Finding a niche market in the homebuilding industry can be difficult, but critical to a company's success. Where KB Home focuses on first-time homes and Centex participates in businesses outside of construction but related to homebuying (such as pest control), Pulte Homes has built a business based on providing homes to all of the major demographic groups likely to make home purchases. These include first-time buyers, move-up buyers and active adults seeking smaller residences in adult-only communities. Pulte is one of the largest homebuilders in the nation with operations in the northeast, south and west, and it also has operations in Mexico and Argentina. It involves the homeowner before the sale, offers financial services through a separate business unit, and provides strong after-sale service.
Founded in 1950, Pulte Homes built more than 250,000 residences during its first 50 years of operation. While many of the nation's largest homebuilders tend to have their headquarters in the Southwest or West (areas of strong growth where homebuilding starts have been particularly strong in recent decades), Pulte Homes is headquartered in Michigan. The company employs more than 9,000 workers at its various locations, and has concentrated its homebuilding efforts along the eastern seaboard as well as in the industrial north. The company also has a significant market presence in California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas, and limited presences in Colorado, Kansas and Puerto Rico. In addition, the company participates in homebuilding activities on an international basis, with operations in Mexico and Argentina ("2001 Annual Report" 2).
Pulte has established as its mission nothing short of Customer Delight and viewing its customers as Homeowners for Life. The company is also committed to providing homes in each of the major segments of residential homebuying, including entry-level, move-up and homes for active adults. As a result, th...