A SPECIAL PUBLICATION CREATED BY REPUBLIC MEDIA CUSTOM PUBLISHING
WHAT’S INSIDE
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Lease-back programs
FYI: APS and SRP
Ask the Expert
Developments of the Month
Design’s on you
New Homes Locator Map
To HOA or not to HOA?
Cul-de-sacs
Programs fill a void in a “crazy” market.
How to know what power company services your home.
What is a heat pump? By Chas Roberts A/C & Plumbing
Some of the Valley’s hottest developments.
What to consider before you visit a design center.
Where new homes are being built.
Personal preferences an important consideration.
A bit about these suburban circles of life.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2013
New Homes is a monthly section dedicated to new home communities Look for New Homes on the first Friday of each month!
Each month, New Homes brings you the latest news about new home communities so that we can help you find a new home just-right for your family, with the amenities you’re looking for, near what’s important to you. We’ll arm you with information to help you make smart decisions and choices by discussing what types of homes builders are building, design considerations, what’s the latest when it comes to financing and more. To suggest a topic, contact editor Paula Hubbs Cohen at Paula.Cohen@cox.net.
Looking for a quick move-in? Inventory or ‘spec’ homes might be a good option
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BY DEBRA GELBART
hen thinking about buying a new home, many people tend to focus on purchasing a home that’s built just for them. However, some homebuilders build “spec” homes, or inventory homes, for those buyers who need or want to move in quickly. “PulteGroup communities across the state offer inventory homes to help meet the various timing needs of our customers,” said Rebecca Lundberg, vice president of sales for PulteGroup’s Arizona division. “Homebuyers’ circumstances are very diverse. Some new homeowners may be relocating to the state for work, for example, and might not have time to wait for a new home to be built.” Lundberg added that some renters may decide to purchase a new home instead of signing a rental lease extension. “In these instances we want to ensure that we have homes ready today, or very soon, for these buyers,” she said. PULTE HOMES
Quick move-in
All in the family
With an inventory home, move-in can occur a month or less after purchase, whenever the buyer’s loan is approved. If someone is paying cash, said Jason Hill, division president for T.W. Lewis by David Weekley Homes in Tempe, the buyer may only have to wait two weeks to move in after the purchase date. By contrast, the time between purchase and move-in for a built-to-order home is generally a minimum of four months.
Multigenerational homes offer solutions for many families BY ELISE RILEY
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Design limitations
One limitation of an inventory home, though, is not always being able to choose the interior design elements. However, if construction has just begun on a home when it’s purchased, a buyer may have the opportunity to select more finishes in the home than if the house is within 30 days of completion. “Some of the interior design features a homebuyer may be able to modify if they purchase early in the construction process include countertops and flooring,” Hill said. If an inventory home is almost complete, a buyer’s selections are more limited and may only include appliances and window treatments, which are easier to add at a later stage of production, Lundberg noted.
Model homes another option
Another option for those in need of a quick move-in is a model home, since builders will typically offer their models for sale when a community is nearing its sell-out phase. This is a limited market, but if your timing is just right, this might be another option for a quick move-in home.
hether it’s financial, emotional, care-related or otherwise, increasing numbers of families find themselves sharing one roof. Indeed, the aging baby boomer population, combined with economic adjustments in response to the recent recession, means it’s becoming more common for seniors to move in with their children and/or for young adults to move back home after college. In response to these consumer needs, more and more homebuilders are offering a variety of living arrangements for families adjusting to new lifestyles. In addition, some people vacation or visit family here for extended periods of time said Alan Jones, division president for Lennar Homes. “They want a place to come and stay, but don’t necessarily need a [full-time] home.” Voilá — the generation suite was born.
Configurations vary
Lennar offers the multigenerational concept at all of its communities in the Valley, with a variety of configurations. Other builders, such as Shea Homes, Pulte and Maracay Homes, offer select multigenerational floor plans and options at some communities, generally those that offer homes at least 2,500 square feet in size.
SHEA HOMES
Depending on the builder, most generation suites include a bedroom, small living room, bathroom, kitchenette and an eating area or breakfast bar. The suite has a door that connects to the rest of the home, but the entire space is self-contained. Some builders also offer private entrances, garages and patios. (MULTIGENERATIONAL HOMES, continued on page NH7)
MARACAY
HOMES
WHAT THE EXPERTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MULTIGENERATIONAL/MULTI-USE HOMES: “These suites have gained popularity and really come to the forefront because they’ve been a bit more of a necessity than a luxury.”
“Maracay Homes’ Generation Suites allow for private and separate space, while still remaining connected to the central gathering areas of the home.”
Fifteen percent of homeowners with living parents already had a parent living with them, while 31 percent of respondents expected to eventually have a parent living with them.
“There are 76 million baby boomers in America and they turned 65 starting last year. That equates to 350,000 people a month for 18 years. How many of them would prefer to live with a family member as opposed to living in a nursing home or care facility?”
—Ken Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing, Shea Homes Arizona
—Gina Canzonetta, marketing manager, Maracay Homes
—Source: PulteGroup survey, September 2012
—Alan Jones, Arizona division president, Lennar Homes
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