Home Builder Created in Response to Social, Economic, and Technological Trends

BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. - June 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Jeff Grundahl, President of JG Development, points to the shifting perceptions and expectations of society-at-large to explain how and why he and his wife, Mary, formed Brio Design Homes.

“When I founded JG Development in 1990, the world was different.  There were no smart phones, Amazon was a river in South America, and HGTV didn’t exist.  Technology has changed us, which means it’s changed how we buy homes.”

As Mr. Grundahl goes on to explain, technology has fostered the expectation of more choice and greater personalization.  He points to the computer screen next to him.

“Look at the ratings for TV shows 25 years ago that focused on home buying, home building and home remodeling.  Viewership was extremely low.  But look at how many of these shows we’re watching today, including shows on major television networks.”

“Websites dedicated to topics such as home building and design didn’t exist 25 years ago.  If a client wanted to educate themselves about what was possible in home design, they would need to go to the library or the bookstore and pick up book after book.  Now a world of knowledge about home design, its history, and all of the possibilities are a click away.”

But Mr. Grundahl contends that technology isn’t the only factor changing our society and its expectations; a change which prompted him to create a new brand of home builder. He taps the mouse once more.

“There.  The entire U.S. census for both 2000 and 2010, in their entireties, at my fingertips.  We cross-reference their age and annual income statistics plus the breakdown of area growth by socio-demographics and we have a clear picture of where the population in our area is heading.”

“Generation X in southwest Wisconsin is aging, becoming empty-nesters, and a good portion of them have the means to build a home that reflects their style exactly.  They are educated and more informed than ever, making them sophisticated buyers that expect real customization.”

When asked for an example of recent clients requests, Mr. Grundahl smiles.

“One client wanted something in the style of a courtyard home, similar to one they had stayed at on a trip to Italy.  Another wanted a late Arts & Crafts Bungalow. And another had us build him an Industrial style home in the style of a specific architect from the 1930s. Not only did each one know exactly what they wanted, they came to us because they knew we could build it.”