It was obvious that something big was going on. So often during the past month, I would look out a window and see a lot more cars than usual in the parking lot by our clubhouse. There were also more people walking around the neighborhood, either with Kathy, our sales assistant, or on their own, studying maps and heading from one model to the next.

Yesterday, near the end of her workday, I finally managed to find Carol Lyons, our sales consultant, alone in her office. I went in and asked her, What in the world is going on?

I’m having fun, she said with a smile. And she did look energized, not exhausted, by the pace she has been keeping. She checked her computer and shared the numbers that tell the story.

• During the month of March, Carol and Kathy had 63 “traffics,” meaning groups of one or more buyers visiting. Some of them were new, while others had been here previously.

• During the month of March, Carol sold 6 homes. In other words, one of every 10 visits produced a sale.

• During the month of March, Carol sold all of her inventory homes. If a buyer came in today with cash in hand and a desire to move immediately, he or she would have a choice of exactly one home. Only the Abbey model is available for immediate possession. But that one, Carol wants you to know, is a really good deal!

Yes, March was the best month Carol has had in her two and a half years here. But how did you do this? I asked her. What’s changed?

Carol explained that several factors have come together recently to produce this perfect storm of sales. First, the weather. Even though it hasn’t been that warm, March still signals the end of winter and brings out more potential buyers.

Second, the new Wilcox Communities website has made it easier for buyers from all over to find information about our homes and community. Carol routinely receives queries from people living out of state as well as nearby. Also, the company’s increased use of social media has helped people connect with Maples at the Sonatas.

Probably most important of all, interest rates have remained low, while the inventory of homes on the market is at a seven-year low. Therefore, it has become easier for Carol’s buyers to sell their former homes, and they are getting more for them. Because it has become a seller’s market, buyers now arrive with more of a sense of urgency.

So the building season is in full swing here, as construction works to keep up with sales. If it were a contest (which it is not), my money would be on Carol. She has had three closings so far this year. Sixteen more are in backlog waiting to close. She is now selling Abbeys and Canterburies that haven’t been built yet.

Just to be safe, I’m not going to leave my car sitting out. The way Carol is going, I’m afraid she might sell it too!

This is the map of our community as of April 4. Red buttons mark sold homes; blue ones are homes for sale. However, only one of those blue homes is finished and ready for sale. (To see a larger version of the map, click on the picture.)