10 Steps to Building the New Home of Your Dreams

Many people shudder at the thought of building their own home because they think the process is too complicated. Read this short article and you will learn that it is not complicated at all.

1. Budget - Determine how much you can afford. Consider your debt-to-income ratio. This is a comparison of your gross (pre-tax) income to housing and non-housing expenses. Monthly mortgage payments should be no more than 31% of gross income. Your mortgage payment combined with non-housing expenses should total no more than 43% of your income.

2. Credit score - Check your credit score before you start the borrowing process. It is important that you clean up any negative information that affects your credit score as it will affect the interest rate that you will be able to negotiate for your mortgage.

3. Financing - Many home builders have arrangements for financing in place with incentives built in so you will take advantage of their financing.

If you decide to go elsewhere you need to decide whether you want to use a mortgage broker versus banker. Which is best? Your bank has high overhead with their expensive buildings, staff, and equipment. Who do you think they will pass those expenses to? Mortgage brokers usually have less overhead. You may even save money by checking the Internet.

4. Location - Where do you want to live? How long is your commute to work going to be? Are there parks nearby to walk your pets? How close is the nearest shopping? Does it meet your needs? Are there schools nearby for all of your children? Are there buses available to get them there?

5. Realtor - An experienced new homes specialist will help you avoid making any costly mistakes when going through the home building process. They can save you time by searching for neighborhoods and homes that meet your needs. An experienced realtor will also keep your interests at heart with the contract negotiations.

6. Pick your plans - Is this dream home practical? If you live alone do you really need a 4 bedroom/4 bath home? It will give you the extra room you've always wanted, but can you afford the higher utility bills and higher taxes? Figure out your costs for extra furniture and decorating. Will the home suit your present and future needs?

7. Pick your Lot - Is it big enough to accommodate the plans you picked? Will you be adding a pool? How much yard do you want to maintain? What direction do you want your backyard to face?

8. Contracts - You have finally narrowed down your choice for your new dream home. Now is the time to negotiate with the home builder and get a contract signed with them. Your new homes specialist can guide you through the process and make sure you understand everything thoroughly.

9. Furniture - Are you buying new or using the furniture you already have. Will it fit? You can use a home design software program to help you visualize your furniture in each room. There are design websites like Plan3D.com that are also a great tool.

10. Interior Design - Now comes the fun part. Your new home builder may have a design consultant on staff that will help you pick your colors. There are also numerous websites, magazines and books that you can reference.

Building your new home can be and exciting time. Keep yourself organized and use the resources offered to you and soon you will be moving into the new home of your dreams.

If you're considering building a new home, give Landon Homes a call today (904) 567-3430 and let's get started.

April Designated As National Pest Management Month

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) celebrates April as National Pest Management Month, an observance that has been taking place for more than 30 years. National Pest Management Month honors the professional pest control industry for playing a key role in protecting both health and property from significant pest-borne threats.

Pest such as termites, rodents and carpenter ants can cause extensive property damage by chewing through walls, flooring and even electrical wiring. Other pests, including ticks, mosquitoes, cockroaches and stinging insects pose health threats to humans. Ticks can spread Lyme disease, while mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus. Cockroach allergens can trigger asthma attacks, while stinging insects send more than half a million people to the emergency room every year.

During April, the NPMA recommends that homeowners follow these tips to prevent pest infestations:

• Seal up cracks and small openings along the foundation of the house.
• Eliminate sources of moisture or standing water.
• Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house.
• Keep kitchens clean by wiping counters and emptying the garbage frequently.
• Keep all food containers sealed.
• Avoid leaving pets' food dishes out for long periods of time.
• Keep trash containers clean and sealed, both indoors and outdoors.
• Screen windows and doors.

If you see signs of pests or suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest professional.

Landon Homes is a locally owned and staffed new home construction company in Northeast Florida that is committed to a personal, hands-on approach to building homes. Our goal is to not only build an exceptional home, but also deliver an memorable homebuilding experience for our customers. Communication, honesty, integrity, a commitment to doing it right, and creating a relationship that extends beyond the home sale and closing are our top priorities when helping homeowners discover their dream home. Once in their new home, homeowners can rest assured that we will stand behind our product long after the sale. Call a Jacksonville or St. Augustine Home Builder today to get started (904) 567-3430.

April is New Homes Month

Home buyers often look for a place to better suit their family’s changing needs and modern lifestyle in the spring, and it doesn’t get any better than a newly-constructed home.   During New Homes Month in April, the home building industry is sharing just some of the advantages of newly-constructed homes.

“Newly-constructed homes today can’t be beat for convenience, safety, energy-efficiency and comfort,” said Aaron Kalizewski, President of the North Coast BIA.  “They provide outstanding value and investment in your family’s future.”

Analysis by the National Association of Home Builders, using data from the Census Bureau’s 2011 American Housing Survey, shows that maintenance and operating costs are lower for new homes.  Even though new homes tend to be larger, energy costs are about 10 percent lower in new homes compared to existing homes one very important feature of brand new homes is peace of mind for a family’s safety.   A new home was constructed with the proper permits, has passed recent and thorough inspections and conforms to current building codes.   There’s no worry that renovations or repairs were done by an unskilled do-it-yourselfer, wiring is old or connected incorrectly, or outdated techniques or materials were used.

New home owners won’t be surprised with repair bills for issues such as structural defects, hidden water damage, faulty appliances or more that may not have been discovered during the home inspection of an existing home.   A new home is under warranty and any issues that arise or appliances that fail during the warranty term will be fixed at no cost to the home owner.  Maintenance cost on average were 56 percent lower in new homes $547/year versus $241/year for homes built after 2008.

Today’s appliances, entertainment resources and home automation systems require state-of-the-art technology capabilities.   New homes are outfitted with the electronic and wiring components that can accommodate high-definition televisions, full-house sound systems, hard-wired fire and security alarms and more.

New homes are always move-in ready.   Home buyers can work with the builder before construction beings to select the appliances, cabinets, countertops, floor coverings, paint colors, custom features and other design elements that meet their family’s needs and tastes.   There’s no need to spend time painting, tearing out unwanted features or having daily life disrupted while a contractor makes changes.

Existing homes often don’t have features that cater to modern lifestyles, such as open space floor plans, walk-in closets and pantries, creative storage solutions and conveniently-located laundry facilities – but newly-built homes do.

Finally, new homes are highly energy-efficient, which can save the home owner significant money over time and also helps the environment.   New windows, doors and insulation better control the home’s interior climate, and ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and other modern components such as tankless water heater and new HVAC systems help save costs on utility bills.

New homes not only benefit the home owner, they benefit the community.

"The Amber" and Beach Haven's team wins BIG at 'Parade of Homes' Banquet last night!

Congratulations to Landon Homes' Beach Haven star team for receiving the "Award of Excellence" for "The Amber" home at the Flagler Home Builder's Association 'Parade of Homes' Banquet ceremony on March 19th, 2015! Great job team!

Landon Homes wins big at the Laurel Awards Gala

Landon Homes attended the 2015 Laurel Awards Gala, hosted by the Sales & Marketing Council, on Friday, March 13th. The Laurel Awards is to celebrate the best of the best and recognize the top achievements for sales production and marketing excellence in 2014. We are proud to say that we took home the 'Grand Service Award' for Customer Service and Warranty. In addition, one of our wonderful Sales Agents, Susan Pollan, took home the award for 'Top Producer in the $10+ Million Dollar Circle' category. Congratulations to everyone who won an award! 

High Praise for Landon Homes

Last week we received an email from a home owner who was so impressed with their builder that they took the time to write FHBA (Florida Home Builders Association) to sign the praises of Landon Homes in Jacksonville, FL.  Howard and Melissa McGaffney are set to break ground at Prairie Lakes and have nothing but positive things to say about their homebuilding experience thus far. From the moment Mr. and Mrs. McGaffney laid eyes on Lot 109 at Prairie Lakes, till the moment they signed on the dotted line, they have expressed immense gratitude about their experience with Landon Homes. Mr. McGaffney said that Mr. Ginder, Ms. Matthews, Ms. Mullarkey and Ms. Addison have made them feel as if they are indeed a part of the Landon Homes Family.      http://www.fhba.com/index.cfm?referer=content.contentItem&ID=2504#4

Landon Homes is now selling in Ashford Lakes Estates at Hunters Ridge.

Landon Homes is also NOW SELLING in Ashford Lakes Estates. Ashford Lakes Estates is nestled in the beautiful established neighborhood of Hunter's Ridge. The eco-friendly, tree-studded natural environment has 5 man-made lakes, and is located in Flagler County with an Ormond Beach address. Ashford Lakes Estates offers a lifestyle that is elegant and unique. A neighborhood that offers wooded, estate sized home sites conveniently located close to beaches, shopping, fine dining and golf. Model Coming Soon. For additional information, call 904-567-3430 or visit landon-homes.net.

Community Amenities

Large Pools

Clubhouse

Tennis Courts

Playground

Close to I-95

Close to beach, shopping, fine dining and golf

Schools: Pathways Elementary | David C Hinson Middle School | Mainland High School

Landon Homes Marches Into Literacy

It's “March into Literacy Month” and Landon Homes is helping the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida bring literacy to all children in the St. Augustine area.

According to the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL), roughly 93 million adults in the U.S. have basic and below-basic literacy skills. “For the children, I think owning their own brand new, book could help foster a love of reading,” said Marjorie Taylor of Landon Homes, “and that is a great start to improve the statistics in the future”.

During the Month of March, Landon Homes will be collecting New and Gently Used pre-school books for children ages 0-5 at all of it’s St. Augustine Model Homes.  Additionally, Landon Homes is asking local Real Estate Firms to assist in the efforts by dropping off collection boxes at the offices.  For more information contact Marjorie Taylor, Landon Homes (904) 591-9121.  Visit www.Landon-Homes.net/communities for directions to the models

Book Drop Off Locations

DOWNTOWN AREALandon Homes Old Sebastian Model

3459 DOT Rd.

St. Augustine, FL  320804

Landon Homes Prairie Lakes Model

152 N. Prairie Lakes Blvd.

St. Augustine, FL   32084

Sunstate REALTY

101 LaQuinta Place

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Old Carriage Downtown

92 Charlotte Street

St. Augustine, FL 32084

SOUTH ST. AUGUSTINE
Landon Homes Coronado Model

479 Gianna Way

St. Augustine FL  32086

Florida Homes Realty

184 St. Road 312

St Augustine, FL 32086

Watson Realty Corp.                                          

3505 US 1 South                                                   

St. Augustine, Fl 32086     

Century 21 St. Augustine Properties 

2820 US Highway 1 S

St Augustine, FL 32086   

BEACHES AREAOld Carriage Beaches

400 A1A Beach Blvd.

St. Augustine, Fl 32080

Watson Realty Corp.

3175 A1A S,

St Augustine, FL 32080

For more information about the Early Learning Coalition of North Florida, contact Joan Whitson, Early Literacy Coordinator, 904-342-2267 visit www.elcnorthflorida.org

Landon Homes opens another new model, The Atlantic

Landon Homes opens another new model, The Atlantic, in Old Sebastian Point, located off U.S. 1 and Lewis Speedway in St Augustine. The community is a natural preserve nestled on a point where two rivers meet. The beautiful marsh leads to unspoiled waterfront views and several strands of oak hammocks dot the community and central pond. The Atlantic is a three-bedroom home and includes a flex room with glass French doors. The home features a deluxe master bath with walk-in shower and garden tub, tile throughout all living areas and a large covered patio. Landon Homes offers several open floor plans to choose from, ranging from 1,566 - 2,729 square feet. Homes starting from the $200's. To schedule an appointment or to tour model, call 904-217-7439 or visit landon-homes.net

Landon Homes opens new model, The Vilano

Landon Homes opens new model, The Vilano, located in Prairie Lakes, a quiet country living neighborhood nestled on east side of I-95, off County Road 214, in St. Augustine with prominently rare 1/2 acre lots overlooking beautiful preserve and lakes! The community is situated among scenic trees and beautiful preserve and lakes. The Vilano model features three bedrooms, with a retreat, a three-car garage, large covered patio and a deluxe master bath with walk-in shower and garden tub. Landon Homes offers several open floor plans to choose from, ranging from 1,566 - 2,729 square feet. Homes starting from the $200's. The model is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment or to tour the model, call 904-460-2177 or visit landon-homes.net.