Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Hudson.
Hi Scott, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hi, I’m Scott Hudson, an Atlantan for most of my life with stops in New Jersey and Virginia for high school and college. My first job was in banking and I realized very quickly that corporate life wasn’t for me. After 2 years, I decided to become an entrepreneur and started in the restaurant industry. A partner and I purchased a Quiznos franchise. We worked hard, learned the business and the first restaurant was successful, so we opened a second location with big ambitions to open many more units. However, managing two locations exposed the many challenges of staffing and driving traffic. We ended up selling the stores and I enrolled in grad school at UGA for my MBA, concentrating on real estate and finance. From there I pursued a job in real estate asset management and worked for a large private equity fund that invested in a variety of property types. Among other investments, we partnered with real estate developers in California. We acquired land, developed lots and sold those lots to publicly-traded homebuilders. It was my first exposure to real estate development, planned communities and also homebuilding—and I discovered that I was extremely interested in building homes.
As a “side job” in 2008, my dad and I bought a single property with a very old home on it. Together we built and sold our first home in Brookhaven. At that time the market for selling homes was very challenging. However, in retrospect, it was a great time to break into the industry. We were able to create relationships and build the foundation of the business. When the market began to rebound in 2010, I was ready to leave my full-time position and start Harrison Homes. Harrison is my middle name, and a family name, which is how the name originated. We built both speculative and custom homes on lots scattered around northern Atlanta. Two homes became four, four became eight, and in 2017 Harrison Homes began our first sizeable community. This year, Harrison is set to close 40 new construction homes and has grown to a staff of 20 full-time employees. It’s exciting to see the company grow and expand.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The first four years were incredibly busy. I worked a lot and was able learn almost every aspect of the homebuilding business. On paper, our growth over the past 11 years looks very smooth. The biggest challenge has been the unpredictability of the industry. You don’t know when you’ll find the next great lot, or property for a community development. On top of that you are often relying on weather, municipalities, and trade partners—factors that are mostly outside your control. Over the years, Harrison Homes has worked to build strong relationships and develop processes that facilitate our builds. We have the experience to pivot and adapt quickly, even when it’s difficult.
We’ve been impressed with Harrison Homes, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Founded in 2007, Harrison Homes is a team of professional construction experts dedicated to building quality, luxury homes in greater Atlanta. Our experienced team manages the entire construction process from start to finish, with a detailed, highly personal process that sets us apart. We treat every home we build like it’s one we are building for our family. Harrison Homes builds in Brookhaven, Chamblee, Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Decatur, Dunwoody, Buckhead and Lake Oconee.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Over the next 5 years, I think the future of homebuilding is strong. Homes are in high demand, inventory is low, and Atlanta is still growing. Despite COVID-related labor and supply chain issues–which we hope will resolve themselves in the near future–it will be interesting to see what the lasting effects are from the pandemic and what the next generation wants out of housing. Urban vs. suburban: rent vs. buy, etc. Harrison Homes is positioned to scale for growth and we’ve recently expanded to offer our homebuilding services and products outside the perimeter and also at Lake Oconee.
Contact Info:
- Website: Harrisonatl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrisonhomesatl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarrisonATL
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarrisonAtlanta
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyQ4dJs78z9o_SMCtBiAwLQ
Image Credits
Hampton Hall and Woodsdale – Lauren Carnes Arden Way (image 43 &48) – Heidi Harris Interiors
