Homeowners and builders make decisions about which type of foundation to use by gauging cost, needs/desires, and soil and weather conditions. The choice of foundation is also affected by personal preferences and costs. Basements can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a home compared to the cost of a crawlspace. However, when you […]

Consumers are all fired up about gas fireplaces. In fact, gas fireplaces are one of the most sought-after home features in new home construction, because they can be placed in almost any room in your new home and come is a wide range of sizes and styles. Since no chimney is involved with direct vent […]

This unusually versatile “ranch” offers both beauty and an array of superb features. The Creekstone is boasting 1,500 square feet, this carefully designed home includes a country kitchen, spacious family room and a guest room as well as a luxurious master suite. An enormous future 1,361 sq. ft. bonus area and optional finished 1,763 sq. […]

Energy saving tips for your home include making sure you turn off everything not in use. This includes lights, televisions and computers. You can also activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipment that power down when left inactive for a while. Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade – they use much less […]

Accessible house plans are designed to accommodate a person confined to a wheelchair and are sometimes referred to as handicapped accessible house plans. Accessible house plans have wider hallways and doors and roomier bathrooms to allow a person confined to a wheelchair to move about he home plan easily and freely.

Bi-level house plans or “split entry” or “raised ranch”, whatever it may be called in your locale, are typically economical to build. Bi-level, split entry, or raised ranch house plans also afford the opportunity to finish the lower level at a later date if you want, and sometimes can include a design for a private […]

When your mortgage is in its final stages, you will have to pay closing costs. This amount can vary in your area. Taxes, attorney fees, realtor fees, and lender fees can all fluctuate from region to region and the market area they are in.  Here a few tips to remember before closing. In the wake […]

When you begin choosing your mortgage, you should know that there are several different types available. There are also a few things that you should consider before choosing a particular mortgage. Your current and expected financial situations and the points you are willing to pay should be taken into account. Rates on 30-year mortgages dropped […]

While fire sprinkler systems have been used commercially for over a century, this technology has only been available for single-family homes for about 25 years. By educating builders about the availability of fire sprinklers and encouraging home builders to install them in new homes, we hope to prevent many unnecessary fire deaths. With the use […]

Deciding on how to heat your home will affect comfort, energy costs, air quality and the safety of a home for years to come. Since it’s a costly installation to any new home it makes good economic sense to look carefully at energy efficiency. Heating alone can account for more than 40 percent of your […]