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Carl Riden, the founder of Redmont Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Riden sits down with host Carol Morgan to touch on his decades of experience, working in the Great Recession and his time in the home building industry.
Riden was born and raised on a small cotton farm near Bostwick, Georgia. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in agricultural engineering, Riden served in Vietnam with the United States Army and later worked for the Georgia Power Company as a salesman, selling electricity to builders. Riden began his career in the real estate industry working with a local apartment developer, which led him to start his own business in 1977, Carl Riden Homes – which later became Harcrest Homes.
Starting his building career in the late 1970s, Riden sold his first home for $49,000. In the early days his first homes featured 1,600 square feet of living space and were brick or stucco structures. With split-level house plans rising in popularity during this period, home plans grew to showcase 3,000 to 3,6000 square feet of living space and all brick exteriors. While his building career was growing in success, Riden faced many challenges in the early 1980s, including competition and the Great Recession.
After decades of building beautiful homes, Riden sold Carl Riden Homes to his business partner, Mike Smith, who transitioned the company to Harcrest Homes. Riden later started his second homebuilding venture, Redmont Homes.
Riden said, “I was ready to retire, and Mike was the perfect choice!”
Joining the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) early on in his career, Riden is thankful for the many years of community and education provided by the organization. While Riden has accomplished much to be proud of, he is incredibly prideful of the relationships he built during his decades in the industry.
Riden said, “I am most proud of my relationships with subcontractors, homeowners, suppliers and realtors.”
Riden’s advice for newcomers in the industry is to start at the bottom, work hard and pour love and passion into your craft! The real estate legend mentions the importance of finding a trusted bank and supportive team that believes in the work you are trying to produce.
Riden said, “Be enthusiastic and work your way up!”
Enjoying retired life, Riden lives on Lake Lanier and loves spending time at his second home near his daughter and grandchildren. The retiree also visits his childhood home every Thursday to assist his sister with the upkeep of a cotton farm.
Riden said, “My sister and I love the farm!”
With many projects to choose from, Riden’s most memorable build was a subdivision featuring 110 lots, brought to his team in the 1990s by an industry friend. Building a great relationship, Riden worked on the project for nearly 15 years.
For additional information on Carl Riden or Redmont Homes, call or text 770-616-6240 to speak with Riden directly.
Listen to the full episode above to learn more about Carl Riden.
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The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.