Developing a Budget

At Paradime Construction, owner Stan O'Brien designs, drafts and builds the homes. This hands on attention allows for a detailed focus on the costs of building a custom home and can be adapted to fit each home buyers unique needs. O'Brien remains involved in the entire process and with his years of experience can answer any questions that may arise.

When developing your budget for a custom home here are a few things to consider?

- Land costs - do you already own the property or will you need to acquire a home site?
- What other monthly costs do you already have? Make a tally of all expenses including car payments, credit cards, groceries, etc.
- Look at other homes in the square footage range and area that you are interested in for some ideas of the price range
- Bring photos, sketches, plans with you to your first builder meeting - this will help your builder understand better what type of features you are looking for in your home.

Most importantly, keep open communication with your builder. Stan O'Brien prides himself on being accessible to the customer and to really listening to what the needs and wants are of the buyer.

Real Estate Regrets

Trulia released the results of a consumer survey asking homeowners what they regret about their current home purchase or home buying process.

Home buyers this Spring are facing a market with limited inventory and stiff competition for homes. This environment creates the potential for buyers to make rushed decisions that they may later regret. The goal of Trulia's survey is to inform current buyers about the most common regrets in hopes that they can be avoided.

Here are the findings from the survey about top 5 homeowner regrets:

• 34% wish they had chosen a larger home
• 27% wish they had done more remodeling on the home that they did
• 22% wish they had more information on the home before they purchased
• 18% wish they had put more money down for the down payment
• 16% wish they were more financially secure before they made their decision

For a full list of homeowner regrets and analysis by Trulia visit this LINK

What if any regrets do you have from previous home buying experiences?

Natural Mosquito Control

As the weather warms up it's natural to want to spend more time outdoors enjoying the spring and summer temps!

Don't let mosquitoes ruin your outdoor environment. Here are some all natural tips to help keep the buzzing bugs at bay!

1. The Citronella plant.  This distinctive smell hides you from mosquitoes. It's the same fragrance used in citronella candles but the actual plant is stronger and more effective.

2. Change your lighting. If you have outdoor lights  change your bulbs to a yellow or orange shade. This glow seems to attract less mosquitoes as opposed to bright white bulbs.

3. Remove sources of standing water. Mosquitoes breed in still pools of water so look for any overturned tubs or containers that may be catching rain water.

4. Camouflage yourself. Wear light or neutral colors, limit perfumes and lotions. Use a ceiling fan to keep air circulating.

Builder Q&A

Question: What is a conditioned crawl space?

Answer:
In new construction a conditioned crawl space involves the following elements:

• No insulation between the ground and floor
• 20 mil puncture proof polymer on the ground that is rolled up the side walls and taped
• Spray foam insulation around the perimeter of the wall to insulate from the outside
• HVAC supply duct into the crawl space to control temperature and humidity
• HVAC return to the first floor to allow air circulation

The advantages to having a conditioned crawl space are many:

• Utliized the earth's thermal mass to help heat and cool the home in temperature extremes
• No hot or cold floors - consistent temperatures because of the conditioned space
• Eliminates moisture for better indoor air quality
• Reduces the possibility of bugs and pests

Paradime Construction is familiar with the purpose and construction of a conditioned crawl space.  When buying a new home consider the investment you are making and the best ways to protect it.