Taylor Morrison Interactive Homes Popular with Mobile Users Wanting Anytime, Anywhere Access; High-Tech Driving Sales

    HOUSTON, TX, May 10, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When Taylor Morrison introduced its Interactive Home in early 2012, sales associates were trained to demonstrate how easy the system is to operate from touch-sensitive interfaces at designated locations in the home. Associates also demonstrated how mobile devices can be used to control the system at anytime from anywhere--smartphones meet smart house.

In a March 2012 study by Pew Research, 42 percent of adults own a smartphone--up from 35 percent just a year ago. Taylor Morrison estimates that 60% of their visitors own smartphones and/or iPads. Smartphones are owned by the majority of people with household incomes of $75,000, a solid income for Taylor Morrison Interactive Homes which start in the $120,000s and top off at about $1 million.

Taylor Morrison offers integrated high-technology packages in every home as an included feature, at no additional cost to the consumer. Connect One is the premiere integrator of the Taylor Morrison Interactive Home in Houston. Designed for various product lines, interactive technology seamlessly customizes lighting, music, video, communications and security features to create an enhanced living experience.

"Home buyers come to our sales centers with mobile devices saying they are interested, but only if they can access their home from anywhere," said Amy Haywood vice president of sales and marketing for Taylor Morrison Houston. "We love that question because with the Interactive Home they really can control their home from anywhere at anytime with a touchscreen tablet or mobile device."

According to Haywood, communities with Interactive Home models in the Houston area are experiencing an uptick in traffic and sales. Since February, more than 200 Interactive Homes have sold in the Houston area. Because of the technology, home buyers stay in the models longer and sales associates spend more time with them.

"Having more time with our customers is always a good thing. It is neat because both adults and kids like the technology and get very excited about having it in their homes," added Haywood-Rino.

Ryan Lawrence, an Interactive Home technology specialist, says home buyers are turned on by the audio versatility and often opt for more intercom and audio locations. "They like being able to see, hear and control what's going on in other areas of the home. They really enjoy mixing up the music; classical in one room and rock in another. Demonstration sells the interactive system, people who don't know they want it, want it after a demonstration."

Taylor Morrison has experienced the magic of interactive home automation through the Innoventions Dream Home exhibit located at Disneyland Park. The exhibit was developed by the Disneyland Resort in collaboration with Taylor Morrison, Microsoft and HP to create a "high-tech, high-touch" experience in an integrated environment.

Michael Garfield, The High-Tech Texan , is the voice for the Taylor Morrison Interactive Home. Based in Houston, Garfield does some radio shows, radio spots, and broadcasts live from Taylor Morrison Interactive Home models.

Taylor Morrison Interactive Home models are open at nine communities in the Houston area; the Positano and Savannah models at Cinco Ranch in Katy; the Florence, Meridian & Hawthorne models at Mar Bella in League City; the Tuscany at Avalon at Telfair in Sugar Land; the Carrington at Southern Trails in Pearland; and the Bosworth at Lost Creek in Richmond. Models will open by mid-year at Churchill Farms, Fall Creek and Avalon at Riverstone. Packages displayed in each model vary by community, floor plan design and price range.

Taylor Morrison is currently building homes priced from the $100,000 to over $1 million in 23 locations in the Houston area. To learn more about the Interactive Home by Taylor Morrison visit www.ourhightechhome.com. The Houston division is located at 5353 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 190, Houston, TX 77041, 713-598-3000. Visit Taylor Morrison at www.taylormorrison.com and Taylor Morrison Houston on Facebook.

About Taylor Morrison

Taylor Morrison was named the No. 1 private homebuilder in the United States in 2010 and 2011 by Builder magazine and builds a wide range of product for discerning home buyers across the country. With more than 130 communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida and Texas, Taylor Morrison offers first-time, mid-market and mid-to-upscale housing in both master-planned communities and urban infill neighborhoods. The company also operates one of Canada's largest homebuilding companies, Monarch, in Ontario, Canada, where it builds single-family homes and high-rise condominiums in Toronto and Ottawa. For more information, visit www.taylormorrison.com.

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