New Homes Guy "Choosing The Right Homesite" - New Homes Tulsa

To begin looking for a place to have your home built, it’s important to first understand the viewpoint of the people you need to deal with to choose the land.

Most new home sales people are only allowed to sell land in the community they work in; most importantly the land that is owned by the builder they represent.  This is extremely important to the builder because of the interest they are likely paying every month that land is in their portfolio.

When I made the decision to work with Shaw Homes, one of the largest factors that attracted me is the ability to sit in one neighborhood and sell a new home in Tulsa, and also be able to sell a new home in Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Claremore, Skiatook, and more.  This removes any drive from me to “sell” a customer a homesite in my neighborhood.  That’s important to you because my perspective isn’t weighted towards the builder.  Instead, I’m able to work with anyone who wants a new home, even if they want to build on their own land, and focus on what they want.  After all, it's your home.

Now for the factors to keep your focus on while looking for the right homesite.  In the building industry, we call this “chunking”.  Break out the journal  that you started for your New Home project and keep notes about the following questions and your answers to them:

• Where are you comfortable living?  (city names)
• Is there a required school or school district?  (If you desire a certain school, find out the exact addresses that can attend that school by visiting the local school boards website or office)
• Relative location to work?
• Highway access needed?
• How important is it to have shopping close by?  (Wal-mart, movie theater, restaurants, etc…)
• Nearest hospital?
• Do you want land, or a home in a neighborhood?  Private land is another topic by itself, so for the sake or brevity, I will only cover selecting land in a community for now.
• Are there amenities you require a community to have (clubhouse, pool, splash pad, park, etc…) 
• Do you want a premium homesite such as one on a golf course, pond, or greenbelt?
• Would you rather be at the front of a community or deeper in?
• Cul-de-sac homesite, corner (possible side-entry garage), or normal street?
• Which direction do you want your home to face?  The important factor is where do you spend the most time in the home, and which direction do you want that room facing when the sun rises or sets.  For most people, they spend more time in the Great Room watching television, and therefore desire that room to be facing east to avoid the setting sun.

When I sit with a buyer and discuss what type of homesite they want, I begin the chunking process until we narrow it down to roughly 3 homesites.  The next step is to go and walk the land.  It’s important to visit each homesite and walk to the back property line.  Look around, and then walk to the front of the site.  If you are going to build your home there, you want to know what you will see every day.  What homes are next to yours?  What is the view?  Is there unplatted land behind you that could be a strip mall, hospital, or 3 story tall apartments in the future? 

Unplatted means that there is currently no plan on file with the city for what land is going to be used for.  Always be cautious when buying along the edge of a community with empty land bordering it.  If a salesperson tells you that it’s a greenbelt homesite, get proof by requesting a copy of the community plat with the land behind your home showing as being owned by the developer and part of the community, with no homesites or future homesites indicated.  The plat map must be labeled "Final Plat".  I would even go so far as to request a written statement that no home or business will ever be built behind your home.  It’s only right, because any greenbelt homesite is always priced with a premium charge.

Enough for now on how to choose a homesite.  If you have any questions about this process, you can always reach me by e-mail at Shaw.newhomes@yahoo.com, or by phone at (918)409-5195.

My next blog will be about choosing a home style, kitchen types, and storage needs.  I will cover single or second story, 2 or 3 car garages, and more.

New Homes Guy "Included Is A Dirty Word" - New Homes Tulsa

So often buyers shop for a home and judge each builder by what they include.  While it seems logical, it can hurt you more than you believe possible.  You have to ask yourself this question:  Do I want a quality home that's going to last and appreciate without me putting a bunch of money back in for repairs and upkeep, or do I just want a pretty home with some flash?"

Builders like to confuse the process by distracting you with cookies, coffee, and crown molding.  If you don't want crown molding, "included" doesn't mean free.  It just mean that it's already in the price of the home, with a healthy profit margin added.  Sometimes you can remove an item and get a credit, however most will remove the cost of the item and leave in the profit they want to make for that upgrade.

Before you begin looking for a builder, there are two lists you must create. 

First, sit down and start a "New Home" journal.  Begin by making a Wish List.  List everything you can think of that you would like in your new home.  Don't consider the list an option.  When you have what you think is the complete list, go back over it and put the items into one of three categories:  Needs, Wants, and Wishes.  This list will help keep you focused on what you need, want, and dream of, and away from what someone wants to sell you.

Second, create a list of Quality Requirements.  If you have very little personal knowledge of homes and how they are built (which is most people), the list may be short, so let me help you.  Where I live, new homes in Tulsa are almost all built on a slab because of the clay and sand.  Anytime a home is built on a slab, it must have a post tension foundation for structural integrity and longevity (I will do a full blog on post tension foundations later to help you verify if it's actually true post tension).  On the quality requirements list for a new home in Tulsa, a buyer should add Post Tension Foundation.  If a home is to be built in the Great Lakes area, there would be an entire list of quality requirements for a safe and leakproof basement. 

As an example, I've created a partial list of Quality Requirements for a new home is Tulsa Oklahoma:

What quality of materials are being used. 
What brand of HVAC system (Heating Venting and Air Conditioning)? 
Are the shingles 30 year architectural shingles? 
Are the appliances a quality name brand and residential grade, or just builder grade? 
Is there rebar in the concrete around the home (driveway, front porch, and patio)? 
Are the windows low-e with argon gas? 
Is Dupont Tyvek house wrap used?
What is the R value of insulation in the walls?
What is the R value of insulation in the ceiling?
Are they using Radiant Roof Decking?
Full brick home?
What guttering come on the home?
Is there a patio, is it covered, and what size?
Is home prewired for security system?
What is done on homesite for landscaping?  Is sod included?
What size amp electrical service?
How wide and how deep is the garage space?
What size is the water heater?
Are the gas lines in the home black pipe (steel) or CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing)?  As a note, I prefer black pipe.
If a two story home, are there seperate A/C units for each floor?
If a two story home, are the stairs built with 2 runners or three?  Nailed, glued, and screwed?

I think you get the idea by now.  Focus on quality, and the cost of the home at the quality you need.  Then add in the upgrades and items you want.  This will keep you from being a victim of the dirty word "included".  Remember that you don't want to be sold a home, you want to invest in the right home for you.  In the next blog, I will get into shopping builders and their land, and factors for choosing the right place to build your new home.

If you have any questions about building a new home in Broken Arrow, a new home in Owasso, or the Tulsa area, or if you have any questions about builders and making sense of what they include, and don't include, you can reach me by e-mail:  Shaw.newhomes@yahoo.com, or by phone at (918)409-5195.