In Wall Streets’ view they are providing capital where people need it and eventually will provide inventory when they need it as well.  They see it as a win, win, win.  Helping the neighborhood, the renter and America to say nothing of what they stand to make.  Since 2011 big players have invested 10 Billion in Single Family Real Estate.

Aside from a few contrarians that worry about a new housing bubble forming as a result of all this institutional purchasing.  Most economists see this as a good thing and from an altitude of 30,000 ft it probably does look good.  But the reality is we are talking about tens of thousands of rented homes in single family neighborhoods with Absentee Landlords.  This is not the home being rented out by the couple down the street.  Nor is it the Big Rich Landlord across town mentioned in many 60 era folk tunes.  This is wall street, There is a Pro Forma, a calculated return,  and a real estate management company that has very clear guidelines as to what they can spend money on for maintenance and repairs.   As a tenant or neighbor you are not going to go to the local city council meeting and shame the landlord into doing what’s right if something unanticipated fails.  From an HOA perspective, how will a tenant that violates the rules and regulations be brought into conformance?  Do you think you can just place a call to the Wall Street Firm that owns the home (one of Thousands) and have them listen to your concern over the tenant parking in front of your mailbox so you don’t get your mail?  or the Tenant  that ignores your community leash laws or other regulations on pets?

What’s being ignored here is COMMUNITY.  It is the neighborhood made up of homeowners with a common interest.  That’s what makes up good neighborhoods.  People care for their homes and each other.  They have a long view of the area and what is good for the area.  Sure an abandoned home is bad for any community and a rental is preferable to an abandoned home.   But an absentee landlord is only a small improvement from an abandoned home given the damage their tenants can do to a neighborhood.  If you are on the board of an HOA in a neighborhood with a large number of foreclosures, it’s a good time to look into your regulations and enforcement provisions.  Your job is not going to get easier by these new moves by Wall Street.

Now that hurricane season is here is Florida

The following is a list of items to check in and around your home in preparation for storm season:

1. Check your roof (or have a licensed contractor check) for loose or missing shingles, holes, or nail pops.
2. Check roof vents and stacks for damage.
3. Clean your gutters and down spouts.
4. Replace any missing or deteriorated caulking around windows and doors.
5. Caulk any cracks in the exterior siding, stucco, or decorative masonry finishes.
6. Check for loose or missing trim around windows and doors.
7. Repaint any exterior walls that are showing signs of deterioration or have not been painted within five years.
8. Check garage doors for proper operation including any wind bracing provided with the door.
9. Have plywood or storm shutters available to cover all exterior openings if needed.
10. Make sure all drains and catch basins around your home are clear of debris and able to drain freely.
11. Stow any loose items around your home such as lawn furniture, trash cans, and yard maintenance equipment.
12. Trim back any dead tree limbs or ones touching your home or roof.

Now that your home is ready, here is a list of personal items to gather and steps to take to insure that you and your family will be ready for the storm season:

Water – at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days

Food – at least enough for 3 to 7 days
— non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
— foods for infants or the elderly
— snack foods
— non-electric can opener
— cooking tools / fuel
— paper plates / plastic utensils

Blankets / Pillows, etc.

Clothing – seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes

First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs

Special Items – for babies and the elderly

Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes

Flashlight / Batteries

Radio – Battery operated and NOAA weather radio

Telephones – Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set

Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards – Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods

Keys

Toys, Books and Games

Important documents – in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.

Tools – keep a set with you during the storm

Vehicle fuel tanks filled

Pet care items
— proper identification / immunization records / medications
— ample supply of food and water
— a carrier or cage
— muzzle and leash

One of the most important things to do now, before a storm hits, is to have an evacuation plan, including a pre-arranged meeting place for all family members in case of separation.  The above items will not lessen the effects of a severe storm, but they will have a profound effect on how well your family tolerates the aftermath.

One of the best ways to prepare for hurricane season is to buy a brand new reinforced concrete block home from Maronda Homes.  These homes are engineered to resist many of the forces that hurricanes have to offer.  They are also extremely resistant to rot and insect damage, another peril in the Florida environment.  Block homes are 16% more energy efficient than a comparable frame home, and with Maronda’s Bee Smart energy program they also deliver efficiency that exceeds the rigorous ENERGY STAR® guidelines!

Maronda Homes builds in great communities all over North Florida, Southeast Florida, and South Georgia that feature these signature homes with the new Stay-Dry foundation design!  Come and see what Maronda Homes has to offer today!

Paint Your Front Door

Don’t underestimate the power of paint. We love a front door with a jolt of color. Which to choose? Well, different colors convey different meanings. In China, a red front door symbolizes luck, and in Colonial America, a red door conveyed that a home was a safe haven. Believe in the power of feng shui? Then paint your door yellow to channel positive energy. Choose any hue of blue if you’re going for a calm vibe and purple if you want to tell the world you’re open-minded. Use the Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer application to see how different colors would look on your very own house.

Planters, Please!

We love the look of two planters on both sides of a front door. Houzz offers thousands of photographs to stimulate your imagination. If you like a modern feel, buy contemporary containers, or go more traditional and incorporate more ornate urns. Needless to say, your plant and flower choices are endless. Love color? Choose bright annuals in the spring. Or, just keep it green by using tall ferns and cascading vines.

Stylish Door Mat

Not only do they keep the mud out, a doormat can add a dose of panache to the front entrance. Are you the super-friendly type? Then a true “welcome” mat is in order. Frontgate offers a coco mat that’s elegant and durable. Perhaps you have a wicked sense of humor. Uncommon Goods offers a Mona Lisa mat plus others with cheeky expressions.

What’s Your Number?

Tell the world you’ve got the ultimate address with new house numbers. It’s a simple thing that really makes a difference. Of course Houzz has endless house number ideas, and truthfully, it’s hard to choose. Go for modern digits, an arts and crafts look, or standard elegance, courtesy of Restoration Hardware.

Maronda Homes Tip: Outdoor path lighting is another nice way to warm up your home after the sun goes down. Solar powered lights are eco friendly and easy on the wallet.

Those that build impact resistant structures are at the front of the line calling for stronger construction codes but then they have a vested interest in the having the building codes help stifle their competition.  The fact is, there are some designs that have been built as demonstration projects that do help protect against high winds.  After the Kansas tornadoes of 2009  Silo Homes were developed.  These structures use the physical properties of the cylinder to distribute the wind load and minimize wind resistance.  They don’t look like the home you grew up in but they are very strong.  They are also quite expensive.  Market acceptance and high cost are the reasons you don’t commonly see them on the market today.

Sure the states in Tornado Alley could change their building code and mandate that all new construction be able to withstand 200 mph winds and flying debris up to a specified weight.  But it would drive the cost of a home up exponentially.  It’s hard enough for a young couple starting out to afford a home now.  Try raising the cost of entry three, four, maybe ten times.  It all depends on how high you set the standard.  If that happens only the very rich will be building and everybody else will be remodeling existing inventory which will still be subject to devastation when the next tornado comes along.

So how do you make homes stronger?  Here is where Maronda Homes and the state of Florida can provide some answers.  The building code in Florida is a state wide performance based code that has slowly increased the designed wind loads depending on the area’s history.  Granted there is likely more scientific historical data about hurricanes and their relative wind speed in a state like Florida that sees hurricanes hit land regularly but the point is you don’t go from zero wind speed design to 200 mph design speeds overnight.  By incrementally increasing the necessary hardening it gives the market a chance to innovate and develop new cost effective methodologies.  The typical home in Florida is built with Steel Reinforced Concrete Block Walls, high wind resistant trusses and is extensively strapped down so it holds together in high winds.  Yet a Florida home is very affordable when compared with many parts of the country.   Not everybody wants to live in a Silo Home or a Geodesic Dome.  And they need a new home that is competitive in price with the existing homes in the area.  Should the building codes be improved to address common natural disasters, yes, but not at the rate that prices most buyers out of the market.

When in Florida, visit a Maronda Home and tour a model.  You will see how affordable a wind hardened home can be.

1. Everything in its place – Keep cookbooks on an open shelf, as long they’re not exposed to heat and humidity from the refrigerator or stove. Place items you use most often, such as your everyday dishes, on lower shelves and move special occasion pieces up above. Group similar objects by purpose, such as bake ware and food storage containers, and assign them to specific cabinets.
2. Assign a cooking zone – Store your pots and pans as close to the stove as possible, so they’re always handy when needed. Make food preparation more efficient by keeping essential tools together within easy reach of your cooking area.
3. Install organizers – Frequently used gear will be easy to access in your new home when you install sliding shelf organizers. Drawer organizers also keep cutlery separate, so you don’t have to waste time rummaging around for a needed utensil. Another handy organizer to consider is the easy-to-clean lazy Susan. They are great for storing spices, sticky or spill able food items on a pantry shelf.
4. Items on display – Show off your good china or antique bowls by displaying them in glass-front cabinets. If you have open shelves, keep them uncluttered by using airy rattan baskets to store items. See-through wire baskets are useful for storing snacks for your family to quickly grab on the go. Conserve storage space by hanging pots and pans near your stove.
5. Declutter counters – Keep your counters clear for food preparation by keeping small appliances under the cabinet, and mounting basics like a calendar and to-do lists on the wall. Consider installing a retractable book stand to keep a recipe at eye level while you’re working. Once you’re done, simply fold the stand back under a cabinet.

You will be hard pressed to find a more affordable, better built new home than one made by Maronda Homes. The Maronda name has been synonymous with uncompromising quality, commitment to customer satisfaction,  and outstanding value for more than four decades. Visit our website today to learn why a Maronda home is better built, by design.

But who stops to ask the question.  What makes a builder one of the largest 100 builders in the country?  How many homes does a builder need to build to achieve that distinction?  Well, Professional Builder the trade magazine that lists the One Hundred Largest builders, reports the One Hundredth largest builder built and closed 548 homes with an average price of $155,748 in Meridian Idaho.  There are a lot of builders – including Maronda Homes – that built more homes than that in 2012.  Yet if you scan the list, you won’t see the name ‘Maronda Homes’ in the first one hundred builders listed.  Take the builder listed at number 200 on the list.  They built 174 homes at an average price of $140,805.  Many of the Regions within Maronda Homes built more than 174 homes last year.  Yet they still aren’t on the list.  Why is that?

Could it be that the Builders that are publicly traded need to be listed to keep the value of their stock at the highest possible number?

Could it be that there were less than 700,000 homes built in 2012?  Given that the traditional number of homes built in a normal market is 1.6 Million the market is still severely constricted so it didn’t take a whole lot of homes to be ranked in the top 100 in 2012?

Could it be that the privately held builders don’t need the publicity or attention of being listed as one of the one hundred largest builders in the USA?

Could it be the list is made up of only those builders that self reported their numbers to Professional Builder Magazine?

Could the answer to all four questions be “Yes!” ?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not making fun of Professional Builder Magazine.  The publication is filled with excellent articles and it is a valuable resource for all of us within the home building Industry.  Just don’t let anybody sell you on the idea that only the biggest builders can provide the best value.  Wall Street may want you to believe that.  But Wall Street isn’t going to live in your home.  You are.  Privately held, regional builders, are alive and well.  Visit a model center today and see what value Maronda Homes has to offer you.

Why spend lots of cash on annuals year after year? Plant perennials that bloom all summer instead! Not only do they last longer than one season, garden perennials provide pollen, nectar and seeds for the birds and butterflies (awww!). Plus, there’s something really wonderful about seeing flowers shoot out of the soil with the changing seasons.

Veronica Speedwell

Featuring a bushy clump of crinkled dark-green leaves with purple, spiky flowers, Veronica, also called “Sunny Border Blue,” looks super pretty all the way through the summer months. When the spikes fade, just remove them so the plants flowers last longer.

Phlox

Like the thought of a blanket of teeny-tiny colorful flowers? Then you’ll love Phlox, which comes in spring- and summer-blooming varieties. The spring phlox is one of the best perennial garden plants, as it’s a creeper, which works as a ground cover. Summer phlox, on the other hand, grows tall. Not only super pretty, phlox is fragrant and attracts hummingbirds.

Coralbells

Who can resist a flower called coralbells? The National Gardening Association describes these blooms as “airy flower spikes on wiry stems above low-growing, often dramatic foliage.” Sounds pretty, right? Enjoy these perennials that bloom all summer in the garden, or when they get really full, cut them and use in your indoor flower arrangements.

Switchgrass

Big, beautiful grasses are really helpful at filling out larger spaces in your garden, so stock up. According to the experts at Better Homes and Gardens, switchgrass, which grows from two to five feet tall, is a total stunner, rain or shine—it just has a way of catching the sun’s light. In the summer, switchgrass is airy and in the fall, it can take on a dramatic red.

Yarrow

Even if you’ve never planted anything before, you can grow yarrow. It’s hardy and can withstand heat, drought and cold. Its leaves are fern-like (and have a spicy fragrance), and its flat-topped flowers are available in pink, white or yellow. These garden perennials bloom from late spring to early fall.

Pin Cushion Flower

This smaller perennial shows off gray-green leaves and a long bloom period with pretty lavender-blue flowers (the middle part looks like a pin cushion). According to the green thumbs at Fine Gardening, they look most lovely used as edging or in large groups in borders or rock gardens.

Black-Eyed Susan

We love these yellow-petal wildflowers with the black eye. A sassy cousin of the sweet daisy, the Black-Eyed Susan (also called yellow coneflower) bloom as early as late June and continue into September. They’re very easy to grow, and if you want to fill your garden with a solid border, just wait a few years—they self-propagate easily.

Maronda Homes Tip:  Post some of your floral inspiration on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MarondaHomes

We are so lucky to live in an age where great information is available in so many outlets. Today’s world of design is no longer a secret.  Tips, tricks and secrets of the trade can be found online in so many places.

Design inspiration and information can be found through articles, blogs, websites and Pinterest boards. You can find blogs on specific topics, like flooring or paint or furniture, or general information on projects all over the internet. There is so much information out there you can get addicted to searching for design inspiration!

If you are looking for design inspiration online, start with sources you already know. A basic Google image search, online magazines and sites like Houzz and Pinterst are all good places to start. Each of these will probably have links to other resources. Researching online can be daunting so pace yourself!

Design inspiration is all around us. You can find inspiration in any store, in nature or at a friend’s house.  Ask for paint colors! Snap pics of things you like! You never know where you’ll find inspiration for your next project.

Maronda is here to help if you need us, but until you’re ready, spend sometime seeing what inspires you online!

We are coming up for prime moving season for many people. This is the busiest season for families with children. Most people want to put as little stress on the family as possible, so when school is out, moving season is in full swing. Here are a few helpful tips to make your move an easy one.

Start early – Don’t leave organizing your move until the last minute. The more time you give yourself to clean, organize, and prepare the easier moving day will be.

Purge – Be tough on yourself and ask the hard questions, like when was the last time I used, wore, read, or needed that. Go through clothes, books, kitchenware (this is your chance to pitch all the old plastic containers), old electronics that haven’t made it to the recycle store, random wires, old toys, papers, and more. Taking trips to the dump and donation center can lighten your load significantly during a move, and make unpacking in your new destination a breeze.

Go pro – If it fits your budget and you are moving a distance, you may want to look into certified professional relocation companies. They will take control of packing, moving and unpacking your boxes, and if anything is broken there is a claims process. They label each of your items and give you a very complete checklist of everything in the house.

Contact insurance – Let your insurance company know about your move.

Take pictures – If you go pro, make sure to take pictures of things like TV’s while they are on to show working order. Also photograph anything breakable to show condition, and if you have any existing scratches on furniture, take pictures of those too. You don’t want a tiny nick to turn into a huge scratch without proof of prior condition.

Zip lock bags are your friend – If you need to take anything apart from an inexpensive shelving units to office desks, make sure you have a zip lock, sharpie, and packing tape handy to place all the small parts in the bag, label it, and tape it prominently to the large item.

Inventory your valuables – Make sure to have a complete inventory of all your valuables and check it after your move.

Change your address – File a change of address notification through the post office and make a list of all your important mail such as credit card companies, banks, loans, bills etc. If you pay money to a person, place, or establishment, make sure they have your new address.

Contact all your local utilities – The last thing you want to do is to keep paying water, electric, phone and cable bills for a home where you no longer live. Make sure to contact all your utility companies to inform them of your date of disconnect. Double-check where and when you have to return any equipment such as cable boxes, modems and the like.

Register children at new schools – If you are changing neighborhoods, make sure you find out all the school district information and start new registration early.

Hire a cleaning crew – This can take away a lot of the stress of a move. Rather than trying to deal with the entire move out clean on your home, there are many affordable options to get professionals in after the move and take care of the final clean.

These simple tips and reminders will help make your move as painless as possible so you can enjoy your summer in your brand new home.

Maronda Homes is located throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida. There are a lot of possibilities to make your families dream come true!

]]> http://www.marondahomes.com/blog/ohio/columbus/moving-made-easy/feed/ 0 http://www.marondahomes.com/blog/ohio/columbus/insulation-basics-why-insulation-is-so-important-as-the-weather-heats-up/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=insulation-basics-why-insulation-is-so-important-as-the-weather-heats-up http://www.marondahomes.com/blog/ohio/columbus/insulation-basics-why-insulation-is-so-important-as-the-weather-heats-up/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 14:04:31 +0000 browninga http://www.marondahomes.com/blog/?p=7275

Insulation is one of the most important components in your home both when it comes to long-term cost savings and ongoing comfort.

Whether the temperature outside is 20 below zero, or 100 degrees, the right insulation will keep your home comfortable and energy efficient. Heat is constantly on the move. In the summer it wants to flow into your home, and in the winter it wants to flow out. Proper insulation stops heat in its tracks. This in-turn reduces the amount of energy it takes to heat and cool your home.

When looking for homes with proper insulation the R-value is important to consider. R-value stands for resistance to heat flow, the higher the R-value, the more powerful the insulation.

Insulation decisions are dependent on a number of factors including local climate, how your home is built, and how you heat and cool your home. If you already own a home and you aren’t sure about its energy efficiency you can do a home audit to find out where there may be deficiencies in your insulation or other factors that cause a home to consume energy.

There are a number of advantages to purchasing a Maronda Home because we’ve already taken into consideration all the different insulation areas and systems for you and created BEE Smart Energy Efficient homes that score very well on the Home Energy Rating System Index (HERS Index) Not only do we use energy efficient products when building our homes, but we do pay attention to the insulation around ductwork where in older homes this can be sorely lacking and one of the significant areas of energy loss.

Overall energy efficiency and complete indoor comfort starts with proper insulation, and it’s just as important in the summer as it is in the winter to keep your family happy.