I was very fortunate early in my career to have worked with two of the best homebuilders in the country.Back then I learned some hard valuable lessons in business and life, which Im still learning from today 20 years later.These two men are true homebuilders in the sense that they take an enormous amount of pride in building a high quality product regardless of the price point of the home.It just so happens that these two men are home builders in the American heartland, St Louis, MO.Jeff Bogard of R.E.A. Homes LLC is one of those builders. (Jeff Sheets in Troy, MO is the other.)Who is Jeff Bogard and REA Homes?Jeff Bogard is a second generation homebuilder in the St Louis, MO area. After spending about 17 years working for one of the largest production homebuilders in St Louis, McBride & Sons, Jeff went out on his own and started R.E.A. Homes LLC.R.E.A.’s business is focused in the luxury market, but there is so much more to what they do.Jeff has created a product called; “High Performance Luxury Homes”.High Performance Luxury Homes by R.E.A. HomesYou can R.E.A. Homes a “green home builder”, but I think Jeff likes to say they are building homes using the highest possible construction standards. And were talking standards that go beyond any municipal building codes.Every system, the materials, the technology implemented, and the way it’s all constructed is what makes for a truly energy efficient and therefore “green” home.It’s has Jeff likes to call it; “A whole home approach”. I took the following directly from Jeff’s website at REA Homes LLC.…… What does High Performance Luxury mean?Homes that are designed and built according to your lifestyle, your budget and your priorities while, at the same time, creating a smaller carbon footprint.Homes that are more energy efficient and technologically advanced, resulting in savings on utility costs now and into the future.A focus and expertise in cleaner indoor air quality resulting in an environment that helps keep your family healthier.Luxury you can feel in every part of your home; consistent comfort and temperatures throughout…….Luxury meets True Energy EfficiencyIt’s actually possible to build a energy efficient “green” home and not completely bust your budget. In fact you can recoup the costs from energy saving within 10 years.One of the more incredible stories Jeff shares during the interview is of a client R.E.A. built a home for.The owners were moving up from an standard all brick ranch home of about 1,700 sq ft and into 9,000 sq ft High Performance Luxury Home built by R.E.A.The owners energy bills were actually much lower in the brand new 9,000 sq ft home than in their previous home!From an energy, costs, and environmental perspective it’s pretty incredible.Contact Jeff Bogard from R.E.A. HomesJeff is probably one of the most accessible and generous businessman I know. He’s very giving with his time and genuinely interested in building relationships.If you want to contact Jeff and find out more about REA Homes you can go to their website at www.REAHomesLLC.com.Jeff BogardHome BuilderREA Homes LLCWebsite: www.REAHomesLLC.comMore about R.E.A. Homes: The are nationally credentialed and locally-recognized as the leader in the St. Louis metropolitan area for sustainable luxury.REA Homes list of Green CredentialsJeff is a huge believer in ongoing education and his list of certifications proves it.Certified Green Professional (CGP), administered by the National Association of Home Builders.LEED Green Associate from the U.S. Green Building Council.Master Certified Green Professional (MCGP), administered by the National Association of Home Builders.Recorded LIVE in St Louis MO at Sportsman Park Bar & GrillThis episode was recorded live at a great local spot in St Louis. This is actually one of the first places I drank a beer at when I first moved down to St Louis after graduating college in 1996. If you enjoyed this episode,