How We Help You Keep Your Heating & Cooling Bills As Low As Possible

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Energy efficiency in your new home is very important during any time of the year as it directly affects your overall utility bills. During both the summer and winter months, we want to ensure we keep as much of that conditioned air, from both the air conditioner and furnace, within the home. Today, we wanted to explain a few of the features we utilize in our new homes that help to keep this conditioned air within the building space and not lost to the outside, which in turn will lower your monthly energy bills.

First of all, for our wall insulation we use a blown-in fiberglass composite material. This insulation is a loose fill product which condenses to fill any voids or air gaps within the wall cavity and also fills around all plumbing and electrical in the wall. We first cover the wall in netting and then fill in between each stud cavity.  Our recent change to 2x6 exterior walls allows us to achieve an R-21 rating because of the depth and overall density in the stud space throughout our exterior walls.  The thicker the insulation you are able to install, the higher the R- value, or the higher thermal resistance of the structure.  Higher thermal resistance equals a more energy efficient home.

Another area of your home where we focus on energy efficiency is the type of windows we install.  We use a true vinyl window made by Andersen. Vinyl is a great building product as it has a very low heat transfer rating.  All of our windows are also Low-E rated.  This Low-E rating means that our windows block around 84% of all ultraviolet light from entering the home through the window.  Each of these two characteristics help minimize heat from penetrating into the home during the summer and escaping the home in the winter.  Again, the more conditioned air you can keep within your home the less your furnace and air conditioner will have to work, thus helping to reduce your monthly energy bills.

A third area where we focus on energy efficiency is our use of Lennox furnaces that are 93% efficient. This means that the  furnace uses 93% of the energy it requires to operate to actually heat the home. 7% of the energy used is lost through the combustion process and not utilized in producing heat for the home. The unit uses two pvc pipes that extend from the unit directly to the outdoors.  One is an intake to bring fresh air in to fuel the combustion process and the other is to remove the by-products created from the furnace during this same process.  This is also another important energy feature in your new home in that the furnace is not using already conditioned air within the home to complete the combustion process, but fresh air from the outside.  The more conditioned air that is kept inside the building envelope and the more efficient the furnace, the less the furnace has to run to replenish that conditioned air.

Above are just a few of the many different energy features we incorporate into our new homes.  All of these features together help create a more comfortable home as well as a home that is very energy efficient.  For more information on our homes, please feel free to call or e-mail us anytime or stop by our models in Saddlebrook or Portal Ridge.

Happy 2012 from Our Family to Yours!

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As we embark upon a New Year of great possibilities and more opportunities – we wanted to take the opportunity to give a shout out to all our wonderful partners and supporters! Thanks to you, our clients, contractors, agents and staff – we were able to achieve a record-breaking sales year in 2011! In fact, we believe there are many more wonderful achievements to come in the year ahead. Come watch the newest video on our blog – we look forward to seeing you!

The Financial Stability at Charleston Homes

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During a time when many building companies are struggling to stay afloat during the building crunch of the last few years, Charleston Homes has thrived. We couldn’t do it alone though. There are many partners that make Charleston Homes what it is today.

First National Bank has been a great partner with Charleston Homes in the past few years. We pride ourselves in this relationship and are proud to have FNB along with us as we’ve grown. We’ve built a solid reputation with them as being a dependable company.

Banks don’t lend money to just anyone. The fact we have been able to actually increase our borrowing in the last few years shows Charleston Homes is a strong building company with the customer’s best interests at heart. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t have thrived during such a touch time of building.

Come discover what makes both Charleston Homes and First National Bank such a great team. We know you will be happy you did!

We Are Thankful For You As We Look Forward to 2012

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Here at Charleston Homes, we take Thanksgiving very seriously. As we look back on Thanksgiving this year, we wanted to let you know how thankful we are for our customers, contractors and real estate agents. Without you all, we would not be able to do what we do and what we love. So, thanks!

Secondly, we wanted to let you know that we are already taking reservation agreements for move in dates in May, June and July of 2012. Even though you might still be in a turkey coma, we need to get started laying foundations for folks who want to move into their new home come springtime. If you are looking to make a move this spring or summer, get in touch with us today so that we can get your perfect lot reserved.

Also, we do have some completed inventory available right now in several parts of town at various price points. So, if you know a friend or family member who is looking for a new home, please let them know. We are always delighted to work with your referrals, and we promise to treat them like gold!

Again, we hope that you had a great Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the upcoming holiday season with excitement. If we can be of service, please give us a call!

Getting Your Home Ready For Winter in No Time Flat

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Geting your home ready for winter doesn't have to be a big chore.  Many people don't take the proper precautions necessary to make sure that their homes are protected when the cold weather hits. Instead of worrying that winter will wreak havoc on your home, focus on enjoying a warm fireplace and a hot cup of cocoa. Here are some tips to get you started on making sure that your home is ready for those upcoming cold temperatures.

Winterizing your house includes items on the interior and exterior, so it's important to walk around and look for potential issues before the cold temperatures set in.

Inspect all windows to make sure that they are shut tightly and locked.

Look around your patio doors, windows, entry way and garage thresholds to make certain that they are sealed properly.

Check your fireplace to be sure that the pilot light is turned on.  You should also clean the backside of the glass with an ammonia free nonflammable cleaner like Windex.  In addition, carefully remove any webbing or dust from the logs and fireplace area.

You should check your furnace filter on a monthly basis to see if it needs to be replaced.  Make sure to insert your filter with the arrow pointing in line towards the furnace.

In the third year of homeownership, you should have your furnace inspected by an authorized Lennox dealer.

Carbon monoxide leaks can be a deadly problem resulting from improper maintenance of the heating system, so make sure to get it serviced on a regular basis or if you have any questions about the safety of your unit.

As you go into the winter months, make sure that your furnace has a good, working Buss fuse labeled S15.  If not, always make sure to have an extra one on hand.

An easy thing to miss is not having your furnace in the "on" position. If it still isn't working, refer to your warranty manual for trouble shooting solutions.

On the outside of your home, make sure to check your downspout extensions.  Make certain that they are in place about 2 to 3 feet away from the home to divert water.  They should always be placed in the down position.  If they're damaged, you can get a replacement one from your local hardware store.  These are very easy to replace.

If you have a sump pump, there is a discharge pipe outside.  Many people remove it for mowing.  Make sure that it is securely fastened and check throughout the winter.

You have a high-efficiency furnace with an exhaust port outside.  Before using your furnace for the first time of the season, make certain to visually inspect the port to see if there are any insect nests inside. Do not install covers over these because it can obstruct the exhaust and fresh air intakes of the furnace. It is a good idea to clear away drifted snow because that could cause system blockage.

In your yard, you will want to purchase a good winterizer so that your grass gets nutrients during those cold winter months.  It should come back greener in the spring.  Also check your landscaping and trim overgrown vegetation as needed.

Make sure to stain or seal your deck.  Wait one full season after moving in.  In spring or summer, or even early fall, seal it.  This will preserve your deck to make it last longer.

Take a look at your driveway to see if any cracks need to be caulked or sealed before weather drops below 50 degrees. Most caulking you can buy at the market needs application temperatures of 50 degrees or higher.

As you can see, these are several things that need to be done in order to make sure that your property is ready for the cold temperatures of winter.  If you follow this checklist, you will take care of anything that may go wrong when the temperatures dip down to the freezing mark.

Waiting To Build Will Cost You Thousands Of Extra Dollars

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Many home buyers have no idea that the cost of construction has historically increased year after year. What does that mean for you? Well, for one thing, it means that delaying your next home build will likely cost you thousands of extra dollars not to mention wasted time.

We've already talked about interest rates and how that can greatly affect whether you should build now or wait. Then, we discussed the scarcity of land and lots here in the Omaha area. Now, we need to talk about how waiting until next year to build will actually end up costing you a lot more money out of your pocket.

Did you know that the U.S. Census Bureau keeps tabs on the cost of construction in the U.S.? In fact, they have been keeping up with those numbers for many years. What they have been able to determine is that over the last 20 years, the average cost of a new home annually has gone up about 2.8% each year. That is mainly due to commodity prices such as wood, lumber, shingles and the price of gas, as well as other factors.

Let's do some figuring: If you take that $200,000 house that you have been longing for and you just wait one year (assuming that the cost of construction only goes up 2.8%), it is going to cost you an additional $5000-$6000 to purchase that same home a year from now. That is not even including the increased cost of land that we discussed earlier or the possible increase in interest rates. When you start adding up all of the numbers, the cost of your beautiful $200,000 dream home can go up astronomically in the next 1, 2 or 3 years.

Don't make the mistake of trying to wait out lower interest rates because the market will fluctuate. No one can guarantee that rates won't increase substantially a year or two from now. Do you really want to sit on the sidelines and let these fantastic rates get away?

You've probably heard the saying that a “bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. In other words, you don't know what is around the corner, so don't rely on better rates, more land becoming available or building prices going down. We know what history has shown, so make an informed decision now that will benefit you later.

You definitely do not want to look back a year or so from now and wish that you had made the decision to buy a new home when rates were great and building prices were lower. Call or visit us today so we can help you build your next home!

Going…Going…Gone? The Scarcity of Lots in Omaha

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Over the years, there have been a number of lots and home sites available for potential home buyers. As time has gone on this has gradually changed.

No Money

As with all places in the United States, the housing industry in Omaha has been impacted by what’s gone on nationwide. In addition, lenders that once happily loaned money for land development are now no longer willing to lend money for land developers to put in new subdivisions. This means finding a lot to build on is much more difficult than it once was.

Not Enough Lots

Once there was what seemed like countless premium lots in Omaha. Now we are starting to run out of the A+ lots. These lots are much more scarce than they were just a few years ago. With the law of supply of demand, the lots that are left have rapidly rising prices.

Buy Now

If you are considering building a home in the next few years, now is the time to buy the lot. We are anticipating home lot prices to rise in spring 2012. That’s just a few short months away and there’s not much time left to lock in the lower prices we have today.

Omaha’s housing lots are becoming scarce. Once in abundance, the home lots around town are slowly dwindling down. This means prices are going up. Prices are expected to rise in the next few months making now the perfect time to buy a lot for your new home.