<p>Gleeson’s “opportunity for self-help” is keeping it confident in a difficult market, according to ceo Graham Prothero, with the low-cost housebuilder arm of the business responding to a new profile of buyers it has attracted as first-time buyers have hesitated. It is also exploring partnership opportunities. </p> <p><span>Speaking to <i>Housebuilder,</i> Prothero, chief executive of the Yorkshire-based homes and land trading business, which reported a 43.2% drop in pre-tax profit in the year to June 2023, said there were “a number of things” underway that would improve Gleeson Homes’ sales rate of 0.43 per site per week seen since the start of July.</span></p> <p><span>Striking a positive note, Prothero pointed to the company’s refreshed product range, the introduction of a comprehensive training programme for staff and marketing to address its “new audience” which would “step up” its sales rate.</span></p> <p><span>“What Gleeson has is an opportunity for self-help,” Prothero stated. “We’re also looking at introducing a shared ownership offering that we don’t currently have.”</span></p> <p><span> </span><span>He said that in recent times “with first time buyers more hesitant, we saw a diverse range of buyers for our product. That’s the core of our confidence. They’ve found us rather than us finding them.”</span></p> <p><span>He added …