Submitted by Barb Lally for Rob Rice Homes
Rob Rice Homes holds the highest standards in homebuilding with its superior construction and architecture, premium home features and outstanding customer service.
Those high standards are why Rob Rice chooses REALTORS®, many with decades of experience, to represent his homes.
Visit any Rob Rice Community and you will notice the ease of viewing the homes, an abundance of information at your fingertips, a clear and transparent process and the remarkable professionalism of the REALTORS® representing each community.
REALTORS® Hold High Standards
The term REALTOR® means much more than simply a broker with a real estate license. When working with the REALTORS® at Rob Rice Homes, home buyers and their agents have the benefit of working with a professional who voluntarily holds to a high ethical standard.
REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and adhere to its strict Code of Ethics. The code shows their high level of commitment, education and dedication to their profession and guides REALTORS® to protect and promote a client’s interests, while treating all parties honestly. That includes other professionals in the real estate community.
“One of the things that distinguishes REALTORS® who work for Rob Rice, is that we encourage buyers to have their own agents,” says Vonna Madeley, a dedicated REALTOR® for nearly 20 years who represents the local builder. “We kindly ask buyers who visit our open houses, ‘Do you have a broker?’ That way, we help honor the agreement they have with another professional.”
Vonna, who is with Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, says they make every effort to be cooperative, reaching out to a buyer’s agent with a package of information to help them answer any of their buyer’s questions. “We work in the best interest of not only the buyer, but also their broker.”
Reliability of Forms Protect Buyers
To ensure buyer protection, Rob Rice chooses to use Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) transaction forms.
“The NWMLS spends a lot of time and money to make sure the forms are well-written and are buyer-friendly,” explains Vonna. “We know those forms have been vetted and approved by attorneys. The REALTORS® who come to our communities are familiar with the forms. We are not attorneys, so it is difficult to be sure a purchase and sale agreement will have all the protections that a buyer needs if it is not a NWMLS form.”
Vonna also explains that some forms allow a special escrow rate for the builder that is not always passed on to the buyer. “When we sell a house, Rob gets a special rate, but that rate is shared with the buyer.”
Open and Accessible
Rob Rice Homes, voted the Best of South Sound Builder for two years in a row, does not withhold information, a strategy many new home builders use to get buyers and their brokers to a model home where there is a sales pitch.
At the entrance of each Rob Rice Community you are greeted by a kiosk of information—price lists, maps, and description of the plans and features of the homes. That information can also be found on the Rob Rice Homes website. All completed homes are on a lockbox, a convenience that allows brokers access without needing to go get a key or wait for someone to meet them there when buyers are ready to view.
“Rob Rice Homes makes everything transparent and accessible right up front,” says Vonna. “We provide as much communication and clarity as we can so that other brokers can come to our communities and have what they need to help their buyers.”
The local builder and his REALTORS® want each beautiful site to be completely self-service, because the homes sell themselves.
“We love representing Rob Rice Homes and buyers are so thrilled to learn that the beautiful features they see in our homes are standard, not upgrades,” says Jeanne Tranum, another Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic REALTOR® who represents Rob Rice Homes. “The quality finishes and attention to detail are a driving force as to why so many buyers choose a Rob Rice Home.”
Design Choices in a Pre-Sale
Buyers who purchase a home in a pre-sale in many of our communities can make their own design choices for their premium features before their home is built.
To do that, they schedule three appointments, one with our Design Center to pick out surface choices for flooring and countertops. They also meet with Helena Rice to design the exterior of their home by picking their stone and paint schemes. Finally, they meet with lighting experts to choose all of their stylish fixtures.
The details for their finished home are spelled out in a pre-sale addendum form so that there are no surprises.
“We offer a streamlined process for assisting buyers in making selections to customize the finishes in their new home,” says Jeanne. “From start to finish, the buyer can feel confident that they will receive a superior quality product from a local builder they can trust.”
Rob Rice is Thurston County’s largest local home builder and was voted the Best of South Sound for 2013 and 2014. He and his wife Helena live in Olympia with their two sons, Alex Michael and Carson. Rob is a graduate of Washington State University with degrees in construction management and architecture.
For more information about a Rob Rice Homes community please visit our website.
