Is now a good time to build a home?

“NOW…is a great time to build” – Dan Metzler, President of Metzler Home Builders.

We have already seen some positive signs in the home building industry in the early weeks of 2012. Many in the industry could be described as “cautiously optimistic” regarding this slow recovery in new home construction. There are some definite signs of increased activity, and with that comes reason to believe that some of the best advantages of building a new home now could be changing in the near future. Here are 4 reasons that NOW is a great time to build.

  1. Interest Rates – Rates for a 30 year fixed mortgage are currently around 4.0%, and for a 15 year fixed are under 3.5%. Interest rates seem to keep drop-blurred newspaper with a legible headline that reads - INTEREST RATESping lower and lower…but eventually they will come back up. If you are waiting to see if they drop even lower, you are better off taking advantage of these historically low rates now and eliminating the risk of waiting too long.
  2. Cost of Construction Labor & Materials – The prices we are seeing from sub-contractors and suppliers are extremely competitive. Many contractors are willing to bid their services very competitively so they can keep their crews busy. The cost of building materials has been low also, but we are starting to see price increases. As our industry continues to recover (which we are already seeing signs in early 2012) the pricing on labor and materials will gradually creep up. Now is a great time to build your dream home and take advantage of these competitive prices in labor & materials that are sure to increase.
  3. Quality of Contractors – Builders and sub-contractors who have made it through the recession must be doing something right. A recession will weed out those businesses that are not providing a quality product or service no matter what the industry; the construction industry is no different. You can be assured, now more than ever, that most contractors out there are providing a quality product at a fair price, and have been for a long time.
  4. Building New vs. Buying Existing – You might be aware that in our current real estate market, you can purchase an existing home for noticeably cheaper than a new home with similar features and comparable size. Is this the only factor that matters when comparing building a new home to buying an existing one? As a builder of new custom homes we might be a little biased, but here are a few things to consider.

two snapshots over grass that read - NEW HOMES - and - HOME FOR SALE -

*New homes are more energy efficient; they will save you money by using less energy, sometimes significantly less than older existing homes.

*A new custom home will be exactly what you want! You may find an existing house that has most of what you are looking for, but you will still have to make some changes to get things exactly the way you want it. You can save the money of renovating or updating, and put it toward building your new home.

*New homes have warranties. Even if the builder does not provide a warranty, many products have homeowner warranties. At Metzler Home Builders, we provide a full 1 year warranty and service your home at your convenience for things that may come up during that first year and beyond.

These are just a few things to consider if you are considering building in the near future but are unsure of the best timing. NOW, really is a great time to build!

Fall Home Maintenance #3

Turning off your outdoor faucets sounds simple enough, but each fall many homeowners forget or neglect to winterize the faucets on the outside of their homes. This can be a costly mistake, potentially costing hundreds of dollars in repairs. Water can stay trapped in the pipe behind the faucet and freeze in the cold weather, causing pipes to crack or burst.

The first step to prevent this from happening is to locate each outdoor faucet on your home. Next, you will want to determine the  style of your faucet(s). Newer models are generally frost proof. If this is the style of faucet on your home, winterizing is as easy as disconnecting any hoses and turning the water off. In these frost proof models, the valve is located well behind the faucet itself so the flow of water is stopped on the inside of your home. (See picture below)

Ia freeze-proof faucet illustrationf you determine that your faucet is not a frost proof model, you will need to locate shut-off valves that should be installed in your basement leading to your outdoor faucets. You will need to turn these valves off to cut off the water supply to the faucet. Next, you should open the faucet outside and allow the water between the shut-off valve and the faucet to drain out.  It is important to note that although all the water may not drain out, as long as the pipe is not full, the remaining water should have enough room to expand without breaking the pipe.

Fall Home Maintenance #2

Sitting in front of your fireplace is most likely one of your favorite places to be as the cold weather sets in. Now is a great time to be thinking about the maintenance of your fireplace and chimney so it is giving off that heat and creating the warmth you need this winter.

a lit log in a fireplaceHere is a recommended maintenance list for your wood burning fireplace:

1. Clean out any old ashes and soot left from previous burning. Go green and use the ashes in your compost. They are a welcome addition to any compost pile.

2. Clean stains off the glass doors of your fireplace. Only clean the glass when it is cool. One option is to use a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water, apply the solution with a sponge, and wipe clean with newspaper.

3. Be sure to do a chimney sweep and cleaning as necessary. Hire a certified chimney sweep. It is recommended to have this done annually to catch problems before they create a need for expensive repairs.

4. While thinking of fireplaces, it’s a great time of year to make sure your smoke detectors are in working order. Make it a habit to change the batteries on your smoke detectors as you turn back the clocks for daylight savings time every year. (This Saturday, November 5, don’t forget!) Also remember to clean around your smoke detectors as excess dust can cause the alarm to go off. Using a soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner should do the trick.

Fall Home Maintenance

Home ownership is a great thing; with it, however, comes lots of responsibility. Often these responsibilities, such as regular maintenance of your home, can be overwhelming and un-exciting. Metzler Home Builders would like to help you by providing some tips and guidelines to follow this fall as you consider your home’s maintenance needs. We will post a series of these maintenance guidelines over the next few weeks. Here is the first one.

Check your Gutters and downspouts

fall leaves in guttersLeaves, sticks, and other debris can be a major nuisance to your gutters and downspouts. If clogged with these, rainwater can run off the roof missing your gutters and cause water to pond around your foundation during heavy rains. Take the time to inspect your gutters and clear the debris if needed. Also make sure that your downspouts are allowing the collected rainwater to drain away from the foundation of your home. If this is not the case, be sure to re-grade these areas so the water runs away from your home.