Builders buy their materials from suppliers that offer benefits to them and the homebuyer. Some customers express curiosity about the places different suppliers occupy in the building supply chain. With that in mind, we thought it worth explaining why we buy our materials and products where we do. The basic choice is between the “big […]
Wireless lighting controls are likely in your future. Here’s why. Mention home lighting trends and what comes to mind is the growth of LEDs. But the incandescent bulb isn’t the only thing about to disappear—the wall switch may be going the same way. That’s because more homeowners are opting for “smart” lighting controls that replace […]
A lot of people don’t understand the sheer complexity of the builder’s job and the systems required to build a house from scratch. Many analogies have been used to describe the professional builder: the conductor of an orchestra, the captain of a ship, even a general executing a military campaign. The point is that the […]
A roadmap to guide decisions toward the best outcome Most homebuyers want assurance that their new home will offer a healthy, comfortable environment and lower energy bills, but many don’t know what questions to ask the builder to get that outcome. Help has arrived from Erase40, an organization that wants to guide buyers through the […]
Clients deserve a straight answer, but getting it requires an honest conversation Tract builders and realtors often market homes in terms of square-foot costs, but that approach can be misleading for a custom home. Sam Rashkin, founder of the Energy Star for Homes program, expressed this idea forcefully at a recent industry conference. “If you […]
As interest rates rise and the market cools, make sure you choose a financially sound company with a strong track record The 2007 housing market crash was an event of Darwinian proportions. It was Survival of the Fittest on Steroids, as demand for new homes sank to Great Depression levels and countless builders vanished. The […]