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The Tracewater Homes Podcast brings you inside the world of modern homebuilding, market trends, and the partnerships shaping the future of residential construction. Known for their innovative steel-frame homes, Tracewater dives into what today’s buyers want, how the industry is evolving, and the experts who help bring every project to life. Whether you’re a homeowner, agent, or builder, this podcast delivers insights, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes conversations from the front lines of construction.
The following is a transcript of the video:
* **Host Brent**: Hey everybody and welcome back to another episode of the Tracewater Homes podcast. I'm Brent. I'm joined today by Matt and we have a special guest with us today, Kiara Proctor of the Abbott Martin Group. Kiara handles Tracewater Home sales in our West Market, which really covers Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, essentially the Pensacola area. So if you wouldn't mind, introduce yourself and start us off by telling us your favorite thing about Tracewater Homes.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Yeah, absolutely. So, my name is Kiara Proctor. I have been with the Abbott Martin Group for about five years and Pensacola is definitely my location, my spot. One of my favorite things about Tracewater Homes is just having the ability to semi-customize your home. I think that a lot of people are looking for that ability to design and customize the home, and so with all of the design options, we have that. Not only that, but our process is incredible. It really gives a lot of transparency and excellent communication to the client.
* **Host Brent**: Yeah, I think we've heard that a lot—the customization options. I think that's really huge because as we've mentioned, people want a custom home until they realize what goes into a custom home. It's a lengthy process with so many decisions. TJ, who was on one of our other podcasts, mentioned that when we built his custom home, he said, "No one's ever asked me where I wanted my attic scuttle before." We were framing and asked where he wanted it because you don't want it out in the open. He said, "Nobody's ever asked that before. They just build the house and you take the attic scuttle where it is." That level of thought going into a custom home can be overwhelming. I think we did a really good job of blending production and custom where you get that streamlined process, but yet you still get the optionality and selections to really make it feel like it's your home.
* **Co-host Matt**: Absolutely. And to piggyback on that, when you're in the custom process, it's almost like having a second job for a while with the design, meetings, and going places to check everything out.
* **Host Brent**: Figuring out what to do with the kids while you go to meetings, you know.
* **Co-host Matt**: Yeah, it's a lot of work. We figured out a way for you to do that from your sofa. You can just sit on the computer, iPad, or your phone while the kids are watching *Bluey* and entertained.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Yeah, absolutely. I think that's one of the greatest parts—not just the transparency of the process, but how easy you guys make it. You can sit on your couch while the kids are watching a movie and just go through your phone or iPad to do all those selections. And of course, now we have the physical samples that people can also look at.
* **Host Brent**: I think people are going to really appreciate how easy it truly is.
* **Co-host Matt**: And I think it also relieves a lot of pressure if someone doesn't really like the design part—we've got Genie for that. If somebody just wants to say, "Hey, you design it for me, this is my budget," that's where Genie comes in. She's absolutely amazing.
* **Host Brent**: And that really comes into play with investor clients looking to build rental property. They just want to make sure the house is going to cash flow. They don't care what the finishes look like as long as it looks nice. Genie can just pick everything out for them and we build the home. They don't have to spend time on selections, which is pretty cool.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Exactly. I work with a lot of investors, and whether they're doing a flip or looking for new construction, they just care about the numbers. Having the ability to offer that additional service adds a huge value.
* **Host Brent**: On the investor topic, one thing you specifically wanted to touch on was the duplex plan that we will be rolling out soon. We have the plan ready to go and have teased it to a few investor clients, but it will be on the website shortly. That duplex design actually came from me and my wife working with our architect for a lot we own. We live in half of that duplex and rent the other half out. I think you wanted to touch on how young people can get into real estate investing through "house hacking." There are other podcasts, like *Bigger Pockets*, that talk specifically about house hacking. We designed this duplex thinking we were going to be living in one half, so we put a lot of thought and care into the plan.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Absolutely.
* **Host Brent**: Each half of this duplex is only a little over 1,100 square feet, but it lives like it's 1,350 because there's not a lot of wasted space. You get three bedrooms and two bathrooms in an 1,100-foot footprint. It turned out really great.
* **Kiara Proctor**: I'm actually really excited about this duplex floor plan. A lot of people I work with are either first-time investors or looking to expand from single-family into the multi-family market. If you've got the lot, build that duplex and do house hacking. That's actually what my little brother does—he lives on one side and rents out the other, and it covers his mortgage. As long as you are living in the dwelling, you can still get regular financing. It's a really good way to generate generational wealth.
* **Host Brent**: It's a really good way to get started because you can go through traditional financing routes, like FHA loans with 3.5% down, since half will be your primary residence. For a traditional investor, it would take at least 20% down. FHA on a duplex is a lot more affordable and helps offset or even cover your payment. Tracewater Homes in general was designed around creating an affordable product for a younger generation that believes they can't become homeowners because the barriers to entry are high. Our starting point is $299,000.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Absolutely. Another cool thing we're seeing more of is people having "family compounds." I've been hearing a lot lately, "I want my mom right next to me."
* **Host Brent**: \[Laughs\] Yeah, and with that duplex, you get your own home but are next-door neighbors with family. Right now my tenant is my sister and brother-in-law and our two little nieces. We set it up so we can share the backyard space, grill out, and have fires. It's a good opportunity for someone looking to split a home with family.
* **Kiara Proctor**: I think there's a product for everyone—first-time buyers, people downsizing or upgrading, and investors. Tracewater has something for literally every situation unless they want a full custom home. This is semi-custom, which is pretty close and keeps costs down. The steel framing, durability, and energy efficiency are huge pluses for ROI. If there is demand for that other unit to be rented, it'll cover your mortgage and you can actually cash flow.
* **Host Brent**: If anyone is interested in that duplex but isn't sure where to start, I encourage you to reach out to me personally. I can walk you through it; I've done it myself. Kiara can help you find lots because you need an area zoned R2 for a duplex, which limits where you can build.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Absolutely. Part of my role is to partner with agents and bring value to the end consumer. I'm always looking for lots and have a list of pre-selected lots active on the market or opportunities if someone wants to build volume—like a little community of five or six duplexes. It depends on the area—if we want more land, we're looking north in Milton, Cantonment, or Pace.
* **Host Brent**: Since you brought that up, let's talk about your market area—Pensacola as a whole. What are you seeing in terms of real estate growth and opportunities?
* **Kiara Proctor**: Pensacola is growing at an exponential rate. One of our main attractions is the Blue Angels, and we're a heavy military base with NAS Pensacola. American Magic is also making it a hub. What I love about the area is that it can go from coastal beachy to ranch farm properties with more space. A lot of people don't want to be right next to their neighbors. In downtown Pensacola or East Hill, you're going to be pretty close, but as you go north, there's more ability to have bigger lots. People want space, energy efficiency, and durability. I think we bring value through the high-quality materials we use. Right now, it's actually way more affordable to purchase new construction than resale because of the insurance part—resale homes from the 1990s will have higher insurance costs than new construction with steel framing and high-quality roofing. \[cite: 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440\]
* **Host Brent**: Matt and TJ talked about how the Fed rate drop is a step in the right direction. We got good news yesterday that the interest rate on construction-to-perm loans dropped to 6.99%. That's interest-only through the construction period, and since you don't lock your 30-year rate until 30 days before completion (8 to 12 months from now), the rates will probably be even lower then. It's a really good time to get into a construction-to-permanent loan because you're locking in today's pricing and tomorrow's interest rates. \[cite: 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 480, 481, 482\]
* **Kiara Proctor**: Home prices are just going to continue to increase in value, so it's definitely a good time.
* **Host Brent**: Matt calculated that the potential interest rate drop in the next 12 months could give a buyer at $500,000 an extra $70,000 in purchasing power. Think about how many upgrades you can make with that.
* **Co-host Matt**: Let's put in the pool.
* **Host Brent**: Exactly. We'll do beams on the ceiling, put the pool in. I think in the coming year, we're going to see a lot more people step off the sidelines.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Mortgage rate application rates have increased about 30% in the past couple of weeks. I'm getting a number of phone calls from people looking for land because it's the one thing nobody is making anymore. People are getting more confident.
* **Host Brent**: To your point about land, there are only so many developed lots available. As people come off the sidelines and gobble those up, you'll see lot prices escalate. It behooves people to jump in now to get ahead of that curve.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Absolutely.
* **Host Brent**: Even with things being slower the last year or two, your market area is still growing. You go to Navarre and see all the new commercial construction—new restaurants and attractions that benefit homebuyers.
* **Kiara Proctor**: That whole area between Gulf Breeze and Navarre is exploding. We have the new high school in Gulf Breeze and all the new construction as you're driving down Hwy 98. It's growth for the community and our economy. Lots are going to continue to get more expensive because there are only so many. Now, if you're looking at lots that require pilings or are in a flood zone, I know you guys aren't afraid to build on that.
* **Host Brent**: We are not. We have seen just about anything you can imagine when it comes to dealing with coastal conditions. Because of that level of knowledge and experience, we can be very transparent upfront. Our sales team frequently sends us surveys of lots for us to evaluate, and in a matter of minutes, we can tell you if it's "high and dry" or if it's going to be a challenge.
* **Co-host Matt**: Not that it's a "hard no," it just might cost more if we have to bring in specialized trades for pilings and breakaway walls. But it's certainly doable.
* **Kiara Proctor**: I love that you guys do that. It's so helpful to agents because you do the assessment before they even make an offer to make sure it fits a floor plan and to identify additional costs.
* **Host Brent**: We're also well-versed in flood zones and how high we have to build or elevate equipment like AC condensers. People get scared of flood zones, but it's not automatically bad; there are ways to mitigate the risk. In Santa Rosa County, we have to be 3 feet above base flood elevation, while in Walton County it's 1 foot. That might just mean a taller stem wall or pilings, but it's all doable. Talk to your agent and they can talk to us.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Absolutely.
* **Host Brent**: Since you're a "Pensacola girl," what is it about that market that makes you love it?
* **Kiara Proctor**: It's the community. My husband and I are very involved, whether it's a Wahoos game, the zoo, or the beach. Our downtown area has been completely remodeled, and there are changes coming to Palafox Street to make it pedestrian-only.
* **Host Brent**: It's an awesome downtown area. It's established and feels like the "smallest big city" because it has the big-city feel but the small-town feel where people know each other. You have all the amenities—the baseball stadium, the zoo, and even a hockey team.
* **Co-host Matt**: The Ice Flyers. Don't sleep on Florida hockey—between the Lightning and the Panthers, we've had some Stanley Cup championships.
* **Kiara Proctor**: The Ice Flyers are fun, the Wahoos are great, and the Blue Angels are really our signature.
* **Host Brent**: I did not realize until we got involved in Pensacola that the Blue Angels are a whole culture there.
* **Kiara Proctor**: People take the whole week off work; mid-July is literally a holiday. The beach show usually happens right after the Fourth of July.
* **Host Brent**: That's awesome. That downtown area also has such varied cuisine; you aren't stuck with just one of three ways to get grouper or redfish.
* **Kiara Proctor**: There's a little bit of everything and more businesses are trying to get into the market. We also have a new pickleball stadium at the Port of Pensacola overlooking the bay.
* **Host Brent**: Pickleball is sweeping the nation.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Port Side Pickle is the name of it.
* **Host Brent**: So what you're telling viewers is: if you're thinking about moving to Pensacola, do it now.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Do it now.
* **Host Brent**: We talked about growth in Navarre, but north of Pensacola in Pace there is so much happening too—commercial construction and roads that were dirt are now being paved for new developments. Milton is the place if you want to move to that market right now and get more land for less money. Get in now and keep your land before it all starts getting developed.
* **Kiara Proctor**: There are little hidden spots in Milton where you can still have a water view. If Navarre or Gulf Breeze are too expensive, let's check out Milton.
* **Host Brent**: That's the beauty of our sales team living in and knowing their market. You can offer other options if a price point doesn't work.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Sometimes I like to go "rogue" and show people a place not on the list, and it works eight out of ten times. Being a local expert and knowing the neighborhoods and what's going vertical is important for negotiating power.
* **Host Brent**: You guys are guides more than just salespeople. From a construction standpoint, what does Tracewater bring to the table that benefits clients in your market?
* **Kiara Proctor**: People are looking for modern floor plans, a transparent process, and energy-efficient homes that are durable. People want to be able to make something their own without the hustle of figuring out a custom floor plan. Having the ability to semi-customize is huge—if you want a third-car garage for a boat or a man cave, we can do that.
* **Co-host Matt**: We can do a theater package or a built-in wet bar, which most builders don't offer. We can also do a pool rough-in or an outdoor kitchen rough-in. It's so much harder to add those things later after the walls are closed up and the concrete patio is there. Even if you don't want the full outdoor kitchen now, we can put the gas line in so it's ready when you are.
* **Kiara Proctor**: You guys touched on things people wouldn't even know to ask for.
* **Host Brent**: That was the goal—to design these as if they were our own homes. We put our own heart into these layouts, design choices, and upgrades because it's what we would want. It's about bringing the most value.
* **Kiara Proctor**: You're offering things people don't even know they want yet. What's the benefit for other agents to bring clients to Tracewater?
* **Kiara Proctor**: I'm a big believer in collaborating. If you're a buyer's agent and have a client who wants to build, you can tell them you're already partnered with a builder whose process and quality you know. It adds value to the relationship. We also have a "sign program" for marketing vacant lots. It can be hard to visualize what could be on a lot with just trees. We place a Tracewater sign next to the for-sale sign with a sticker for the agent's branding. It shows buyers that a house starting at $299,000 can fit there. Before we place a sign, we verify that our product will actually fit that lot so the buyer isn't left wondering. \[cite: 1070, 1071, 1072, 1073, 1074, 1075, 1081, 1083, 1084, 1085, 1086, 1087, 1088, 1089, 1090, 1091, 1092, 1093, 1094, 1095, 1096, 1097, 1098, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1105, 1106, 1107, 1108, 1109, 1110, 1111, 1241, 1242, 1243, 1244, 1246, 1247, 1248, 1249, 1250, 1251, 1252, 1253, 1254, 1255, 1256, 1257, 1258, 1259, 1260, 1261, 1262, 1263, 1264, 1265, 1266, 1267, 1268, 1269, 1270, 1271, 1272, 1273, 1275, 1276, 1277, 1278, 1279, 1280, 1281, 1282, 1283, 1284, 1285, 1286, 1287, 1288, 1289, 1290, 1291, 1292, 1293, 1294, 1295, 1296, 1297, 1298, 1299\]
* **Host Brent**: People often misunderstand and think they have to buy the lot and save up for site prep before they can build. We can take it from raw land to a dream home, and site costs like wells or septics can be wrapped into the construction-to-perm loan.
* **Kiara Proctor**: We do broker presentations every month to tell agents about the product and introduce you guys. It's a nice touch for agents to be able to say they know the builder personally.
* **Host Brent**: Also, if somebody owns their lot free and clear, they can use that equity as a down payment on their construction loan.
* **Kiara Proctor**: Sellers are absolutely stoked about the additional layer of marketing.
* **Host Brent**: Having our sign on a vacant lot shows potential buyers that somebody's already thought about the next step. Most of our clients are from out of state and don't know who a trusted builder is. We've also got unbranded marketing material for listing agents, including our 12-step process, preferred lenders, and floor plans.
* **Kiara Proctor**: One more thing—we pay a referral commission to agents. It's a $5,000 commission advance at the close of the construction-to-perm loan, and the balance is paid when the home is built. I don't know of any other semi-custom builders that give an advance.
* **Host Brent**: If you get one Tracewater sale a month, that's $5,000 a month in additional income. You could put that aside and build one of your own houses\!
* **Kiara Proctor**: I'll have a little Tracewater fund. Can I get a piggy bank in the shape of a home with your logo on it?
* **Host Brent**: I'll look into that\! Thank you so much for joining us, Kiara. Anyone interested in the Pensacola market, check us out at TracewaterHomesfl.com. Ask for Kiara on the contact page and she'll help you find the lot and home of your dreams.