Ambria Properties: Building Homes, Success, & A Bright Future In Greenville

For third-generation builder Brian Seppala, the decision to launch Ambria Properties was inevitable “Construction is in my blood,” he says. “My dad was a builder, so I’ve been on a construction site my whole life. It’s all I’ve ever known.” 

While the COVID-19 pandemic has hit many industries hard, one industry that has withstood the storm — and even prospered — is the housing market. Around the nation, housing prices have soared, properties are being snatched off the market almost as soon as they’re listed, and new subdivisions are being erected seemingly overnight. According to the US Census Bureau, new housing starts were up 2.5% year-over-year, while new housing completions were up 3.8%, reflecting the demand for housing. 

Though the residential construction market is booming, it isn’t without its challenges. As a result of the pandemic, building supplies, from windows to lumber, have increased significantly in price and have been in short supply. Despite these issues, Seppala’s family-owned business, a construction company based out of Greenville, South Carolina, continues to prosper. But this isn’t the first obstacle that Ambria Properties has faced.  

Pouring A Good Foundation

From the start, Seppala has had to overcome challenges. “I was 26 years old, so a lot of people didn’t take me seriously,” he says. Fortunately, he had a heavy-hitter on his side, which helped pave the way for success. “I had a business mentor, Walter Brashier, Sr. He was a real estate investor in the upstate of South Carolina. He helped me write a business plan and rules for my company. He passed away in March 2021. I’m so very thankful for all the conversations and the advice that he gave me.”

This mentorship, along with Seppala’s industry experience, would prove to be essential very shortly after the start of Ambria Properties. While he was working to prove himself in the industry, a nationwide problem presented itself: The Great Recession. The economic downturn and the bursting of the real estate bubble as a result of the recession were devastating to homeowners and builders. “That was a very hard time,” says Seppala. “A lot of houses were in foreclosure.”

In fact, over 3.7 million foreclosures were completed as a result of the recession. Additionally, lenders were tightening their belts, making it difficult for builders like Seppala to get funding to continue building. Still, he took it all in stride, noting, “You just go through the trials and troubles and make it work.” 

Navigating these challenges hasn’t been easy, but Seppala credits nearly a lifetime of hands-on experience as a key to Ambria’s success. “As a third-generation builder, I pretty much have seen anything and everything that could happen in the building industry,” he explains. This experience has continued to serve Ambria well as the industry faces additional problems as a result of the COVID pandemic. 

“2020 and 2021 have been very difficult due to the pandemic. There’s been a shortage in products, and it’s pushed our turnaround time to build a house out,” he says. “Trying to deliver a good product for a good, fair price is a big challenge, especially with the price of materials going up.”

Nailing Down Communication

While inflation has caused pricing spikes throughout the years, none have been as dramatic as the effects of the pandemic. Lumber prices rose by over 250%, adding an average of $24,000 to the cost of a newly constructed single-family home. Add in long wait times for materials, and this could create a recipe for disaster. Not for Ambria, though. Seppala notes that communicating with customers has been key.

“To overcome this challenge we are telling our customers ahead of time about the delays,” he says. To prevent further delays, “we explain to them that once they pick their color selections for their home, these cannot be changed. We are ordering it right away because of the wait time on the product.”

This wait time is something that many people don’t understand about the industry. “It’s harder than it looks. Every change does cost money,” says Seppala.

Communication with suppliers has also been of utmost importance. “The suppliers have been very good about giving us a heads up as quickly as they know,” he explains.

And this simple strategy has been working for Ambria and for Seppala. “Besides having to wait on material, business has remained steady.”

In addition to handling longer wait times and pricing increases, Ambria has had to take additional steps to protect its team and its customers as a result of COVID. “We try to keep our showroom to the minimum of just people who are purchasing a home,” Seppala says. 

But while the showroom may not be as bustling as it was in years past, business continues to surge forward, with Ambria’s full team standing behind the company. “We haven’t had to let anyone go due to COVID,” Seppala boasts. This is important because of the value that the team brings to the company, which is one of the things he is most proud of. “I absolutely love the people that work for me. We are like family,” he says, noting “I also love to hear from our customers.” 

This holds true even for the more “difficult” customers. According to Seppala, “At Ambria Properties, we try to do our best to resolve a situation with customers. We have built a customer service team through our realtors and home warranty manager to resolve any situation that we possibly can.”

A strong team and Ambria’s willingness to be open with its customers has paid off. “We have hired experienced realtors and they run all of my social media and advertising for my business,” says Seppala. “But to be honest, a lot of my business has come by word of mouth.” 

Building Up A Brighter Future

And it’s by continuing on this path that he hopes to boost Ambria’s growth. Since its inception, Ambria has served the Upstate area of South Carolina — a 10-county region that includes the cities of Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson and boasts a population of over 1.3 million. But Seppala has big dreams for his business, which include an expansion to neighboring North Carolina. Over the next ten years, “I hope to be one of the strongest family-owned businesses in the upstate of South Carolina and western part of North Carolina,” he says. And he won’t be doing it alone. “I’m the father of five children so I hope to see that my children come along and take it to the next level,” Brian says. 

When it comes to the future of residential construction, Seppala remains optimistic. “Everyone needs a place to live. And I feel confident that Ambria Properties can continue to provide quality products at a fair price,” he says. 

Looking over his career, Seppala has few regrets. “Sometimes, I wish I would have taken some business management courses. I feel like they would’ve been beneficial through the years,” he says. But there’s no time for regrets when there are customers that need new homes, something that makes the challenges of building homes worth it all. “It brings me joy when the product is finished and you see the excitement in the customer’s eyes, whether it’s a first-time homebuyer, a newlywed couple, or empty-nesters just downsizing.” 

In addition to expanding operations to North Carolina, Ambria Properties has other plans for reaching new customers. “I’m working on a website where customers can plan and pick colors for their homes. They can then get estimated prices for different neighborhoods,” explains Seppala. Hard work and good customer service will continue to be part of Ambria’s plans for the future. And when Seppala isn’t growing and improving his business, you can catch him spending time with his family, on the golf course, or mountain biking because even a successful business owner needs downtime. 

For aspiring home builders, he offers the following advice: “Know your product and your pricing. Hire people that know the industry.” It’s simple advice, but the evolution of Ambria Properties — and Brian Seppala as a builder — shows that this small business owner knows exactly what it takes to be a success.