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Lennar Minnesota is proud to announce the opening of FOUR new townhome communities around the Twin Cities!
Located on the boarder of Cottage Grove and Woodbury, our Calarosa community offers convenient access to many everyday shopping locations, including: Jerry’s Foods, Kowalski’s Market, Hy-Vee, and Byerly’s. Plus, the shops at Woodbury Lakes is just a short drive from the Calarosa community. Residence living in the Colonial Manor townhomes at Calarosa are apart of the master-plan community and have access to the community clubhouse and outdoor swimming pool. Calarosa is a part of the South Washington County School District 833, with students attending Grey Cloud Elementary School, Cottage Grove Middle School, and East Ridge High School.
The two-story Colonial Manor townhomes at Calarosa offer our Franklin floorplan, meaning all residents have an end unit. These new construction townhomes are 1,800 square feet and feature open concept main levels with a large kitchen island, three upper level bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a two-car garage.
Located in North Rosemount, the Colonial Manor townhomes at Highlands of Falmoor Glen are conveniently located near many popular attractions. The Minnesota Zoo, Mall of America, MSP Airport, downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, The Twin Cities Premium Outlets, numerous outdoor recreational opportunities, and so much more are easily accessible from Highlands of Falmoor Glen. Additionally, Highways 3 and 5 are nearby, offering an easy commute for residents in the community. Children living in Highlands of Falmoor Glen attend the award-wining Rosemount-Apple Valley-Egan School District 196, going to Rosemount Elementary, Rosemount Middle School, and Rosemount Senior High.
The Colonial Manor Collection at Highlands of Falmoor Glen offers two different two-story floorplans. These new townhomes range from 1,700 to 1,800 square feet, have a two-car garage, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a spacious upper level loft area.
Laketown is located in Victoria and offers residence a small town feel with easy access to nearby larger cities. Close by are Highways 5 and 212 to make the commute simple. Within just minutes of the community are Target, Cub Foods, Home Depot, plus many local shops and restaurants. Laketown is a great community for those who enjoy the outdoors as there is a large public playground and 5 sports fields located within the community, is close to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, is near 3 championship public golf courses, and within 4 miles of 10 different fishing lakes. Laketown is a part of the highly-sought after Eastern Carver County School District 112, with Victoria Elementary located within the Laketown community. Children attend Victoria Elementary, Chaska Middle School East, and Chanhassen High School.
Laketown offers our Colonial Patriot Collection. These new townhomes have two different floorplan options that range from 1,800 to 1,900 square feet. Both floorplans are two-stories, offer three bedrooms, three bathrooms, have a spacious upper level loft, and a two-car garage.
Watermark is located in the northeast suburb of Lino Lakes, just minutes from the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve. Homeowner’s in Watermark can take advantage of all the outdoor amenities that area has to offer, such as numerous public parks, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a system of trails and sidewalks that run throughout the city. Residence of Watermark can also enjoy the community’s close proximity to everyday shopping locations, grocery stores, and restaurants. Children living in the Watermark townhomes attend Oneka and Hugo Elementary Schools, Central Middle School, and White Bear Lake Area High Schools (North and South Campus) – apart of ISD 624.
The Colonial Manor Collection at Watermark offers new, two-story townhomes with two available floorplan options. Ranging from 1,700 to 1,800 square feet, these Colonial Manor townhomes come with two-car garages, open-concept main levels, a large owner’s suite with attached retreat area, an additional two bedrooms, and three bathrooms.
To learn more about any of our new, current, or upcoming communities, visit Lennar.com or call us at (952) 373-0485 for more information or to schedule a visit!
The transition from Summer to Fall is always an exciting time of year, especially for the kids as they start school again and get geared up for the holiday season. A great way to keep the kids engaged is through creative activities at home, and there’s no better time to get festive than Fall! Below, we’ve assembled some fun and easy crafts for your kids to explore in your Lennar/WCI home:
Almost every adult remembers the joys of making potato stamps as a child, and it’s the perfect activity to pass on to your children! All you need to do is grab a few potatoes and slice them in half, and then using a knife, cut your simple leaf veins into the potato. After you have your stamps made, just give the kids some autumnal colored craft paints and paper/cloth, and let them create their own unique designs using the potato stamps!
This pinecone hedgehog craft is a bit more whimsical, but just as easy to create as the classic potato stamp. Simply grab a bunch of pinecones from outdoors or pick up a bag from the store, along with a few pieces of natural colored felt (cream, brown, black), a pack or two of googly eyes, and a hot glue gun. Cut the felt into triangular shapes with rounded corners for the hedgehog face, add a black felt nose, and two eyes. Then, using a glue gun, adhere the face to the front of the pinecone so that it forms the body of the hedgehog, and there you have it—a cute and festive Fall critter your kids will love!
Bring the color of autumn foliage indoors with these vibrant leaf suncatchers! To get started, grab a few large white coffee filters and cut them into leaf shapes. Set up a few trays on your granite/quartz countertops or outdoor patio, and grab a few autumnal watercolor paints. Place a leaf into the tray and let your child use an eyedropper or paintbrush to apply the liquid watercolors to the leaf cutout. If you do not have watercolor paints, simply dilute food coloring with a few drops of water. Once dried, the leaves can be adhered to a window or your patio glass door with tape or a simple adhesive—now it’s time to watch them glow in the sunlight!
There are so many fun crafts and inspired activities to get your kids excited for the Fall season. For more home tips and creative inspiration for your family, be sure to ‘like’ Lennar on Facebook.
Who said buying a home has to be stressful? Buying a home is one of the biggest milestones many Americans make in their lifetime so here at Lennar, we want you to truly enjoy your journey to homeownership. We also understand first-time homebuyers might have a lot of questions about entering the housing market, so we’ve put together a simple, 8-step guide to ease your worries and get you into that new home you’ve been dreaming about. From how to get started all the way to closing day, we’re here for you every step of the way.
First things first: how much can you really afford. The last thing you want is to fall in love with a home only to later realize you can’t afford it. Before meeting with your lender, review your personal budget and track your income and expenses via spreadsheets or utilize a program or software. Lennar also offers a valuable resource: Home Affordability Calculator. Simply enter details about your income, monthly debt and down payment and it’ll estimate a mortgage amount that works with your budget.
Next step is to get pre-approved. The mortgage process might seem intimidating, but with Lennar’s dedicated team of professionals at Eagle Home Mortgage, you’ll be feeling confident in no time. Your Eagle Home Mortgage Loan Officer will help you complete an application and assist you in determining which mortgage program is the best for your needs, as well as let you know an estimate of the funds you will need for closing along with all Federal and State required disclosures. Once completed, an underwriter will review your loan application and will make the final decision on your loan approval.
Why is this the second step? Getting pre-approved means you’re ready to start your new home search and can put an offer as soon as you find one you love. This is especially important in today’s competitive market where a home can go quickly, so get pre-approved so you don’t miss out on your dream home.
Now the fun part – finding your dream home. Make a list of everything you want in your dream home and factor in your lifestyle. How many rooms do you need? Do you need flexible space for a home office, gym or learning area? Are you looking to expand your family? The answers will all impact the type of home and floorplan you will want to consider. Luckily, Lennar builds beautiful new homes across the Portland Metro and SW Washington Area for families of every type, so your ideal home is definitely out there and our New Home Consultants can help you narrow your search. CLICK HERE to view our new homes.
Why buy new? With new home construction, you can look at a new community, choose a plan you like and find a location within a community that will be constructed and ready when you are ready to move.
4. Signing the Purchase Agreement
You’ve found your dream home and now it’s time to sign the purchase agreement. The Purchase Agreement is a legally-binding contract to purchase a home and covers a wide variety of components, including description of the property, purchase price and payments, buyer information, financing, broker information (if applicable), final walkthrough, closing, limited warranty and various amendments and addenda that address other topics. Be sure to review all materials before signing the Purchase Agreement.
5. Don’t forget about homeowner’s insurance
Homeowner’s insurance protects your home, other structures (such as your garage, garden, deck, etc.) and personal belongings (such as furniture, electronics and clothing) in the event of a disaster, like a fire or if a tree falls on your home. Homeowner’s insurance can help you repair, rebuild or replace anything that is damaged. Most lenders will require you to purchase home insurance before closing, so keep that in mind. Additionally, Lennar Insurance Agency (LIA) has streamlined the process to seamlessly and effortlessly get you the insurance coverage you need at a competitive price. Simply enter some information online, a few clicks here and there and you’ll receive a policy that is tailored for your Lennar home.
You’re almost there – you just have to go through one final inspection and quality check to ensure the home meets local building codes and quality standard. But before the final walkthrough, you’ll go through a New Home Orientation where a New Home Consultant or Construction Manager will walk you through the features and functionality of your new home, teach you how to use several components like appliances or smart home devices and teach you about the home’s maintenance. It’s also an opportunity for you to assess your home and create a list of any concerns you want to have addressed before the final walkthrough. Now during your final walkthrough, you’ll review the changes, ask questions and at the end you will sign off on the list indicating that your new home is complete and ready.
Prior to closing, your Home Loan Advisor will contact you to lock in your interest rate on your mortgage and by then you will need to obtain homeowner’s insurance and be able to provide a copy of your policy or your agent’s contact information. On closing day, you’ll review and sign all the required documents with the closing agent and after everything is recorded, you will officially become a homeowner! Just don’t forget to bring the certified funds needed to close the loan (your closing agent will provide you with the final amount) and ID – then those keys are yours!
8. It’s moving time
You did it! Time to unpack those boxes, decorate your space and start enjoying life in a fresh and never before lived in home you can call your own.
Purchasing a new Lennar home gives you the opportunity to build your dream home- without compromising on style and quality. While you’re narrowing down your homesite, floorplan options, and included features, it’s helpful to know some of the common construction terms that will be discussed during your homebuilding and buying process.
Breaker Box: Metal box containing all electrical circuit breakers
Cornice: Exterior finish on a building: trim, siding, windows and doors
Damper: Device used in A/C systems, ducts, fireplaces, etc. to block airflow
Dormer: Minor structure projecting from a sloping roof; usually containing a window or ventilating louver
Easement: Right or privilege to use land, other than as a tenant, for a specific purpose, such as utility or telephone lines running through property
Fascia: Wooden or flat board run around home to cover rafter tails
Flashing: Sheet metal strips used to prevent leakage over windows, doors, etc., and around protrusions through the roof, such as chimneys, exhaust vents or step gables
Foundation: Part of a building that supports the entire structure above it
Header: Structural element used in the area above a door or window opening to carry the weight perpendicularly to studs
HVAC: Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning; also known as climate control. Main drain for the A/C unit ties directly into a bath drain. Secondary drain located over a window as a backup in case of primary drain stoppage
Joist: Piece of lumber running across the ceiling of a room from top plate on which the sheetrock is attached
P-Trap: Curve in drainpipes designed to hold water and prevent gas from re-entering the home
Sheathing: First layer of outer wall covering nailed to the studs
Soffit: Underside of roof overhang; exposed underside of the roof-projection of eaves, frequently with openings for attic ventilation
Strike Plate: Metal plate that engages bolt when door is closed; attached to doorjamb
Swale: Shallow channel designed to allow water to drain away from the home. Swales are normally cut down property lines from back to front with the yards on either side sloping towards the swale
Vapor Barrier: Used to prevent moisture from passing from one area to another – walls, slab, etc. – usually polyethylene
Water Cut-Off: Valve at water service to allow water shut off to home – can be outside or inside behind an access panel
Weep Holes: Regular spaces between bricks (usually every 4) on bottom course of wall to allow air circulation and provide a conduit for accumulated moisture to drain from behind the brick wall
