Tag Archives: home builder

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Here’s what you need to know before building in the Hill Country

Building a home can be a daunting task, here’s a few quick tips to get you off to a good start with your Hill Country home.

Emphasize choosing the right lot

Most people picturing their dream home don’t picture their dream lot, but people moving to the Hill Country often have specific reasons for doing so. Are you hoping for some acreage, longing for anything with a view, or hoping for an active community? No matter why you are looking to build in the Hill Country, be sure to find your ideal place to build with a lot conducive for the home you desire. Some developments will offer “discount” lots that seem like a steal, until you realize the extra expenses required to make it buildable. If finding the right lot feels overwhelming, finding a builder with experience in realty can help answer your questions, avoid potential pitfalls, and help you visualize an empty lot as your dream spot!

Set your budget AND consult the experts

We recommend setting your budget before beginning the design process. Having a preliminary budget is also helpful to give your builder a baseline on what aspects you can afford to incorporate in your home. While having a preliminary budget can help protect you from spending more than you bargained for, we also recommend consulting your home building team on how to specifically categorize your funds. Experts can also recommend how much to include in contingency in case of any problems or potential upgrades. We have found that having a little extra tucked aside can be helpful when you inevitably find a dream backsplash or favorite light fixture that is out of budget.

Balance your personal style with features that boost resale value

While you want your home to reflect your style, keeping a future home buyer in mind can benefit you down the line. Choosing classic color tones, adding a home office, opting for modern light and bath fixtures, and keeping an open floor plan are just a few of the many ways to boost future resale value. With expert experience in both building and selling homes, we are happy to walk you through the process of building a home that you and future buyers will love.

Consider local style

Different regions in the Hill Country can have their own unique flair varying from a mix of rustic, modern, ranch style, farmhouse and more. When building in the Hill Country, consider finding a community with exterior styles similar to your own that still boast a unique, custom feel. This consideration can boost future resale value, as neighboring homes can have an impact on your home value when it comes time to sell.

Choose carefully and make final decisions

As you choose design aspects for your interior and exterior, make your design decisions carefully as changing your mind can prolong the building process. While the many decisions can feel overwhelming, using an interior designer can help you visualize each individual decision and guarantee cohesion in the final outcome. Many home building companies partner with designers for that very reason.

Consider your desire for space and your willingness to commute

It’s a common trend, lots get bigger as you move further away from the heart of San Antonio, or any major city. Do you want room for the kids to run around or the feeling of walking around in your backyard without seeing into your neighbor’s window? Are you craving the community feel of a smaller town filled with character, like New Braunfels, Bulverde, or Boerne? At the same time, it’s important to also consider how long you are willing to drive to get to children’s schools or your workplace. And importantly, where is the nearest HEB? Let’s face it, their tortillas are a staple in any Hill Country kitchen. With the rise of workplace flexibility and bustling small towns surrounding San Antonio, it may be easier than ever to move further out, but it’s still important to consider what your family needs in a close radius to home.

Make a list of your ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice-to-haves’

It’s important to cultivate a list of what you need in your future home versus things that are simply a nice addition. For one, knowing your must-haves is imperative to clearly tell your  builder what you need, both for budgeting purposes and for the actual home itself. Scrolling through endless Pinterest photos of dream homes can leave you with a wishlist that may exceed your budget. Making the prior distinction between ‘a want’ and ‘a must’ can provide clarity when the time comes to choose between features.

Don’t forget outdoor entertaining spaces

Picture this, you move your family to the Hill Country, build your dream home, and realize you don’t have any outdoor space to enjoy the gorgeous hillside views. The horror!! It’s important to incorporate large outdoor features  into the budget early on so it can be a part of your overall home loan. Waiting to build a porch, pool, outdoor kitchen, patio or more can sound like a good idea, this means you will later have to pay cash or secure a second loan. This doesn’t mean you need to build the screened in porch, pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen all at once, but choosing the one you know your family will utilize from the beginning will allow you to have space to enjoy the Texas scenery right at move in. Planning ahead for outdoor space will also leave your home feeling complete, even if there are some big ticket outdoor features that you plan to add later on.

Consider lighting for design and lighting for the sake of light

Including a stunning light fixture can upgrade the feel of a room, but can leave your family in a dimly lit space as beautiful light fixtures often provide less light. To overcome this, we recommend pairing recessed lighting with pendant lighting to mitigate this problem and provide ample light in addition to a showstopping fixture.

Where to put the laundry room

Laundry rooms can be upstairs, in unfinished basements, in the garage…. we’ve all experienced inconvenient laundry spots. While simply having one on the main floor is a common option, one of our favorite tricks is to connect the laundry room to the master closet. This may finally be the solution to get  your spouse to stop leaving their dirty socks on the closet floor.

Consider how noise will travel

It’s important to consider how noise will move throughout your future home as there are many ways to limit noise. The pitter patter of little feet sounds more like a stampede on the wood floors you insisted cover the second level instead of carpet. Saving on a cheaper, lightweight door may leave rooms less sound proof. Additionally, rooms located off the kitchen, play room, garage and other high traffic places may all be prone to noise and should be considered when planning the layout of your home. With a little forethought and expert help, your home can be built to quiet these everyday noises.

Find the right professional to fill in the gaps

While you may be certain that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, exactly what you want. There are SO many things that the average customer doesn’t consider. How many outlets does a room need? Which way will water drain on the lot during heavy rain and how do you build to prevent it from pooling inside your new dream home? Our last suggestion is to find an experienced home builder who can give you peace of mind and create your Hill Country dream home.

We hope you feel more prepared for this exciting next step towards your future home.

 

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Here’s what December told us about the 2021 housing market…

1. People REALLY want to buy your home. Like really, really.

The total housing inventory was down 16.4% from the prior December. As a result, the amount of time a home spent on the market was basically halved while receiving double the number of offers. Along with faster closing times, we saw a 13.5% increase in average home price (www.nar.realtor).

For anyone that has shown a house before, you understand having your home on the market for less than a month is a major win for anyone looking to sell. That’s less time spent yelling at the kids “it has to look like no one lives here” with the added bonus of a 13.5% selling price bump.

2. Most people want extra room to accommodate working from home.

Realtors reported over 60% of potential buyers to be looking for extra space in their next home to use as a workplace (www.nar.realtor). While a bigger home can mean a more expensive home in a competitive market, building from scratch allows you to benefit from your high sales price without paying the premium in the current market. Building a home can even allow you to acquire “instant equity” in some circumstances when comparing the sales price of your finished home to the actual cost of building.

3. There will not be a sharp rise in the amount of first time home buyers.

Mortgages are expected to rise but remain near record lows of about 3% interest (www.nar.realtor). While this is a major incentive for new buyers, higher asking prices have prevented a significant rise in first time home buyers. We expect this trend to continue with large down payments creating a barrier to entry.

4. Housing starts may be recovering to pre-2008 numbers.

More new homes were started in 2020 than any other year since the Great Recession. In fact, December 2020 saw the end of a year with the highest number of new homes started since 2006 (www.census.gov). With a constricted pool of options, more and more homes are being built to help meet the demand. As the nation feels the hope of additional economic stimulus,  increased new home projects are expected to continue.

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Maximize Your Fall Decor while Minimizing Storage Space

We’ve all been to Hobby Lobby when they start carrying their fall decor. Not a single surface is free of pumpkins or bright orange leaves. But how realistic is it to have a whole collection of decor for every season?

We’re here to share a few minimal tips to usher fall into your space while keeping it limited to a single storage box for the off seasons.

One of our first tips is to embrace some neutrals and softer tones allowing you to maximize your use of decorative pieces. Next, mix in shades of rust or terra-cotta that have been the stars of this year’s home color palettes. For those of you with neutral bedding, one unique tip we came across was to swap out your sheets for a pop of rust during the fall months. Similar warm effects can also be achieved with a fall colored throw blanket.

All Roads Woven Baja Throw Blanket

Our favorite suggestion is to invest in some fall pillow covers to mix with your current throws. Depending on whether it works with your color scheme, we recommend a deep rust velvet cover for a pop of fall and cozy to your seating area. If rust doesn’t compliment your color scheme a minimal “hello fall” pillow works with any color combo. For minimal storage purchase a pillow cover in the same size as your current throw pillows allowing you to simple swap covers when fall comes around! This decorative trick can be done in the living room and bedrooms for pops throughout the house. Here is a link to the covers we ordered on Amazon.

Navy & Rust Color Block - Mohair Velvet Pillow Cover - 14x24 Lumbar

Fall offers the excuse to splurge on a few extra throw blankets. I know in Texas we may sweat through Christmas, but the morning chill with a cozy throw and hot coffee is simply divine! With the weather starting to cool off, now is the time to include chunky knit throws in fall colors or neutral tones. Opting for neutral tones allow you to keep the cozy throws out through the whole holiday season which, you’ve guessed it, keeps seasonal storage to a minimum.

August Sage Chunky Wool Throw Blanket

For the pumpkin obsessed, we are with you! Covering your porch in mixed tones of pumpkins allows for a bold statement that you can change each year as you shop new selections of fresh pumpkins. Mixing in white and neutrals pumpkins offers just enough of a twist to a classic.

My personal favorite way to include live pumpkins is using mini white pumpkins on your coffee table, mantel, or table centerpiece.

Love + Grey home decor

For the decorator who varies between minimalist and maximalists, this suggestion is for you. Fall florals can vary from including a subtle sprig or an entire show stopping centerpiece. We’ve been crushing on dried wheat or pampas grass this year which can offer a subtle fall feel or be mixed with fall leaves to make a DIY fireplace centerpiece. We suggest having a vase of various florals or dried grasses year round that can easily be switched out seasonally to keep storing to a minimum and maximize your decorations budget.

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We hope you enjoyed these tips to maximize your fall decor while minimizing the burden on your closet space. Goodbye y’all and hello fall!!

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Where do you build a new home in San Antonio?

When it comes to building a custom home, there are constant decisions to be made. One of the most significant is deciding where to build your home. With San Antonio’s continued growth, finding the space to build often means looking on the outskirts of the city. The Texas Hill Country boasts beautiful rolling hills, expansive yards, more trees than rooftops and great schools. All these benefits come without the price tag of city taxes. Whether you want an oasis outside the city, or a refuge within the radius of HEB, the Hill Country has you covered.

 

Found between San Antonio and Austin is the rolling 4,000 acre community of Vintage Oaks. This community offers 1-14 acre lots with gated and ungated options to guarantee the ideal fit for each customer. Residents can enjoy the events, food and shopping of quaint New Braunfels as well as year round community activities. Home owners also have access to resort-like amenities including a fitness center, multiple pools, and a lazy river. No doubt about it, this community is a gem for families seeking to escape the city.

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Located in Spring Branch, Texas and nestled on the Guadalupe River is Serenity Oaks. This community boasts home owner river access as well as private access for lots located directly on the river. With 1-3 acre sites, home owners can expect a spread out feel while still having the opportunity to pass neighbors on walks. Serenity Oaks is a gated community with a recreational park offering a playground, basketball court and pool. Located in the Comal Independent School District, children have a variety of education options sought after in the area.

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In the tiny Texas town of Bulverde, lies Belle Oaks. Offering a 15 minute distance from North San Antonio, this community can offer peaceful scenery without a killer San Antonio commute. Prospective homebuyers can choose between 1-2 acre sites also zoned within the Comal Independent School District. The community offers outdoor amenities such as trails, a playground, a pool, and sport courts. For those seeking aquatic leisure, Belle Oaks is only 20 minutes from the beautiful Canyon Lake.

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All three of these communities allow people to purchase land but wait to build until the time is right for them, a sign of the easy going nature found in home divisions on the margins of San Antonio. The Hill Country is filled with gorgeous views and growing communities allowing a small town feel without losing access to city amenities. Wherever you picture your dream home, it can’t beat the Texas Hill Country.

Stone Creek Home

View from a Stone Creek Home

New Year, New Home!

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You know we always say there’s no better time to start planning your dream home, and that’s never been more true as we launch into 2019. If, indeed, you are ready to get the ball rolling, here are some things that will help you make the best decisions possible as you move forward.

San Antonio Housing Market

According to MetroDepth, the San Antonio housing market is predicted to continue to see a rise in the cost of housing prices. This comes as no surprise to us, as San Antonio is one of the most booming towns in the United States. For locals, this means, there’s no time to delay! Good news is, price growth is anticipated to slow.

Currently, the median home value in town is $165,000, according to Zillow. That’s about an 8% increase from the previous year.

Mortgage Down Payment

Although, it’s recommended to put 20% down, many lenders allow a lot less than that. While this can be useful, we recommend that you put at least 20% down, if not more, and here’s why. You’ll be paying a lot more in the long run, and it could result in higher costs when paying for private mortgage insurance. Here’s a wonderful little tool – a down payment calculator, that will hopefully help shed some light on what to expect.

Know Your Neighborhood

Finding the right house or the right builder is only half the battle. Your neighborhood is the other half of the equation that will determine whether you and your family will be happy with your new home for the long run. To ensure a good match, consider a few things. Do you wish to be a in neighborhood with a homeowners association? Find out just what this entails. Sometimes the fee is worth the amenities.

Additionally, if you have kids, you’ll want to research nearby schools. Even if you don’t have children, the quality of the schools could affect the value of your home. Look into safety and crime statistics and take the time to map out all the important go-to’s, such as the closest hospital, grocery store, gas station and other relevant stops. Although time consuming, try driving through your potential neighborhood on different days and various times throughout the day to check on the traffic and noise. You won’t regret making the effort!

These are just a few notes to help prepare you for your new home. When you’re ready, we’re here to help build your dream. Give us a call at 210-494-5400 or fill out our online form to get started.