Things To Know About the Build

Question 1

Hometown Hero Discounts

Answer 1

We offer $1,000 off for veterans, police, and firefighters

Question 2

Countertops

Answer 2

Laminate is standard and is a wood product. We have a wide variety of selections for this option.
HD Laminate is an improved finish that is glossy and more durable than regular laminate. And we also have a wide variety of selections for this option as well.
Granite and Quartz are both great countertop options. The main difference between the two is that granite is more porous so it’s more resistant to heat and quartz is more resistant to staining.
Granite & Quartz is a solid material so it comes with upgraded faucets.

Question 3

Door Upgrades

Answer 3

In sapphire if you upgrade the front door to something other than a 6 panel door, recommend upgrading the interior doors to match a little.

Question 4

Water softener

Answer 4

Water softeners purify water to minimize grime and build up on your appliances which helps appliances last longer. I would strongly suggest having us put in a rough in and then purchasing a water softener itself on your own to save money because our water softeners are overpriced.

Question 5

Carpet & Carpet Pad

Answer 5

We have base carpet which is no extra charge and gives you a choice of 4 different styles of carpet.
There are 4 levels of carpet upgrade. With each level upgrade it increases the longevity and gives you different styles of carpet.

Our standard carpet pad is 3/8” thick. Going from base carpet pad to carpet pad level 1 increases the thickness of the pad to 7/16”. The only difference between carpet pad level 1 and 2 is that there is a stain shield on carpet pad level 2.

The most common choice amongst buyers is opting for carpet and carpet pad level 1.

Question 6

What appliances do you offer?

Answer 6

We offer an included range and dishwasher. We also sell microwaves, washers, and dryers at pretty competitive prices.
If you want to buy your own appliances, I would just keep our base appliances (the range and dishwasher) and sell them on marketplace rather than accepting a $100 credit from us.

Question 7

Ceiling Light Prewire

Answer 7

You can hang a fixture with this option as long as it is 15lbs or less.

Question 8

Extension Upgrades with Basements

Answer 8

If you opt to put extensions in your house (not garage) it will also give you more basement space

Question 9

Can we sign a contract without a preapproval? What happens if we write a contract and then can no longer qualify?

Answer 9

All of our deals are always contingent upon financing. If you signed a contract, and you were not able to get preapproved by a lender for the home, you would be refunded your earnest money. The same thing would happen if we have ran into a situation where during the build your interest rate has became higher and if you aren’t able to qualify for the home after we’ve exhausted all scenarios to try to get you qualified, you would again be refunded your earnest money.

Question 10

Urge Buyers to keep credit in check post preapproval

Answer 10

Avoid big purchases until you close. A preapproval doesn’t mean everything is set in stone. You need to make sure your credit isn’t negatively impacted from the time of being approved to the closing of your home.

Question 11

What’s the difference between Vinyl Sheet, Laminate and Vinyl Plank?

Answer 11

Vinyl sheet and Vinyl plank have a lot of fundamental similarities and are made from the same core material. They’re easy to clean and maintain, are waterproof, have a wide variety of designs, and are much more affordable than hardwood or tile. The main difference is that vinyl planks are much more durable and don’t scratch or scuff as easily as vinyl sheet & are installed as individual pieces and the sheet is one large sheet. The vinyl plank will show more detailed appearance with bevels between each plank that is a closer resemblance to a hardwood floor.
Each level increase will give you a slightly more durable product with more design choices.
Laminate is installed the same as vinyl plank and resembles a hardwood floor moreso than vinyl sheet, but it isn’t waterproof.

Question 12

Don’t let the market dictate your decision. Let your situation dictate your decision.

Answer 12

There are forecasts for the housing market, but in the end it’s entirely unpredictable. If you find a home with the right price point, can meet the down payment, and like the product/location - move forward. We are in an evident housing shortage. You can always refinance for a lower interest rate as early as you want in your loan. However if you wait for rates to fall again, home values are going to continue appreciating regardless.

Question 13

BACFLPP

Answer 13

Budget
Area
Community
Floorplan
Lot
Personalize
Paperwork

Question 14

Should I add any extra outlets anywhere?

Answer 14

Really our homes have an adequate amount of outlets in every room. The only place I would recommend adding extras would be for a mounted TV or maybe one more in the garage, and adding a dedicated circuit in your garage if you keep a fridge or freezer in that space.

Question 15

Hose Bibs

Answer 15

Extra hose bibs must be placed to an interior wall

Standard is two hose bibs usually one on each side or one on side and one on back

Question 16

Gas Lines

Answer 16

Most communities are gas standard with gas HVAC systems. If you want a gas line to your range & dryer, you can do so for $250 each.
If 5 or more people will live in the home, consider upgrading to a 50% or 75% gal 90% efficiency vent gas WH

Question 17

Basements HVAC

Answer 17

Any HVAC system will be moved to the basement if added. A previous mechanical closet will be turned into a regular closet

Question 18

I have a warranty issue, what do I do?

Answer 18

First - confirm that they’ve submitted their issue through the customer care portal online
If they have - contact the customer care manager assigned to the community

Question 19

Siding Colors

Answer 19

Standard colors are light neutral earth tone colors.
Upgraded colors are darker bolder colors
The outside trim options are extra white or worldly gray

Question 20

Popular Warranty No’s

Answer 20

We do not cover caulking - this is part of homeowner maintenance
We do not cover cracked concrete either.
Our sod does not come with a warranty as well.

Question 21

Paying a mortgage

Answer 21

I like to view this as a forced savings account. & It will build a significant return over time with equity historically trending upward

Question 22

What colors can I paint the inside of my home with?

Answer 22

For no charge we paint your interiors walls an “extra white” color. If you want your house painted in a different color, it’ll cost $1,820. I’ll be the first to tell you that on single story home not to do this. However this price for a two story home is pretty fair.

I will tell you when it comes to paint that at 11 months we will do a free touchup, but you must contact us for this as we will not contact you for it. Nail pops are common during the first year of a new construction home which is why we offer this service.
If you’re going to paint your home a different color outside of our options, I would advise to wait a year.

Question 23

Do people run gas lines to their dryers?

Answer 23

I haven’t seen a whole lot of people run a gas line to their dryer, but gas dryers are more efficient that electric dryers and in the long run will save you money depending on fuel prices. However I have heard rumors of gas dryers giving white clothes a slight yellow shade. But I can only speak from research that I’ve done, not actual firsthand experience.

Question 24

What floorplans include islands?

Answer 24

The Walnut, Chestnut, Cottonwood, Cooper, and Norway have included islands.

Question 25

Why are we in a housing shortage? Why are there so fewer homes now than there were before/during the ‘08 housing crash?

Answer 25

From the 1940s up until the housing crash, there had been a healthy amount existing inventory and new builds being completed to match the population. Right after the ‘08 housing crash , a lot of builders went out of business and new home construction slowed tremendously for 4-5 years. The housing crash happened because a massive amount of loans were given to people who could not afford them in the early 2000s. Now it is much more harder to get a loan compared to back then. Because of the housing crash, banks from 2008-2012 also virtually made it almost impossible for developers to buy land. Even after the housing crash the process of buying and developing land has become much more difficult. These variables, paired with population growth in the US in general, COVID, and the influx of people and businesses moving to the midwest due to cheaper cost of living is why we’re in the position we’re in now.

Question 26

What are drainage and utility easements?

Act like a pad is 1’ deeper for safety on fitment

Answer 26

Easements are for drainage and normally you cannot build anything on top of it

Question 27

Doublecheck to make sure something fits that may not look like it does on the lot release

Answer 27

send to land entitlement/management

Question 28

Fencing?

Answer 28

Here are the approved fence types… these things are subject to change and I don’t necessarily want to be the middle man so I would recommend you contact the HOA directly.

Question 29

Side yard complaint?

Answer 29

What do you do in your side yard other than mow it? When you’re inside hangin out with your family are you concerned wit how close the other house is to you?
Noise related - exteriors walls are insulated.. noise isn’t going to be a huge issue unless your neighbor is throwing an absolute huge party.

Question 30

Urgency

Answer 30

This is an active market so here’s what I need from you and here’s what we’re working with. If you’re wanting to move forward I would advise acting on this sooner rather than later.

Question 31

Lot Requirements can be different per lot

Answer 31

Some lots may be more expensive than others based on brick or other options requirements.

Question 32

Garage Finishes

Answer 32

Gain clarity on Arbor garage finishes

Question 33

What is your policy on home to sell contingencies

Answer 33

If a customer cannot qualify on their loan with both mortgages when a customer is working on a build they must have their home sold within 60 days of signing the contract. We cannot release the house to production until their current home is sold.
If the customer is interested, they could sign a contingent start rider which would state that if pay us earnest money summing up to 10% of the purchase price, then we could move forward with the build if they haven’t sold their current home.
There are also companies available such as OpenDoor who will buy homes at good market value from customers and then resell them.

When it comes to spec homes, we can’t even move forward with a contract until the prospect’s current home is sold. We do not honor HTS contingencies for specs.

Question 34

Does it make sense to sell right now?

Answer 34

None of us can predict the future right, and homes in the Midwest have been gradually appreciating for a long time now. This question almost sort of turns me into a financial advisor in a way. I think it’s an excellent time to sell to use your equity in your current home now to pay off some higher interest debts that you have like an auto or credit loan that way your monthly overall expenditures are down by getting into a different home.