Making Your Dream Home a Reality

Home ownership is something all of us dream of and most even have a plan for.  If you are like most of us you often spend your time looking at new homes for sale dreaming of all your dream house and all you want in it.  I think if you asked anyone they would tell you they would love to find and live in their dream house.  Most would probably also add they would like to find it at a price they can afford. The drawback to buying a previously lived in house that is for sale is that it is based someone else’s dream and not yours.  Often we settle for something close, but in our mind we know what we want and wish we could find it.  If you are like me you have probably even considerer foreclosures.  The price tag definitely seems very appealing, but a foreclosure has the added problem of not only being someone else’s dream but also will most likely come in “as is”condition; Which is to say that you then have inherited all the problems the former owner couldn’t afford to take care of before losing the house.

The simple solution to the problem of buying a house that is your dream home and not someone else’s is to be the fist owner in a house built for just for you, and built just the way you want it.  There are two ways to have your dream house custom built for you: The first option is to have a home custom built for you from the ground up completely according to your choice of floor plans, fixtures, colors and so on. The second option is to buy a partially completed house that has the floor plan you want but before the finishing touches are put on it so you can pick all of the cabinets, carpet, colors and so on that you want.

In either new home build cases; once you have decided to go that route is when a quality new home builder comes in.  It is important to find a company that knows what they are doing.  Look at home many years they have been building houses.  It is also VERY important to find out how many community developments are they currently working on compared to the size of their company.  If you are going to buid your dream home also want to be sure that the company that is building the home can help you with all the aspects of buying that home.  It is just as important that the company know how to get you financed properly as it is that they know how to build your house.  Having one company to work with for all of the items involved with the purchase and build of your home will not only save you time, but also money.  Some companies even have programs to help you begin planning now for building and moving into your new home.  Look at programs that will help you determine what house is right for you, helps you prequalify and maybe even has a program to help you save for the down payment or other such financial preparations

In the end I hope you can make your dream home a reality and do it in such a way that you can enjoy the entire process both now and years into the future of living in the home.  Let me know what your dream home plans are and any thoughts you might have on moving into the home you have always wanted.

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The weather was so nice yesterday it got me thinking about projects around the house.  I made a list of some things I would like to see done around the house.  The list looked something like this

• Add insulation to the attic
• Add insulation to the garage
• Install those new solar powered outdoor lights along the edge of the driveway
• Find eco friendly options for all of the above

Now this is the thing I love the most about the internet.   I am not just limited to finding products at the local store near my house.  Depending on the item I can look at the items I need from stores all around the world and in this case I found a company in the UK that had everything on my list.

Whether summer of winter proper home insulation is a must!  There is nothing worse the poorly insulated house (unless of course you own stock in your local utility companies LOL).  It is important to find out from a professional the right level of insulation for your home, so that it stays cool in summer and warm in winter.

When moving on to the garage insulation there are several factors to consider.  The first and most important is how you plan to use the garage.  Will you only be placing the car in there to keep it out of the elements OR do you also plan to use it to store boxes or other  items. And then of course lastly do you intent to spend any time out there working or playing.  Each of these different levels of use have different insulation needs.  It is also important to consider the insulation of your attached garage and how that may effect the main house.

On top of all of these tips here is one more – use eco friendly products BUT again know
about them before buying.  There is nothing worse then buying something that is labeled eco friendly only to find out that either it isn’t truly eco friendly or that it is what I call “overly eco friendly” (which is to say it will biodegrade while in your walls or attic OR needs to continually be replaced).

So what home projects are on your list?

Special Features Of The Colonial Style House

When I lived in the Northeast, the colonial style house was quite common to see. Now, living in the Southeast, I no longer come across this style home. The colonial style house is quite an elegant style with a look of days gone by. If you own a home of this type, you are familiar with its appearance and special features.

Image details: Plantation House served by picapp.com

The house itself is usually a rectangular shape brick home and consists of two or more stories. It always has a pitched roof which usually includes one or more gables. The windows are all the same and evenly spaced throughout the house. Most of the time you will find that each window has a set of shutters. It is a very clean looking, straight lined house.

One of the elements that makes a colonial style house unique in design is the grand entry way. On the outside, there are usually a few steps in front that lead to a porch. It is the front columns that give it that elegant appearance. Upon entering, you come into an entry hall usually with the formal living room on one side and the formal dining room on the other. The staircase with its fancy spindles that leads to the upper rooms is in the front entry hall. Everything else is in the back of the house while all of the bedrooms are on the second floor.

The colonial style house will have beautiful wood floors, moldings and woodwork throughout the home. While the molding and woodwork has always been a common decorative element of this type of home, it has only started to become popular in other types of houses in recent years. Another common design feature of the colonial style house is the fireplace. You will always find at least one or more fireplaces in this home.

The best décor for this type of home is Early American. Using spindle back chairs, wood tables and hand made crafts to decorate will bring these homes to life. They appear warm and cozy with the warm colored walls, needlepoint chairs and quilted blankets. The best type of window treatment is a wood or brass rod with tab top curtains.

I remember walking into this type of house and having the feeling that I was stepping back in time. If it was built a long time ago, you begin to wonder who lived there before. What is the history of the home? Even if this is not your style home to live in, it is worth visiting one to appreciate their architecture.

There are many old and new colonial style homes throughout the country. If you live in one, tell us about any special features you have in your home that might be different than others.

Ranch style homes have been around for a quite a long time. In fact, they were first built in the 1920’s but became very popular from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. Just about everyone has seen a ranch style home and many people have owned them.. Although they lost their popularity for several years, ranch style homes are making a comeback today.

There are certain characteristics that are a part of a ranch style home. These can vary by location and neighborhoods.

• They are single story homes but can be a raised ranch style.

• They have simple floor plans usually with wide open spaces.

• Rectangular, U-shaped or L shaped.

• Interior may have wood paneling and exposed beams.

• They are long in length with a low roof line, long overhanging eaves and many times are cross gabled.

• Most will have an attached garage.

• Almost all have sliding glass doors, or maybe several, that exit to the patio.

• Some have vaulted ceilings.

• They typically will have large windows and sometimes a large picture window in the living room.

• Stucco, brick or wood exteriors with window shutters are common.

• Most are designed with eat in kitchens.

The ranch style home was built for easy living and movement. Instead of a grand entryway, they have a foyer. Each room flowed into the other. The eat in kitchens were designed with modern built in’s such as wall oven, stove and refrigerator. Many have glass doors that lead to an enclosed patio. Some are actually raised ranch homes. They sit on a half or a fully exposed foundation. These allow for a home owner to have a finished basement.

Today, ranch style homes are again being built, mostly by tract builders, with the average living space being well over 2000 square feet. An older ranch home sells well in today’s market because they are usually located in a developed neighborhood where the trees and greenery have finally grown back.  This makes their appearance very desirable.

When I think of the ranch style home, I think of the TV shows, The Brady Bunch, I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched. Those shows all had the typical ranch style home. In fact, the first home I bought in Florida was a ranch style home that was built in 1967. It had all of the typical features; rectangular single story, low roof, sliding glass doors, shutters, eat in kitchen. Actually it was quite a nice, comfortable home.

Do you live in a ranch style home or have you owned one? Maybe you plan on building one. What is it that you like about this style? Go ahead and leave a comment below.

One of the most important things to do when purchasing a home is having a home inspection. By doing this, you will not only have peace of mind but will save yourself money by knowing if there are any issues with the home. The cost of the inspection is minimal compared to a major repair that may have to be done. Make sure to use a licensed inspector for this as they are trained to look for things that may not be very noticeable to the untrained eye.. Here are some things that are checked during a home inspection.

If the home is not occupied, make sure that the electric is turned on and active. The inspector needs the electric in order to check the appliances. He will check the heating and cooling systems, the washing machine, the dryer, the stove and any other appliance that is part of the transaction. He will also inspect the plumbing and electrical systems of the home.

Checking the roof for damage is another thing the inspector will do. He will also check the fascia and soffits and gutters. He will be looking at the foundation and structure of the house for cracks that may cause problems or need to be repaired. He will make note of any rotten or deteriorated wood around the home. If there is a sprinkler system attached to a well, he will put the pump on to make sure that it is working properly and will check the pressure of the well pump. He will also check to see if the sprinkler heads are in place. If there is a pool, he will check the condition of the pool along with the pool pump. Again, he will put the pump on to make sure that it has enough pressure and is working properly.

One of the most important parts of an inspection is checking for termites and other wood destroying organisms. What may look like old wood to you may really be termites. If this is discovered, it should be taken care of prior to the final transaction of purchasing the home. After all, this is not something you will want to be responsible for as soon as you buy a home. It can be an very costly endeavor. If it is wood destroying organisms such as ants, you can possibly replace the wood yourself.

Any mold found on the interior of the home also can become an issue. Mold can be very dangerous to your health. If mold is found, your inspector can advise you on what the next step is to take in order to make certain that it can be removed and will not come back.

The inspector will look at the walls, ceilings and floors. He will also look at any visible insulation, windows and doors. If there is an attic and basement, he will also check those areas along with heating and cooling ducts.

This is why it is vital to have a home inspection done by a licensed inspector. It will give you peace of mind and can prevent you from making a very costly mistake.

Did you or did you not have a home inspection? Go ahead and reply in the comment section below.

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