AZCENTRAL.COM
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2021
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A S P E C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N C R E AT E D B Y R E P U B L I C M E D I A C U S T O M P U B L I S H I N G
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WHAT’S INSIDE
Pulte Homes
Chris Mayer Photography via Trilogy/Shea Homes
SEARCH
DEVELOPMENTS OF THE MONTH NW: ALTITUDE AT NORTHPOINTE, PULTE HOMES NE: TRILOGY AT VERDE RIVER, SHEA HOMES SE: MADERA, TRI POINTE HOMES
Home Locator Maps See pages 4 & 5
Lennar
Sweet suite arrangements Home-offices continue to evolve to meet homeowner needs
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or many workers, COVID-19 accelerated a societal shift toward working from home at least part of the time. For many families, the pandemic also fast-tracked the need for a quiet space dedicated to schooling. This shift resulted in more buyers searching for housing with multipurpose or flex capabilities, said James Attwood, Tri Pointe Homes Arizona’s division president. “It’s changed from [just having an extra room] to [offering] a flexible versatile space that can accommodate multiple needs,” he said. Changing expectations also means that Lennar’s Next Gen home plans, originally intended for multi-generational families, are now seen as ideal for homebuyers needing a private office suite or perhaps an “off-the-beaten-path” learning center area. “The suite is separate from the main living area so the homeowner can leave their home and enter their homeoffice,” said Alan Jones, division president at Lennar. “They want a space that’s private and allows them to focus with minimal interruptions, especially with the number of meetings [and school sessions] conducted via video-conferencing.”
—Sue Goodrich, Cachet Homes
How builders are making it work Because video-conferencing is such a significant part of both work- and schoollife these days, the hard-wiring and accessories necessary to accommodate it have become more important than ever before. “Cachet Homes offers upgrades that include additional lighting, cabinetry and insulation, USB outlets and more,” said Sue Goodrich, vice president of sales and marketing for Cachet Homes. Lennar offers an option within Next Gen floorplans that adds overhead lighting, data connectors and sound-reduction features such as sealed doors and sound insulation between the main home and the Next Gen suite. The separate entrance also allows the space to function as a meeting location or as a private office with its own restroom and kitchen area. Meanwhile, Tri Pointe Homes offers what the builder calls Flex Design® spaces with upgraded electrical packages that enable greater connectivity around the home.
Pulte Homes
Get smart! Take that George Jetson! Almost every function in your home can now be controlled remotely
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ew-home builders have been making homes “smarter” than ever before. But just what does that mean for you, the homeowner?
Smartness defined First, let’s define what we’re talking about. According to Travis Klatt, director of sales and business development for iWired, a Scottsdale-based company that provides networked technology solutions for homes and offices, smart homes consist of door locks, televisions, thermostats, home monitors, cameras, lights and appliances that can be remotely controlled by devices such as phones, tablets and laptops from anywhere there is internet connectivity. Examples Now that we’ve got it defined, here are a few real-world examples from some well-known homebuilders in the Valley. “A Pulte smart home gives you the flexibility to make your home as smart as you want it to be — from the basic prewired to a full suite of automation that really brings your home to life,” said Lee Wymer, Arizona Division vice president of procurement for PulteGroup. He added this can include robust Wi-Fi, heating and cooling controlled from your smartphone, and garage doors and door locks that can be controlled and monitored from thousands of miles away. In its newest communities, Cachet offers as standard programmable thermostats and programmable entry locks that can be controlled remotely. “Buyers are able to add additional smart home features through our vendor, iWired,” said Sue Goodrich, vice president of sales and marketing for Cachet Homes. “A smart home uses cutting-edge technology to help homeowners stay comfortable, in control and connected from virtually anywhere,” said James Attwood, Tri Pointe Homes Arizona’s division president. For example, he said with Tri Pointe Homes’ HomeSmart ® offerings (one element of Tri Pointe’s LivingSmart® program), “one can control the temperature, lighting and much more within the home via connected
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device or voice control.” The Mesh Wi-Fi System, which is one of Tri Pointe Homes’ included HomeSmart® offerings, “has become a favorite for households working and schooling from home,” Attwood said. “The Mesh network helps eliminate ‘dead zones’ in the home, making in-home connectivity more accessible to everyone.” Plenty of standard and optional features Klatt said audio, video, appliances, network communications, surveillance and security are the top functions that can be integrated into a home’s operation. He pointed out that some builders offer not only structured wire panels and cable infrastructure for TV and network as standard, but also appliances, electronic door locks, lighting control and a video doorbell. There’s no shortage of options, Wymer said, including wireless access points hard-wired into the home and designed for house-wide coverage, voice control, Wi-Fi thermostats, Wi-Fi garage door openers, sound, music and home-theater options, smart kitchen appliances and a smart irrigation system. You can also opt for a network-connected vacuum system, pet cameras, camera surveillance systems, security systems, smart air purifiers and more. Tri Pointe offers as standard two smart-switches per home plan that let you control your lighting remotely, a Wi-Fi garage door opener that can be remotely operated through an app, a video doorbell, keypad entry lock, Wi-Fi thermostat, smart speaker capability and the Mesh Wi-Fi system to connect most functions. Optional features that Tri Pointe offers include audio/visual, sound, security, intercom, cameras, central vacuum, Wi-Fi irrigation systems and smart appliances. All standard features can be installed during construction of your new home, Goodrich, Wymer and Attwood said. Some optional features may be able to be incorporated during construction as well. Talk to your builder for specific details.
—Lee Wymer, PulteGroup
Tri Pointe Homes
Pulte Homes