Plan Ahead....But Not Too Far Ahead

Building a new home is very exciting. It can be easy to get carried away with the choices you get to make. What color of paint for the different rooms in our home, what kind of carpet you want in the den, do you want light wood or dark wood floors in the kitchen, and what type of crown molding or baseboards you want? All of these elements are important in a new home however, a word of caution. Don't pick out/purchase these items too far in advance because they can be discontinued. Nothing is more frustrating than being almost complete with a project only to find out that it cannot be completed due to lack of materials. I have posted an article below about how to pick materials for your home, this article is about hardwood floors specifically. The following article is from the Bradenton Herald.

 How-To Choose the right wood floor for your home

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2008/03/14/467194/how-to-choose-the-right-wood-floor.html#storylink=cpy

There is something about a hardwood floor that just adds warmth and beauty to almost any home. It has a special quality that carpet and stone can’t match. Wood flooring has numerous advantages, and there are more choices today than ever before. Wood flooring also offers health benefits. Unlike carpet, wood flooring will not harbor stains or allergens.

There are many things to consider when choosing a wood floor for your home . . . Are you on, above, or below grade level? Do you want a traditional solid hardwood stained to your own custom shade? Perhaps a pre-finished engineered floor. Maybe a non wood – like cork or bamboo. Solid wood flooring still in use today date back to Renaissance Europe. However solid products are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity extremes. They can shrink and show gapping in low humidity. Engineered wood flooring is made from a number of ‘plys’ glued in a cross grain pattern, which is by far more stable than a solid product. Engineered flooring is used primarily in the concrete belt, but is gaining popularity all over. Bamboo is not wood, but actually a grass. These products are limited in color and style, but are still fairly popular.

The fastest growing segment of the wood floor industry is distressed or handscraped flooring. Even though this product has been around for quiet a while, it accounted for over half of the wood flooring sales nation wide last year. This product is best for active homes, as it hides the usual wear and tear. Warranties also vary by manufacturer, as do the thickness of the wear layer and type of urethane. The state of the art technology and almost endless choices of today’s stains, finishes, styles, species, and designs make hardwood flooring one of the most practical; floor coverings. Properly maintained, a good hardwood floor should last a lifetime, and never need replacing. Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to a humidity range of 40 to 60 percent, and temperature range of 65 to 80 degrees. Fortunately, that’s the comfort range most of us enjoy.


Wood flooring is suitable for every room in the home, but might not be the best choice for a bathroom or laundry room. It is very important when considering adding wood flooring to your home, to consult a flooring professional. They will help you choose what’s right for you and your home. Don’t buy on price alone. There are a lot of “specials” on the market, and you will get what you pay for. While specials are usually good buys, the quality may be missing. Be aware of what you are buying.

Caring for your new floor is also very easy. Finishes and cleaning products have improved greatly over the years.

Bradenton Hardwood Floors, Inc. 4521 26th Street W. (Park Plaza Shopping Center) Bradenton, FL 

- Wood flooring adds timeless beauty to your home. Wood never goes out of style, and also adds value to your home.

- Wood floors are extremely durable yet very easy to care for. Properly maintained, a good quality hardwood floor will last for generations!

- Have a wood flooring professional assist you in creating the perfect flooring for your home. The choices are almost endless!

- Be aware of what you are buying! Cabin grade, shorts, and, over runs are less desirable than first quality material. In a climate like ours, an engineered floor is the best choice.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2008/03/14/467194/how-to-choose-the-right-wood-floor.html#storylink=cpy

St. Lawrence Homes' Newest Communities

St. Lawrence Homes is pleased to announce new properties in the Wake Forest/Rolesville area. We are starting with four properties in our first phase. The homes being built are the Wilshire, Fairfield, and the Pearson on two lots. We have posted pictures of previous homes with the same floor plans.

Our homes are currently under construction, stay tuned for for pictures of the actual homes as they progress. If you are interested please contact St. Lawrence Homes at 919-676-8980.

The Pearson is 3588 square feet. The home has a brick front. It has a three car garage with four bathrooms and five bedrooms. This home also comes with a bonus room.

The Wilshire I is 3691 square feet. This home also has a brick front. This home has five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms with a bonus room. It also has a three car garage.

The Fairfield is 2958 square feet. This home comes with a brick front, and a two car garage. It is three bedroom two bath home. This home also comes with a bonus room.

Starting Tips

Buying a house is a daunting task. There are so many different things that to consider. How much house can you afford? What is a good neighborhood for the kids? What size of yard do you want to take care of? There are so many sources that you can muddle through. Sometimes its hard to even know where to start. I have done some research and will be posting the articles over several posts. Hopefully this will help you in your search for your perfect home.

The article below is from CNN Money
 

Tips for buying a house

The top 10 things you need to know when buying a home.

1. Don't buy if you can't stay put.

 

If you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner - even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it's an even worse proposition.

2. Start by shoring up your credit.

Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.

 

3. Aim for a home you can really afford.

The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.

4. If you can't put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan.

There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, offer low-interest mortgages that require a small down payment.

5. Buy in a district with good schools

 

In most areas, this advice applies even if you don't have school-age children. Reason: When it comes time to sell, you'll learn that strong school districts are a top priority for many home buyers, thus helping to boost property values.

 

6. Get professional help.

Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.

7. Choose carefully between points and rate.

When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points -- a portion of the interest that you pay at closing -- in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time -- say three to five years or more -- it's usually a better deal to take the points. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.

 

8. Before house hunting, get pre-approved.

Getting pre-approved will you save yourself the grief of looking at houses you can't afford and put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.

9. Do your homework before bidding.

Your opening bid should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood. So before making it, consider sales of similar homes in the last three months. If homes have recently sold at 5 percent less than the asking price, you should make a bid that's about eight to 10 percent lower than what the seller is asking.

10. Hire a home inspector.

Sure, your lender will require a home appraisal anyway. But that's just the bank's way of determining whether the house is worth the price you've agreed to pay. Separately, you should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

The St Lawrence Fit

Finding the right home is like finding the perfect pair of shoes. For all the women reading this blog, most you know what it is like to find that perfect pair of shoes. Typically it takes time to find the right fit. Its the same with houses. When searching for the perfect home, you will find that you like different aspects of homes that you see. With St. Lawrence's custom building options, you can take the different pieces of the homes you love and turn them into your dream home.

Great Energy

St. Lawrence Homes is one of the top builders in the Triangle for energy ratings. Their homes are Energy Star and HERS certified. Now more than ever saving money in any way possible is important. With these programs, not only are you getting a quality home, but you are also saving money. In order to have a HERS certified home, it must be a 100 or better on a scale of approximately 150 to 0. A rating of 150 being poor and 0 being excellent. St. Lawrence homes typically score 65 or better.  Being energy efficient is very import to St. Lawrence Homes. Check out our website for St. Lawrence and learn more about our energy saving homes at http://stlh.net-by-design.com/. You can also follow us on Facebook.