Virginia State Law dictates that a new home must be warranted by the builder that builds it. That is all well and good but a warranty on a home is far more complex than a warranty on a toaster and to understand what protections come with the purchase of new home, you need to do some reading of some fairly small print. Once you begin to do your homework, you quickly realize … [Read more...]
Track Versus Custom Builders
The most noticeable difference is price per square foot....but basing your decision on that metric alone is not going to tell you the whole story and if your Realtor (buyer’s agent) is telling you that the best value is the lowest square foot price, you probably should get a new buyer’s agent. The difference in price comes from the combination of materials, selections and … [Read more...]
What is a Single Hung Window versus a Double Hung?
Windows are an integral part of your new home and it is important to understand the differences. A single hung window is a more affordable window that only has one workable sash (meaning only the bottom part goes up). Usually this type of window does not have wooden trim surrounding the window and they will have a sill at the bottom that is the total trim package. These … [Read more...]
Which Comes First? The Purchase or the Sale?
In the good old days (2000-2007), 'What if my house doesn't sell' was not overly concerning. For the most part, if the house was in decent shape and even close to a decent price, it would sell shortly with multiple offers and with terms that were very seller friendly. Typically, the most stressful part of the transaction for the seller was the speed at which the transaction … [Read more...]
What Does ‘Stick Built’ Mean and Why Does it Matter?
Stick building is a more traditional way of framing a home. Most small or custom builders use this as their preferred manner of constructing their homes since they tend to build homes that are unique. Roofs, floor trusses and all framing is, in effect, created on site from individual pieces of lumber. Problems, when encountered, can be solved more easily with stick building … [Read more...]
