Texas Builder Magazine November/December 2004
Heritage Homes
Dedicated employees buy company, continue committment to affordable housing in Lubbock
by Shellie Faught

With the stroke of a pen on an August afternoon in 2003, Don Lynn, Tom Moreland and George Winton instantly went from being builders of zero houses to becoming builders of 100 houses in one of the hottest markets in Texas.

As the new owners of Lubbock's Heritage Homes, they have marked their first year in business with record-breaking sales and closings, relying on experience, talents and the integrity instilled in them from the company's previous owner.

Joe Stettheimer established Heritage Homes in 1993. Stettheimer, once a senior pastor and business owner of an energy savings consultation firm, saw that Lubbock was in need of affordable quality housing.

There was a void in the housing market between low-quality and expensive custom homes, and those who would own homes that fell in to that void were the biggest contributors to the community. Families of teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers and other public service officials wanted more from the Lubbock housing market than what was available.

That first year, Stettheimer build one home. But in just six years, with the help of salesperson Don Lynn, the company grew to complete more than 100 homes annually.

In September 1999, Heritage Homes was recognized by Builder magazine as one of the fastest growing home building companies in America, ranked 57th among 1,000 builders in the United States. In the same year, Heritage Homes closed the second largest number of homes in Lubbock County and has maintained that position every since, closing an average of between 100 and 120 homes each year.

Founder Hands off Company to Trusted Employees

In 2003, Stettheimer decided to sell his home building company and pursue land development, but he wanted Heritage Homes to continue its growth. After entertaining offers from bigger home building companies, Stettheimer ultimately decided to leave the business in the hands of the people whom had contributed to its growth-- his employees Don Lynn, Tom Moreland and George Winton.

"I wanted the people who helped me to be successful to own the business," Stettheimer said.

Despite his departure, Stettheimer remains actively involved in with Heritage Homes. He is now the owner of Joe Stettheimer Development, L.L.P. which sells 75 percent of its lost to Heritage Homes.

Although Stettheimer is no longer the company's owner, "he's a vital part of our company," said Don Lynn, vice president of sales. "He's our mentor."

"Because the partners who now own Heritage Homes are the same people who ran the company before it was purchased, the transition of the company was seamless and without disruption," said George Winton, vice president of construction.

Lynn added, "All three of the partners bring different but equal abilities and attributes to the table, which makes our company unique."

Owners Change, But Not Customer Commitment

While the faces running the company may have changes, Stettheimer's vision of building quality, affordable housing remains as strong as when the company began.

Today Heritage Homes specializes in affordable homes for everyone from first-time home buyers to experienced buyers. With the rising cost of material and new regulations, it is often difficult for families to purchase a home on a limited income. But Heritage Homes is committed to making the dream come true for Lubbock families.

"We have kept our focus on building affordable housing built the way homes 'used to be built'--solid, traditional construction with a variety of plans to fit our customers needs," said Tom Moreland, vice president of administration.

"Heritage Homes also knows that providing choices to its customers is essential to the company's success," Lynn said. "Heritage Homes allows its customers to modify floor plans and select from more than 1,000 decorating choices."

Office manager Peggy McCarty said, "Even though we don't build 'custom homes' we do build 'personalized homes' in that we allow modifications to our house plans to accommodate the specific needs of our home buyer."

Also in line with the focus of its founder, the company continues to offer special programs to public servants, education professionals, firemen, police, physicians, nurses and students.

"We search for ways to make it affordable for our customers to gain the pride of the personal home ownership," Winton said.

Company Stays in Contact After Closing

Heritage Homes prides itself on its commitment to customer service. The company has a designated staff person dedicated to contacting customers every month for the first year after closing, a practice that has been in place since the company began.

According to McCarty, the company has a team that performs specific checks each month for the new homeowner. It addresses small problems as well as big matters, and does so in a timely manner.

"To make sure the homeowner gets into new positive habits and to make sure our warranty is properly cared for, we spend more 'after closing time' taking care of our customers," Winton said. "That way, we end up with many customers returning to us to build their second and third homes."

"And the company has built many second and third homes for its customers," said Stettheimer. According to Stettheimer, Heritage Homes is one of Lubbock's chief builders of second and third homes.

Moreland said, "When customers ask you to build them their second home, that is truly a great compliment to your company. However, when customers ask you to build them their third home, that is an accomplishment to be proud of."

Integrity, Trust -- Keys to Company Growth

It is this focus on integrity that has kept Heritage Homes growing. Integrity, according to Stettheimer, is the most important quality a home building company can cultivate, a fact that he instilled in his staff and the company's current owners.

"Sound building principals and practices, integrity, trust and respect in dealing with our customers, subcontractors, suppliers, banks and other businesses is an everyday practice at Heritage Homes," Moreland said.

Owners believe it has been the emphasis on integrity and trust that has added to the successful growth of Heritage Homes over the years.

"Everyone who works with us knows that our customers have the right to choose their builder, and if we do not do our job right, that customer will find a builder they like better," Winton said.

With these practices and focus on integrity and trust, Heritage Homes has been making homeowners' dreams come true for more than a decade. According to Moreland, this is the most rewarding aspect of being a home builder.

"To me, it's the best and most natural thing in the world to take a bare piece of the earth and turn it into a customer's personal dream come true," Winton said.

Heritage Involved in Community, Industry

With Heritage Home's focus on bettering its community, it's not surprising to know that, according to Stettheimer, the company has given more than $100,000 a year in charitable contributions over the last five years. The company is a major supporter of the Lubbock Children's Home and has built and donated structures for Lubbock's' annual SantaLand Christmastime amusement park.

In addition, Heritage Homes has been involved with the West Texas Home Builders Association and the Texas Builders Association for more than 10 years. According to Moreland, membership in these organizations benefits builders by providing education and guidance on important issues.

"Builders and remodelers need a resource of peers and local industry guidance that will broaden their knowledge and understanding about this great business we are in," Moreland said.

Belonging to the local association, Stettheimer said, helps Heritage Homes share its vision, purpose and goals for the community.

Their founder's vision of community and the company's focus on integrity has made Heritage Homes one of Lubbock's largest and most successful homebuilding companies.

"Our success comes from years of experience, commitment to the industry and focus," Lynn said. "God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and the ability to embrace them and use them in our day-to-day activities."