San Antonio’s real estate market is active, ranking #8 on real estate website Trulia’s 2017 Hot Markets list. That demand has reduced the inventory of affordable, entry-level housing. San Antonio’s population is projected to grow by 1 million people by 2040, further increasing the need for affordable housing.
That’s why Alberto Piña and his brother Jason founded Blaustein Mobile Homes. The Piñas, known informally as the “Mobile Home Geeks,” launched their unconventional startup in January as a way to help entry-level buyers achieve their dreams of homeownership at significantly reduced costs. Ta.
By leveraging technology, Braustin Mobile Homes has introduced what it believes to be a disruptive model for mobile home sales, establishing a virtual mobile home dealership on the 8th floor of Geekdom. This will be one of the highlights of the SA Tech Trek on April 25th.of Rivard Report We spoke to Alberto Piña about housing startups.
Rivard Report: What is your experience in the housing industry?
Alberto Piña: Our name may be new in the housing industry, but our family has over 10 years of experience in sales and managing teams for major mobile home companies. My brother and I decided to start our own business where we could develop an approach tailored to modern e-commerce practices. When Jason and I founded his Braustin Mobile Homes in January of this year, we developed a concept based on many of Johnny’s ideas. [brother Jonathan, who died after a motorcycle accident in 2015] About a sales approach that focuses on upfront pricing and education.
Four months ago, we decided to branch out on our own and recapture the personal touch that only a small, family-run business can bring. We were born and raised in San Antonio. South Texas is and always will be home. That’s why we love helping other families put down roots here.
RR: How does your mobile home pricing compare to traditional home pricing and traditional mobile home sellers?
AP: The average cost per square foot for a mobile home in San Antonio ranges from $28 to $29 per square foot. [In the first quarter of 2017 the average cost for a traditional home in San Antonio was $115 per square foot, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors.]
A mobile home cost comparison includes the cost of the land, utilities, deck, driveway, and foundation, in addition to the construction cost of the home itself.If a potential homebuyer already owns their own property, they can build a home less than 2,000 square feet [the Wonder model is 1,896 sq. ft.] Starting at $28 per square foot.
Our recent client paid $66 per square foot for a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home [1,896 sq. ft.] On acres of empty land. The cost of a complete turnkey land and home package project is $125,865, which includes the home, cost of the acre of land, all utilities, deck, baseboards, driveway, and foundation.
[By comparison, the median price of a traditional home sold during the first quarter of 2017 increased to $199,400 while the average price rose to $240,057, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors.]Because published prices for mobile homes are not readily available, it is difficult to accurately assess how cost-effective our business model is compared to traditional mobile home dealers.
Prospective homebuyers are our best source of information. We regularly speak with people who shop at traditional retailers around town and find our listed prices online. It’s not uncommon for customers to tell us they can get the exact same home for $5,000 to $10,000 less.
RR: How does Braustin Mobile Homes leverage technology in mobile home sales?
AP: We leverage technology in a variety of ways to streamline the process and improve the home buying experience.
We publish our prices online, which is unprecedented in our industry. By posting prices, our team can focus on educating potential homebuyers and helping them make the right decisions for their families, rather than haggling. can.
We use Matterport 360 Home Tours to help our customers meet online, over the phone, or [virtual reality] Goggles when you come [our location on the eighth floor of] Otakudom. You can also further reduce overhead costs by minimizing the amount of physical inventory you must carry. These savings are passed on to customers through price reductions.
Adam [Dusenberry] and wes [Pruitt] White Cloud Drones is a great team to partner with to demonstrate the construction process and educate potential homebuyers about the process. We use drones to build time-lapses of entire land and home construction projects, giving him a 360 degree virtual tour of the finished product.
On our website, we have produced a series of educational podcasts that address “mobile home myths” such as depreciation and overall value. Our latest is an interview with a San Antonio man who is helping us build a new home on a new acre of land. His project is the focus of our drone photography.
RR: What role did Geekdom play in launching your business?
AP: Without Geekdom, the company wouldn’t exist. Because we are building our own startup, the low cost of office space allows us to focus our resources on marketing and building the company’s digital infrastructure.
We learned a lot from some of the members here.luke owen [of Lockaway Full Service and former Geekdom chief of operations] Implementing Active Campaign has really helped us streamline our sales process. [an automated follow-up customer relationship management system, or CRM software].
John Ambach of Flipmas [the influencer platform] and Morgan Kling [of Market Boost] They have been a tremendous asset in maximizing the power of Facebook in our advertising.David Jones and Debra Innocenti [of tech-focused law firm Innocenti Jones PLLC] We made the legal aspects of starting a business smooth and enjoyable.
Meeting people like Tom Cuthbert and Bill Schley and bouncing ideas off them was invaluable. Geekdom staff makes our days fun and takes the stress out of building a business from scratch.
RR: Are there any competitors in this new industry area?
AP: Most people in our industry think we’re crazy. Rather than seeking to maximize profit on every home we sell, we are focused on helping as many families as possible achieve their homeownership goals. Our business model allows us to keep our overhead costs 80-90% lower than our competitors, making us the price leader in our industry. At this time, no other company in our industry leverages technology to drive business like we do.
RR: What are the short-term and long-term plans for the company?
AP: In the near future, we will be partnering with a local investor who has purchased a run-down mobile home park on Highway 16 just south of San Antonio. We worked with him to renovate the entire space and contracted to leave a few show models on site for customers who wanted to tour the model homes. We intend to split our time between our Geekdom and Geekdom locations during the company’s startup phase. Our interim goal is to purchase large tracts of land on San Antonio’s Southside and build affordable subdivisions with housing to alleviate the need for affordable housing in the city.
In the long term, we plan to partner with more builders and replicate our model across the country. Our ultimate goal is to change the way people buy used homes, just like CarMax changed the used car industry. Currently, 23 million people nationwide live in factory-built homes. Homebuyers in this market deserve better than what they’re currently getting, and we’re going to give it to them.
RR: What can SA Tech Trekkers expect from Geekdom on April 25th?
AP: We present 360-degree virtual home tours and educate people on how far technology has advanced the way this industry builds. We want to share our excitement and experience as Starter Home Specialists.
