Understanding Your Pre Construction Meeting with Charleston Homes

When you build a new home there are several meeting you will attend after you have signed your building contract. The first of these meetings is called the “pre construction meeting.” Sometimes this will take place before ground is ever broken on your new home. But it’s a very important first step to building the home of your dreams.

What’s Involved in a Pre Construction Meeting?

The pre construction meeting will typically take place with your on site construction manager. It has 3 specific goals:

• For the builder to explain the expectations to the buyer. This includes things like what the builder will be willing to modify during the construction process and what he will not.
• To review in detail the actual land and overall blue print of the home.

• Discuss the time line of construction.

Important Areas to Cover During a Pre Construction Meeting

At the pre-construction meeting, you should make sure you and the builder fully understand the following issues as they relate to your new home about to be built:

• The Site: Your builder should review where the home will be placed on its lot. You should also discuss if the house will built exactly to plan or if revisions need to be made. There should also be seemingly minor details covered such as whether the garage will be located left or right, where driveways, sidewalks, and other concrete flatwork should be located, and other specific details of the home. You should also discuss other features of the lot, including location of trees and fences, drainage issues, and other technical aspects of the home.

• The Exterior of the Home: Review the type of home you chose and its exterior features, such as bricking, masonry, siding, and trim. Your builder should also go over any structural options you have selected, such as bay windows or bonus rooms.

• Mechanical Features of the Home: Your builder should also tell you about the major mechanical systems that are included in the home, including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. Any accessories or upgrades, such as attic fans or air cleaners should also be reviewed.

While a pre construction meeting might seem like a minor part of your new home, it is actually a very important part of the process. In fact, if things are not properly covered in this meeting, there is a chance your home may not be exactly as you hoped. Preparation is the key to this meeting and the future of your home.

The Jackson 2 Story Floor Plan: Many Reasons to Love It

Introducing…

We are proud to introduce you to a new floor plan in the Charleston Homes family. We have to say we’re very proud of the Jackson 2 Story Floor Plan. In fact everyone who sees it is blown over with this unique home style.

This plan has a serious “WOW!” factor when you walk in the door. It’s spacious and inviting. It has several key features that make it stand out among the crowd:

• Large, impressive 2 story entry way that sets the tone for the entire house
• Spacious living room leaves plenty of room for lots of furniture or open space
• 2 tier island in the kitchen gives you everything at your fingertips
• Large walk-in pantry makes food storage easy
• 4 large bedrooms with plenty of room for any lifestyle

In the first 10 days we had the Jackson Floor Plan on the market, we sold 7 of this plan! This floor plan is really that impressive.

Where Can Charleston Homes Build It?

One of the great things about the Jackson 2 Story Floor Plan is its versatility. This floor plan can be built in any subdivision in Omaha. That means if this model meets your needs, we can build it wherever you want to put it. We would love to talk with you about the neighborhood that is right for you and help you figure out if this is the right floor plan for you.

Where Can I See It?

This floor plan truly is one you have to see to believe. We invite you to come out today to see it for yourself at 194th & F Street. The model home is open from noon to 5 on Saturdays and Sundays and by appointment during the week. We think you will agree this new floor plan truly is something of which to be proud. Give us a call today to see what we mean at (402) 502-5600.

One Great House: 3 Home Loan Options

Wondering how you can quickly and easily finance your new home through Charleston Homes? There are a few options you can choose from. By researching and learning about each option, you can determine which one is the best fit for your unique home building and home buying needs.

Conventional Financing

A conventional mortgage meets all of the funding criteria of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. About 35-50% of mortgages, depending on market conditions and consumer trends are conventional mortgages. These types of mortgages may be fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgages.

For a conventional mortgage, you will need between 5% and 20% for a down payment. The benefit of these types of loans, however, are the fact they fact they usually have a lower interest rate.

FHA Loans

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has loans available to those who qualify. These types of loans only require 3.5% down for a down payment. A majority of Charleston Homes buyers chose the FHA financing because of the flexibility it offers in down payments.

This type of loan is great if you don’t have a large amount to put down on a home or you don’t have stellar credit. The Federal Housing Authority was created in 1934, after the Great Depression, to stimulate the housing market. It did when it was first created and continues to do so to this day.

The Two Loan Approach

This type of home financing option takes out two separate loans. The first loan is a construction loan for the construction time period of the home. For the second part of the loan, you can use either an FHA loan or conventional financing for the end loan.

A construction loan can be used on any construction of your new home throughout the building process. Once the building process is complete, you can then finance the rest of your home through the other two loan options. At Charleston Homes, we give you a special incentive to choose this type of financing.

Construction loans are known as “story loans.” That means the lender must know the story behind the planned construction before giving an applicant the loan. These types of loans generally are variable rate loans. They are priced at a spread to the prime rate loan or some other similar short term interest rate. The buyer, the contractor, and the lender establish a draw schedule based on the stages of construction and, as a result, the interest is charged based on the amount of money distributed to the home buyer to date.

There is no reason you can’t apply for a loan today to have Charleston Homes start planning your next home from the ground up. With several loan options available, many people qualify for one or more types of mortgage loans. The question becomes what type of loan best fits your home buying needs. That and when and where you will move into your new Charleston Home!