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Sometimes going the extra mile can really pay off, especially when it comes to preparing your home for potential buyers. There are many simple tips and tricks that you can follow in order to help sell your home more quickly. If your home’s interior and exterior reflect the time of the year, it could have a positive influence on potential home buyers. This U.S. News & World Report article by Tori Toth offers 15 ways in which you can welcome the summer season into your home when you put it on the market.
Curb appeal lured homebuyers and guests inside. If you have a front yard, make sure the door stands out with a colorful coat of paint. Plant flowers with contrasting colors to create personality. Add a decorative wreath and new welcome mat as a way to greet those at the door and invite them inside.
Create some entertaining space. Think summer barbecues, dining under the stars or a place to relax and catch some rays with a book. It’s important to dress up each section of the yard with a different function to create the perfect balance between a place to play and eat. Don’t forget to add pops of color in flowers, table linens or even a piece of artwork to soften the look of the space and actually attract the eye to that particular section.
Spring for a water feature. Many homeowners opt to install a water feature in their home in the front yard, back yard or even inside. The sound of water is calming and can be a way to drain out any unwanted neighborhood sounds.
Stay on top of landscaping. Speaking of water, keep the lawn and flowers watered daily to sustain their green, healthy look. A well-kept landscape tips off buyers and guests that the entire home is well maintained.
Prep the deck or patio. A deck or patio can be a positive feature when selling a home, and can of course be a great place to entertain. Fix any minor repairs that are needed, like cracks in the concrete or re-staining the deck. Dress it up with a seating area, a few potted flowers and maybe even a fire pit.
Keep up with clean-up. Outdoor spaces should be cleaned at least once a year with a power washer to remove any dirt or deep stains on the home’s exterior. It’s imperative that garbage and clutter be removed from the lawn, flowerbeds and near any entertaining areas by designating one place in the yard for outgoing trash. Bugs and animals can also be an issue outdoors, so use the proper treatment to deter them and remove cobwebs from doorways.
Maintain window panes. During the summer, clean the outside and inside of your windows to remove debris, maximize light and keep dirt from blowing into the home when the window is open. The window coverings should be surrounded by light, airy fabric like linen or silk, and keep your window treatments open to embrace the sun’s natural light.
Provide summer relief with a cool breeze. In some parts of the country, the summer’s heat can be unbearable. A home should stay at a comfortable temperature, so check you air conditioning equipment regularly during the summer months to avoid a melt down. If you’re selling a home, having a cool home can get buyers to linger around the home longer.
Change textiles throughout the home. The presence of a heavy blanket or furry pillow in a room in the summer heat can make a person start to sweat. An easy tactic to welcome summer into a home is by exchanging heavy fabrics for breezier ones. Change throw pillow covers, throw blankets, sofa slipcovers, bedding and even rugs. Mix in more neutral colors, floral patterns and natural material textiles. You may even decide to remove an object, like a rug, for the season to change the space.
[Read the full article here]
If you’re looking to move into a new place, you may already have a list of features that fit your new home needs, but what about the location? Erin Vaughan from Modernize.com shares advice for homebuyers searching for a new neighborhood to call home.
Purchasing a home isn’t just about the asking price, or even the home’s condition. It’s the whole package—the schools your kids attend, the streets you drive back and forth on, the neighbors you get to know—that makes up a life.
It can be difficult to understand a neighborhood’s flavor until you know where to look. You’ve probably already surveyed the local elementary school and checked out the crime stats in your potential neighborhood, but now it’s time to dig deeper and seek out some other important elements that can give you a more accurate portrait of an area’s values and economic fortunes. So after you’ve had the home inspected and looked up the property values, check for these seven factors:
Sidewalks—That Are Actually Being Used
You may be mostly vehicle-bound when it comes to getting around, but sidewalks are still nice to have, particularly if you have (or plan on one day having) school-aged children. Well-maintained sidewalks mean more pedestrians, and that’s very telling about the kinds of neighbors you’ll have—namely, that there is an active and vibrant community surrounding the home.
Plenty of Street Lights
Along the same lines, unless you’re into the rural lifestyle, it’s a good idea to look for a home with streetlights. Study after study has confirmed that well-lit streets help deter crimes, and keep pedestrians safer, as well. If there’s a home you have your eye on, take a drive around it at night so you can get a sense of the area’s lighting situation.
On-Going Improvements
Homeowners who do regular maintenance and make improvements to their space care about their homes and communities. Drive around your potential neighborhood on a nice day, keeping an eye out for homeowners who are mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, gardening, and making other upgrades.
A Starbucks Nearby
Whether or not you care much for lattes, the presence of a Starbucks or upscale coffeeshop is a good indicator that a neighborhood is prosperous, and is on its way up. In fact, some experts even think the coffee chain can bolster property values when it moves in nearby, so make sure to stop for a cappuccino when you’re home shopping.
An Active Community
Whether or not a community is “active” depends on your definition, of course, but generally if there are parks or recreation centers, with classes, fairs, or group meetings on offer, you’ve found a neighborhood that’s friendly and welcoming. Scan the local library, parks, and recreation centers for fliers announcing upcoming events—and maybe even attend one to see what they’re like!
Well-Tended Parks and Trails
A nearby park is one thing. A park where the grass is regularly mowed, brush is cut back, and paths are maintained is another. Some real estate professionals feel that the quality of your area’s parks is the most accurate barometer of community engagement—citizens who are active and engaged in their neighborhoods will volunteer their time, money, and tax dollars to its upkeep.
Few Homes for Sale
Unless a community is brand-new, there shouldn’t be a ton of “For Sale” signs dotting the lawns of your future neighborhood. If lots of people are selling, it could be a hint of future trouble and indicate that people aren’t very happy in that space.
These tips won’t guarantee that you’ll love your new neighborhood, but they will give you a sense of the community you’ll be moving into—which, with any luck, will welcome you in with open arms.
About the writer
Erin Vaughan is a blogger, gardener and aspiring homeowner. She currently resides in Austin, TX where she writes full time for Modernize.com, with the goal of empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on big home projects with confidence.
The Retreat, one of three phases in Wildbrooke, Lennar Atlanta’s very successful master-planned community in Cumming (Forsyth County), is almost sold out.
“Right now, only five new homes remain in The Retreat,” says Rose Humphrey, Marketing Manager for Lennar Atlanta, a division of Lennar (NYSE:LEN), one of the leading homebuilders in the U.S.
“All five homes are built on a basement: three Fraser plans and two Dogwood plans,” notes Humphrey. “Priced from $424,605 to $436,605, they are sure to go fast, probably even before the start of the new school year.”
Good Forsyth schools are a key decision-making factor for discerning buyers; families with students K-12 appreciate the fact that the neighborhood is served by some of Forsyth County’s finest public schools, Shiloh Point Elementary, Piney Grove Middle School and top-ranked South Forsyth High.
Forsyth Location
Family-friendly Wildbrooke offers a central Forsyth location near great shopping, such as The Collection on Ronald Reagan Boulevard, and a choice of dining options.
“Wildbrooke has set a new standard for family living in Forsyth. Our construction is top notch, the community’s location is superb, and the amenities that we offer here are just not found in many other neighborhoods in the area,” according to Humphrey.
Wildbrooke
Since it opened in 2015, this generously laid-out neighborhood has been quite sought-after by growing families and others who value the community’s outstanding amenities, including:
Homes include up to 4000+ square feet with upscale features such as:
Also, the Z-WAVE Home Automation Package provides mobile access to the homes’ HVAC system, lighting and home entry.
For more information about the five remaining homes in The Retreat at Wildbrooke in Cumming, the community’s variety of house plans and its beautiful clubhouse – as well as other well-crafted homes and centrally located communities offered by Lennar Atlanta throughout the metro Atlanta area, call 404-931-7462 or visit www.LennarAtlanta.com.
Murrieta, Calif. – July 2016 – Lennar Inland Empire’s Arroyo Vista community celebrated a successful opening of the recreation center last weekend. Several residents came out to the event to take a swim in the newly-opened pool, chow down on barbecued hot dogs and enjoy the sunshine on the holiday weekend.
“We were thrilled to see so many happy neighbors come out and celebrate the opening of the recreation center,” Tara Conklin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lennar Inland Empire said. “We had beach balls out there and lots of people were in the pool tossing them around.”
Arroyo Vista is a new home community of condominiums set in Murrieta near great shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Now that Arroyo Vista’s recreation center is open, residents are able to enjoy their sparkling pool with surrounding cabanas, a relaxing spa, an outdoor covered entertainment room with kitchen and outdoor fireplace.
This premiere community is located in a family-friendly neighborhood with homes that range in size from approximately 1,330 to 1,580 square feet of living space with up to three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two-bay garages. Select plans include spacious lofts and each home at Arroyo Vista boasts an open and modern floorplan with quaint, low maintenance patios making them a great opportunity for first-time buyers, growing families, retirees and business professionals alike.
Each home at Arroyo Vista features Lennar’s upscale Everything’s Included® package which includes many high-end, luxury upgrades included at no extra cost. Among the most noteworthy of these features are large kitchen islands per plan, slab granite countertops, upgraded cabinetry, gourmet stainless steel appliances and much more.
Arroyo Vista is located at 40265 Calle Real in Murrieta. For more information on this community, visit http://www.lennar.com/new-homes/california/inland-empire/murrieta/arroyo-vista.
For more information on new homes for sale in the Inland Empire, visit www.lennar.com/inlandempire.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
SEATTLE, WA – JULY 2016 – The spring and summer real estate seasons have created a perfect storm for Lennar Seattle homes in Bothell! With the real estate market in the Greater Puget Sound Region booming, homebuyers in Bothell have experienced very little selection and lots of strong competition, breeding frustration and an overall dissatisfaction with the entire homebuying process. Lennar Seattle has taken steps to address this issue and change the way buyers feel about real estate.
Lennar has six new home communities in the city of Bothell, each in different construction phases. With 385 homes either built, being built or planned to begin construction in just the Bothell area alone, Lennar has provided an entire market of new home opportunities for potential homebuyers.
In addition to increasing real estate inventory in the region by providing new homes for sale in a variety of price ranges, Lennar simplifies the home buying process through unique programs, quality associates and by building innovative homes.
“We listened to what buyers were saying and we made it our mission to remove as much frustration as possible,” said Bill Salvesen, Vice President for Lennar Seattle. “We understand our customers and we genuinely care about what they want.”
After seeing so many buyers vying to purchase the same home, Lennar Seattle introduced their unique VIP Program which eliminates bidding wars by allowing prospective buyers to reserve the home they want, in the community they want, on the homesite of their choice, all before the home even hits the market for sale. It also helps homebuyers stay up-to-date on community prices, home availability, special incentives, exclusive events and more.
For many people, buying a home is one of the largest purchases they will make in their lifetime. For that reason, Lennar Seattle has the best New Home Consultants in the industry available to answer all of their customer’s questions. For those that prefer to shop around online, www.Lennar.com/Seattle features a “Chat Now” button that links to a live person sitting in our local office ready to assist. For those that prefer to do their research in person, each Lennar community has a Welcome Home Center with an associate ready to help.
In addition to great customer care, every Lennar home comes packed with luxury standard upgrades as part of the Everything’s Included® package, meaning homebuyers don’t have to pay extra for features such as slab granite or quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, premium flooring, front and rear landscaping, fully fenced yards and so much more. Homebuyers never have to worry about compromising luxury or functionality because it’s always included!
The Home Within a Home® was designed to accommodate multi-generational families and dual living situations. These special homes feature a separate suite that’s attached to the main home with a private entry, spacious living room, kitchenette, full bathroom, laundry and private bedroom with walk-in closet. “These are not dual master suites. They’re essentially two homes under one roof, for one payment,” said Salvesen.
For more information about any of Lennar Seattle’s communities, please visit www.Lennar.com/Seattle or call (855) 860-9574.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Bothell, WA – July 2016 – One of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Lennar, is now selling new luxury homes in their newest Bothell community, Canton Highlands, located in the Tambark Park area. This premier community offers a dynamic collection of four floorplans, including the popular Magnolia floorplan. Prospective homebuyers are encouraged to join the Canton Highlands VIP list to stay up-to-date on the latest community information.
“We are ecstatic to be selling luxury new homes in Canton Highlands, part of Lennar’s high-demand Canton collection of communities in Bothell,” said Bill Salvesen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lennar Seattle. “We’ve paired great designs with an ideal location and are already receiving a lot of interest in this up-and-coming community.”
This community will offer stunning new homes starting in the low $500,000s and square footage ranges from approximately 1,914 to 2,501 square feet. Homes include three to four bedrooms, two stories, two to three bathrooms and two-car garages.
Through Lennar’s Everything’s Included® program, homes will come loaded with upscale, custom-like features such as stainless steel appliances, granite-slab kitchen countertops, home automation, tankless hot water heater, front and rear landscaping, fencing and more – all at no added cost to the buyer. A variety of environmentally conscious amenities also help to reduce homeowner expenses on utilities each month.
This community is set in one of the fastest growing areas of the Greater Seattle Metropolitan area and residents will enjoy being in close distance to shopping, restaurants, recreation, parks, commuting and great schools from the Everett school district.
Canton Highlands is now selling. To tour these beautiful new homes and learn more about this new community, please visit the Welcome Home Center located at the entrance of the Canton Ridge community.
For more information, visit us at www.Lennar.com/CantonHighlands or call (855) 860-9574.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Games, Treats, Treasure Hunts and Home Tours
Homebuyers and their families who are in the market for one of Lennar Atlanta’s beautiful new homes are invited to the company’s Summer Fun Parties that are planned in all new Lennar Atlanta neighborhoods on July 16 from 11AM-4PM.
Register for a chance to Win YETI® TUNDRA 65 Tailgating Cooler
“Splash into summer while exploring some of our different new home communities throughout the metro area,” says Patti Dunn, Director of Sales for Lennar Atlanta, a division of Lennar, the second largest homebuilder in the U.S. (NYSE:LEN). “And be sure to register to for a chance to win a YETI® Tundra 65 tailgating cooler when you visit our neighborhoods and tour our beautiful models!”
There will be food and fun in every community, with some featuring bouncehouses, water blasters, sidewalk chalk drawing, or face painting.
On July 16, the various Lennar Atlanta block parties will take place from 11AM-4PM. Please check the company’s website for each community’s regular opening hours throughout the year.
For more information, please contact a Lennar New Home Consultant or call Lennar Atlanta at 404-931-7462 to learn more about Lennar Atlanta’s lovely new homes ranging from the $200s to the $600s, and the variety of Lennar Atlanta communities throughout metro Atlanta. www.lennaratlanta.com
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of GA; must be 21 or older. To enter, visit a Welcome Home Center at a participating Lennar Atlanta community and submit a fully completed entry form during normal business hours between 6/22/16 and 7/31/16. Limit of one (1) entry per household per community. Ten (10) prizes total – one prize to be awarded for each participating Lennar community. Prize is a tailgate cooler, model and style selected by Sponsor (ARV: $340). Prize drawings to occur on or about 8/3/16. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Subject to official rules. Void where prohibited by law. Winners list (after 8/3/16) and official rules available upon request by mail to Sponsor. Sponsor: Lennar Georgia, Inc., 1000 Holcomb Woods Parkway, Suite 200, Roswell, GA 30076. Please see your New Home Consultant for details. Features and elevations of a home may vary and we reserve the right to substitute and /or modify design and materials, in our sole opinion and without notice. See your home purchase agreement for actual features designated as an Everything’s Included feature, additional information, disclosures, and disclaimers relating to your home and its features. Prices, availability and purchase incentives are subject to change without notice, and Lennar makes no guarantee as to the availability of homes within the price range requested by customer. Models/lifestyle photos do not reflect racial or ethnic preference. Copyright © 2016 Lennar Corporation. The Lennar logo is a registered service mark of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 07/16
New Multigenerational Homes In Escondido
Escondido, Calif. — July 2016 — Lennar, one of the nation’s leading builders of high quality new homes, will bring The Home Within A Home® floorplan to Pradera in Escondido. The Home Within a Home address dual and multigenerational living needs for modern families by providing two homes under one roof, without sacrificing privacy.
“We are thrilled to be bringing The Home Within a Home to this great area,” said Janet Price, Marketing Manger for Lennar California Coastal. “These homes make a real difference in so many families’ lives by making it possible to have two homes in one.”
Since Lennar first introduced it’s line of The Home Within a Home to the public in 2011, they have seen huge interest nationwide from both families and the media alike, with features in Bloomberg, USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CBS, FOX News, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and many more.
By building a home with an attached private suite complete with a separate entrance, bedroom, living room, kitchenette and laundry area, Lennar is able to meet the needs of multigenerational households, which usually means three generations living together under one roof. Pradera’s The Home Within a Home plan, Residence 5, features approximately 3,569 square feet of living space, four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, a three-bay garage and a California room. It’s priced from the mid $700,000’s.
Pradera is a community of spacious new homes in Escondido. Every Lennar home comes with their Everything’s Included® package, putting items such as granite slab countertops, stainless steel appliances, home automation, energy efficient fixtures into every new home at no extra cost to the buyer.
Pradera is near many major attractions, beautiful wineries, world-class cuisine, tasty craft breweries, rich culture and a historic downtown area.
For more information on new homes at Pradera call (888) 220-5502 or visit www.Lennar.com/sandiego.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Do you know what your debt-to-income ratio is? If the answer is no, don’t worry, you’re not alone. If the answer is yes, then learn even more about the importance of this number during your home-buying process. Zillow Porchlight has shared why understanding your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is important when qualifying for a mortgage and how you can help lower it.
Understanding DTI
Put simply, DTI is a calculation of your monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income.
Lenders calculate DTI in two ways, and both are important. First, they’ll add together all your expected housing expenses (your new mortgage, including taxes and insurance) and divide that by your gross (pre-tax) income. That’s called your front-end DTI.
Second, they do the same calculation but include all of your monthly expenses, like minimum payments on credit cards and auto loans. That’s called your back-end DTI.
For conventional mortgage loans (loans not insured by the government), mortgage lenders are generally looking for 28 percent or lower for the front-end DTI, and 36 percent or lower for the back-end.
“Some lenders may be a little stricter, and others less so,” says Cara Pierce, who’s worked as a housing financial specialist with Atlanta-based ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions for 19 years.
Why DTI matters
Your DTI ratio is important, Pierce says, because it’s what lenders use to determine how much money they will loan you.
If you’re already using 10 percent or more of your gross income to pay your monthly living expenses, such as car payments and credit card minimum payments, you’d have less than 26 percent for your other housing expenses to stay under 36-percent DTI on the back end.
A DTI higher than 36 percent doesn’t mean you won’t qualify. In fact, Fannie Mae purchases loans from lenders with back-end DTI ratios as high as 45 percent. But you may want to re-evaluate how much you want to spend on a home — or if it’s even the right time to buy.
Can I lower my DTI?
Lowering your DTI could help you get a lower interest rate “because less debt is generally viewed as a good thing,” notes Investopedia.
So if you still want that more expensive home, there are two ways to lower your DTI.
First, pay down debt. Even paying a little over the minimum payment each month on accounts will help. “If you have a $100 a month payment and can’t afford $200, just pay $125,” advises Pierce. “That will make it faster for you to pay off the debt.”
Alternatively, you could look for ways for you or your household to raise your income or consolidate your debt.
Either way, it’s important to know how lenders calculate DTI, and how a high DTI ratio could affect your chances of being approved for a loan. “People don’t understand DTI because it’s a math equation,” says Pierce, “but it’s a number that lenders will use to approve or deny loan applications.”
[Read the full article: Here’s Why Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Matters]
