What Floor Plans Do You Offer?

Identifying the floor plans offered by your home builder contractors will help you to shift your focus onto the floor plan that will best suit your family’s unique needs. Once you have settled on a floor plan that appeals to the needs you and your family has for your home you should verify how often your particular floor plan has been built. If this is the first time that it will be built by your builder then it will be vital to keep an eye on things during the construction phase to ensure that things run smoothly.

What Community Amenities Are Going To Be Built

Most new communities in the Dallas area will include a neighborhood swimming pool, tennis courts, several parks, and even swing sets for children to enjoy. Find out from your home builder contractors if any of these will be going up. Not only will your family be able to benefit from using the community amenities, but it is important to know if your HOA dues will be going towards the maintenance of the amenities.

What Items In The Model Homes Are NOT Standard

It is not exactly a bait-and-switch scheme, but all too often home buyers see features in the model homes and simply assume that they are the standard features to be included in their own new construction. By verifying which items are not standard you will be saving yourself a lot of potential upset and confusing along the way.

What Is Your Policy Regarding The Construction Phase?

During the course of your home’s construction it can be a fun family outing to tour the construction site and see where your house is in the process. However, if your home builder does not permit this, for liability reasons, then you should certain to abide by their guidelines. Find out, also, if there is a go-to point of contact person who should be approached when you have concerns over things during the construction phase.

Referrals

Ask your home builder contractor if he can provide you with a list of referrals and homebuyers in your neighborhood who may be able to provide you with a positive recommendation. Obtain a list of several of the properties in your area that your contractors have been responsible for building to gain an understanding of the quality of their work.

Clean Up Your Credit

Unless you are amongst the few super-rich in the Dallas area, you will be financing your new home purchase with a standard 30-year mortgage. To help your family qualify for the best mortgage rate possible it is vital that you take the time to clean up your credit before you even make the attempts to contact a mortgage company.

• Verify that all information on your credit report belongs to you
• Dispute incorrect information
• Pay off small lingering debt
• Negotiate with companies for pay-off amounts in order to clear the debt from your report

With a credit report that has been cleaned up, you will only look more favorable to the mortgage companies that you approach.

Establish Your Budget

The industry standard for establishing how much home a family can qualify for has been two and a half times their annual family income. While this is certainly a great method of finding out how much home you can qualify for, there are several factors that you should take into careful consideration beforehand.
Will your estimated monthly mortgage payment be something that you can afford on one income?
If you plan on expanding your family, will your estimated monthly mortgage payment still be feasible for your family with the added expense that children bring with them?

Work On Your Down Payment

Unless you are in an incredibly positive credit situation, a down payment is going to be required at the point of closing on your new home. Your down payment can be anything from 2% of the value of the home all the way up to 20% of the home’s value. A good rule of thumb is to ensure that you have at least 10% of the home’s value to be used as your down payment on your home.

Keep in mind that the home builder may not always pay the closing costs on your home, so you may need to keep an extra amount on hand for your closing costs.

By taking the time to tidy up your credit and work out how much home you can actually afford, you will be working towards ensuring that your interaction with your home builder runs as smoothly as possible.

Define Your Family’s Needs

The most important part of the process of selecting the best manufactured home builder is to ensure that you have a clear definition of what you need from your new home.

• How many bedrooms do you need?
• How many bedrooms would you like to have?
• How many square feet are you looking for?
• Will an open planned kitchen, dining, and living space work best for your family?
• What design features are absolutely required for your family?
• What design features are nice to have but can be left out if budget constraints become an issue?

Once you understand what you need, then you can start the process of comparing existing floor plans to find one that best suits the needs of your family.

Define Your Budget

Manufactured homes are, by definition, a very economical option for a private home; however, they can range in price from $18,000 all the way up to $50,000. It is important that you define your budget while keeping your requirements in mind too.

Once you have you budget and your family’s living space requirements in hand, you can now begin the process of selecting the best manufactured home builder for your family.

Comparison Shopping

Your search for a new manufactured home should start at one of their retail centers; easy to find in the Dallas area, there are several manufactured home builder retail centers that can help you narrow down your choices. Be certain that you visit at least two builders so that you can have a good idea as to what each can offer you and your family.

Compare the models that each visited home builder retail center offers, and find out what design features can be customized or added if you have the budget to do so.

Delivery And Installation

Find out what the additional delivery and installation fees for your manufactured home will be; will they fit into your budget? Or do you need to opt for a more budget-friendly home?

Warranty

Like site-built home builders, manufactured home builders should offer their customers a limited home warranty of several key components in the home. Find out which items are covered, how long they are covered for, and find out who your point of contact will be should something break or fail to operate correctly.

Selecting the best manufactured home builder will help you to ensure that you and your family are completely satisfied throughout the purchasing process.

Are You Insured And Bonded?

A reputable and professional home builder contractor will have all of his bases covered, including having a complete insurance and bonded policy that will protect you and your home during the course of the construction process. Without these important policies in place, if there is damage to your home or if someone is injured in your home, you will not be financially liable.

• Ask to see copies of the policies
• If your home builder contractor does not have copies, find out why.

Do You Have A List Of References I Can Call?

A list of references is an important part of any business professional’s portfolio; by providing you with a list of satisfied customers that you can contact, your home builder contractor is allowing you an opportunity to find out how the construction experience was for his prior clientele. Call a few of the references and ask them a few key questions:

• Was the construction experience a positive one for you?
• Did he stay within budget?
• Did he exceed the time-line?
• Do you have anything negative that you would like to share?

How Many People Will Be Entering My Home?

This is an important question simply because you certainly do not want dozens of strange people traipsing through your home during the construction process. Your home builder contractor should give you a clear understanding of how many employees he will bring into your home, and he should also introduce you to every person so that you establish a level of familiarity with them.

How Long Do You Estimate The Job Will Take?

A home builder contractor who is professional and experienced will be able to give you a clear definition of how long he expects the project to take his team to complete. It is important to keep in mind that there is a wide range of items that could crop up during the construction phase and cause unexpected delays. With effective communication from both you and your home builder contractor, the unexpected delays can be handled.

Can You Complete The Project Within Budget?

At the start of the construction phase, you should be certain that your home builder contractor is well aware of your set budget for the project. Ask to see a project budget-breakdown worksheet so that you can understand where every penny of the project is spent.

Speed Of Construction

Due to modular home builders working, in large, in indoor warehouse facilities, weather does not prove to be a determining factor in the construction and delivery time of the homes. For an outdoor built home that may have taken over four months to complete due to inclement weather, modular home builders can complete their project in little under one month. The near elimination of construction delays dramatically increases the speed of construction on these homes.

Affordability

Along with the speed of construction, which places a cap on spending, modular homes are an incredibly affordable option for several cost-effective reasons.

• No Material Delivery Fees: With the modular building taking place in a centralized location, large amounts of building materials are generally available on-site to be used in each build. This drastically cuts down on the cost of materials and on the fees for delivering them in smaller quantities to each build site.
• Eliminating Site Theft: No one likes to think that there could be a theft of the construction materials from the build-site, but unfortunately it is an all too real, and all too common, occurrence. With little to no security on construction sites, and people coming and going all throughout the day, it can be all too easy for unscrupulous people to load up a truck with siding materials, bricks, drywall, and even interior doors.
• Lower Material Costs: Due to the large-scale manufacturing ability of modular home builders, they are able to negotiate with their suppliers for a better pricing breakdown on all of the materials that are used to construct the modular homes. These savings are then passed on to the home owners by way of a lower cost for the homes.

Better Return On Investment

With the lower construction costs, and the reduced construction time-line, modular home builders can oftentimes realize a much better return on their initial investment for these types of buildings.

A  Greener Option

Modular home builders rarely deviate from their selected few floor plans; this allows them a solid idea as to the quantities of construction materials that they will need to get the job done – effectively eliminating the headache of ordering too much of a specific item. There are several other items that make modular homes a more green option than their built-on-site counterparts.

• Reduction In Waste
• Reduction In environmental disturbance
• Reduction In carbon from earth-moving construction machines

Consider a modular home for your living needs, especially if you are located in a more rural part of the Dallas area.

Educate Yourself

To help you make the most of home builder marketing campaigns you should be certain that you are an educated consumer and home shopper.
Visit home builder websites to gain an understanding of their currently offered pricing specials and any cash back features that they may also be offering.

Find out if one home builder is offering to pay for closing costs, and another is offering an extended warranty on their workmanship. The more that you know about each builder you are considering, the more you will be able to use this knowledge to your advantage to get the most out of your new home build.

A Little Healthy Competition

Home builders who are competing in the same area are very likely to be running specials on a constant basis in order to keep up with each other. By being aware of the types of specials and bonuses that each of the home builders are offering to new potential home buyers, you can take this information to the negotiating table to work to your advantage.

While home builders may not be able to have much in the way of flexibility when it comes to the price of the new homes, they can oftentimes offer you an extra bonus that they would have otherwise not offered – just to get you to select them as your home builder team.

• Third car garages
• Swimming pools
• Bonus rooms
• Upgraded appliances
• Washer, dryer, and refrigerator included
• Upgraded fencing options
• Upgraded flooring options

The Negotiation Process

Armed with all of your gathered information, you should be certain to set up appointments with the builders that you are considering – this will ensure that both of you can dedicate the time needed to discuss your new home project. During the course of the discussions, keep things on a professional and respectful level to ensure that the home builder’s representative does not immediately go on the defensive.

Be aware that some home builders simply do not have the flexibility to offer extra features and bonuses, but they may be able to offer you a small reduction in the pricing on new ready-to-go homes in the community. If you are a savvy and informed home buying consumer, you are certain to get the most out of the process and find yourself in a home that you will be completely satisfied with.

Advances In Building Technology

Home builder magazines provide the industry’s latest and greatest advances in the technologies related to building homes. It can be of great benefit to you to browse the magazine to not only become a more knowledgeable and well-rounded consumer, but to also provide you with a good solid background from which you can draw questions for your home builder to ensure that your new home is built by taking advantage of new and efficient technologies.

Floor Plan Ideas

If you are looking for the best floor plan to fit your exact specifications, home builder magazines can often be a great source of innovative floor plans that could prove to be exactly what you are looking for – or simply be a great inspiration to help you in the right direction to designing your ideal floor plan. Providing an objective look at various floor plans, home builder magazines can often do a large portion of the pros and cons legwork for you – a time saver and a pretty useful tool!

Information About The Market

It is no secret that the housing market in the Dallas area has been greatly impacted by the current economic climate. Home builder magazines have been carefully monitoring the real estate markets all around the country to ensure that they are up to date on the latest market news. You will find useful articles that can give you a good idea as to the areas with homes that are holding their value, and even articles related to tips you may find yourself needing should you wish to sell your home.

Product Reviews

Most reputable publications will provide their readers with impartial reviews on various products and services that they may come across during the course of their research. Home builder magazines are most likely to review gadgets that can make life a little bit more efficient in your new home; from smart appliances to the latest and greatest in home remote systems – your home builder magazines can be a great source of information related to useful products!

Design Tips

Every person in the market to build a new home could use design tips to help them with the layout and overall décor of their new home. Home builder magazines will showcase several amazing homes in the Dallas area to provide new home builders with a few design tips that they can incorporate into their own new home.

Home builder magazines are your premier source of all information related to the home builder and real estate market in the Dallas area.

One Floor, Two Floors…

Are you looking for a single level family home that will offer a large living space in the center of the home? Or are you more interested in a two-story home that will offer a space upstairs that can be used as a more family-friendly space?
There are many home builder floor plans that are designed to be family friendly by providing a more formal family living space, and the master bedroom, on the first level of the home; while the second story of the home will contain bedrooms and bathrooms that are designed with the younger members of the family in mind. Most often you are likely to find a family living room and even a homework area located in the upper part of the home.

One consideration you may want to make about a two-story home is if your children are under the age of three, or even if you are planning on having more children, walking up the stairs in the middle of the night to tend to their needs may be a challenge – especially for a sleep deprived new parent!

Child Proofing

One of the most important factors that you should consider when looking family friendly home builder floor plans is the difficultly of childproofing your new home for the youngest members of your family.

• Are hallways too wide for the standard safety gates?
• Are the staircases too wide to accommodate safety gates both at the top and at the bottom?

A family friendly home builder floor plan will be designed with family safety in mind, safety for the entire family.

Laundry Facilities

The location of your laundry area in your home is definitely something that you should keep in mind when looking at various home builder floor plans. If your home is a two-story home with all of the bedrooms upstairs, then it would be advantageous to have your washing machine and your dryer located upstairs within close proximity to the bedrooms.

If your laundry facilities are located in the garage of your home then it will be an incredible tedious task to haul basket after basket up the stairs to be put away.

By giving a bit of thought to what your requirements are of family friendly home builder floor plans you will be able to narrow down your choices to the one that best fits your unique family needs.

1. How Many Phases Are Planned?

This is an important question to ask your residential home builder, especially if you are looking to build a new home in a fairly new development. The more phases that there are to the building process, the more likely you are to have heavy equipment continually moving through your neighborhood on a daily basis – and the more likely you are to have to deal with the excessive noise that often accompanies new construction.

2. Are There Plans To Bring In An HOA?

An HOA, Home Owners Association, is a committee made up of the residents of the community who work together along with a governing party (usually a third-party management company) to regulate several key things in the neighborhood.

• They ensure that everyone is sticking to the HOA bylaws and keeping their yards neat, tidy, and free of weeds.
• Any changes to the exterior of the home need to be approved by the HOA, including house paint color, any modification to the property fence, and even sheds or pools in the backyard.
• The HOA will also be responsible for the collection of fees from the home owners in the community; these fees will, generally, be used to maintain the common areas of the neighborhood like the pool, children play areas, and other areas that need maintenance.

While an HOA can certainly be a useful addition to a new community, they are also granted a rather high level of authority in the state of Texas. If a home owner neglects to pay their HOA dues, the HOA management company has the ability to place a lien against the property and ultimately sell it at auction to recoup the fees.

3. What Does Your Standard Warranty Cover?

A reputable residential home builder will stand behind his completed work and offer a home warranty for up to two years from the date of closing. To ensure that you get the most from the warranty in the case of an incident in the home, it is vital that you fully understand which things are covered and which things are not covered. Ask to see a copy of the standard warranty so that you can review it before making your decision.

4. Where Can I See Your Prior Built Homes?

Viewing homes that your residential home builder has already completed will help you to form a better idea as to the level of competence of your selected builder. A drive through the neighborhoods will provide you with a gauge of how well built the homes are, how organized the community layout is, and it will also allow you to see any areas that may be of a concern to you for the future of your own neighborhood.

5. Will You Be Responsible For All Permits?

More than having a solid knowledge of the city ordinances around new construction, your residential home builder should be responsible for obtaining all pertinent building permits from the city on your behalf to ensure that the building of your home runs as smoothly as possible.

With a few careful questions to help you make your final decision, you are certain to pick the residential home builder who will help you achieve your dream home.

Luxury In Flooring

Far from the standard offerings that most home builders offer to those building their new home, luxury custom home builders’ offer only the best in flooring choices.

• Imported tiles
  Luxurious imported tiles from the finest manufacturers all over the globe make a wonderful addition to any room in your home. From glossy blue tiles for your bathroom floors to impressively handmade-in-Italy tiles for your entry ways – your choices in imported luxury tiles are only limited by your imagination.
• Granite And Marble
  Easy to clean and incredibly easy on the eyes, marble floors are certainly amongst the top choices for a luxuriously designed home. Available in many colors to perfectly suit your personal tastes, there is little else that screams “luxury” than granite and marble flooring in your home.

Luxury In Kitchens

Luxury custom home builders incorporate the latest and greatest in kitchen technology into their home designs. By incorporating the necessities with the latest in kitchen technology, and with the addition of several additional special touches, a luxurious kitchen can be born.

• State Of The Art Appliances
  Technology advances sneak their way into every aspect of our lives, fridges with built-in televisions and internet access are almost beyond luxurious! From high tech stainless steel appliances that can anticipate the length of time it takes to cook your dinner, to silent efficient dishwashers that can ensure your dishes are clean and sanitized.
• Cabinetry
  Sturdy solid wood cabinets that have been custom-built to your exact specifications with back-lit glass display doors seem to be amongst the height of elegant luxury as they provide homeowners with a way to showcase their family glassware or family tea set.
• Countertops
  It should go without saying that luxury custom home builders will make use of only the finest granite for the countertops in your sumptuous kitchen design.

Luxury Indoor Swimming

One of the most luxurious features that you can have in your home is to include an indoor swimming pool into the design of your home. Luxury custom home builders will do more than create a indoor swimming paradise for you with a pool that can be heated during the winter months, they are also able to incorporate a retractable roof to help you bring even more of the outdoors into your luxuriously built home.

When it comes to luxury, there are no limitations on the amazing design features that can be incorporated in to your home.