Tips & Tools : new home

Top 5 Reasons to Love Your Next Move

RE.com Tips & Tools — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:15:00 GMT

By Gina Cappiello www.123Movers.com

Moving does not have to be a negative experience. In fact, a move may be most exciting and important step you take in your life. Take a look at 5 fantastic things to look forward to during your next move below:

New neighborhood
Moving to a new town, state, or city means new surroundings. Think about all of the amazing new restaurants, shops, and places to hang out at that you will soon be discovering. You will also have new neighbors to meet and a brand new living space to make your very own.

New friends
Finding a new group of friends can be daunting and scary, but it is also a very liberating experience. You will now have absolute freedom to choose who you want to be close to without any pressure from your existing core of friends. New friends also mean new perspectives and stories to learn from, which will help you flourish in your new town.

New opportunities
There may be a bevy of different businesses in your new town depending on where you move to. Your move could mean a brand new job in the future with a fascinating company. There will also be new organizations to volunteer for which may unlock a new found love for a cause you never knew was there before.

New you
You’re reinventing your life by moving, so why not reinvent yourself? With a move, you are free to adjust your personality, style, and beliefs to become a whole new person without worrying about your current friends and neighbors judging you.

New culture
New accents, languages, ideals, and traditions will most likely be found in your new surroundings. Embrace your new town’s unique culture and learn as much as you can from it. You will probably become part of it eventually, too!

Moving does not have to be the worst thing to ever happen to you. Focus on the positive aspects of your upcoming move and get excited for the future instead of thinking your move is the end of the world.

Timeline for Building a New Home

RE.com Tips & Tools — Wed, 16 May 2007 16:58:00 GMT

Most new construction homes take between six months and one year to complete.

Congratulations! You finally took the plunge to buy a new construction home. After selecting your builder and location, you met with the design team and together planned your perfect house. The choices are set, and now you’re waiting, waiting, waiting. New construction homes typically take between six months and one year to complete. So just what is going on during that time?

The first couple of months
As you make your weekly drive past your new construction site, it may seem that nothing is going on at first. Where are the bulldozers and backhoes? Often, construction cannot begin until the proper permits have been obtained. Once the builder obtains these and gets an available construction crew, you’ll see a flurry of activity. Excavation begins, and the construction crew pours the foundation, frames the floors, installs the roughed-in plumbing and electrical under the floors, and, if you are lucky, installs the first floor subfloor.

Months 2 and 3
You’ll see lots of changes during your weekly drive-bys now. The new construction site starts to resemble a house. The frames for the walls, roof, and ceilings go up. You’ll even be able to see the outline of your windows and doors. The construction crews add the exterior walls and roof sheathing, too. The crew finishes the subfloors, as well as the rest of the roughed-in electrical and plumbing.

Months 3 and 4
Are those actual windows and doors you see on your new construction home? If your timeline has not been delayed by weather or other problems, then your windows and doors just may be in. You may also see shingles on your roof and the exterior trim added. This is also the time for inspections for the mechanical rough-in and exposed structural work.

Months 5 and 6
If you are able to walk-through your new construction home each week as you check progress, you’ll see lots of exciting changes during this period of time. The crews have finished the plumbing and electrical work. Okay, maybe that’s not so exciting, but what about your kitchen cabinets that have just been installed? You’ll often see the cabinets and countertops installed at this stage as well. The ceramic tile that goes in the bathrooms may have appeared. And, the paint and wallpaper go up in this stage. If you’re lucky, you’ll see your flooring installed, too.

The final couple of months
The final few months are a really exciting time for your new construction project. The builder puts the final touches on your new home. In go the hardware and appliances you selected. The builders plant grass and landscaping and then frantically water it daily to insure their growth. The city inspects the work and you get a final walk-through to inspect the work, too. Then, that’s it! After closing, you can move into your new construction home.

Of course, this new construction timeline follows a best-case scenario and is a rough estimation. There can be all sorts of delays – the weather, supplies shortages, labor issues. But, regardless of how long your new construction project takes, the sequence detailed above should be relatively similar.

21 Ways to Enjoy Your New Home

RE.com Tips & Tools — Sat, 05 May 2007 20:31:00 GMT

Move-in day is the perfect time to create some very special memories.

Few homeowners ever forget the first time they unlocked and opened the front door to their new home. It’s in that moment, after the paperwork has been signed, the keys have been collected from the REALTOR®, and the household goods have been packed and transported, that the true joys of homeownership begin.

Before you start to unpack and get settled into your new home, take at least a few minutes to relax, unwind and make some special memories for your loved ones and yourself. While every family has its own traditions, here are 21 suggestions of the first things you might want to do to enjoy your new home:

1. Order pizzas from a local delivery service and use your unpacked cartons as tables. The pizza boxes make great paper plates too!

2. Write welcome notes signed "from your new home" to each of your children and leave the notes in their bedrooms.

3. Hang your favorite artwork or family photos on the walls. Even if there’s not a piece of furniture in sight.

4. Bring in cut flowers from your new garden and place them in vases throughout the house.

5. Make up all the beds with new or freshly laundered sheets.

6. Turn on your new lawn sprinklers and then run across your new lawn and get sprinkled!

7. Display a meaningful flag or a colorful banner outside your new home.

8. Let your kids and your pets run wild throughout the entire house. If it’s after dusk, flash the lights on and off.

9. Light up your new barbeque and grill whatever edibles you have on hand. Or just light’er up even if you’re not going to grill anything!

10. Hang new curtains in your new bedroom.

11. Stock your new kitchen with your favorite snacks and beverages.

12. Run your new dishwasher, trash compactor or other appliances, even if they’re empty.

13. Pop open a bottle of champagne and toast your new home even you haven’t unpacked the flutes yet.

14. Get romantic with your spouse or sweetheart in your new nest.

15. Climb up into the attic and introduce yourself to any rumored or resident ghosts.

16. Memorize your new address and telephone number. Check your new mailbox for cards and letters with your name on them.

17. Take "before" photos of your new house before you unpack your belongings. Boot up your laptop and send the photos to your friends and family.

18. Invite your friends and family over to tour your new home and help you unpack.

19. Measure all your new rooms and create floor plans on graph paper before you settle your furniture into place.

20. Play your favorite CDs or find a new local radio station that plays the kind of music you enjoy.

21. Equip your new bathrooms with toilet paper, soap and maybe new toilet seats. Take a hot shower or a long luxurious bath!

New Homes or Existing Homes: Which is Best for You?

RE.com Tips & Tools — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:08:00 GMT

Your personality and your pocketbook both come into play.

Are you a new-home person, wowed by the idea of moving into a newly-constructed home and putting your stamp on it? Or are you an existing-home person, attracted to the charm of a neighborhood that already has a personality?

Fortunately, there is plenty of room for both in today’s home market – and good prices to be had on both ends of the spectrum.

Angela DeMattia, a listing agent with Prudential Carruthers REALTORS® in the Baltimore suburb of Severna Park, Md., sees both kinds of buyers. Sometimes, they aren’t sure whether they’re a new-home or existing-home buyer until they see the home that’s right for them.

“You may see 100 existing homes and none of them are good enough, but with a new home you can design a house around what your needs are,” says DeMattia, who admits a preference for new construction. “But sometimes buyers have expectations, and in the price range they’re getting into they don’t get as much bang for their buck.”

Existing homes can be more affordable per square foot than newly constructed homes, especially if buyers want to personalize new homes with lots of upgrades, according to DeMattia. The affordability of existing homes often allows buyers to expand or remodel later to get exactly what they want, she says.

“With existing homes there’s a convenience factor. Buyers know what they’re getting into,” she says. You can drive through an existing neighborhood to see if there are children around, for example, or whether people seem to keep to themselves on the weekend.

Buyers might also be better able to picture themselves in an existing home, she says.

“It sometimes can be challenging, if a builder doesn’t have a model home, to fully understand what you want,” she says. That can be true whether buyers are considering building a custom home or deciding among options for a tract home, she says, since visualizing the completed home helps people determine what they want.

Even then, she says, “for someone to be able to go into a house that’s a blank canvas, it helps to be able to imagine what it will look like.”

New construction tends to appeal to people who “don’t want to deal with the headache of replacing an oil tank or boiler, or remodeling the brick on a 100-year-old house,” DeMattia says. Builders of new homes will generally fix any problems that pop up in the first year, she says.

“Prices have gone up, so you don’t want to invest an astronomical amount in upkeep right off the bat,” she says. “On the other side, there’s a mentality that older homes are strong and built well.”

Buyers of existing homes tend to be attracted to the history of a neighborhood, or to the mature trees and landscaping of a neighborhood that has already been broken in, she says. Or, they might just feel more settled in an established neighborhood, or not want to deal with the noise and dust of a neighborhood still under construction.

New Home Upgrades

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:22:00 GMT

In a new home, certain upgrades are worth the money and can add to the home's value.

Building a new home requires making many decisions. You have to choose which floor plan you want, the lot, and, of course, the upgrades that you want to incorporate into your new home. Choosing your upgrades can be a difficult process. You want to make your new home as nice as the model, but you quickly realize that upgrades can drastically increase the price of the home. Therefore, you want to make sure the upgrades you choose give you the best value.

Before choosing the upgrades for your new home, there are some important things to consider:

What is your budget? Know how much you can spend on the home and how much that leaves you for upgrades.
Consider how long you expect to be in the new home. If you may move within a few years, you may not want to spend extra on upgrades. If you think you will remain in the new home for several years, then you can feel more comfortable spending a little more on upgrades.
Know what is important to you. Price out the upgrades that are most important to you and subtract from your total budget.
Know the area. You don’t want to upgrade your new home so much that it is over-the-top for the neighborhood.
Keep resale in mind. (More on this below.)

The following can be good upgrade choices to add value to your new home.

1. Kitchen
Perhaps the most popular area of a new home to upgrade is the kitchen. Upgrades here tend to pay off at resale. The upgrade possibilities are almost endless, and include the following:

Cabinetry. Upgraded cabinets are a good choice. There are several options here. You can upgrade the basic cabinetry, add glass-front cabinets, or extend the cabinets.
Countertops. Granite is an upgrade that tends to keep its value. Granite countertops are popular and can create a beautiful kitchen.
Appliances. Upgrading to stainless steel or energy efficient appliances is another good option in the kitchen.

2. Flooring
One option to consider with a new home is upgrading to hardwood floors. Hardwoods tend to be an upgrade that have good value, certainly over linoleum and even over tile. Having hardwood floors throughout family and living areas adds an elegant touch to your new home.

3. Crown moldings
Crown mouldings are another upgrade for your new home that can be a great value. Adding crown moldings is not that expensive and it greatly improves the look of a room. If you can afford to extend crown moldings throughout the new home, consider that upgrade.

Building a new home and choosing the upgrades can be a fun process. However, it is important to not get carried away when selecting options. You can easily go over your budget or price your home too high for the neighborhood. Focus on what is important to you and the three areas that tend to pay off at resale.

Choosing a New Home Community

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:10:00 GMT

Choosing a new home community is a decision that takes careful consideration.

If you are planning on building a new home, selecting the right community can be almost as important as choosing the right home. Choosing a new home community needs to be considered carefully. The following tips can help you with your decision.

1.    Find the right location.
As with any real estate purchase, location is one of the most important factors when building a new home. It needs to be in a location that works for you. Often, new construction communities are located on the edges of the suburbs in what were recently farm fields and horse pastures. Be sure that the community that you’re looking at isn’t too far from your place of employment, shopping, or entertainment.

2.    Drive around.
Once you know the general location that you want for your new home, drive around to see which communities are located there. It’s a good idea to drive through the new home neighborhoods to see what they’re like. You can not only get a feel for the layout of the different new home communities, but you can also see how the homeowners enjoy and make use of the neighborhoods. If you see people out walking and enjoying the parks together, that is a good sign that they probably enjoy living in that particular new home community.

3.    Know what amenities and features are important to you.
If you know what you want in a new home, then that can make it easier to select a new home community. What type of home do you want? Do you want two-story or ranch-style? Do you want a large yard or a community that takes care of lawn maintenance for you? What about a community pool? Consider not only the amenities available in the new home that you want, but also those available in the neighborhood.

4.    Walk through LOTS of models.
The only way to really see if the new home community has the style and amenities in the homes that you want is to actually walk through the models. This gives you the truest sense of the style of the new homes in the communities. One note of caution – model homes are usually upgraded to the hilt. There is probably a price sheet available with a breakdown of how much the upgrades cost for the particular model. Make sure what you love about the model home is within your price range.

5.    Consider resale potential.
As much as you love your potential new home, it may not be the last home you own in your lifetime. So, when deciding which new home community will be the one you call your own, look at the resale potential. If you are using a real estate agent, s/he can be a great help for this. No one has a better feel of which neighborhoods will have resale potential a few years down the road as your agent. If you notice that homes currently for sale in the new home community do not stay on the market for long, it’s a good sign that the community has good resale value.

New Home Construction

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:04:00 GMT

There are special considerations to keep in mind when buying new home construction.

Buying new home construction is a little different than buying a resale home. Here are three important factors to keep in mind:

1. Find a reputable builder
There are many builders of new home construction out there. And there are also many people with horror stories of their experience building a new home. Do a little research to find a builder who is not only well qualified but also has a good reputation. Search online for reviews of potential builders and ask around. Get recommendations from people that you know, Taking time to find out what others say about the builder you are considering hiring can help prevent costly regrets.

2. Stay involved
Once you have chosen a builder, your research continues. The next step is to learn everything that you can about the types of homes your builder constructs and what is available to you. Visit available model homes to see if they have special features you’d like incorporated into your own home. Take notes about what you like and what you don’t like. Don’t be embarrassed to make several return visits. You’re making a very big decision and need to be as educated as possible about every aspect of new home construction.

You need to also stay involved throughout the actual building process. Check on the progress of your home as often as you can. Be in frequent contact with your designer. If something does not seem to be going as it should, let the builder know. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

3. Be aware of the total cost
One of the most important things to know when buying new home construction is that the base price you see listed is rarely going to be the actual final price of your home -- it’s just a starting point. As you select what you want in your home, from flooring to cabinetry to lighting, the cost can quickly escalate. It’s important to be realistic about how much you can afford. Set a budget and stick to it. If you don’t, it’s easy to overextend yourself. Familiarize yourself with the cost of various upgrades and decide which are the most important to you before meeting with your designer. You may have to make some sacrifices to help stay within your budget.

New home construction does differ a bit from buying a resale house. But, by doing a little legwork, you can be fully prepared.

New Homes: Buying the Model

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:03:00 GMT

Consider carefully before you decide to buy the model for your new home.

In your search to buy a new construction home, you have surely walked through many model homes. It is hard not to fall in love with them – they are usually fully upgraded and are perfectly decorated. If the builder has almost completed the neighborhood, then it may be time for them to sell the model home. However, you need to carefully consider whether or not it is a smart move for you to purchase a model home.

Pros
There are several advantages to purchasing the model home in your new construction community.

There is no six-month (or longer) wait for construction. The house is completed and ready to be occupied.
Although it may be more expensive than a new home that you could buy in the neighborhood, it is can be a better value. It has most likely been fully upgraded, but you probably won’t have to pay full price for those upgrades.
It may have special features or upgrades that the builder does not offer in the other new homes.

Cons
Even though there can be advantages, there can also be drawbacks to buying the model as your new home.

It isn’t really a new home. It has had hundreds, if not thousands, of feet walking through it for a couple of years.
Model homes are typically sold “as is.” This applies to the carpet and pad. All of those feet cause a lot of wear and tear on flooring.
It is probably at the entrance to the neighborhood. This can mean a great deal of car traffic in front of your new home.

Questions
If you are considering purchasing the model as opposed to building a new home, there are several questions that you need to ask the builder.

What is the occupancy date? Are you going to have to wait a long time before they are ready for you to move in?
What repairs is the builder willing to make?
How will the builder convert the walkways between model homes?
Can you purchase the furniture, linens, or custom rugs?
When does the warranty start?
Also, ask for a list of the upgrades as well as their cost. Are you getting a good deal for those upgrades?
Will the home appraise without any problem?

Think carefully about whether or not purchasing the model home for your new home is a good move for you. It may be a great way to get the upgrades that you want for a fraction of the cost. However, it also can make more sense for you to go ahead and build a new construction home. Weigh the pros and cons before making your decision

Warranties on New Homes

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:55:00 GMT

New home warranties guarantee the work of a new construction home.

New homes typically come with a warranty. When you build a new home, you expect the construction work to be of good quality. A new home warranty helps ensure that.

What’s covered
You may be surprised that everything in the home is not covered with a new home warranty. Most warranties for a new home cover any defects with the materials or workmanship for a period of one year. Some new homes offer warranties that cover the plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, ventilating, and mechanical systems for a two-year period. This is usually known as an insured warranty. Although the builder offers the warranty, the coverage is actually through an insurance company. This provides more security for the new home owner. If for some reason the builder goes out of business, the warranty is still good because the insurance company is providing the warranty.

When purchasing a new home, keep in mind that the roof and appliances are not covered by the new home warranty offered by the builder. However, some builders do offer separate warranties on the roof, in some cases even a 30-year warranty, to make their homes more competitive.

What to do in case of problems
If something breaks or there is some problem with your new home, it is time to put the warranty to work. Typically, the homeowner has to contact the builder in writing regarding the specific repairs that need to be made. Some builders even have specific times to do this. While it is common to have a 1-year review of the home to be sure everything is working, the nail pops in the walls have been repaired, etc., some builders will do this at a 30-day review, 6-month review, and a 1-year review. Other builders will perform this at anytime throughout the first year. Know the procedures used by your particular builder for your new home.

Before building a new home, it is wise to ask your builder questions about the home warranty available to you. Be sure to find out how the builder expects you to contact them to have any repairs done, and don’t be afraid to use your warranty. You have spent a lot of money building a home – use the warranty to make sure that it maintains its quality.

New Home Builder Incentives

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:54:00 GMT

Not all new home builders' incentives are created equal. Here's how to tell what's worth it and what's not.

Everyone likes to feel they’re getting something for free. If you’re in the market for a newly built home, you’ve likely encountered builders who have offered to sweeten the deal with a free upgrade or a price discount. While some of these builder incentives can be beneficial, others may be deceptive.

YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM:

Free upgrades
Some of the most favorable new home builder incentives are those simply designed to add value. Particularly in cooler housing markets, some builders may try to entice potential buyers by offering complimentary extras such as hardwood floors, landscaping or other home improvements intended to set themselves apart from the competition. As long as there are no strings attached, these incentives can be a great opportunity.

Online cash rebate
You can also benefit from the cash rebate offered for shopping online for a new home builder through iNest®, a subsidiary of LendingTree. iNest allows you to search and compare homes from leading new home builders and offers a 1 percent rebate on the base closing price of a newly constructed home from one of its featured builders.* For details, visit: www.internest.com.

YOU SHOULD BEWARE OF:

Artificial price discounts
When a new home builder offers a price discount, it’s wise to do a little comparison shopping. While some offers may provide genuine savings, others may simply offer the illusion of savings. For example, a builder may price a house $3,000 above its true value and then offer a $3,000 “reduction.” The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) warns consumers to watch out for this type of price manipulation. In fact, if builders offer incentives and then make up the difference by hiding the cost elsewhere in a transaction, they may be violating regulations set by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Bonus for financing through the builder
You should also beware of deals that offer a signing bonus if you agree to finance through a builder’s lender instead of shopping around for the best mortgage offer and arranging your own independent financing. Before accepting such a deal, look at it critically. If you receive a $5,000 price reduction but settle for a mortgage with higher costs than you could have obtained from an independent lender, you may not save any money in the long run.

What’s worse, some builders mislead potential buyers by implying -- or even overtly stating -- that buyers have no option but to use their preferred lenders. This is illegal; according to federal law, builders may not prevent homebuyers from obtaining their mortgage or other services, such as a title search, from independent companies. A builder may ask you to obtain approval from a particular lender as a type of credit check, but a builder cannot refuse to sell you a home because you elect to arrange independent financing.

*Cash back offer not available in all states. Cash back is based on the base price of the home. Base price excludes options, upgrades and lot premiums. iNest reserves the right to pay rebate to Home Buyer in the form of paying closing costs on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement if so required by the lender or other party to the close or by applicable law, in the form of a discount on the purchase price if so required or transacted by the builder or other party to the close or by applicable law, or at iNest’s sole discretion, in any other form based on the needs or requirements specific to the transaction. Other restrictions apply. Please visit www.internest.com/xyz/disclosure/index.asp.

What Is a New Home Punch List?

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:53:00 GMT

A new home punch list shows the builder what the homebuyer expects completed prior to closing.

Part of the final phase of building a new home is to go over your “punch list.” A punch list is a list created at the end of construction that shows what needs to still be done or what needs to be repaired on the new construction. The homebuyer and the contractor create this list.

Creating a punch list
Probably in the week before closing, you’ll have to walk through your new home to create the punch list. If you’re using a real estate agent, s/he can accompany you. This is a good idea since your agent is not emotionally attached to the project and may have a better eye for identifying flaws. A representative for the builder also comes along for this process.

During this walk through, you look for anything in your new home that is damaged or was not done according to the contract. Damage is inevitable during new home construction. The sink may have a ding or the floors may have popped up in a couple of places. There may be thin spots in the paint on the walls or paint splattered on the door. Add any problems like these to your punch list for the builder to correct. After you make the list, the representative of the builder signs it and it becomes a binding contract.

Identifying types of flaws
When creating a punch list for your new home, keep in mind that problems typically fall into two categories: reasonable flaws and unreasonable flaws. Reasonable flaws are flaws that fall within the tolerances of building construction (or insignificant flaws that generally do not affect the quality of the new home). On the other hand, unreasonable flaws are flaws that have to be fixed. These problems do affect the quality of the home. Once any unreasonable flaws are corrected in your new home, this is called substantial completion, which means the new home is livable and can be occupied.

Going over the punch list
Before closing on your new home, you’ll have one final walk through to verify that the items on your punch list were fixed. As long as the new home has reached the point of substantial completion, you should be able to proceed with closing even if everything was not completed. You can put the money in escrow pending the completion of the punch list. This enables you to move into your new home while still requiring the builder to tie up the loose ends.

The punch list marks an exciting time in the process of building your new home. Your home is almost completed! However, don’t get so excited that the move-in date is near that you breeze through the punch list. Take it seriously so that you do not regret neglecting to have problems fixed in your new home.

How to Find the Right New Home Community

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 18:36:00 GMT

You need to look at a variety of factors when shopping for a home in a new home community.

Buying a new home is an important decision. And with so many new home communities being built today, it can be a confusing one. Consider the following to be sure you choose the one that’s right for you:

1. Location

Location is always the most important factor when shopping for a home. And it can be more important than ever when shopping for a new home community. Many new home communities are located outside a town’s central urban or suburban areas. There may not be much around them. Check to see if there are future shopping centers planned, if there is good road access for you to get to work and, if you have children, find out how far away it is to the nearest school.

2. Price

Before you fall in love with a beautiful model home, better make sure it’s in your price range. And remember, the base price you see listed won’t include the cost of all those tempting upgrades the developer is likely to offer. So before you go house hunting, it’s always wise to get pre-approved for a mortgage. That way you will know exactly how much you can afford to spend and you will be in a position to make an offer as soon as you find the perfect home.

3. Special features

With so many new home communities going up close to one another, it’s important to carefully compare the features of each before deciding on the one that’s right for you. With resale in mind, you also want to choose a new home community that stands out from the rest. Does the community that you are interested in have a pool or walking trails? Are the homeowner’s dues more reasonable compared with other nearby communities? Those same features that appeal to you now are likely going to appeal to another buyer down the road

Shopping for a home: It's more fun than you think

RE.com Tips & Tools — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:23:00 GMT

New homes, old homes, big homes, small homes – they're all waiting for you to come take a look.

It’s tempting to think of shopping for a home as a huge, time-consuming and potentially terrifying process – mostly because it is. Will you find the perfect house? Will you be able to afford it? Will you lose out on your dream house at the last minute to a higher bidder?

But it’s also the ultimate shopping trip, with you browsing through all kinds of houses in all kinds of neighborhoods – one of which you will eventually call home. How cool is that?

Consider your real estate agent to be your adventure guide – or personal shopper, depending on how you see the home-shopping process.

“I try to make sure to put clients at ease, particularly first-time buyers,” says John Shipps, an agent in RealEstate.com’s Seattle-area brokerage. “I let them know I’m excited to be part of this with them.”

Some buyers really enjoy getting out and exploring different neighborhoods throughout their city when they’re shopping for a home, taking each for a little test-drive to see how it feels, he says. Some get a kick out of comparing new homes with remodeled homes and fixer-uppers, he says.

Others might just focus on new homes in various developments, trying to decide where they can get the most for their money. Historic homes in different neighborhoods are appealing to other home shoppers.

But the real fun begins when buyers find “the one,” Shipps says. “They’ve seen enough homes to know what they don’t want, and … it just clicks.”

The next thing they know, they’re starting to talk about putting the TV here and their couch there and their book collection in that spot, he says. They notice the kitchen has a gas range and, even better, a window so the cook can see outside while preparing dinner.

Basically, they begin to visualize themselves living there, Shipps says. It’s a magical moment.

Shipps says some buyers even find the home inspection fun. They gleefully follow the inspector as he makes his rounds through the house, he says, soaking up everything they can learn about their soon-to-be home and ways to take care of it and its mechanical systems.

“I think it’s about taking ownership of the home,” he says.

And then comes that big final step – closing. After all the fun of shopping for a home, finding one, making offers and counteroffers and reaching a deal, you get to sit down and agree to pay a great deal of money to actually live in the home of your dreams.

“They’re probably dreading the start of that process,” Shipps says. “They go into escrow and see that stack, an inch thick, of papers they have to sign.”

Ugh – to say the least.

“But once it’s done and they see the keys, the bells are ringing, the birds are singing and the skies are sunny,” he says. “It’s a feeling of victory.”

New homes: Choosing a floor plan

RE.com Tips & Tools — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:13:00 GMT

The following tips can help you choose a floor plan when buying a new construction home.

There is much to consider when choosing a floor plan for a new home. Building a new home is exciting and it seems the sky is the limit. It is important to remain grounded when choosing a floor plan, though, so that you remain satisfied with your choice in the years to come.

1.    Look at your current home to decide what works for you and what doesn’t.
What about your current home makes you want to move? What makes you want to stay? Analyze what works and what doesn’t about your current house to help you know what you need in a new home.

2.    List what is important to you.
After analyzing your current home, prioritize what is important to you. Make a list of what you want and don’t want in your new home and rank it.

3.    Get a copy of all of the floor plans from the builder.
The builder most likely has a folder to give potential homebuyers that includes the various floor plans for the new home community. Spend a lot of time with these. Spread them out; examine every detail. Compare the different aspects of the plans for the new homes. Throw out ones that you do not like or that won’t work for you. Rank the remaining ones. Settle on about 3-5 floor plans for the next stage of this process of choosing a floor plan for your new home.

4.    Consider the number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
One of the most important parts of deciding whether or not a floor plan will work for your new home is whether or not it has the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms for you. Even if it is the right size for now, will it still be right in the near future if you have a growing family, are about to become empty nesters, or have an elderly family member move in?

5.    Don’t let the model home distort reality.
Model homes are gorgeous. Their purpose is to overwhelm you with how great the new home can be. However, they are also usually completely upgraded. If you think the floor plan of a particular model can work for you, be realistic about which of the upgrades you can afford with your own new home. Will you love the floor plan as much without $50,000 in upgrades?

6.    Ask about the floor plan availability on all lots.
With your potential floor plans that you are considering for your new home, you need to ask the builder if they are all available on all lots. Sometimes certain new homes are limited in which lots they can be built on. If you want a specific lot and your favorite floor plan is not available on that lot, you may have to make some compromises.

7.    Consider if the floor plan fits your lifestyle.
Your lifestyle dictates your needs in a new home. If you have kids, you may need a more open floor plan to make it easier to keep an eye on your children as they play throughout the house. An open floor plan can also be more conducive to entertaining. Perhaps you prefer a more intimate floor plan that is not as open. Whichever floor plan you choose should meet the needs of your lifestyle.

8.    Look at your furniture.
Consider whether or not your current furniture can work with the floor plan you are considering for your new home. If it doesn’t, will you have to buy new furniture or just a few pieces to make it work? Building a new home is expensive and it may not be worth it to choose a floor plan that causes you to spend thousand of dollars on new furniture.

Choosing a floor plan is an important part of building a new home. Take time with the decision - it is probably the biggest decision involved with a new construction home. Investigate what the builder has to offer, know what is important to you, and consider all aspects of this decision. Then, you can decide on the floor plan for your new home that best fits your family.

Checklist: Get ready to go house-hunting

RE.com Tips & Tools — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:29:00 GMT

Before you go house-hunting, use this checklist to make sure you are prepared to make a purchase:

Create a budget. You need to know where your money goes, where you can save, and how much you can afford to spend on your mortgage installment each month.

Check your credit rating and correct any errors in it. A good rating can help you get a mortgage loan; a spotty one may mean you end up paying a higher interest rate.

Assemble the documents you’ll need to get a mortgage loan.

Pre-qualify for a mortgage to find out how much you can borrow.

Make a list of what you need in your new home: number of bedrooms, eat-in kitchen, family room, garage, central heating and/or air, etc. You may also wish to make a second list of items that you want but are not essential, such as a fireplace, built-in cook surface and oven, en suite master bathroom and central vacuum.

Identify a neighborhood or two you’d like to live in based on price character, proximity to work, schools and daycare, recreation facilities, public transit, etc. Websites like Domania.com and Schoolmatch.com are good starting places.

Scan real estate ads in the newspaper or online to get a better idea of the kinds of houses that are available in the neighborhoods you like, and the selling prices of homes in those areas.

Engage a real estate agent who is familiar with the neighborhoods you’ve chosen.

Discuss your price range and housing needs and wants with your agent.

Ask your agent to walk you through the purchase process, from making an offer to closing a deal, and explain the costs involved.

View a number of houses with your agent so that he or she can get a better handle on your needs and preferences.

Narrow your search down to a few homes you can afford and like enough to make an offer to purchase.