Buying Old vs. New

What do you think of when you picture the home you'd like to live in? To most people it bears a passing resemblance to the one they grew up in. A traditional Victorian or, perhaps, a brownstone townhouse straight out of a familiar TV show. Then again, maybe that is not what you are looking for. Maybe you'd prefer something newer, something with contemporary style, the latest amenities and a lot less maintenance. When it comes to home buying, one size does not fit all. It really helps to understand the differences when it comes to buying an older house and buying new construction.

Just What You Were Thinking

"We wanted to live in one of those cool, funky neighborhoods like in old Brooklyn, New York but we didn't want to have to renovate. It just made more sense to get into a new place." – Donna M.

A New House Built for You?

If not a custom-built house on its own lot, then most new homes today are built in community developments with a cohesive style. These developments can be as small as the old style cul-de-sac neighborhoods, or they can be as big as a former farm filled with dozens and dozens of homes. These homes are built to the latest planning and zoning codes and standards, they tend to be contemporary in style, energy efficient and are often less expensive than resale homes of a similar size. Sometimes, these types of new home developments can represent a savings over established neighborhoods. Either way, the decision about whether to sacrifice an established community is worth thinking about and taking time to weigh your options. Specific details may vary depending on your circumstances, but consider these pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of New Construction

PROS

·         Contemporary style

·         Some flexibility on design during construction phase

·         Cheaper to maintain (new appliances = fewer repairs)

·         Cheaper to operate (energy-efficient construction)

·         Extended warranties

·         Cohesive neighborhood (consistent layout, common areas, amenities)

·         Frequently have a homeowners association (helps protect resale value)

·         It's brand-new!

CONS

·         Cookie-cutter design

·         Limited negotiating room on price

·         Most likely homeowners association dues

·         Frequently less character, more than likely identical designs

·         Frequently have a homeowners association (can put limits on how you use your property)

Of course, one home buyer's pro ("No one has lived in it before us, so we won't inherit any problems.") can be another's con ("No one has lived in it before us, so we have no way of knowing about any problems."). Fortunately, there are ways to make sure the house you're buying is really the house you want:

·         Check the builder's track record. What else has the company built? Were previous projects completed on time, on budget and without bad blood between the builder and buyers?

·         Walk the streets. If you live nearby and previous stages of the development are occupied, ask the residents if the builder did quality work and lived up to contractual commitments.

·         Picture your home, not the model home. You can certainly have the granite counters, surround-sound home theater and jetted tub you saw in the model home, but they're not included in the base price. You will pay extra for them.

·         Bring your own agent. If the builder has a real estate agent on site, the agent will be more than happy to help you. But, on-site agents work for the builders who hire them. Their best interests will be for the builder, not you.

Finally, consider the intangibles. Similarly styled homes attract like-minded buyers, and most developments are built with families in mind. Depending on your point of view, the consistency, conformity and kids playing in the street can be a blessing or a curse.

Existing /Resale Homes

Just what you were thinking

"We liked the charm factor of an older home -- even if it meant living in a construction zone for months during our renovation." – Jeffery W.

Old = Character?

With new developments popping up almost overnight, it's obvious that new construction is on the rise. And yet, most people buy an older home; i.e., a home that someone else has lived in but is now on the market again. Call them old if you like — existing home sounds better — but they're the kind of houses that many people would like to call home.

Of course, there are pros and cons with older homes, too. (That cute cottage with the casement windows? It can be mighty drafty come winter.) In general, older homes tend to be more available and less expensive than new homes, but they can also be full of surprises.

The Pros and Cons of Older Homes

Pros

·         More choices, more styles to choose from

·         Price may be more negotiable

·         Known issues will be revealed in disclosure documents

·         Established neighborhood

·         Could contain more charm and character

Cons

·         More maintenance: Things break or wear out

·         Less energy-efficient: More costly to operate

·         Dated design, older appliances and amenities

·         It's been lived in!

As with new construction, there are ways to make buying a resale home less scary:

·         Have the home inspected. You do not want to find out the foundation is cracked or the roof needs to be replaced after you move in.

·         Consider a counter-offer. If the inspection reveals fixable flaws, propose the seller do the repairs or lower the price.

·         Expect the unexpected. Pipes leak, electrical work becomes outdated and furnaces fail — get used to it.

·         Be honest with yourself. If major repairs are required, you'll either have to do them yourself or bring in the professionals. Some people enjoy D.I.Y. or hiring professionals; others don’t.

The bottom line in older homes is this: Don't buy someone else's problems unless you can handle the issues. Find a house you like, consider its pros and cons — objectively, as well as emotionally — and think about the consequences and sacrifices you may have to make. The more logically you approach buying a house, the more you're going to love your home!

Copper Square – New Community offers First-Class, Carefree, Lifestyle in Beautiful Townhomes and Duplex Residences

 By Pamela Brown

       

      The buzzword in the building industry is customization – getting features in a home that suit your specific lifestyle. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or an empty nester downsizing from a maintenance-intensive home, you’ll appreciate the opportunity to select the details to create your personal living space. Copper Square is a new community in Bethel, CT featuring beautiful modern townhomes and duplex residences. The townhomes, affordably priced from $299,900, and duplexes from $369,900.00 offer an exceptional value in the Fairfield County marketplace.

      The interiors of the homes at Copper Square are spectacular. Julia Walters of JL Walters Design Associates designed the spaces with a keen knowledge of color, comfort, and livability, integrating thoughtful interior elements into the home plans. “I wanted to create a canvas for the homeowner that would easily compliment their individual style; be it contemporary, transitional, traditional, or even eclectic. It is not just a home – it’s a lifestyle. The most important objective was to design homes which support how families and individuals live and function today,” said Walters. “The homes have open floor plans with expansive kitchen and dining spaces and shared spaces for family members to reconnect at the end of the day. With many companies offering remote work situations to their employees, we offer home office spaces in several of our plans. For those who prefer one-level living, we have first floor master bedrooms and first floor laundry/mudrooms.” For Walters, another important item beneficial to health and well-being is natural sunlight, so window placement and size were an important consideration.

      Copper Square’s award-winning builder RMS Companies leads the region in creating dynamic, state-of-the-art tools that help buyers envision their homes, simplify selections, and enhance the overall home buying experience.   “It’s very important to me that each homeowner become a part of the design process and have a direct hand in selecting the options to create their dream home,” said Walters. Copper Square provides a state-of-the-art Design Studio with a highly professional sales and service staff to assist buyers during all phases of their purchase decision. The user-friendly Studio shows every option available, including colors, materials, fixtures, cabinetry, finishes, and style. Buyers will feel like they’re in the actual home as the Studio provides space to move and be inspired, offering multiple kitchen vignettes showcasing examples in a professionally-curated, experiential way. Buyers can view an actual island with cabinets above or see how a floor color relates to or enhances what they envision for their home. “The options we have curated in the Design Studio allow the homeowner a tremendous amount of design freedom,” she said.  

      Additionally, Copper Square offers Kitchen Options Changer, an online software program. After a tour, when buyers leave the property to consider their new home, they can use this innovative and interactive tool to help them visualize their future home, choose options, make changes, and try different scenarios before making a decision. “We wanted prospective buyers to get that immersive experience, to get involved, to touch everything, and to truly envision their space.  Our aim was to infuse flexibility into the home buying process by giving buyers spaces they can work with and tools to create their ideal living arrangement,” said Randy Salvatore, President of RMS Companies.    

     The townhomes range in size from 1,967 to 2,466 square feet. Three of the townhome designs have two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a kitchen with center island or peninsula, a dining room or dining area, a living room with crown molding, and an entertainment room. The fourth and largest townhome has three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. This unique plan offers a complete first-floor living area with increased accessibility features, a main second floor living area with an office, and a third floor with a master bedroom suite and an additional bedroom. All townhomes feature one car garages, and master suites with a walk-in closet, oversized shower, and double granite vanity.

            The two and three bedroom duplexes range in size from 1,615 to 2,431 square feet.  All have two story entry floor plan or center hall feel. Two of the duplex designs feature first floor master suites, with two additional bedrooms and a loft area on the second floor.  Two plans also offer a home office/library on the main level. All duplex homes feature two car garages, bluestone patios, gas fireplaces, and luxurious master suites with walk-in closets, soaking tubs, and a separate shower.

      Both townhome and duplex residence come standard with hardwood floors in all main living areas, including stairways, lofts, and upstairs hallways, carpeting in the bedrooms and entertainment rooms, and kitchens with Mastercraft cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and granite countertops.  Central air conditioning, security systems, and separate laundry room areas with connections for laundry equipment are also standard in all homes; washer/dryer appliances are optional. 

        “The individual home is just one part of how the design philosophy incorporates lifestyle,” said Walters. Buyers enjoy membership in the 7,500+ square-foot Club Copper featuring a fireside lounge; a Mac Bar with iPads and iMac computers; a generously-sized kitchen with 20’ ceilings and a bar; a billiards/gaming area; a cappuccino bar with Wi-Fi; a conference loft; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a sport and screening room featuring a 120” screen, surround sound, and stadium seating. Also, there’s an outdoor bluestone fire pit, a grilling area, and a spa-inspired outdoor heated pool with a sun deck and a bar for entertaining. “All of these elements are seamlessly integrated into the homeowner’s daily lifestyle,” she said.  

     At Copper Square, you can customize your dream home and create the perfect interior living space.  You will also enjoy a carefree lifestyle in which all exterior maintenance, including snow removal, landscaping, and lawn care is provided. Bask in a comfortable, sophisticated, and personalized home and indulge the exceptional amenities offered at this new community. You will discover what Copper Square’s design philosophy and mantra--You’re In Your Element--is all about.

Copper Square is located at 48 Stony Hill Road (Route 6), Bethel CT.  For more information, please visit wwwLiveCopperSquare.com, view the latest photos Instagram.com/livecoppersquare, or call the office at (203)701-7697. The Sales Center and Design Studio is open Monday through Saturday, from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11a.m. to 5p.m. Models are Available.

How House Construction Works

Have you ever wondered how a house is built? What holds up the ceilings and the walls? What keeps the rain out? What parts go into making a house? How many different people are involved when a house goes up? If you always wanted to know the answers to questions like these, or if you have simply been curious to know all the steps that go into making a new home, then read on. You'll learn how the houses we develop are actually built.

Setting the Stage

So let's start at the beginning. What is a house? According to Wikipedia, a house is "A building that functions as a home for humans or other creatures, including simple dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes and complex structures composed of many systems." I don’t know about the “other creatures” part but you probably have a very specific mental image of the "typical house." It is a structure on its own piece of land, generally with a lawn and plants outside. It has a pitched roof, walls covered in brick or siding, windows and doors. Inside there are rooms like the kitchen, the living room, bedrooms and bathrooms.

I can show you a hundred pictures of houses and they may all be completely different in their specifics, but they will all share those basic characteristics.

Steps to Building a House

One of the amazing things about American homes is that the huge majority of them are built using completely standardized building practices. One reason for this consistency is a set of uniform building codes that apply across the country. Another reason is cost -- the techniques used to build homes produce reliable housing quickly at a low cost (relatively speaking). If you ever watch any house being built, you will find that it goes through about twenty or so steps:

1. Grading and site preparation
2. Foundation construction
3. Framing
4. Installation of windows and doors
5. Roofing
6. Siding
7. Rough electrical
8. Rough plumbing
9. Rough HVAC
10. Insulation
11. Drywall
12. Underlayment
13. Trim
14. Painting
15. Finish electrical
16. Bathroom and kitchen counters and cabinets
17. Finish plumbing
18. Carpet and flooring
19. Finish HVAC
20. Hookup to water main, or well drilling
21. Hookup to sewer or installation of a septic system
22. Punch list

Many of these steps are performed by independent crews known as subcontractors. For example, the framing is generally done by one subcontractor specializing in framing, while the roofing is done by a completely different subcontractor specializing in roofing. Each subcontractor is an independent business. All of the subcontractors are coordinated by a contractor who oversees the job and is responsible for completing the house on time and on budget.

We will walk through some of these various stages in more detail in our upcoming blogs so that you will know what is involved, understand all the steps and learn about the different materials used in the construction process.

Update your Bathroom in a Single Weekend

Does your bathroom need a quick fix-up? Transform your dull, dated bathroom into a stylish, spa-like retreat with these Do-it-Yourself (DIY) projects that you can tackle in a weekend.

Recolor your scheme

Freshen up your color scheme by adding a fresh coat of paint or liven up the walls with a bold, striking wallpaper. Don’t forget the 60-30-10 color rule which says; roughly 60 percent of the given space in the room should be the dominant color. In interior design terms, this color is for walls. Neutrals are the good choice for painting walls. The next 30 percent should represent a secondary color and this color is for the trim. The remaining 10 percent of the color scheme is for accent color. Accent colors should be attractive. Warm vivid colors are good accent colors.

Contain the clutter

Add functional storage to help contain the bathroom mess that makes your space appear cramped and cluttered. A stackable mesh shelving unit above the commode can be an example of how you can store the guest towels and extra soap and shampoo that you’ll need when visitors stay over on the next holiday weekend. Use a covered basket or mini-chest to store magazines and other reading material that can often look messy.

Add texture and charm

A good way to create uniqueness and update material in your bathroom is to use a bead board painted in a neutral color to add texture and charm to your bathroom. You can also use objects like whisk brooms, combs, and sponges to create a textured look when repainting the walls. Wallpaper or textured wallpaper is another good option.

Fix your fixtures

Replace dated light fixtures with new, modern ones. If your style is more diverse, try contrasting your modern fixtures with a vintage chandelier. Change your incandescent bulbs to fluorescent ones. Fluorescent lighting not only distributes light more evenly, it produces brighter light which can make the room look bigger and brighter. Design styles have changed for the better with fluorescent bulbs so no need to worry that uncovered fluorescent bulbs will not be attractive.

Home Sweet Home

A house is defined as a building in which people live. A home is defined as a place in which people live.

What one person may see as four walls, you may see as a place, a community, a neighborhood, or a world of memories. It’s those memories that can sometimes make it hard for you to move to a new set of four walls but the place, community, neighborhood and anticipation of new memories often make it easier.

So, while you’re planning for a big (or small) move, instead of dreading the process ahead of you, think of it as a trip down memory lane. Get your family and/or friends together and use it as an opportunity to reflect on all of the good times that you’ve had in that home. Bringing them to see the new neighborhood may generate the excitement you need to deal with it all. Sometimes, the mere fact of moving into a brand new house in a brand new community can ease your trepidation.

Consider leaving some of your memories behind. Perhaps its little Johnny’s carvings on the basement pole that you leave behind or the time capsule that the kid’s buried a decade ago in the backyard. There’s something exciting about the possibility of someone else finding your story and discovering the joys you had at your old home.

Whatever it is that helps you move forward into the house that will become your new home think of it as more than just a house with four walls but as a place that’s near and dear, home sweet home.