According to reports from TheStreet.com, new building permits this year have reached the highest number since 2008.  It’s truly welcome news for markets and the industry, and “adds to signs that the U.S. residential housing market is stabilizing and signals that construction-related work will pick up in the coming months.”

That being said, if local markets in major metro areas are going to be signing more and more permits, if you’ve been thinking about building or buying a new home you’ll want to get your place in line now before prices start going up.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of home you want to build and a have a clear vision of how you want to go about it. Once you have this down, the next step is to research builders that can meet your ideas and expectations.  Some home builders and contractors are bossy and have a certain way to go about doing things.  It’s important to find someone you like and who listens to you.  After all, you’re the one who will be living in the new home, not the builder.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that every builder has a niche or a style that is a hallmark of their company.  Some excel at certain things – like spacious interiors, high ceilings or curvy stairways – while others just hurry through the job as fast as possible to get paid.  For example; one builder may really good at building townhomes and not so good at detached homes, or vice versa. The reasons for this vary, but often it can be a function of their corporate culture .

So, how do you find the right builder for the job you have in mind? First, pull several builders in from the area and look through their portfolios.  Ask friends or colleagues, chances are somebody within your circle of influence has built a home within the last five years.  Study the work they have done.  Maybe even ask for a few names of other families whom they have built homes for.  Call a couple of past customers and ask how happy they are with their newly constructed home.

Next, call the National Association of Home Builders and get some names and numbers of more builders that you like and cross reference them with one that you already interviewed.  Never pick the first one – shop around!

Once you have narrowed down the home builders that you like the best, go through their credentials and look for information that you like and dislike. See how long they have been in business for.  Another important step that you can take to protect yourself from unscrupulous builders is to cross reference the name of the builder with the Better Business Bureau database to reveal any past problems. If you see no problems, then the prognosis should be okay.

You can also look to see if a particular builder has any special certificates or awards within their industry.  Awards can be a good sign that the builder takes pride in their work and is competitive.  Also check if they are members of any professional associations.

Following these guidelines are never a guarantee, but they will minimize the chances for contracting mishaps and will also let the home builder know that you are serious about getting your home constructed exactly the way you want it and with as few problems as possible.  Finding a good builder that you can trust will be one way to enjoy your home for a long time.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value. Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

With so many compelling reasons to buy, what are you waiting for?

The recovery isn’t just coming, it’s already here. While the headlines are often still dreary, and there are problems left to be resolved, the truth is that the recovery in housing is already well underway. Except for some of the harshest markets, home prices have stabilized or begun to rise, due in part to increases in hiring and the return of employment security. In conjunction with record-low interest rates and exceptional home affordability, this job security is letting people move on with their lives, and into homeownership, in ways that weren’t possible just a few years ago.

Other buyers are making their move. As optimism about the economy grows and home prices begin to rise, those lucky enough to have purchased a home already will know that they locked in their purchases at the optimum point in the market, maximizing their value and increasing their ability to build equity in their home.

How long can you wait? While the recession dragged on, many of us felt like our lives were at a standstill. We moved ahead carefully, ensuring that we maintained our financial health and we were reluctant to make big decisions or big commitments in a time of so much uncertainty. Five years later, we may still be feeling the same hesitancy, but in truth our lives have already moved on. Perhaps you were married, had children, or are ready to downsize into a smaller home after the kids leaving the nest. How long can you continue to hold on to the realities of years ago, even as your new reality has changed? And how long will the home or apartment that fit your life five years ago satisfy your needs and desires today?

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’ve probably all been told stories from our parents or grandparents about a beneficial purchase they made—and also about one they failed to make. We’ve heard how they could have bought a home in what is now a highly-desirable and expensive community, for prices that were low, even in their day. They sigh and shake their heads at the missed opportunity, and warn you to keep your eye out, and not make the same sort of mistake. With home affordability at all-time highs, and interest-rates at all time lows, it’s apparent that the time is not only ripe for buying a home, but ideal. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, that won’t last forever, and can easily be missed.

To make the move when unsure requires a special sort of courage, the kind that your elders wished you to summon up when the time was right. Now, it seems, is that time. Should you wait any longer to buy? The answer is up to you.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value. Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

1. Cool down. On hot days, keep air moving with ceiling fans and hang breezy curtains from simple rods to create shade. Use trellises with living plants to block off afternoon sun. Solar shades and blinds are another option.

2. Play off paint. Choose colorful flowers, pots and accessories that complement your exterior paint to unify the porch with the rest of the house.

3. Light it. Exposed overhead bulbs are a no-no. Try soft, cozy lighting like chandeliers, outdoor candle hangers, strings of popcorn lights, or decorative lanterns.

4. Be ready for guests. Stock a yard-sale hutch or credenza with everything you’ll need for impromptu meals al fresco, including cloth napkins, stoneware plates, glasses and real cutlery — “porch” doesn’t have to mean “plastic.”

5. Plan for weather. Wicker, plastic and metal are weather-resistant furniture choices, and the wide variety of weather-resistant cushions in different fabrics means you don’t have to settle for plastic-covered cushions or, worse yet, no cushions. Think style and comfort.

6. Swap it out. Switch out pillows, cushions, rugs, lamps, sconces, mirrors, candles, pictures, wall hangings and other inexpensive accessories to match the season (or your mood). Think florals in spring, bright colors in summer, harvest tones in autumn and warm colors in winter.

7. Look down. Don’t neglect the floor. In exposed areas, paint or stencil the floor. In sheltered areas, use carpet, throw rugs, faux animal skins or sisal rugs to create a smooth transition from outdoors to in. Or lay pavers, stones or other hardscape materials to give the floor added oomph.

8. Connect to the outdoors. Fill the porch with potted plants, hanging planters and trained vines to play off the outdoors. Choose lightweight planters you can easily move elsewhere when you want a fresh look, or bring indoors in winter.

9. Look up. A unique ceiling makes a porch more interesting. Paint it an unexpected color, drape it with all-weather fabric, string it with tiny lights, or cover it with decorative tin tiles, woodwork, translucent corrugated roofing or other materials.

10. Angle it. Arrange furniture at interesting, artful angles; don’t just line it up against the walls.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

Source:  Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

Source:  Woman’s Day

The fact of the matter is that, given the local nature of housing markets, national aggregate price indexes convey relatively little information, and price measures at the state and metropolitan area level provide much more information about local conditions. This is one of the reasons that NAHB recently developed the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index, which currently spotlights 98 individual metropolitan areas in which housing conditions are improving.

The national FHFA index shows house prices up 0.7% in December over November, and up 1.8% from a March 2011 trough. Among the nine Census divisions, six were up by an average of 1.2% in December from the previous month, and eight were up an average of 2.8% since their early 2011 troughs. Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 28 of those saw prices increase from the third to the fourth quarter of 2011, and 38 were holding above their price troughs reached in early 2011. Four of these 38 areas turned the corner in the most recent quarter, while 30 areas have improved for the last two to four quarters and the remaining four have improved for over a year. Of the 384 metropolitan areas and divisions for which FHFA calculates indexes, 232 or 60% improved in the fourth quarter.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

Make a list — Create an excel spreadsheet, use a notebook… whichever you prefer. Just write everything down!  Number the boxes and put a heading on them i.e. Kitchen dishes.  Use your list to detail what’s in each box so that when it comes to unpacking you know exactly what’s in the box so that you’re not opening 10 different boxes just to find the can opener!

Have plenty of supplies — You’ll need far more boxes than you think!  Make sure you have plenty so you’re not running around at the last minute trying to find some.  Sure, you can pick up freebies at the liquor store (sometimes), but it’s often worth the money to buy really good moving boxes and packing to ensure that your belongings remain in one piece.  Also make sure you have plenty of packing material, packing tape and markers.

Use wardrobe boxes — Wardrobe boxes are fantastic! You simply empty your closets into the hanging boxes and move away!  It’s far easier than putting garbage bags or plastic over your hanging items  and really worth the money.  When cleaning out the closets, take the shoes, hats, mitts and other items in the closet and throw them into shopping bags and put on the floor of the box so all closet items stay together. Wardrobe boxes are also great for comforters, pillows and bulky linen closet items.

Color Code – Designate a color to the living room, kitchen, etc. and then mark each moving box with the appropriate color of the room.  Each box will be easily identifiable to whoever’s moving.

Rubbermaid Tubs – Are great for moving!  Use these to pack up off season clothes and shoes.  Also great for all of your bathroom items that may be a tad wet or messy – shampoos, shower caddies, all your “under the sink” items, etc.  Also terrific for detergent and all your cleaning supplies.

Use Ziploc bags – Put cables from televisions and other appliances in a zippered bag and then affix to the appliance so they don’t get separated.  You can also use them for all your wall screws and nails and small parts to furniture, etc.  Tape the bag to the item the small parts belong to.

Prepare a cleaning kit – If you must clean your old place after moving out, put together a kit of basic cleaning supplies and rags. Clean anything possible ahead of time (the inside of kitchen cupboards, the oven, windows, etc.), and if possible, vacuum each room as movers empty it.  The cleaning kit will also be convenient when you get to your new place!

Use your luggage – Fill your luggage with bedding, towels and other household items.  Pack one suitcase with your personal toiletries and changes of clothes for the moving period to avoid searching through boxes for your pajamas!

Rent a truck - If you’re moving a short distance you may be tempted to pile everything into your car and make a few extra tips.  This can turn into a LOT of extra trips and a lot of extra work and gas.

Keep valuables with you –Make sure you keep any jewelry, important papers, etc. with you – not with your movers.  This includes insurance documentation, birth certificates – anything you consider valuable.

Moving may not be the most enjoyable task, but being organized can make it far less stressful!

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.

Consider this: home prices are at the lowest they have been in years. Top that with a 30-year fixed interest rate that is LESS than 4 percent and you have payments for large single-family homes that may actually be lower than your first apartment’s rent was years ago!

Let’s say you purchased a home for $400,000 in 2005 at 5.5 percent, which, at the time, was an extremely competitive interest rate. With 20 percent down, you were looking at a payment of $1,817 before taxes and insurance. Due to economic pressures, that same home may be closer to $350,000 today and the same 30-year fixed rate is now going for 3.75 percent. It means the payment on the exact same home with 20 percent down is now only $1,297. That’s a monthly savings of $520 with less money out of pocket for the exact same house.

So, the question is…how much longer are you going to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else snag up these great deals? If you are thinking of purchasing a new home in New York or a new home in Virginia, then start your search at Birchwood Park Homes. We offer brand new, energy efficient homes from the mid $300,000′s and offer very attractive financing options.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be.

New homes are often priced less than you can buy a comparable pre-owned home.  A new home warranty provides peace of mind after the purchase.  A new home assures the latest state of the art in energy efficiency.  You can build your home the way you want it and with the materials and colors that you select.  Current energy codes require homes be built with high levels of insulation, thermal integrity and energy efficient heating resulting in  savings of up to 30% over the operating cost of an older home.  Building a new home eases the nagging question of, how long before it breaks down or do I need to replace the roof.

Is it really a question of why build new or is it when should I build?  There’s no better time than now.  Start planning your new home by stopping by any of our new home communities in New York or in Virginia to speak with a sales manager.

For over 65 years, Birchwood Park Homes has been designing and building homes of the very finest quality and value.  Visit one of our communities today and see just how great life can be or click here for more information.