award was shared by the entire GEN M 2345 team. These visionary leaders were inspired by the severe challenges facing the housing industry in the current recession, including a deep reduction in the availability of equity capital and financing. To meet those challenges head-on, they created a complementary, interdisciplinary creative and implementation team to conceive, design, process, finance, develop and market innovative product concepts that can be successfully developed immediately. Ironically, the team's solution – multi-generational housing – is directly related to the current economic downturn. A recent survey conducted by AARP found that as Americans of all ages feel the effects of the economic crisis, more and more people have to live with a family member or friend to share expenses. The survey also revealed a direct relationship between loss of income and young adults moving back in with their parents. Clearly, there is increased demand for a multi-generational solution like GEN M 2345's Sea•Shore Village, and the group demonstrated its viability from a financial standpoint.
Learn more about John Martin and Associates at www.martin-associates.net.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Kovach Marketing's Expertise Benefits Homeaid San Diego
Each year, HomeAid San Diego hosts several community events to raise funds and awareness for its cause.
“Kovach's expertise in assisting nonprofit organizations helped make this year's events more successful than ever,” stated Alexis Parker, executive director of HomeAid San Diego. “In addition to exceeding our fundraising goals, their PR capabilities enabled us to spread the word about HomeAid and the important projects we build for the San Diego community. We are exceedingly grateful for Kovach's knowledge and generosity.”
Founded in 1989, HomeAid is the nation’s largest provider of housing for the temporarily homeless. Through the generosity of America’s builders, their trade partners, financial institutions and private and public donors, HomeAid has built more than 175 shelter facilities around the country, with an additional 52 projects in development. These projects total nearly 1,000,000 square feet of space representing more than $130 million in project construction costs, of which $77.4 million has been donated by the building industry. To date, more than 100,000 people have received shelter and services in HomeAid-built facilities.
To learn more about how you can help the homeless visit http://www.homeaid.org/.
Marman Industries Selects Kovach Marketing | To Spearhead Growth Through Creative Intelligence
They have over 20 years experience in the plastic injection molding industry. Offering an expert mold making department, a skilled engineering team combined with a highly experienced molding division, For more information visit them online at www.marman.com or; call Frank Roberson’s mobile 909-576-9091, office 909-392-2136.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Taylor Morrison Selects Kovach Marketing
Kovach Marketing will design ads, public relations programs, direct mail, e-mail communications and collateral materials for seven Taylor Morrison communities, including Bellafina in Montclair, Buenaterra in Buena Park, Las Colinas and Los Arboles at Portola Springs in Irvine, Market Street and Shady Grove at Dos Lagos in Corona and Palazzo in Stanton.
“We are honored to welcome Taylor Morrison to our growing client roster,” stated Dana Lee Kovach, president of Kovach Marketing. “Taylor Morrison is one of the largest and most prestigious home builders in the world, and we look forward to helping them build on their many years of success in Southern California with compelling new messages and our unique strategy of 'creative intelligence.'”
To learn more about our capabilities visit our website at: http://kovachmarketing.com/
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Kovach Marketing Is On the Move Again now in San Diego
After creating award-winning campaigns for such premier San Diego clients as Hotel del Coronado, La Costa Resort & Spa, Shea Homes, The Lakes Above Rancho Santa Fe, The Crosby and CIELO, Kovach Marketing is already quite well-known in America’s Finest City. Now, with Jessica we have a full-time physical presence that will give us a big advantage in identifying new business opportunities and responding quickly to the needs of our clients in the region.
Jessica was formerly marketing director for Newland Communities in Southern California, where she was responsible for developing and implementing integrated campaigns that consistently exceeded sales goals. In addition to her knowledge of the new home real estate market in San Diego County and the Inland Empire, her background includes work with clients in government, law, hospitality and consumer packaged goods. Throughout her career, she has excelled at customer relationship management and brand development. This is one more way that Kovach Marketing is extending the reach of our “Creative Intelligence.”
To contact Jessica, please call 619-920-3621 or send e-mail to jessica@kovachmarketing.com.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Expanded Capabilities from Kovach Marketing
Did you know that 87% of all home buyers use the Internet as a source of information during the home buying process? We do, and that’s why Kovach Marketing is proud to announce the establishment of KM Interactive, our fully integrated in-house division that specializes in generating heightened consumer response by maximizing the presence of our clients on the World Wide Web.
With the advent and rapid growth of Web 2.0, the opportunities for online marketing have multiplied far beyond simple websites and e-blasts, which we have been creating for some time. Today the Internet offers an extensive array of new ways to reach target customers interactively, from blogs, podcasts and search engine optimization to pay-per-click advertising and such popular social media sites as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flicker and YouTube. By establishing KM Interactive as a one-stop source for the complete range of Internet marketing tools, our vision is to bring the full power of the Internet to the field of new-home marketing and other dynamic industries.
Companies that want to stay ahead of the curve and continue to build their business in the Internet age need to utilize the newest technology and the most advanced strategies. Our mission is to help our clients do that in the most cost-effective way possible.
To find out how KM Interactive can harness the power of the Internet for your company, please call Brian Newquist at 949-757-2870 or send e-mail to brian@kovachmarketing.com.