Ideal Homes takes a proactive approach to deter potential home ownership mishaps. Even addressing issues before they happen leaves room for error. Our warranties help eliminate financial burdens that may arise in the event something does go awry.

Our Customer Care Team visits our home owners at 60 days and eleven months after residing in the home. This is to address anything which can be covered under our one-year builder warranty & to ensure all expectations are met.

One thing which helps home owners avoid unnecessary mishaps is education. Frozen pipes can plague even the most savvy home owner.

Tolle states the following in regards to avoiding this cold and costly issue:

Unhook hoses or any applications to exterior faucets during below freezing temperatures.  These can hold water in the faucets causing it to break inside the wall. (See the faucet image.) The next time the exterior faucet is used, water may leak into the wall due to the break. Exterior faucets affected by freeze breaks are not covered under warranty and may become a costly repair expense.

When temperatures drop to freezing level ensure avoidance of frozen interior pipes by leaving a steady drip in water through faucets most affected by the decreased temperature. It is also helpful to open cabinets and circulate the warmer air to keep the pipes warmer. If the air is still too cold, caulk and seal any openings near the pipes.

Check out our last blog post about year round lawn health.  If you have tidbits of advice you would like to share, email kboone@ideal-homes.com.

Visit Ideal Homes to learn more about our company, products and communities.

Our Director of Customer Care, Chad Tolle, is our new homeowner’s best resource for home health advice. Our  E-Newsletter, Tolle’s Toolbox, will circulate bi-monthly and tie back to different tips he and the Customer Care Team share through our blog.

The first tidbits regarding yard maintenance are crucial given this mild temperature we have had so far this winter season. One surefire way to watch a potentially beautiful lawn deteriorate is by not quenching its thirst throughout the seasons.

Tolle states the following in regards to wetting your lawn’s whistle:

Continue to water new sod, shrubs and trees as weather permits.  Grass turns brown and trees lose leaves due to changes in seasons. Make sure to still care for lawn and landscaping.

Winter can bring precipitation, and yet Oklahoma weather is anything but predictable.  If climate dictates no moisture for a week and the temperatures are mild enough to do so, it’s time to water. Watering the grass during winter months can continue to help secure root establishment. This will assist in making  greener, healthier lawns when the season changes.

Another thing to consider – avoid herbicides if your lawn is less than a year old. Herbicide will kill your dormant Bermuda. This will leave your lawn in disarray upon the arrival of spring.

We will post more advice soon. If you have tidbits of advice you would like to share regarding home health, email kboone@ideal-homes.com.

Visit Ideal Homes to learn more about our company, products and communities.

Buying a new home is sometimes like one of those other resolutions on your list — losing weight, being more productive, getting more involved with friends and family…truth is old habits die hard. Ever heard the saying better the devil you know, then the devil you don’t?  How about, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

If you’ve been considering buying a home of your own for a while now, but continue to sit on the fence because you just aren’t sure you want to make that change you are not alone.  Just as millions make resolutions every year to lose the weight and get in shape and only a savvy few stick to it and make that change, so too does this happen to would-be new home purchasers. All too often potential new homeowners deter themselves with their own negative self -talk. Change can be scary.  Change can be difficult. Sometimes not changing is an easier decision and the path of least resistance.  But ask yourself where that decision is getting you? Ask yourself these questions and do some soul searching.

Do you want to continue to be a renter in someone else’s home? Do you constantly want to ask for permission to make changes such as wall colors, floor coverings, and bathroom tiles, and landscaping? Do you want to continue to improve another person’s property because you can’t make the leap to be doing this work on your own investment?

Are you going to continue to allow someone else to get the income your monthly rent allows verses the tax advantages you’d receive if you were paying into your own mortgage instead of rent?

Mortgage rates continue to be favorable in purchasing the most house for the least amount of money.  Builders are building in great locations, their neighborhoods are chocked full of amenities not found in older communties, and competition is fierce causing them to provide the biggest bang for your buck.

There are so many advantages to home ownership. A new home beats a used home every time!

What are you waiting for? If your resolution is to own your own home, you can do it, and it’s a lot less hard work than getting that body you want.  The devil you don’t know yet, is the peace and sense of home ownership you’ve been abdicating to your landlord.  Break out and do something new for the New Year, and get what you really want.

Constantly you hear the benefits of home ownership broken down into terms of low interest rates, great value on options loaded houses at economical pricing, tax benefits, financial leveraging and the like. But truly there is more to home ownership than monetary gain.

While home ownership can put you on the road to greater financial gain, it still comes down to some famous words spoken on the yellow brick road, “there’s no place like home.” Owning a house creates a permanent home that leads to great personal satisfaction and a sense of wellbeing. When you decorate your home, paint your walls, and make improvements, they are all yours. You are not improving the property for a landlord.

There is a subtle difference when you walk into your own home after a long day of work, cook in your own kitchen, and put your feet up in your own family room versus doing so in a rented house or apartment. It’s inexplicable and only truly experiencing it for yourself will help you feel the mental shift that takes place when you go from renter to homeowner.

And the truth of the matter is, that with current interest rates, inventory and availability, the opportunities are endless to get you into a new home right now. Why continue to stay on the fence waiting for someday? The family milestones and events that you share in your home are memories that last a lifetime.  Why not ring in the new year with a new home and begin to make those memories today.

Do you remember your childhood Thanksgivings? What do you remember most? Can you recall the feel of that festive atmosphere around your home? The aroma of turkey, pumpkin pie, and fires in the fireplace may come to mind. Can you hear the laughter as it trickles through the house?

Holidays like Thanksgiving bring together families and create lasting memories. At the center of it all is your home. Home truly is where the heart is at family gatherings and feasts.  It’s not about the house, but the actual life that you’ve created. Your first new home is the center of things where lasting memories are built and carries through your life.

You have a real sense of peace in your first new home. This is where you experience the firsts that mark the milestones of your life. The first time you set the table for a family gathering, put out the fall decorations, plan the meal and see the kids – cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews – rolling in the leaves, laughing and arguing over who gets the wishbone, a sense of warmth and belonging comes over you. Even if you move from house to house over the years, a home is where memories begin — it is a memory of home not house that creates those “remember when’s.”

Years and years from now, when you reflect upon these milestone memories that happen in your new house — having the family for Thanksgiving, bringing babies home, and children learning to walk — you will think fondly of, not the actual house, but the home where these memories were created.

Feel free to share some of your memories with us.

You’ve begun to do your research. You know that there’s never been a better time to buy a new home. The interest rates are low, builders are offering lots of great option packed homes, but where do you begin to find the right builder for you?

Take a look at the following 5 areas to help you do a little research into selecting a homebuilder to suit your needs.

Location – With so many builders to choose from, it’s best to start looking in the area where you want to move. Begin first by checking online and see who builds in your target area. Look for easy to use websites with information, floor plans and other important features to help begin your search. Most likely, if they have an informative professional website, this will give you an indicator on how they will be in person. While you can drive through your target area and see if you can find neighborhoods that appeal to you, starting online will help you save time.

Communication – Try giving the builder a call or send an email, see how well they communicate and answer questions for you. Are they friendly? Do they return your communications both via email and by phone quickly? Do they offer you reference links and information above and beyond what you’ve asked for? It’s important that you can get the answers you need throughout the process in a timely manner. By making initial contact with a builder this will give you a great indication on how they will be throughout the process.

Knowledge and Quality – Does all the information they are providing over the phone and on their website create a confident picture of a knowledgeable builder? Do they know the area? Are they competitively priced? Have they built numerous communities in the area already? Have they fully answered your questions? Have you asked them about their quality of construction? Make sure you feel comfortable with the level of knowledge they are imparting in their communications, as well as the quality of construction.

Proven Track Record – Find out how long they’ve been in the business. If possible visit other completed communities that they’ve built. If you know anyone who lives in one of their homes, ask what they think of the construction and the long-term service. See if the builder will supply a list of references of other homebuyers who live in their homes, or walk through the neighborhood and talk with the residents. Check their ratings and make sure no complaints have been filed at the Better Business Bureau. View their models and talk with their onsite agents to find out more about the history of the company.

Press – Do a little research and see how the builder is perceived by the local community. Do they have a good reputation? Do they contribute back to the greater area? Sometimes you can find press clippings right on their websites, and this is a great place to start, but don’t stop there. Do a few Google searches and see what you turn up.

By checking the block on each of these 5 research topics you will narrow the field and find the perfect builder to create your dream home. By the time you make it through this process you will be able to buy with confidence from your chosen builder.

In Value Versus Price Part 1 – The Neighborhood Beyond the Bling we discussed outside attributes that contribute to the value of a home. But besides these intangible points, there is also hidden value inside your home, not easily apparent to the naked eye.

Yes you can see the beautiful granite, hardwood or stainless steel appliances – The bling, but so much more goes unseen yet adds far more value to the home.

Most of the unseen value is located in the bones of your home.

Green materials – These more modern materials, while not always the cheapest, add to the life of your home and the energy efficiency. In the long run you are contributing to leaving a lighter footprint, as well as reaping the benefits of long term energy savings, and in many cases these materials have a longer life.

Modern floor plans – Current homes are designed with modern needs in mind including better closet space and storage, larger pantries, workspaces, better flow to kitchens for ease of use and entertaining, as well as overall flow for activities and family interactions. Older floor plans can feel choppy, have lower ceilings, less light and space.

Meeting the most current codes – New homes adhere to the most current standards for electrical, plumbing, and safety. In the long run you will have better insulation, wiring that fits with the needs of your electronic life style, and you will have all the modern comforts that keep you safe and up to date.

Warranties – Each new home comes with a value added warranty on structural and mechanical elements of your home, and because everything is new there are a variety of warranties with your appliances and equipment as well that come directly from the manufacturer.

Home Owners Associations – This is a guarantee that your home and your neighbors’ homes will be kept to a level of standard that will not deteriorate over time. You will not see unkempt lawns, rust encrusted vehicles, or overflowing garbage cans that sit for days. There are many benefits to the requirements of upkeep a home owners association provides for a neighborhood for long term enjoyment and value of your property.

As you can see there is much value that can be found both inside the home, and outside the home that contribute to the making of the price. When comparing homes only by their price make sure you are comparing apples to apples, not apples to lemons.

Would-be Home shoppers can often turn the home shopping experience into a simple price comparison. We definitely hear it in our models, “We just saw a newly remodeled home on the market for less than this new home and it has a lot of the same features.”

Many people do not stop to consider the value of all the elements that make up the price of a home. Value is often more intangible than the hard dollar amount that you see on the bottom line of a sales agreement. This is because value can vary from person to person and circumstance to circumstance.

Here are several neighborhood attributes that go beyond the house itself and add value to a home above and beyond the bling – hardwood floors, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances found in both new homes and in newly remodeled homes.

Close proximity to shopping – Make quick runs to the grocery store when you are in the middle of preparing a meal, when you’ve forgotten something essential or just to save time during your daily chores and errands.

Good school districts – Whether you have kids or not, it may be important either for your future family plans or for the resale value of the home later to live in the most desirable school districts you can reasonably afford.

Easy Commutes to key areas of business and industry – There’s nothing more valuable and irreplaceable then time. Time spent with family, friends or engaged in leisure activities is time much better spent then enmeshed in traffic.

Neighborhood amenities – When you have playgrounds, walking trails, clubhouses, and other accoutrements found in many new home communities you have a greater connection to neighborhood and to family. This creates natural spaces to meet your neighbors and make ties that you may not naturally make in an older neighborhood that lacks central gathering spots.

All of these points are sometimes overlooked when calculating the value of the home and how that figures into the price. Stay tuned for more value added features in Value Versus Price Part 2 – Beware of Lemons Disguised as Apples.

Often times an older home seems like a great deal. You walk in look around and see just a few “little” things you think you want to change. Some costs are bigger than others, but they all add up. Sometimes, when we don’t do the math, we just see the deal and get blindsided by the numbers later.

It’s pretty typical in an old, out dated home to see six areas that we want to change right off the bat. Bathrooms, kitchens, light fixtures, landscaping, painting and flooring.

Bathrooms – You walk into an outdated bathroom and say, “well, we can change out the tiles.” A typical bathroom remodel for a bathroom can be anywhere from $5000 – $10,000 or more. Prices can go up from there easily if your toilets and tubs are pink, baby blue, or goldenrod.

Kitchen Cabinets and Counter Tops – You walk into an outdated kitchen and say, “The layout is okay, but I don’t like the cabinets and this counter top needs to go.” In a 10×10 kitchen the cabinets and counter tops alone can vary from $10,000 – $25,000 or more depending on style and materials.

Lighting Fixtures – You walk into every room and say, “wow I hate that outdated brass lighting, I really like the new brushed nickel look, and nicer fixtures.” If you were to pull out the main lights and fans in a home you are looking at anywhere from a $2000-$5000 or more expense in replacing all your lighting.

Landscaping – You walk up to the front of the house and you say, “This has potential, we just need to plant some grass, and some flowers and a few nice shrubs. Maybe fix the pavers.” Landscaping can add $2000 or more depending on how elaborate you get with your “freshen up” of the landscape.

Carpet – You walk into certain rooms and see old worn multicolored carpet and you say, “Yikes this carpet has got to go!” Then becomes the question, how much, and what do we replace it with. New carpet per room including pulling up old carpet can start from about $1000 per 12×12 room and go up from there. Putting down hardwood can start around $1700 or so per 12×12 room and go up from there.

Painting – You walk into a room with huge floral wallpaper and say, “Well that has to come down.” On a do it yourself budget to remove wallpaper in a 12×15 room it will cost about $100 a day of work for materials and equipment rental. If you pay a professional, an easy removal could cost about $250 – $450 per 12×15 room. And if there are complications it could cost $500-$1000. Paint – if you do it yourself, it could costs about $80- $100 per room for primer, paint, brushes, trays rollers etc., or about $200-$400 per room if you pay a professional.

As you walk through a bargain home envisioning all the possibilities, ask yourself, are you really a DIY’er or are you going to end up hiring someone to do the work for you? Some people convince themselves that if people can do it on HGTV they can too. And when faced with the reality of the skill and time it takes to complete a project they realize it’s more than they really wanted to do. After all on TV it looks like it only takes about a half hour.

Start adding up the prices to just these “small” projects and the value of a new home starts to make sense. Wouldn’t it be nice to just walk into a new home that already has all the details you want, and begin your life?

Ideal Homes has recently piloted an education program which is an extension of the current Oklahoma Real Estate Commission regulated CEC course Tony Marbell promotes and Vernon McKown presents. The Home Ownership Forum is a panel style session tailored to fit corporate environments. Ideal Homes provides lunch and the attendees are encouraged to ask questions during the forum; questions may also be submitted in advance. Those in attendance have access to industry experts in a format that encourages interaction.

Steve Shoemaker is the Ideal Homes Marketing Director and Moderator for the Home Ownership Forum. He states, “The single largest investment people make is their home. The decision making process for a home purchase evokes positive and negative emotions. We look to educate to help reduce stress. When a buyer is able to make informed decisions, the well being of that home buyer is affected positively. A majority of our success is a healthy market; we also look to educate buyers to ensure they understand the market and how it is affected by relative choices.”

There are many questions asked of our experts and one recurring question is, “How do I know it is the right time to buy?” It is usually asked out of those concerned about the real estate market. According to Oklahoma Mortgage Bankers Association (OMBA) the following is true about Oklahoma housing:

• Oklahoma’s economy continues to show signs of strength
• State tax receipts are up 15% over the past year as of June
• Statewide unemployment dropped to 5.3%, decreasing in all 77 counties
• Unemployment  in Oklahoma City is 4.5% – lowest in the nation of major cities
• Since 4^th Quarter of 2009, Oklahoma’s personal income growth  is 2^nd highest nationally
• Oklahoma is one of a few states with significant inward migration
• Market values on most homes have remained stable
• Lenders and borrowers remember the Oil Bust and have remained conservative

The above points are an example of information shared during the Home Ownership Forum and the Real Estate CEC Classes. If you have additional questions or are interested in holding a forum or CEC Class, contact Kristy Boone – kboone@ideal-homes.com.