Kids’ Desk

May 25th, 2006

You could probably tell from the previous post that I’ve been shopping around for homes. It’s been quite a trip so far.

As a first-time home buyer, the crash course in everything from loans to taxes has been nothing short of extraordinary. 2 weeks ago, I didn’t know the difference between discount points and origination points. Now? I could go on about the benefits of a 80% 7/1 interest-only ARM + 20% 15/30 fixed balloon. It’s scary. But, it’s important stuff. You become an expert out of necessity.

We ended up signing the papers last night with a builder. The whole process took about an hour to complete. It was, surprisingly, a very enjoyable experience. We were quite happy with the neighborhood, amenities, location, lot, etc – so no surprise there. But what made the moment was that we had the convenience of going through the signing process at our own pace. It just so happened that our son was with us at the time, and most parents understand that it’s very difficult to get a 2 1/2-year old to sit still for an hour. Fortunately, the sales office offered a little kids’ desk in the corner — complete with a Lego top, mesh baskets of Lego pieces, and wooden cars. The boy was hooked…he sat there and played quietly until the last paper was signed.

From a business perspective, having a place for kids to entertain themselves totally makes sense. To these builders, families are a core customer, and you should be providing them the tools necessary to keep them satisfied. How much did that kids’ desk cost, 50 bucks? And how much value does it bring in on a daily basis? Orders of magnitude.

Satisfied kids = satisfied parents = satisfied customers = loyal customers.

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