New Home Communities | How to Evaluate Schools When Buying a New Home

New Home Communities | More than half of all homebuyers with children under 18 years of age rate the quality of the local school district as a major factor influencing their choice of a neighborhood, according to the latest “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers” from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

The quality of the schools is more important than affordability or the buyer’s convenience to schools and shopping, even proximity to family and friends, according to the NAR profile. Only convenience to the workplace is more important, but only by 1 percentage point.

But even if the quality of the schools in the area where you decide to buy is not terribly important now, it may become so in a few years. And even if children are not on your radar screen, you may still be better off in a school district that takes education seriously.

New House Builder | What Women and Men Want from a New Home?

New House Builder | Calling it a “war“ between the sexes might be a bit of an overstatement. In fact, gender lines are blurring. But when it comes to selecting and finishing a new home, men and women often look for different things.

“The distinctions between what men and women are looking for in a home are less pronounced than they used to be,”. “Much of what draws people in is a matter of personal preference, which goes far beyond what might be considered a gender-based motivation. However, when comparing them as gender groups, there are still some factors that appeal more often to women than to men, and vice versa.” 

Custom Homes: The Top Bedrooms of the Week

GET INSPIRED WITH THESE SERENE MASTER BEDROOMS

Custom Homes | Hey! Wake up! It’s time for another Greatest Hits from our Home of the Week. This time it’s no slideshow to snooze about — or perhaps it is, because we’re highlighting master bedrooms. Have a look at some of the bedrooms that we haven’t been able to stop dreaming about since we stumbled upon them.


CLASSIC ELEGANCE
Classic paneled walls, numerous ceiling-high draperies and a subtle color theme to create a bedroom in their Stanton 6701 Plan that can only be described as elegant.

Home Builder Jacksonville | Buy First or Sell First?

Home Builder Jacksonville | It’s housing’s version of the classic chicken-and-egg conundrum.

Which comes first: Do you sell your existing home before you sign a contract on a new house or do you buy that new place first and then put your old house on the market?

Obviously, the choice is a highly personal one, one which involves at least some degree of danger. If you sell first and can’t find a new house that fits your bill, you could be homeless. But if you throw all caution to the wind and buy your new home before you sell your current digs, you could be stuck with two mortgages.

Yes, those are distinct possibilities and there is always going to be a bit of nervousness, if not agony in whatever decision you make. The only time it’s not terribly stressful is when you are moving from a rental.

Top Home Building Trends of 2015

Whether you’re building a new home or are just plain curious, here’s a sneak peek at what homeowners can expect in the coming year.

Bigger Is Not Always Better

One of the most significant home building trends in design and construction is that homes are actually getting smaller, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The average size of a new, single-family home is expected to be around 2,152 square feet — that’s 10 percent smaller than it was in 2010. 

Part of the reason is the recent downturn in the economy, which made a lot of consumers more conscious of their finances. Another is a renewed focus in lowering heating and cooling costs, diminished expectations for home price appreciation and an aging demographic that doesn’t require huge amounts of space. 

Living Room — What Living Room?

Living rooms continue to be replaced by great rooms that combine kitchens and family rooms, with plenty of room to do everything from homework to entertaining. Many of the NAHB survey respondents expect living rooms to vanish altogether, but it’s not the only room fading away. Mudrooms, third bathrooms and formal dining rooms are also expected to slowly disappear from new-home plans. 

New Home Communities | Going on Vacation? Protect Your Home!

New Home Communities | According to the Department of Justice, there are 10 percent more burglaries in the summer than in the winter. Additionally, the rate of household property victimization and household larceny also peak during the hottest months of the year. This time of year also happens to be when most of us pack our bags and head out for vacation.

While you’re out enjoying the summer weather, you don’t want to worry about what’s happening at home. Here are 10 tips to protect your home while on vacation.

1. Lock all windows and doors.

Over 30 percent of burglars enter a home through an unlocked window or door. A few weeks before your vacation, check the windows and doors of your home to be sure they shut and lock properly. Make repairs as necessary, and verify they’re all secure on the day you leave for vacation.

New House Builder | Why Millennials Should Enter The Housing Market

New House Builder | With the economy and housing market still recovering, some potential first-time home buyers may be hesitant to invest in a new home. Yet there are several reasons why now is a great time for Millennials and other first-time home buyers to start building their American Dream.

1) Interest rates are low.
Today’s historically low interest rates are helping first-time home buyers find affordable housing options. Average weekly interest rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage remain under 4.5%.