Which Builder Is The Best?
When clients come to their agent for advice it's not uncommon for the client to ask the agent which builder is best or which builder builds the best homes and the like. Any agent who gives the name of a builder as the answer to this question is taking the easy way out to answering a difficult question. As for qualifying a builder to enter the running there are a number of items to address.
Is the builder financially stable? How would you like to end up with a half finished house and a bankrupt builder?
Does the builder have reference clients? Ask for references from several subdivisions and ages of homes. You don't want to have a zillion problems 2 years after you move into the home.
What does the builder do in-house versus subcontracting? Who manages the home construction? Who does the actual work. You'll want to know who the subcontractors are because they will be the ones building the house for the most part.
How does the builder ensure quality construction? The answers to this vary widely and anything that sounds made up or contrived should set off every alarm in the prospective buyer. Take copious notes on the answers. Any misleading or untruthful statements here may be important to your cause later and could even trigger Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices statues should you need to play hardball later. So long as you get satisfactory answers to the questions above you can begin to focus on ensuring the builder you selected is building a safe and quality home for you and your family. You Are The Quality Control As you may have already figured out there is no best builder. The process of taking a parcel of raw land and creating a family's home is long and can be complicated. As with all projects communication is key. As new build clients you should feel comfortable contacting your on site sales representative and Realtor as often as you like. The on-site agent and your agent are there to help and make sure your purchase is smooth. Don't be afraid to engage them.
Set a time for a weekly update call with the builder and your agent. Even if your call is 2 minutes on Monday morning and consists of a "Nothing has changed. We're still waiting on the permits from the city.", you'll know the latest and greatest.
Get the building schedule and hold the builder to the schedule if time is important to you. You may give here to get other places if timing is not critical in your situation.
Visit the site often and take photos. If you see anything that looks odd or is not what you expected tkae a photo, document the question in email, and contact the builder and your agent IMMEDIATELY. Waiting to see why the builder is clearing a section of the lot that you thought was going to be your treed hideaway may turn out poorly.
Hire an independent inspector to conduct phase inspections. The builder should be notified before your inspector arrives. Ideally, the builder will notify the inspector a few days before each phase is ready to be reviewed. The inspector typically will come after the slab is poured, after framing is complete, after plumbing and electrical is installed, and after the home is completed.
Be detailed, but not unreasonable. If you notice something that is just plain sloppy or that will cause you issues later, bring it up with the builder. A lot of times the agent or superintendent may not have noticed what the subcontractor is doing or maybe a change order was missed and you are the first to find out. You are buying a new home, NOT a perfect home. No home is perfect, but a new home should be of high quality and to your specifications.
Be Dilligent
As you've discovered, your involvement in the building process can make all the difference. Stay on top of the ball and 9 out of 10 builders will meet your needs and build you a quality home. Sometimes you'll even run across a builder that will build you a great home, nearly perfectly without your involvement, but why take the chance?
Happy building!
Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with Coldwell Banker Austin, Texas. Joe believes in providing world-class service to his clients through educating and coaching them through their real estate transactions.
Joe's commitment to education and service is reinforced by his achievement and participation in the Austin Board of Realtors, Council of Residential Specialists, Accredited Buyer's Representative's Council, Texas Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors.
Joe holds his Broker's license, the Accredited Buyer's Representative designation, the Certified Residential Specialist designation, the Certified Home Marketing Specialist designation, Cendant Mobility Marketing Specialist designation and the Cendant Mobility Referral Specialist designation.
Find out more about Austin real estate and new homes in Steiner Ranch.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Cline
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Real Estate Secrets - Which Builder Builds With The Highest Quality?
Which Builder Is The Best?
When clients come to their agent for advice it's not uncommon for the client to ask the agent which builder is best or which builder builds the best homes and the like. Any agent who gives the name of a builder as the answer to this question is taking the easy way out to answering a difficult question. As for qualifying a builder to enter the running there are a number of items to address.
Is the builder financially stable? How would you like to end up with a half finished house and a bankrupt builder?
Does the builder have reference clients? Ask for references from several subdivisions and ages of homes. You don't want to have a zillion problems 2 years after you move into the home.
What does the builder do in-house versus subcontracting? Who manages the home construction? Who does the actual work. You'll want to know who the subcontractors are because they will be the ones building the house for the most part.
How does the builder ensure quality construction? The answers to this vary widely and anything that sounds made up or contrived should set off every alarm in the prospective buyer. Take copious notes on the answers. Any misleading or untruthful statements here may be important to your cause later and could even trigger Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices statues should you need to play hardball later. So long as you get satisfactory answers to the questions above you can begin to focus on ensuring the builder you selected is building a safe and quality home for you and your family. You Are The Quality Control As you may have already figured out there is no best builder. The process of taking a parcel of raw land and creating a family's home is long and can be complicated. As with all projects communication is key. As new build clients you should feel comfortable contacting your on site sales representative and Realtor as often as you like. The on-site agent and your agent are there to help and make sure your purchase is smooth. Don't be afraid to engage them.
Set a time for a weekly update call with the builder and your agent. Even if your call is 2 minutes on Monday morning and consists of a "Nothing has changed. We're still waiting on the permits from the city.", you'll know the latest and greatest.
Get the building schedule and hold the builder to the schedule if time is important to you. You may give here to get other places if timing is not critical in your situation.
Visit the site often and take photos. If you see anything that looks odd or is not what you expected tkae a photo, document the question in email, and contact the builder and your agent IMMEDIATELY. Waiting to see why the builder is clearing a section of the lot that you thought was going to be your treed hideaway may turn out poorly.
Hire an independent inspector to conduct phase inspections. The builder should be notified before your inspector arrives. Ideally, the builder will notify the inspector a few days before each phase is ready to be reviewed. The inspector typically will come after the slab is poured, after framing is complete, after plumbing and electrical is installed, and after the home is completed.
Be detailed, but not unreasonable. If you notice something that is just plain sloppy or that will cause you issues later, bring it up with the builder. A lot of times the agent or superintendent may not have noticed what the subcontractor is doing or maybe a change order was missed and you are the first to find out. You are buying a new home, NOT a perfect home. No home is perfect, but a new home should be of high quality and to your specifications.
Be Dilligent
As you've discovered, your involvement in the building process can make all the difference. Stay on top of the ball and 9 out of 10 builders will meet your needs and build you a quality home. Sometimes you'll even run across a builder that will build you a great home, nearly perfectly without your involvement, but why take the chance?
Happy building!
Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with Coldwell Banker Austin, Texas. Joe believes in providing world-class service to his clients through educating and coaching them through their real estate transactions.
Joe's commitment to education and service is reinforced by his achievement and participation in the Austin Board of Realtors, Council of Residential Specialists, Accredited Buyer's Representative's Council, Texas Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors.
Joe holds his Broker's license, the Accredited Buyer's Representative designation, the Certified Residential Specialist designation, the Certified Home Marketing Specialist designation, Cendant Mobility Marketing Specialist designation and the Cendant Mobility Referral Specialist designation.
Find out more about Austin real estate and new homes in Steiner Ranch.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Cline
When clients come to their agent for advice it's not uncommon for the client to ask the agent which builder is best or which builder builds the best homes and the like. Any agent who gives the name of a builder as the answer to this question is taking the easy way out to answering a difficult question. As for qualifying a builder to enter the running there are a number of items to address.
Is the builder financially stable? How would you like to end up with a half finished house and a bankrupt builder?
Does the builder have reference clients? Ask for references from several subdivisions and ages of homes. You don't want to have a zillion problems 2 years after you move into the home.
What does the builder do in-house versus subcontracting? Who manages the home construction? Who does the actual work. You'll want to know who the subcontractors are because they will be the ones building the house for the most part.
How does the builder ensure quality construction? The answers to this vary widely and anything that sounds made up or contrived should set off every alarm in the prospective buyer. Take copious notes on the answers. Any misleading or untruthful statements here may be important to your cause later and could even trigger Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices statues should you need to play hardball later. So long as you get satisfactory answers to the questions above you can begin to focus on ensuring the builder you selected is building a safe and quality home for you and your family. You Are The Quality Control As you may have already figured out there is no best builder. The process of taking a parcel of raw land and creating a family's home is long and can be complicated. As with all projects communication is key. As new build clients you should feel comfortable contacting your on site sales representative and Realtor as often as you like. The on-site agent and your agent are there to help and make sure your purchase is smooth. Don't be afraid to engage them.
Set a time for a weekly update call with the builder and your agent. Even if your call is 2 minutes on Monday morning and consists of a "Nothing has changed. We're still waiting on the permits from the city.", you'll know the latest and greatest.
Get the building schedule and hold the builder to the schedule if time is important to you. You may give here to get other places if timing is not critical in your situation.
Visit the site often and take photos. If you see anything that looks odd or is not what you expected tkae a photo, document the question in email, and contact the builder and your agent IMMEDIATELY. Waiting to see why the builder is clearing a section of the lot that you thought was going to be your treed hideaway may turn out poorly.
Hire an independent inspector to conduct phase inspections. The builder should be notified before your inspector arrives. Ideally, the builder will notify the inspector a few days before each phase is ready to be reviewed. The inspector typically will come after the slab is poured, after framing is complete, after plumbing and electrical is installed, and after the home is completed.
Be detailed, but not unreasonable. If you notice something that is just plain sloppy or that will cause you issues later, bring it up with the builder. A lot of times the agent or superintendent may not have noticed what the subcontractor is doing or maybe a change order was missed and you are the first to find out. You are buying a new home, NOT a perfect home. No home is perfect, but a new home should be of high quality and to your specifications.
Be Dilligent
As you've discovered, your involvement in the building process can make all the difference. Stay on top of the ball and 9 out of 10 builders will meet your needs and build you a quality home. Sometimes you'll even run across a builder that will build you a great home, nearly perfectly without your involvement, but why take the chance?
Happy building!
Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with Coldwell Banker Austin, Texas. Joe believes in providing world-class service to his clients through educating and coaching them through their real estate transactions.
Joe's commitment to education and service is reinforced by his achievement and participation in the Austin Board of Realtors, Council of Residential Specialists, Accredited Buyer's Representative's Council, Texas Association of Realtors, and National Association of Realtors.
Joe holds his Broker's license, the Accredited Buyer's Representative designation, the Certified Residential Specialist designation, the Certified Home Marketing Specialist designation, Cendant Mobility Marketing Specialist designation and the Cendant Mobility Referral Specialist designation.
Find out more about Austin real estate and new homes in Steiner Ranch.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Cline
Building A Summer Home In Sarasota, Florida
The Southwestern Florida city of Sarasota has some of the oldest and newest homes in the Florida region. Some residential estates were built over 50 years ago as winter vacation homes, and others are new gated beach front residential villages with manicured grounds, marble foyers, and replete with the newest fixtures and technological advances, as well as wonderful views.
Homeowners and residents from any neighborhood in this city can enjoy a wide array of activities available throughout Sarasota, whether your preferences in arts and culture lean toward circus posters, unique collections of paintings and murals, seashell creations, sand sculptures, or the new forms of art made by the Ringling School of Art students.
Siesta, Lido And Longboat Keys Are Good Markets For Bayfront Homes
The city of Sarasota is home to one of the loveliest beaches on Florida. Located near the bay are some famous islands, or "keys" as they are called here, and these are Siesta, Longboat and Lido Keys. Siesta Beach is one of the largest beaches in the area, but its 40 acres of land might not have become the wide and deep expanse of public-accessible beach front they are today.
According to a local Siesta Key publication, The Pelican, one individual, Otis A. Kiesow, could be credited for ensuring that this beach front---then, as always coveted by real estate developers and builders, would not later be filled with homes, condos and hotels, as are much of the rest of the Gulf of Mexico's beach fronts.
However, today, a large number of low-key and medium-rise condo and apartment developments sprinkle these keys, offering retirees, investors and tourists an ample selection of vacation homes, apartments and condominium units.
Should You Buy A Home Here Today?
A lot of investors at present may have some second thoughts of buying new homes, in light of the current US mortgage slump. Many are still asking, Should I buy a home right now?, and How much should I pay? These are good questions, certainly, but with many consumers echoing the same concerns, this is quite indicative of the current profound confusion in the property market.
However, despite the clouds hovering in the real estate sector, there are some exceptions, and there are truly good buys at the moment. These generally fall into one of the following categories, namely:
- Large Home Inventories. If your long for acquiring your dream house, many dream homes are at the moment on the selling block, and housing experts say you should go for it, as you may never get a chance like this again. In addition, most analysts say that the high-end Florida real estate is traditionally the first thing to recover its value in a recession.
- The market for upscale condominium units , particularly the more expensive ones, are holding their ground pretty well. The areas with large condo inventories are doing OK today, and many buyers are having a fun time at the pre-construction and newly-completed unit markets.
Sarasota has rapidly grown from a population of around 150,000 in 1980 to over 365,000 residents in 2006. The area has added around 10,000 new residents a year. Migration to the city before used to come primarily from the Midwest, however now its newer residents come mostly from the northeast.
The county's real estate prices accelerated six years ago and led the nation in appreciation. More investors have flooded the market and have driven the market up along with newcomers. The market cooled down some 18 months ago as investors tried to dump their properties.
Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company
http://siestakeyrealestate.com - Sarasota Real Estate
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_A._Doctor
Homeowners and residents from any neighborhood in this city can enjoy a wide array of activities available throughout Sarasota, whether your preferences in arts and culture lean toward circus posters, unique collections of paintings and murals, seashell creations, sand sculptures, or the new forms of art made by the Ringling School of Art students.
Siesta, Lido And Longboat Keys Are Good Markets For Bayfront Homes
The city of Sarasota is home to one of the loveliest beaches on Florida. Located near the bay are some famous islands, or "keys" as they are called here, and these are Siesta, Longboat and Lido Keys. Siesta Beach is one of the largest beaches in the area, but its 40 acres of land might not have become the wide and deep expanse of public-accessible beach front they are today.
According to a local Siesta Key publication, The Pelican, one individual, Otis A. Kiesow, could be credited for ensuring that this beach front---then, as always coveted by real estate developers and builders, would not later be filled with homes, condos and hotels, as are much of the rest of the Gulf of Mexico's beach fronts.
However, today, a large number of low-key and medium-rise condo and apartment developments sprinkle these keys, offering retirees, investors and tourists an ample selection of vacation homes, apartments and condominium units.
Should You Buy A Home Here Today?
A lot of investors at present may have some second thoughts of buying new homes, in light of the current US mortgage slump. Many are still asking, Should I buy a home right now?, and How much should I pay? These are good questions, certainly, but with many consumers echoing the same concerns, this is quite indicative of the current profound confusion in the property market.
However, despite the clouds hovering in the real estate sector, there are some exceptions, and there are truly good buys at the moment. These generally fall into one of the following categories, namely:
- Large Home Inventories. If your long for acquiring your dream house, many dream homes are at the moment on the selling block, and housing experts say you should go for it, as you may never get a chance like this again. In addition, most analysts say that the high-end Florida real estate is traditionally the first thing to recover its value in a recession.
- The market for upscale condominium units , particularly the more expensive ones, are holding their ground pretty well. The areas with large condo inventories are doing OK today, and many buyers are having a fun time at the pre-construction and newly-completed unit markets.
Sarasota has rapidly grown from a population of around 150,000 in 1980 to over 365,000 residents in 2006. The area has added around 10,000 new residents a year. Migration to the city before used to come primarily from the Midwest, however now its newer residents come mostly from the northeast.
The county's real estate prices accelerated six years ago and led the nation in appreciation. More investors have flooded the market and have driven the market up along with newcomers. The market cooled down some 18 months ago as investors tried to dump their properties.
Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company
http://siestakeyrealestate.com - Sarasota Real Estate
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_A._Doctor
Easement Land - What Is It and How Does It Affect My Subdivision
Easement land is the part of a residential or commercial block designated by the ordinance as required for access by the town planning department. Typically, an easement will run across the back of a block at the back fence line, but not necessarily.
Beaurocracy being what it is...their humor is sometimes comparable to the Lord himself. Occasionally a block is subdivided with an easement running right across it. Of course this would be an error, but with this type of money at stake, it would be a rude shock to buy a block with an easement running through the middle. Easement land may not be built on or impeded in any way. Typically fences are built on easement land, but these are relatively cheap to replace or re-install.
The reasons for easements is to allow the authorities to access the area for utilities access and repair. The pipes that transport sewage and gas, water and sometimes power are all usually in the easement area. From a developers perspective it is very important to know where the easement is and be aware of what your intended plans are for the block to see that the easement does not present an impediment to them.
Usually, to subdivide a block, the town planning have a minimum lot size that land can be in a given area. The assumption would be that you can just have the square meters of the land to be subdivided and this will tell us if the land can be split. However, for your subdivided block to be valuable to the party you sell it to for the purpose of building, there needs to be a minimum area of open land apart from the dwelling and this dictates how large the dwelling can be. Knowing where the easement is and how big it is, is crucial before purchasing a block for subdivision.
Subdividing land is good, but there are simpler lucrative opportunities out there. If you would like to discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click either link to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars. Click here to learn about the EasyCorporateMoney.com program
Investing $100 - You Invest Cheap But Smart
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Thomas
Beaurocracy being what it is...their humor is sometimes comparable to the Lord himself. Occasionally a block is subdivided with an easement running right across it. Of course this would be an error, but with this type of money at stake, it would be a rude shock to buy a block with an easement running through the middle. Easement land may not be built on or impeded in any way. Typically fences are built on easement land, but these are relatively cheap to replace or re-install.
The reasons for easements is to allow the authorities to access the area for utilities access and repair. The pipes that transport sewage and gas, water and sometimes power are all usually in the easement area. From a developers perspective it is very important to know where the easement is and be aware of what your intended plans are for the block to see that the easement does not present an impediment to them.
Usually, to subdivide a block, the town planning have a minimum lot size that land can be in a given area. The assumption would be that you can just have the square meters of the land to be subdivided and this will tell us if the land can be split. However, for your subdivided block to be valuable to the party you sell it to for the purpose of building, there needs to be a minimum area of open land apart from the dwelling and this dictates how large the dwelling can be. Knowing where the easement is and how big it is, is crucial before purchasing a block for subdivision.
Subdividing land is good, but there are simpler lucrative opportunities out there. If you would like to discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click either link to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars. Click here to learn about the EasyCorporateMoney.com program
Investing $100 - You Invest Cheap But Smart
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Thomas
What Does It Cost To Build A Home In Ocala?
Marion County, where the city of Ocala is located, has seen burgeoning growth, and it continues to rapidly rise till the present day, and is dramatically changing the face of the county. Nowhere is that more evident than on State Road 200, where commercial and residential development moved at a fever pitch. In 1995, Ocala was named the fifth best place to live in the U.S. by Money magazine.
The city was named an All-America City earlier in the year, and moved up in the national rankings from 78th place in 1994. It was also named the second best mid-sized metropolitan area in the nation and the second best city in the South. The city offers investors with not just lovely horse farms and estates, which Ocala is famous for, but also an assortment of industries and employment opportunities ranging from electronics, aerospace development, manufacturing, real estate and tourism.
Affordable Housing
Marion County, as well as Ocala, offers several affordable housing programs for income-eligible households. The County provides medium-income families a State Housing Initiative Partnership or SHIP, and the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG for home purchase or rehabilitation outside of the city limits.
In Ocala, the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program, which utilizes federal funds, along with the state-funded SHIP program is offered to income eligible residents who wish to buy homes within the city limits. Each year, several home events are also hosted by the city, expose potential buyers to the area's developers.
Two of the city's major annual events are the annual spring Parade of Homes and the Fall Showcase of Homes. The Marion County Building Industry Association sponsors both events. Homes usually range from the more affordable end of just over $100,000 to those considered in the luxury price range of over $500,000.
Tips For Ocala Home-seekers
The local local realtors association is a good first step in looking for a nice home. Most local brokers suggest stopping by the local Chamber of Commerce for those new to the area and looking for a house. They note that a wealth of information is available to help make the search easier. In addition to contacting a local property broker of choice and getting referrals from peers, they also suggest getting in the car and driving around town, to better learn the area.
For the second quarter of 2007, the median prices of homes in Marion County was pegged at $170,900, which represents a slight jump from $169,500 for the same period in 2006. The National Association of Realtors reported a U.S. median home price of $223,800 for the second quarter of 2007 compared to $227,100 in 2006. Statewide, the median price for the period was $221,200, down from $243,300 in 2006.
Most major housing indicators show the market in Ocala is leaning toward the area of being a buyer's market. Housing analysts say this is being driven by the increasing inventory of both new and existing homes. During 2006-2007, Marion County reported 2,698 permits for construction of single-family homes, which is down from 6,355 in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
As for construction of multi-family homes, which include condos, town homes and apartments, there was a slight increase in 2007 with 48 permits versus 37 permits in 2006.
Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company
http://www.fountainsatgolfpark.com/fountains/index.htm - Ocala Real Estate
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_A._Doctor
The city was named an All-America City earlier in the year, and moved up in the national rankings from 78th place in 1994. It was also named the second best mid-sized metropolitan area in the nation and the second best city in the South. The city offers investors with not just lovely horse farms and estates, which Ocala is famous for, but also an assortment of industries and employment opportunities ranging from electronics, aerospace development, manufacturing, real estate and tourism.
Affordable Housing
Marion County, as well as Ocala, offers several affordable housing programs for income-eligible households. The County provides medium-income families a State Housing Initiative Partnership or SHIP, and the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG for home purchase or rehabilitation outside of the city limits.
In Ocala, the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program, which utilizes federal funds, along with the state-funded SHIP program is offered to income eligible residents who wish to buy homes within the city limits. Each year, several home events are also hosted by the city, expose potential buyers to the area's developers.
Two of the city's major annual events are the annual spring Parade of Homes and the Fall Showcase of Homes. The Marion County Building Industry Association sponsors both events. Homes usually range from the more affordable end of just over $100,000 to those considered in the luxury price range of over $500,000.
Tips For Ocala Home-seekers
The local local realtors association is a good first step in looking for a nice home. Most local brokers suggest stopping by the local Chamber of Commerce for those new to the area and looking for a house. They note that a wealth of information is available to help make the search easier. In addition to contacting a local property broker of choice and getting referrals from peers, they also suggest getting in the car and driving around town, to better learn the area.
For the second quarter of 2007, the median prices of homes in Marion County was pegged at $170,900, which represents a slight jump from $169,500 for the same period in 2006. The National Association of Realtors reported a U.S. median home price of $223,800 for the second quarter of 2007 compared to $227,100 in 2006. Statewide, the median price for the period was $221,200, down from $243,300 in 2006.
Most major housing indicators show the market in Ocala is leaning toward the area of being a buyer's market. Housing analysts say this is being driven by the increasing inventory of both new and existing homes. During 2006-2007, Marion County reported 2,698 permits for construction of single-family homes, which is down from 6,355 in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
As for construction of multi-family homes, which include condos, town homes and apartments, there was a slight increase in 2007 with 48 permits versus 37 permits in 2006.
Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company
http://www.fountainsatgolfpark.com/fountains/index.htm - Ocala Real Estate
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_A._Doctor
Why are Southern California Homes Built with Little or No Insulation?
Not long ago a prominent California Realtor inquired about the issues concerning so many new homes that were built in Southern California before the bubble burst without insulation in the walls or attic:
Why are Southern California Homes Built with Little or No Insulation?
This is an outstanding question and one, which deserves a decent answer. You see, new homes are not required to put much insulation in the homes and therefore they don't, indeed they should have more insulation. It does get both cold at night and very hot in the daytime often enough. Lack of proper insulations just kills budgets for California families.
Sure, the climate in California is to die for, maybe that is why Los Angeles County is over 460 square miles of concrete with some 16.5 million people living on it, and it's growing! People are still packing it in, traffic is also increasing along with smog and power usage. So, one would think that the homes would have better insulation to stop brown outs or rolling blackouts in peak summer season with the heat.
Additionally, the Urban Heat Island is a huge issue as well, it is generally 5-7 degrees hotter due to all that concrete, which holds in the heat even at night, so sometimes it never cools down like it should in the middle of the night. Obviously, this problem needs to be fixed and all homes should have insulation in them, at least enough to hold in the air-conditioning that is running full blast.
There are other issues to consider too, as the last housing boom produced houses at break-neck speed with shoddy workmanship, seriously some of the homes were inches apart at the seams, so it is hard to remain energy efficient when they leak out heat at night and allow heat in during the hot summer days.
How much do homeowners pay who do not have proper insulation? Some as much as $2,000 per year or more, so stretch that over 10-years and you could have paid for the insulation 10 times over or put in solar panels for instance. What did you grandfather use to say? Do it right the first time. Unfortunately, they didn't, and homeowners are left holding the bag.
In defense, the homebuilders say that if they had, then some people would not have been able to purchase the home in the first place and they would not have a home to live in. Yet, if the price were raised and they would have bought a more moderate size home, maybe they would not be facing foreclosure now.
So, who is to blame? We all are and hindsight is 20/20 although just for the record, "I Told You So!" Yes, back in 1999, I foresaw all of this and here we are today. I can tell you this, I would have been very happy to have been wrong on all that, as I look at the next three quarters of the real estate sector. Something to contemplate in 2008.
My name is Lance Winslow and I am a semi-retired entrepreneur, retired Franchisor and now I am a consultant brain-4-hire, internet writer and author. I got bored in retirement so I founded the Online Think Tank - http://www.worldthinktank.net . If you would like to send me an email just to say hi, discuss an article, send me hate mail or need some advice you can find me at; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html . Have a great day and thanks for reading - tell me about you?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_W.
Why are Southern California Homes Built with Little or No Insulation?
This is an outstanding question and one, which deserves a decent answer. You see, new homes are not required to put much insulation in the homes and therefore they don't, indeed they should have more insulation. It does get both cold at night and very hot in the daytime often enough. Lack of proper insulations just kills budgets for California families.
Sure, the climate in California is to die for, maybe that is why Los Angeles County is over 460 square miles of concrete with some 16.5 million people living on it, and it's growing! People are still packing it in, traffic is also increasing along with smog and power usage. So, one would think that the homes would have better insulation to stop brown outs or rolling blackouts in peak summer season with the heat.
Additionally, the Urban Heat Island is a huge issue as well, it is generally 5-7 degrees hotter due to all that concrete, which holds in the heat even at night, so sometimes it never cools down like it should in the middle of the night. Obviously, this problem needs to be fixed and all homes should have insulation in them, at least enough to hold in the air-conditioning that is running full blast.
There are other issues to consider too, as the last housing boom produced houses at break-neck speed with shoddy workmanship, seriously some of the homes were inches apart at the seams, so it is hard to remain energy efficient when they leak out heat at night and allow heat in during the hot summer days.
How much do homeowners pay who do not have proper insulation? Some as much as $2,000 per year or more, so stretch that over 10-years and you could have paid for the insulation 10 times over or put in solar panels for instance. What did you grandfather use to say? Do it right the first time. Unfortunately, they didn't, and homeowners are left holding the bag.
In defense, the homebuilders say that if they had, then some people would not have been able to purchase the home in the first place and they would not have a home to live in. Yet, if the price were raised and they would have bought a more moderate size home, maybe they would not be facing foreclosure now.
So, who is to blame? We all are and hindsight is 20/20 although just for the record, "I Told You So!" Yes, back in 1999, I foresaw all of this and here we are today. I can tell you this, I would have been very happy to have been wrong on all that, as I look at the next three quarters of the real estate sector. Something to contemplate in 2008.
My name is Lance Winslow and I am a semi-retired entrepreneur, retired Franchisor and now I am a consultant brain-4-hire, internet writer and author. I got bored in retirement so I founded the Online Think Tank - http://www.worldthinktank.net . If you would like to send me an email just to say hi, discuss an article, send me hate mail or need some advice you can find me at; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html . Have a great day and thanks for reading - tell me about you?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_W.
Atlanta Building Trends - Why Go For Something New?
Why should one pay attention to the building trends in Atlanta? It is good to talk about the new and positive trends that buildings have to offer over those that existed before. Our building engineers seem to focus on the items that do not improve the lives of the buildings occupants. If you look carefully the same mistakes seems to occur over and over. That is, from one building to another. We are going to talk on some few building trends which we will wish people might follow and improve their building trends in Atlanta some day.
Which type of question will a building engineer ask when he or she looks at a unique roofing style or system, how bad does the roof leaks? If it does not leaks, but how but how bad does it leaks? Every elevation of the roof and every architectural pitch change is one source of water leakage. The thing is that, no one is saying, a roof should be without a style. But, a professional should be consulted before roofing any complicated style or building trends followed. A roof warranty should not be given until the roofing system has proven itself for one year to be free of water leakage. This will weed out incompetent so-called professionals in the building industry.
Questions such as Do you really think this building is not going to need the windows washed according to national safety? Do you really think that this story-building is not going to need a place to store paper products? It will be good to avoid such questions or conversations from people by bring in a building professional who knows the building trends in Atlanta.
In some buildings you will find expensive revolving roof sits in the front facing the street. Surprisingly this door is the least used to the main body of pedestrian traffic. If you look carefully the entrance leading from the parking deck is a standard metal door that will always need repairs because of the heavy traffic. We will not even talk of the cold that comes blowing in when the door is open.
Every building engineer knows that using a wooden bed will always need maintenance or repairs, but they also know that the sand bed system is nearly maintenance free. It will be good to consult these building engineers to reduce the cost of bed maintenance. What do you usually say when you take a look at a beautiful landscape? Special care is being given to the plants to be green. Who did the designing? Did a home inspector inspect the design which was made? To have the right answer of these questions, try to meet a professional designer or a building engineer.
It will be good to start a new trend, if you want to construct a comfortable home. Get a seasoned building engineer who is constructing and designing modern homes not homes of yesterday.
Start out with a concept in mind. Then sit down with an experienced contemporary architect who can help you put your ideas on design paper.
Make sure that you are able to communicate with your architect easily.
Ground-breaking new trends are needed, as a lot of people, especially the younger generation is demanding it. This will make your building to be easily marketable when it comes time to rent it out or sell it.
Eric Mabo is an Atlanta foreclosures Expert. He helps people find real estate deals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Mabo
Which type of question will a building engineer ask when he or she looks at a unique roofing style or system, how bad does the roof leaks? If it does not leaks, but how but how bad does it leaks? Every elevation of the roof and every architectural pitch change is one source of water leakage. The thing is that, no one is saying, a roof should be without a style. But, a professional should be consulted before roofing any complicated style or building trends followed. A roof warranty should not be given until the roofing system has proven itself for one year to be free of water leakage. This will weed out incompetent so-called professionals in the building industry.
Questions such as Do you really think this building is not going to need the windows washed according to national safety? Do you really think that this story-building is not going to need a place to store paper products? It will be good to avoid such questions or conversations from people by bring in a building professional who knows the building trends in Atlanta.
In some buildings you will find expensive revolving roof sits in the front facing the street. Surprisingly this door is the least used to the main body of pedestrian traffic. If you look carefully the entrance leading from the parking deck is a standard metal door that will always need repairs because of the heavy traffic. We will not even talk of the cold that comes blowing in when the door is open.
Every building engineer knows that using a wooden bed will always need maintenance or repairs, but they also know that the sand bed system is nearly maintenance free. It will be good to consult these building engineers to reduce the cost of bed maintenance. What do you usually say when you take a look at a beautiful landscape? Special care is being given to the plants to be green. Who did the designing? Did a home inspector inspect the design which was made? To have the right answer of these questions, try to meet a professional designer or a building engineer.
It will be good to start a new trend, if you want to construct a comfortable home. Get a seasoned building engineer who is constructing and designing modern homes not homes of yesterday.
Start out with a concept in mind. Then sit down with an experienced contemporary architect who can help you put your ideas on design paper.
Make sure that you are able to communicate with your architect easily.
Ground-breaking new trends are needed, as a lot of people, especially the younger generation is demanding it. This will make your building to be easily marketable when it comes time to rent it out or sell it.
Eric Mabo is an Atlanta foreclosures Expert. He helps people find real estate deals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Mabo
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)