We’ve exciting news from My MileStone Community Builders in Austin: Only 1 home left!  That’s right, My MileStone’s Riverside Villas, located in Downtown Austin, Texas have nearly been snatched up.  This privately gated new home community was distinctly and meticulously designed to fit the feel of Downtown Austin and offer exquisite opportunities for the new home buyers that chose a villa riverside.

This Downtown Austin home for sale starts in the $200,000s and is centrally located to what Austin is known for: top entertainment opportunities!  From restaurants, parks, music, nightlife and more, you’ll not miss anything from this location.  Additionally, this new home is within 10 minutes of the University of Texas as well as many major downtown employers and career opportunities.  I-35 is incredibly easy to access as well, if you’re taking a drive elsewhere.

New home owners in downtown Austin have had their pick of one and two story homes as well as spacious and popular floor plan designs ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms per home.  One of the most convenient aspects of Riverside Villa living downtown?  You can still have a beautiful outdoor space, maintenance-free!  That’s right, the outdoor spaces are professionally maintained, allowing you to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle, doing exactly what you want to do with minimal upkeep.

As we mentioned before, there’s only one home left!  To jump on this spectacular opportunity, don’t hesitate to call Sales Representative James Carreon at (512) 810-0626.  My MileStone also welcomes any and all visitors to the Sales Office, located at 2001 Faro Drive in Austin.  However, the Sales Office is only open by appointment, so we highly recommend you call first: (512) 410-0899.  The last new home in Riverside Villas is for sale, and you don’t want to miss it!

My MileStone Community Builders is a new home builder in Austin, Round Rock, and many other Texas Hill Country communities.  They are known for their “sleek, modern designs with stucco and stone exteriors, high ceilings, gourmet kitchens and more for a remarkable value in the heart of Austin.”

If you’re on the hunt for a new custom home, you’ve come to the right place! Custom Builders is an online directory of the best homebuilders in locations across the United States and Canada.

However, it’s not an easy task choosing choose a builder when you’re looking at multiple impressive profiles at a time. We’ve come up with a short list to help you homebuyers select the right custom builder for your needs.

First, step back and figure out what your options are. Having financial and employment stability and determining a reasonable price range that will allow you to pay off a portion mortgage each month while still maintaining a comfortable lifestyle are very important things to take care of. After all, you can buy a custom home, but if you can’t afford any furniture, why bother?

Once you have your affairs in order and your finances figured out, take a look at the builders in your area by using Custom Builders.com as a resource, along with a quick Google search of websites by homebuilders around your city.

Make a list of the companies that pique your interest and start researching each custom homebuilder individually. You’ll want to take note of locations where they build, warranty services they provide, standard features they include in each home, and the average price for their homes.

Rank your favorites from among these builders and start reaching out to them. This helps you two-fold: 1) it will allow you to get more information to make an educated decision, and 2) it will give you an impression of what to expect from them for customer service. If they are reluctant to provide you with information, never call back or reply to emails, and generally seem disinterested, that’s a red flag and you may want to focus your interest on a different company to build your new home.

When you contact these companies, ask about any model homes, check out their builder vendors and suppliers, and ask for any other detailed information you are interested in.

Your priorities should lie in quality and value, and the best way to get an accurate impression of a company’s homes is to talk to a few of their homeowners.

Word-of-mouth is one of the fastest, easiest ways to learn about a custom builder. If you have a friend, relative, or coworker who has gone with a builder you’re interested in, make sure to ask them how they like their home. If you don’t have any personal connections to a house built by a particular company, search for reviews on the internet or meet some potential future neighbors and knock on a few doors in a community where they’ve recently built.

What do you think is important to look for in a homebuilder? Leave us a comment below!

Make beautiful Indigo Palms your brand new home in Charleston!

This Crescent Homes community is located near Ashley Phosphate Road and less than a half hour away from downtown.  What else does this incredible location give to new home buyers in South Carolina?  Easy access to Interstate 26 and the Charleston Air Force Base as well as the Airport and the Boeing campus.  There are plenty of retail and shopping options close by and great dining opportunities if you’re wanting to stay close to home, too.  Indigo Palms also boasts lush, green parkspace with playgrounds, ball fields, and even a Junior Olympic-sized swimming pool.  You can’t get much better than a summertime BBQ with friends and hanging out in the park beneath the pavilion, after all!  Like to golf?  There are several golf courses close by Indigo Palms and throughout North Charleston, SC.

Students of families living in Indigo Palms will enroll in the exemplary and award-winning Dorchester 2 School District.  You and yours will make memories as little ones grow and learn during their time at Windsor Hill Elementary School, River Oaks Middle school, and Fort Dorchester High School.

As a Crescent Homes community, Indigo Palms consists of 1 and 2 story floor plan options ranging in size from 1500 to approximately 3000 square feet.  Given the floorplan design and the homesite location, these can include up to as many as 3 to 5 bedrooms within a single family home.  Crescent Homes places considerable emphasis on energy efficiency, and each house is built with the utmost care and craftsmanship to achieve this for the homeowner.  What results is a healthier, more cost-effective home and better ratings as an eco-friendly or green home in Charleston.  They utilize the latest achievements and technologies in the industry to ensure that all materials, appliances, and the entire package generates real results.  Crescent Homes is so confident of their work, they even invite a third party to adjudicate and review the efficiency.

Architectural features and interior design are also incredibly important to Crescent Homes.  There is no room for settling when it comes to building a new home in Charleston.  Enhanced amenities are the standard, often involving crown molding, trey ceilings, and many other options for the new home buyer to customize in their home.  Crescent Homes is affordable, yet provides opportunities to design and semi-custom build their dream home.

Schedule a tour of any of the Crescent Homes models and get started on making Charleston, South Carolina the next chapter for you!  Give Nicole Amerson a call at (843) 343-4226.

Experience peace and harmony in your Dripping Springs new home!  As part of the Rimrock community by Brohn Homes, everything an Austin new home buyer could want in a neighborhood has been considered and fully put into place!  Take advantage of spectacular panoramic views of the Texas Hill Countryside and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of feeling “away from it all.”  From the rolling hills and mature treeline, the area is comforting and offers privacy to homeowners without making anyone feel cut off or secluded from the outside world.  Think of it as a retreat you get to experience on a daily basis, and take advantage of walking through beautiful winding trails specifically designed for residents to wander through, jog upon, or ride their bikes.  This greenbelt holds its own!

Families who choose Dripping Springs have found one of the fastest-growing towns around the Austin metro.  The Dripping Springs Independent School District (ISD) is well-known and regarded in the area.  There’s easy access to MoPac and Highway 290 for any and most commutes necessary to work or for pleasure.  The Barton Creek Mall and the Austin Bergstrom International Airport are just moments away as well.  If you’re looking for additional employment opportunities, major companies include AMD, Seton Southwest, and Freescale. Of course, it’s just a few minutes of a short drive to downtown Austin for a vibrant nightlife!  Whether you’re heading out to see live musical entertainment, grab dinner, or go shopping, there’s always something to do, and living in Dripping Springs is the ideal location for a new home in the Austin area!

Brohn Homes is an award-winning new home builder throughout Rimrock communities.  They specialize in estate homes and innovative new home construction that anticipates the buyer’s needs.  Give them JD Almond, the Brohn Homes Sales Representative for Dripping Springs a call at (512) 537-1543 for more information and to schedule an in-person tour of their model home.  You’ll be glad you did!

Housing starts nationwide rose 5.9% for the month of July, according to an article released August 16 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Translating into a seasonally adjusted rate of 896,000 units, according to the US Census Bureau and HUD, this number means big things for custom homebuilders.

What does this mean for custom builders and buyers?

As the housing supply began to taper off earlier this summer, this number helps show that builders are properly reacting by rejuvenating the supply of new homes. When the housing bubble burst around the time of the recession, the construction of new homes came to a halt. Thanks to the saturated market, homebuyers were able to purchase homes at unusually low prices and builder suffered.

Now, we’re at the point where the ball is back in the builder’s court, homes have been selling fast, and even communities are selling out fast. As a builder, your biggest concern lately has been about buying more land; houses are designed and constructed easily enough, but it’s more of a question of where to put them.

The increase in housing starts for multifamily units can be explained by builders responding and reacting to the market demand; their goal is to keep up with each wave of buyers.

Rick Judson, NAHB chairman and a South Carolina homebuilder, said, “Builders are making every effort to keep up with the rising demand for new homes and apartments, and construction in both sectors is running well ahead of the pace we saw at this time last year.” He continued, “However, ongoing issues with accessing credit and limited supplies of finished lots and labor are making it tough to do that, particularly for single-family builders.”

The 6% July increase supports the idea that builders builders have been increasingly able to overcome the red tape Judson discussed.

“Today’s report is in line with our forecast for continued, gradual strengthening of housing starts and permit activity through the rest of the year,” explained NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. He went on to say, “The double-digit bounce-back on the multifamily side was in keeping with typical month-to-month volatility in that sector while the sideways movement in single-family was a result of unusually wet weather in the South and West.”

A 26% gain put the market at a 305,000 unit pace on multifamily home construction, offsetting a previous dip in June; single-family housing units experienced a slight loss, declining by 2.2%.

Gains and losses for July were varied across the country. The Northeast gained 40.2%, while the Midwest rose 25.4%, and the West increased 7.2%. The South was the only region posting a decline, coming in with a 7% decline for the month of July.

The issuance of building permits also rose 2.7%, to an adjusted rate of 943,000. The issuance of building permits is typically an accurate indicator of future building activity, and it’s easy to see that builders are doing well. In order to maintain the high sales they’ve been benefitting from lately, builders should continue to keep building at a steady pace.

To learn more about this topic, start by referring to NAHB’s article here.

LR Hill Custom Builders has been receiving awards for their custom homes in the Virginia Beach area since 1993. They believe that building a new home is one of the most exciting and important parts of a person’s life, and they take their task seriously.

They choose not to rest on past successes but instead endeavor forward to continue to bring clients the best in everything: the best floor plans, the best customer service, the best construction materials, and the best place to call home. They are committed to each project and carefully plan out each home’s details with careful consideration.

However, their awards are absolutely worth mentioning. In addition to their award for the Virginia Beach Small Business of the Year in 1993, LR Hill Custom Builders has been named the Best Builder of Virginia Beach, Best Builder of Chesapeake, and the Best Builder at the Beach. LR Hill employees have also served as the director of the Home Builders of Virginia, director of the National Association of Home Builders, and as a trustee of the Athletic Foundation at Old Dominion University.

To stay up-to-date on all of their builder happenings in Virginia Beach, don’t miss their blog! They cover topics like what to expect for a new year, sales updates, available homes and properties, media relations, and a whole lot more.

If you want to get an idea of what their homes are communities are like, take a look at two neighborhoods we’ve highlighted below.

The East Beach Luxury Townhomes are located in a waterfront neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia. Area amenities like paved, walkable sidewalks, walking-distance location to area marinas, linear parks and bay front greens, and more. These gorgeous homes are built in the traditional Atlantic Coastal village style and have a classic, distinguished look to them. Located where Chesapeake Bay meets the great Atlantic, this neighborhood is conveniently located close to the Norfolk International Airport, downtown Norfolk, major employment centers, and local military bases.

Another impressive neighborhood lies on Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach. Ashville Park is a place to escape, with gorgeous, lush landscapes, thoughtfully-designed street layouts, and accessible and desirable floor plans. Children living in this neighborhood will attend school in the Virginia Beach Public School District, including Red Mill Elementary, Princess Anne Middle, and Kellam High schools. Sparkling ponds and a community center provide a special touch for homeowners and resident visitors.

If you’re still not convinced that an LR Hill home is the right one for you, read what a few of their clients have had to say.

“You have a remarkable blend of engineering talent and artistic gifts which are perfectly matched to your profession. You simply have no equal in this industry,” said one customer.

Choose Spanish Oaks as your community when building a custom home in Austin!  One of the easiest choices to make when buying a home is deciding whether or not to build wholly custom.  The next, not-as-simple decision is to decide where that home should be built.  Spanish Oaks is located in Bee Cave, Texas, a smaller new home community with elegance, sophistication, and luxury within every aspect of the neighborhood.  It is a master-planned design that serves each and every resident of the community.  Some of Austin’s finest school districts are located close to Spanish Oaks, as well as local community amenities and renowned medical centers.  The community itself offers fishing opportunities for the avid angler as well as golfing greens for those working on their swing.  Additionally, new homeowners in Spanish Oaks are excited about the serenity and relaxation they find on a day to day basis.

Downtown Austin is within a half hour of the front door to your Spanish Oaks custom home, so you’ll never feel like you’ve missed out on anything important.  You can just drive into the city whenever you want to experience rich cultural recreation, delicious dining, and countless shopping options at your disposal.  It’s so easy to get to the highway, it’s as if it was planned!

The Andalusian architectural design is one that Spanish Oaks is very proud to offer Austin new homebuyers.  To put it succinctly, this style is an inspired construction of Spanish Colonial influence as well as Mediterranean architectural functionality.  In both there is found a harmonious balance of aesthetic appeal and practical design fit for many Austin new homeowners.  Private courtyards are one of the first elements noticed and prized for the apparent luxury.

Many new homes in Bee Cave may be inspired by the Spanish Oaks Andalusian homestyle, with its columns, tile roofs, and uniquely set windows within the home.  Many of our Austin home buyers specifically seek out ways to further customize their brand new home, excited to find something completely one-of-a-kind.

Whether your Austin dream home is rectangular in shape, or its arches are towering over acres of lush greenery, Spanish Oaks is interested in hearing from you.  There are an unlimited number of ways to make a Bee Cave new home into your dream home, so give them a call today at (512) 533-2300 to request a brochure or to schedule a tour.

New home buyers in Austin should look at Scottsdale Crossing as a luxurious option for Cedar Park living.  MileStone Community Builders has continued developing their latest collection of customizable floor plan designs ranging from traditional to truly Texas-inspired as only the Hill Country can.  Scottsdale Crossing will be home to “an exciting new lineup of MileStone Community Builders’ latest homes and cutting edge design trends.”  The community is enveloped by mature oak trees and greenery, giving the entire neighborhood an elegant and awe-inspiring feel.

Why should Austin new home buyers consider Scottsdale Crossing as a high-quality and exciting place to live?  First of all, Cedar Park is ideally located with its natural remoteness that encourages tranquility as well as its proximity to plenty of recreation and entertainment opportunities.  The Cedar Park Center is only a few minutes away, as are delicious dining options and all the shopping necessary for a family’s needs (and more where that came from, too!).  Notable stops include the 1890 Ranch Shopping Center and the Lakeline Mall.  Should there ever be a medical emergency, families can breathe a sigh of relief since Cedar Park Regional Medical Center is close by.

Schools are another wonderful local amenity to the Scottsdale Crossing community in Austin.  The Leander Independent School District is highly rated and notable in its educational excellence, in which students have been known to thrive.  It has become one fo the fastest growing school districts throughout Texas, with over 34,000 students attending across 38 campuses.  The district focuses on creating and fostering a creative environment for students to learn and express themselves while cultivating personal growth and nurturing each student’s character.

My MileStone’s luxury new homes begin in the $290,000’s and range in size from 2,198 to 3,816 square feet, depending on the homebuyer’s preferences.  Many of these plans include one- and two-story designs with plenty of space to spread out, and include anywhere from 2 to 5 bedrooms per single family home.  Every Scottsdale Crossing home will include  “luxury finishes…bi-directional fenestration providing light and airy living spaces, multi-level ceiling treatments and sumptuous master bath suites.”

If you’re looking for a new home in Austin or Cedar Park, MileStone is excited to announce that a limited number of lots are being sold at pre-construction pricing, so don’t delay!  Talk to Sales Representative Matthew Hamilton at (512) 921-3848 about how you can start building your dream home in Austin today!

One of the few custom builders in Tennessee founded and ran by a woman, Magnolia Homes is proud to be different. President and Founder Karen Garner explains, “Success doesn’t come from the design or even the construction. It’s the owner’s commitment to uncompromising standards, and respecting the importance of your role in the lives of your homeowners.”

Garner’s right, and you can see the difference in the homes built by Magnolia. They’re solid, smartly designed, and offer a lifestyle like none other thanks to their construction and layout. Since 2008 they’ve been voted as the #1 Builder by Magnolia Homeowners. They’ve been a member of the Memphis Area Home Builders Association since 1987 and the Better Business Bureau since 1988.

These homes are built according to energy efficient standards and guidelines, reducing homeowner utility and replacement costs. Residents are satisfied with the utility costs. One happy client said, “Now that I have gotten through the summer months in my new home, to let you know my latest MLGW bill (for October), $64.09 was the damage. I can’t thank you enough. I think the highest MLGW bill for the summer was around $160-$170, which is remarkable for a home the size of mine.”

Each Magnolia Home comes with a 10 year warranty. Karen personally walks through each home before closing to ensure everything is up to code and up to her standards of satisfaction; the end result is that homebuyers have few warranty requests thanks to the diligence of both the contractors and Ms. Garner. The first year covers construction, year two includes systems (behind your walls), and years 3-10 cover structural aspects.

This Tennessee builder is proud to offer a military discount of up to 2% on their homes. They build in the Winstead Farms of Lakeland neighborhood, located just 30 minutes from the military base at Millington.

In addition to being near to the Millington military base, Magnolia builds near the exciting city of Memphis, named one of the Top 100 Most Fun Cities in the United States by Portfolio.com in 2010. With a low cost of living, good employment prospects, many young professionals, and plenty of cultural entertainment, Memphis is a perfect city for anyone looking to relocate.

For Magnolia homeowners, prospective buyers, or those interested in Memphis real estate, their blog is a easy way to stay updated. Once a week, you can check out a new post on their blog. Topics range from home staging tips, news on the housing market, reasons to buy/sell, and more. Their social media guru Jenna keeps their Facebook page, Twitter account, and Youtube videos up-to-date.

Whether you’re looking to relocate or looking for a new home in the Memphis area, Magnolia Homes has the right charm, price, and quality for just about any homeowner. Contact them today to get started on your dream home.

As years go by things change, and the custom home building business is no exception to that rule. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has recently published an article on the subject, laying out what new trends they’ve noticed with custom builders.

The nation has become increasingly concerned with the environment and the utility costs that come with not going green. To keep up with client preferences, builders are using green building techniques, including renewable or recycled materials. Homebuilders are also installing energy efficient appliances, water-saving plumbing, solar panels, double pane windows, insulation to cut heating costs, and more. Since these houses are, by nature, custom, clients are satisfied thanks to the multitude of eco-friendly options they can select to make their home one-of-a-kind.

Another trend in the custom housing market is the multitude of unique amenities we’re seeing in custom designs. Customers seeking a custom-built home want something that sets their home apart from the rest. Today’s homeowners are especially fond of health-conscious features, like yoga studios, weight-lifting rooms, saunas, resistance pools, and more. Besides healthy home features, clients are also looking for ways to entertain guests and relax. Bowling alleys, in-home theaters, game rooms, billiards, etc. are all on the top of the list for many buyers. Lastly, homebuyers are seeking comfy retreats in their custom home, like screened-in porches, greenhouses, or even warm hearths and outdoor living spaces.

It’s important to note that new additions are increasingly “techy,” in the age of cell phones and specialized apps. Customers love the idea of being able to control their lights, fireplace, garage door, home temperature, security system, and music all at the touch of a cell phone screen, so custom builders are tending to their needs by building houses that can integrate these apps.

Builders have also found themselves tailoring their projects to the needs of multigenerational households. Many families have a parent, relative, cousin, or even a friend live with them permanently, and they want their home to be compatible with their lifestyle. A 2011 study by the Pew Research Center reports that 39% of 18 to 34 year olds have had to move in with their parents in recent years.

Multigenerational families are often looking for a house including a traditional mother-in-law suite, a separate apartment, or a separate living space within the house. These apartments often include their own kitchenette, living area, and bathroom to help the family member retain their sense of independence.

A final trend the NAHB mentioned in their article was customers’ desire to build a house that is easily accessible to any visitor.  This means lower countertops, wider doorways, and fewer stairs for an aging baby-boomer generation. Building a custom place to suit the needs of a wide variety of people helps increase resale value and can make you, the builder, feel good to know that you’ve helped a person retain their independence longer than someone in a standard house with multiple flights of stairs or narrow doorways.

What trends have you noticed in the custom home building business? Leave a comment below!