People's Choice Awards

In its fourth year, the Peoples Choice Award was created in response to requests by member builders to create a way to judge consumers’ reactions to their Parade Homes. While the Reggie Awards honor the homes that builders find to be best, that doesn’t always translate into what the general public likes most. Builders have also told us that they’ve found visitors are sometimes uncomfortable telling the builder or agent what they like or don’t like about a particular model.

The Peoples Choice Awards consist of a short questionnaire that visitors to the home can use to rate it compared to their “ideal” home for the price. The questionnaire asked visitors to rate eight aspects of the home (exterior, curb appeal; interior, floorplan/layout; kitchen; bathrooms; bedrooms; other indoor spaces; site orientation, decks, porches; and construction quality) on a five point scale, as well as to complete two open-ended questions (what did you like best? and what should be improved?).

Each of the 44 participating Parade Homes received 500 postage paid postcards which were made available to visitors. To participate as a judge consumers simply completed the postcard and dropped it in the mail. The post cards were tallied, and the top scoring homes received a Peoples Choice Award. The six winners are listed above. The number preceding each builder name refers to their Parade of Homes Fall Showcase entry number.

2005 PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD WINNERS

#254 On the Level, Inc.
#522 Nettum Construction, Inc. #816 American Classic Homes
#425 Swanson Homes
#476 Tristar Homes, LLC
#930 Senn & Youngdahl, Inc.

Senn & Youngdahl

2005 Peoples Choice Award

This award is significant to Senn and Youngdahl first of all because it honors the people in our organization who have done such great work over the years, and secondly, because it is the peoples choice. While it’s nice to have received peer group awards in the past, it’s really special when it comes from homeowners.

I’d like to thank the professional crafts-people who laid their hands on this home, as well as all the great people in our organization—the family members of Senn and Youngdahl. Unique designs become extraordinary designs when crafted and executed well. This particular home was an extraordinary design with one-of-a-kind architecture. During the Parade, people would regularly ask us, “What kind of style is this?” Based on the positive input we received about this home, our firm is introducing a fresh new approach to architecture that we’ve labeled Archi-clecture. We’re currently in the process of trademarking this concept. It’s an approach to blending different architectural styles. A lot of people are comfortable with the familiar, but this style really seemed to pull at people’s heartstrings.

It will be interesting to see this approach tied into the Tapestry community in Lake Elmo. A tapestry is interwoven—in this case, a blending of the overall fabric of a community. Archi-clecture is a blending of natural beauty and architecture.

The fact that so many people liked this home is a great tribute to our new approach. There’s something about it that’s fun, and yet it remains a tranquil, calming environment. It is very rewarding that this home was so well-received.

Mark Youngdahl, CEO
Senn & Youngdahl, Inc.
www.sennandyoungdahl.com

Swanson Homes

2005 Peoples Choice Award

It is an honor to have the public, specifically our potential customers, judge our work and award us for it. With over 1,100 homes in the Fall Parade, being selected as a winner is a credible accomplishment we are very proud of.

I would like to thank and congratulate our entire team of designers, Swanson Homes staff, and our many talented and dedicated subcontractors and suppliers who work hard on every Swanson Home. I have spoken to many who are proud to have been associated with this home, and look forward to continued excellence in our industry.

With this particular home, a Mediterranean influence in architecture brought character to the design. Our designers then spiced up the old with new products and ideas that modernized the look and feel. Custom blends of glass tile, fun lighting, extensive use of granite and concrete surfaces, wall textures and finishes brought it all together to provide a look unlike any other home in the Parade. We had many people come back a second or third time, usually to show a friend.

Swanson Homes is a very design-oriented company. Every home we build is start-from-scratch unique. It takes more time and effort to build this way, but the customer is always pleased and very proud of the outcome.

This home was built in our Seven Greens neighborhood in Plymouth. We have a new selection of homesites
available as the last addition just became available. Swanson Homes is also building in Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Please visit our website to see other models you can tour.

Curt Swanson, President
Swanson Homes
www.swansonhomes.com

People's Choice Awards

2005 People's Choice Awards » 2006 People's Choice Awards »

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