tom-beaty.com views on real estate

A home equity loan is a loan that uses your home as collateral. Your home equity is the part of your home that you actually own and this is the guarantee for your loan. Your home equity is calculated by taking the current value of your home and subtracting your mortgage. For example, if your home is worth $150, 000 and you have a $100,000 mortgage, you have $50,000 of equity in your home. A home equity loan allows you to borrow money using your equity of $50,000 as security for the loan. A home equity loan, often called a second mortgage, reduces your equity or ownership in your home. Since your home guarantees your loan, if you default on the payments, you can lose your home.

Please visit http://www.home-equity-loan-information.com/ to see a full home equity loan consumer guide.

Work From Home. Learn to work from home and succeed. Discover all the secrets and all about MLM, E-marketing %26 Home Business. Free work at home job opportunities, Internet best home based business opportunities. Learn to Earn money on the Internet with full guidance of the best E-marketing Group: The Pro Consultants. Free affiliate programs: http://www.work-at-home-make-money-online.com

Would like to have a new home but don’t want to go through the hassle of building? A viable option is Indianapolis spec homes.

The recent downturn in the Indianapolis new home market has created an oversupply of spec homes in the Indianapolis metro area. Most Indianapolis new home builders have spec homes on the market.

“Spec homes” are homes built by builders on “speculation” they can sell them before or soon after they completes them. Although that is the true meaning of spec homes, in the real estate market the term “spec homes” may also include new homes that have come on the market because of contract cancellations or “back-outs”, and builders’ former model homes.

Indy spec homes may be called a lot of different names by Indianapolis builders, such as “Quick Move-In Homes”, “Showcase Homes”, “Move-In Ready Homes”, and the more common “Inventory Homes.”

Advantages of Buying Indianapolis Spec Homes

1. One of the biggest advantages to buying an Indianapolis spec home from an Indianapolis new home builder is you don’t have to make all of the decisions you would have to make if you were building. Most of the decisions are already made for you when you buy an Indy spec home. You don’t have to pick out all of the colors of paint, the thickest of the carpet pad, what kind of door knobs, etc. You don’t have all of the stress of making the hundreds of decisions of building a new home.

2. You usually can have a quick closing, within 30 days of the date of acceptance of Purchase Agreement. If you want or need a new home in Indianapolis area soon and can’t wait the four to six months it takes to built, Indianapolis spec homes could be your answer.

3. Indianapolis home builders usually built spec homes in their most popular floor plans and upgrades. They don’t want to build a new home with floor plans no one likes.

4. Indianapolis new home builders may be more negotiable in price on spec homes or inventory homes than on contract homes. They want to turn them fast so they can build more.

The biggest disadvantage of buying Indianapolis spec homes is you pretty much get what the builder builds. You don’t get to “customize” the home to you own taste. But if you was buying an existing home you wouldn’t get to customize it either, and with a spec home you are getting a new home.

Most Indianapolis production builders and Indianapolis custom home builders list their inventory homes with local real estate agents. I have found some builders will only list part of their spec homes with real estate agents, so you need to check with each builder to get list of their inventory homes.

The market in Indianapolis spec homes should continue to be a great alternative to building a new home into the future. Even if you have been looking at existing homes in Indianapolis area, you should consider Indianapolis spec homes.

Al Hardymon is an experienced real estate broker in the Indianapolis area. He has a 2%25 Indy New Home Buyer Rebates Program were you can save thousands of dollars on the purchase of your new Indianapolis home, including new spec homes. To learn more go to his website: http://www.indy-new-home-buyer-rebates.com

GREEN BUILDING MEDIA FACT SHEET Past, Present %26 Future

By Neda Dabestani-Ryba Prudential Carruthers REALTORS

Past Specialized, niche home builders began constructing resource-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes in the early 1970s. The home building industry coined the phrase “green building” in the late 1980s/early 1990s, turning a movement into a quiet revolution. The first official green home building program began in 1991 in the city of Austin, Texas. The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver introduced the first HBA-owned green building program in 1995. Over the years, Built Green® Colorado has become the largest green building program in the nation, with more than 100 builder members across the state. Present Today, new homes are twice as energy-efficient as they were 30 years ago, thanks to cutting-edge green building techniques and technologies available for new and remodeled homes. Nationwide, roughly 61,000 homes were built using local green building program guidelines from 1990-2004. In 2004 alone, more than 14,000 green homes were constructed. NAHB recently introduced voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines (www.nahb.org/gbg) to bring environmentally-friendly building techniques to mainstream builders and home builders associations. The guidelines offer builder and market-driven solutions in seven areas, including lot preparation and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency and conservation, occupancy comfort and indoor environmental quality, and operation maintenance and homeowner education. More specifically, homes built today use a myriad of green building techniques and technologies that Lower operating costs–homes are equipped with more efficient heating and cooling systems and use less water, resulting in lower monthly utility bills. Improved construction methods better protect homes from rain and ground water and reduce upkeep and replacement costs, while use of recycled materials helps conserve natural resources. Reduce maintenance issues–landscaping uses native or drought-resistant plants and grasses, and decks made of pressure-treated lumber or synthetic materials need no sealing or staining. Increase home value–homeowners with documented lower monthly utility bills are reporting higher re-sale values. Improve environmental quality–moisture-control products and low VOC paints contribute to a more comfortable indoor environment, and efficient use of materials helps conserve natural resources. NAHB’s guidelines were developed in a consensus process by a group of more than 60 stakeholders representing key players in the green home building industry. Future Green building is a growing trend among home builders nationwide, with more than 30 successful green building programs now in existence. Eleven green building programs are owned or operated by members or affiliates of the National Association of Home Builders in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Washington. More than 15 more will be organized with support from the Green Building Initiative, an organization created to help implement NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines in markets across the country.

Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President’s Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com/
Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity

When it comes to building your new Florida home, not all builders are created equal. If you have decided to build a new home in Florida, it is very important that you choose the right home builder for the job. Ideally, you will want to find a home builder with experience, references, a great product, and a great price. One way to research prospective builders is to drive through the neighborhoods that appeal to you, and write down the contact information of builders who have projects in your desired neighborhood. Narrowing your search Once you have assembled a list of potential home builders who either have ongoing projects in your desired neighborhood or have been brought to your attention through a word-of-mouth recommendation, it’s time to narrow the list. First, call each builder and make an appointment to meet with them in their sales office. While you are there, the builder’s representative will be able to show you sample floor plans or completed models of their featured homes. You can get a clear picture of the features available on each builder’s homes, and the builder’s pricing scale. If you are shopping for a home in the wintertime, be sure to ask about possible discounts for purchasing during the off season, and if the builder offers a discount to buyers who purchase their home directly rather than involving a realtor. This is also your opportunity to assess the builder’s accessibility to buyers and their willingness to answer questions. With the array of quality home construction available in Florida today, there is absolutely no reason for a buyer to deal with a home builder or their representatives if they are rude, abrupt, or unwilling to patiently answer any and all of your questions. Features of a high-quality home builder The Florida home builders with the highest quality homes to offer tend to follow a general set of guidelines in their construction procedures. Each builder is different, of course, but high-quality builders have certain things in common. First, they use the highest quality materials and usually build their homes with solid, poured concrete. It’s even better if they use steel-reinforced concrete that is designed to withstand a powerful hurricane. When purchasing a home in Florida, hurricane safety must be a consideration. The highest quality home builders pride themselves on building homes that are above hurricane code. Ask about features such as impact resistant windows and a greater number of roof truss straps. You can usually spot a low-quality, tract house builder by their inferior building materials, construction that only meets code and does not exceed safety standards in any area, and the cookie-cutter appearance of their homes. Florida home buyers should be wary of these builders. Their homes may be less expensive, but in this case, you definitely get what you pay for. Choosing a custom home builder for your new Florida home The majority of custom home builders use the highest quality materials to build their homes. In most cases, these homes are built above hurricane code, exceeding some of the toughest standards in the industry. These homes also have an added bonus for the home buyer who would like to have a say in what their home looks like when it is completed. Custom homes are usually more luxurious in scale, have a greater selection of comfortable and stylish floor plans, and the home buyers are given a wide array of decorating options, from paint colors to the tile on the floors. The appliances are usually top of the line, as are the fixtures, cabinetry, and counter tops. Customized luxury is more affordable than you may think Many buyers who would like to have a high-quality, custom Florida home built do not pursue this desire because they fear that these homes are out of their price range. In many cases, the homes are much more affordable than you may expect. Purchasing a custom home at the right time of year, and directly from a builder can save you thousands of dollars on the purchase price of your new home. You can often get additional upgrades at no additional cost by shopping around and not being afraid to negotiate terms with a builder. And consider this; if you subtract the cost of remodeling and repairs that may come with an existing home, you may actually be saving money by purchasing a brand new home.

Tom Beaty a Florida home builder and Florida real estate broker. Specialize in new homes in Palm Coast, Flagler and Volusia County. Visit me at: Florida real estate or Florida home builder

New home-buyers taken in by show-home sales tricks.

With the ever-increasing price of property and the reduction in desirability of the modern home, builders have to resort to new tricks to get the sales to meet their targets.

Have you ever wondered where that singing bird in the show house garden is? The chances are it is a recording broadcast by loudspeaker. Sounds hilarious, but the days of freshly ground coffee smells are over…selling is a psychological activity and this is just one of the ways the house builders and there marketing partners make the show properties more attractive to you.

All new homebuyers should view the show home with a degree of scepticism. It will have every available extra fitted in an effort to entice you to opting for these or even deceive you into thinking they are standard feature. Martyn Maxwell of snagging company Brickkickers, says “I have lost count of the number of times my clients have asked me why I have not listed an item, seen in the show home but missing in the buyer’s home.”

Show homes are designed to attract you to buy. They are made to look larger by the use of large wall mirrors; glass table tops and even reduced scaled-down furniture! Often fitted out using a superior specification possibly with granite worktops or laminate flooring for example. The show house lighting is always left on to give the impression of good natural light and disguises the fact that a bathroom may not have a window.

The Property Misdescriptions Act 1991 and Specified Matters order 1992, make it a criminal offence to make false or misleading statements but deception within a show home is a grey area. The more reputable builders will fit notices to extras stating that they are not “standard.”

Remember, all house builders show homes are “snagged” by several people initially and on an ongoing basis with the decorations in particular being regularly freshened up, which can give a misleading perception of the standard of finish you can expect in the home you actually buy.

Martyn says that “show homes inevitably give new home buyers high expectations which can result in disappointment when they actually view their new home for the first time. The show home gardens are always beautifully landscaped and maintained but the reality of the new home buyer’s garden is quite different”.

Martyn Maxwell founded Brickkickers in response to the falling standards with some of the mass-market builders nation-wide. He says, “Brickkickers is the only national snagging company, owned and operated by qualified construction professionals. We offer the new home buyer a completely independent inspection snagging report and liase with the builders and warranty providers to ensure remedial works are completed to acceptable standards”. “We have found from our own data that the average home we inspect has around 140 defects!”

To ensure that all the defects in your new home are dealt with prior to moving in call Martyn Maxwell at Brickkickers on 0845 226 6036 or visit their website www.brickkickers.co.uk

Martyn Maxwell has recently launched www.snagging.info - a Forum for the new home buyer. Visitors to the website can view buyer’s questions, experiences and comments regarding builders and their new home and ask expert advice on a number of topics completely free. This site is operated in association with the new home information website: www.brand-newhomes.co.uk

Working in partnership with Brickkickers, a professional UK based new home property inspection and snagging service.

When it comes to building homes in Florida, not all home builders are created equal. Just as there are many types of Florida homes, there are many different types of home builders. Finding the right builder for your new Florida home requires time and research. This is an important decision, since purchasing a new Florida home is a large investment. You’ll want a Florida home that suits your needs and will withstand the test of time.

Different types of Florida home builders

Florida home builders can be easily divided into two main types: custom home builders, and tract home builders. The main differences between these two types of builders are quality and availability of custom options. Tract homes are often referred to as “Cookie-cutter homes”, and with good reason. These homes are identical in every way because the materials used to build them are purchased in bulk. Often, lower quality materials are used by these Florida home builders.

Custom home builders do not purchase their materials in bulk, and tend to adhere to higher standards of quality. And since they are custom homes, the home buyer has the option of choosing the features, colors and overall look of their new home. Each buyer is free to express their own individual style, which leads to greater satisfaction with the finished product. Custom homes tend to cost a bit more, but most owners of these homes will agree that it is money well spent.

Hurricane protection

All Florida home builders are held to certain standards of hurricane safety when they build their homes. However, unless you live in one of the few Florida counties that require the highest standards, most homes are built only to withstand a Category 2 storm. Today, some custom home builders are going above and beyond this standard, adding additional roof trusses, shatter proof windows, and solid-concrete construction to build homes capable of withstanding a Category 4 hurricane or higher. If you decide to invest in a custom home, look for a Florida home builder who adheres to these higher standards.

Building in today’s competitive market

Most Florida home buyers are aware of the current real estate market conditions. With an abundance of existing homes on the market and continued growth in the newly constructed home sector, today’s real estate market favors the buyer. This means buyers now have the time to shop around, and no longer have to rush into a purchase. But since the price of construction materials continues to rise, some Florida home builders have resorted to cutting corners on construction and building materials in an effort to remain competitive and still turn a profit. When you interview prospective builders, be prepared to ask the tough questions. Does the home builder use high-quality, 5/8 inch plywood to build the roof? Do they use 30 year architectural shingles? Do they construct their homes using solid, poured concrete?

These questions apply to interior features as well. It’s easy to use cheaper materials for fixtures, paint, cabinetry, and flooring. Many times, the cheaper materials still look expensive, at least in the beginning. But over time, wear and tear will take a toll on cheap materials. Ask all prospective home builders for a list of materials they use, both inside and outside the homes. Once you obtain this list, you can research each company and the materials they produce. Check consumer reports, and don’t discount the value of word of mouth.

Remember, high quality construction materials make for solid, long-lasting Florida homes. The Florida climate presents unique challenges for all structures built here, and shoddy construction just can’t meet these challenges over a number of years.

The right Florida home builder for your needs

With a bit of extra time and attention, you can find the right Florida home builder to construct your new Florida home. In the long run, your time, effort, and yes, even the extra money you may spend on a high quality home will serve you and your family well. Finding a Florida home builder you can trust is always worth the extra investment, and will result in greater customer satisfaction over the long term.

Concrete Florida Homes survive hurricanes - Tom Beaty a real estate broker and
home builders in Palm Coast, Flagler and Volusia County. Visit: Florida real estate or Florida home
builder

As a buyer in today’s Florida real estate market, your careful attention to detail and determination to explore all of your options will serve you well. The following checklist will assist you in deciding whether you have completed all preliminary home buying steps and are ready to choose your home builder.

You have made a careful assessment of your financial situation and have determined an appropriate price range for your new Florida home.

You have found your target neighborhood and have taken note of all existing homes for sale and new homes being built or scheduled for construction.

You have researched your neighborhood’s proximity to shopping, parks, schools, libraries and recreational activities.

You have at least a general plan of action for obtaining financing and insurance.

You have decided to avoid the risk of buying an existing home and have instead decided to purchase a newly constructed home.

If you have completed all of these steps, you are ready to find your home builder.

What to look for in a home builder

There are many different types of home builders in Florida, just as there are many types of home buyers. For the buyer who is looking for a high-quality, customized home built above Florida hurricane code, tract home builders can immediately be eliminated from the list of potential builders.

Tract homes are most often the cheapest of newly constructed home, and in this case, you definitely get what you pay for. Most often, tract home builders use the cheapest materials they can purchase in mass quantities. There is no individuality amongst these homes; they are cookie-cutter, mirror images of one another. These homes will never satisfy the discerning home buyer who has quality and safety in mind.

Custom home builders

In most cases, custom home builders use the highest quality materials and give their customers the most options when it comes to style and design choices. The homes built by custom builders are usually much more luxurious in scale, often including vaulted ceilings and bright, airy floor plan choices. Top of the line paint, appliances, flooring and fixtures complete the package of interior choices.

But there are also different levels of custom home builders, especially when it comes to hurricane safety. Since hurricanes are a fact of life for all Florida residents (even those in interior counties are vulnerable, as hurricanes Charley and Frances clearly illustrated), hurricane safety should be a very important factor when you are deciding amongst custom home builders.

Above code construction

Today’s Florida hurricane building codes do provide buyers of all new homes more protection from hurricanes than many homes built before the building code reforms of the early 1990’s. However, these new codes do not provide as much protection as some consumers have been led to believe.

Only a few Florida counties have adopted the strict standards that are currently in place in Dade county (areas of which were devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992). In fact, the current building code in most counties only requires that new homes be built to withstand a Category 2 hurricane.

That is why a handful of builders in Florida have begun giving their customers an added level of protection. Above code construction is a term used by these builders to convey that their home construction standards exceed what is required by Florida building code.

Levels of above code construction

Here is another situation where there are different levels of builders. Now you are looking for how far above code you want your home to be, and choosing the builder whose homes best meets your desired level of protection.

If you think of the hurricanes that have made headlines over the last two seasons, the name Katrina will be at the forefront of most of our minds. Katrina was at Category 4 strength when it made landfall, and it was certainly not the first Category 4 storm to make landfall in the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons. Homes built at or slightly above code will not withstand this level of storm. That is why if hurricane safety is important to you, finding a home builder who builds their homes to withstand at least a Category 4 storm.

If price is a consideration, these above code custom homes may seem out of reach. But if you purchase your home at the right time of year, have your financing in place, and have a solid idea of what you are looking for in a home, you will be in an excellent position to negotiate a price you can afford. And if you take into consideration remodeling and repair costs that often come with an existing home, a high-quality custom home may be more affordable than you think.

Finally, take your time and find the right builder who can build the best house for your budget but don’t necessarily rule out high-quality homes if you are on a budget. Doing your research and staying informed will help you find the best home for the best price. Happy hunting!

Tom Beaty a Florida home builder and Florida real estate broker. Specialize in new homes in Palm Coast, Flagler and Volusia County. Visit me at: Florida real estate or Florida home builder

Custom home builders are looking for a way to differentiate themselves in the market place.

Home elevators are being offered in many new home developments as method to attract new home buyers.

The home elevator is also allowing custom home builders to reduce lot size in some projects.

In areas where the lot size is forcing builders to offer a three or four story townhome, a home elevator is allowing the buyer to feel more confident in dealing with the stair issue.

Space requirements for the elevator shaft are being taken into consideration in the home designs.

Stacking closets on all floors permits a home elevator to be accommodated in the future.

As more and more of the baby boomer market reaches retirement years, there has been a stronger demand for their their last home purchase to be able to fit their long term needs. The solution to this trend is for residential elevators to be included in the original home design.

Expect to see more home builders following the growing trend to offer residential elevators as an option to their customers.

The elevator option is also adding to the bottom line of the home builder. Not only is the builder making profit on the elevator upsell but also on the possible reduction in lot size resulting in a higher home density per acre.

Bob Harvey is the founder of SILVER CROSS.
The mandate of SILVER CROSS is to offer the
market place a lower cost alternative for home
accessibility equipment through an international
network of pre-screened dealers.
http://www.silvercross-elevators.com/residential-elevator.htm

You are a builder-developer. You have a great piece of property to develop. The size is right, the location is perfect, and you have a great vision for how you want to develop this property. Yet one question lingers in your mind - how can you build out this property for the greatest profit?

Perhaps you should take a look at a growing segment of the housing industry - modular homes. Many builders just like you have discovered that this option is the best way for them to build out properties to the greatest advantage for both the builder and the home buyers. Modular home building is one of the fastest growing markets in the building industry, and for good reasons.

What many builders already know and what many more are learning is that there are great advantages in the modular home building market. Cost, efficiency, and quality are just the beginning.

Modular homes are built in climate-controlled factories where the builder is not a slave to the weather. Delays caused from undesirable weather conditions cost builders thousands of dollars each year. With a modular home, there are no delays to deal with. A home can be built from start to site-finished in less than 90 days. This saves both time and money, transferring more profits to the builder and greater savings to the home buyer. And, because of the climate-controlled environments, builders can make quality-built homes available to their customers year round.

Not only can a builder save on time when building a modular home, but he can also save on materials. Modular homes are built from the same quality materials as traditionally built homes, yet the builders can buy their materials in bulk, which means a great savings for the builder. This applies to all of the supplies for not only the exterior of the home, but also the interior features and appliances.

Saving on time and money are not the only advantages of modular home building. A builder also has the advantage of having all of his workers - from technicians to craftsmen - working under the same supervision. This brings a greater consistency to the quality of the work, as well as peace of mind for both the builder and the buyer.

We have discussed the cost-savings advantages for the builder-developer in this article. Please read Part 2 of this series for more advantages of modular home building.

Learn more about modular homes or find a modular home builder near you at http://www.modularhomesnetwork.com