Prasanth S asked:


Home Loan, for many, is the loan availed for the purchase or construction of a new home. But, in reality, home loans are available for virtually everything from construction and renovation to extension, land purchase, and even the stamp duty. The different types of home loans issued by banks in India are described below.

Home Purchase Loan: This is the conventional home loan that we all know. It is meant for the purchase of a new apartment.

Home Extension Loan: This home loan is for funding any alteration to an existing home. For approval of this loan, however, one might have to get the approval from the concerned municipal authorities.

Home Construction Loan: Do not confuse it with Home Purchase Loans. This is for the construction of a new home on an existing property. Its terms and conditions are also widely different from Home Purchase Loans.

Land Purchase Loans: This is for funding the purchase of land for investment/construction purposes. One of the most availed type of loan scheme.

Stamp Duty Loan: For paying the stamp duty.

Bridge Loans: This type of loan is availed by those who wish to sell their present home and buy a new one somewhere else. The loan amount is used to purchase the new home while the old home waits for its new owner.

Other types of home loans are Refinance Loans, Home Conversion Loans, NRI Home Loans, and Balance Transfer Loans. For more info on home loans, visit the home websites of major banks in India.



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Tim Dillard asked:


Fort Bend County, home to Sugar Land, considered one of the best places to live in America, is growing at a fast rate. New home construction in this county is keeping pace with the influx of population who are drawn to the community by plentiful jobs, beautiful weather and low prices. In the first six months of 2007 alone, 350 new home sites opened in top gated communities. In Fort Bend County, looks like it will only get better in the coming years.

The phenomenal growth here is no accident. The community has worked hard for its accolades as one of the best places to live in. This was long before “planned communities” was a trendy catchphrase, city planners and community developers were putting the concept into practice. The result is acres upon acres of beautifully structured communities that are designed to provide the ultimate in convenience and luxury for their residents without impinging on the beauty of the environment.

In fact, the area is home to many Houston gated communities. Included are developments that are built around man-made and natural lakes, golf courses, water parks and other amenities that combine for an unparalleled lifestyle for prospective residents in top gated communities. In Fort Bend County, luxurious custom homes in safe and secure neighborhoods are the standard for this area, and this area has a wealth of them. New home builders built some of the best and most prestigious top gated communities.

As Houston continues to grow, builders are meeting the demand for new homes with the usual Texas style - bigger and better. Community developers look to more than land use when designing the top gated communities. They take into account the natural features of the land, and work with neighboring communities to provide all the amenities necessary for an incomparable standard of living. Shopping, entertainment, culture, art - are all within easy distance of every home in each community. That’s the beauty of working with a master plan.

New home developments include plans for roads and transportation issues. Many of the new gated communities here include “centerpiece” amenities like man-made lakes with docks, piers and country clubs, or water parks and other leisure amenities. There are new homes built with easy access to top golf greens and golf courses for those who enjoy a golfing lifestyle, as well as communities that offer full recreational facilities for families.

New home construction in and around the area isn’t limited to custom luxury homes at the top. Gated communities in Fort Bend County feature a fine mix of single family homes and town homes, including custom built luxury houses and production homes with all the features and amenities needed for a comfortable, active lifestyle. In addition to the new home construction that is already under way in and around Fort Bend, there are plans and resources for nearly 20,000 more in the next ten years.

With new industries and businesses moving here in record numbers, those homes will be sorely needed. While the rest of the country is watching real estate sit on the market for months on end, real estate market here is hopping, with the homes for sale maintaining and increasing in value as the community continues to grow.



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You’ve heard the horror stories and possibly lived through your own. The home remodel that was supposed to take six months, ends up taking a year or more. And the budget? Well, that was pretty much shot by the third month. The architect and the contractor (when you can find either one of them) are pointing fingers at each other. Subcontractors forget what day they’re supposed to show up. And the materials? Wasn’t the flooring supposed to be bamboo, not pine?

This is the world of remodeling. A process that’s guaranteed to make your every moment, either asleep or awake, a perpetual nightmare. For many people this can be like entering their own Twilight Zone. A hellish place of missed deadlines, cost overruns, and headaches that start at the pupils and sear through the brain. This is not a good place to be. And now, you don’t have to be in it.

Why? Because design/build firms around the country have taken the remodeling process and turned it on its head. What was a gruesome task has been transformed, through proper planning and administration, into a pleasant experience that saves time and money.

This is the world of design/build. An approach to remodeling that goes all the way back to the Egyptians, an approach that unifies and integrates every element of the remodeling process, from initial design to final completion. All under one roof, all in the hands of one company, and all with 100% accountability. If it worked for the pharaohs, you better believe it will work for you.

The beauty of design/build is in the simplicity of its structure. For comparison here is the way most remodeling jobs are currently handled.

With a regular remodeling job, the client typically consults with an architect who would draw up the plans for the project. Once a design has client approval the plans go out to bid to several general contractors. When the bids return, more often than not the client is surprised to learn that the architect’s initial estimate for the design is off by 50% or more. At this point the client’s architect must revise the design and resubmit the revised design to the general contractors so that they can revise their bids. This process may go several rounds, several thousands of dollars and often creates tension between all involved. This is a situation that lends itself to playing the blame game. If at the end of this excruciating process one of the general contractors is selected the process moves on to the next step. The contractor gives the client his contract and timetable. And voila, it begins! T’s crossed, I’s dotted, one nice straight line from beginning to end. The client assumes he’ll be enjoying that new addition, kitchen, whatever in a few months. The money is budgeted and the client can hardly wait. But in this case ‘wait’ may be the operative word.

Shortly into the job, the electrician tells the general contractor that he’s run into problems, because the plans weren’t drawn right (”problems” is a word the client is going to hear a lot). The contractor contacts the client who then has to track down the architect. Construction, of course, stops. Playing phone tag with the architect, who by now has moved on to other jobs, comes next. And when he is finally reached, he’s totally miffed that a subcontractor could possibly think his plans were anything less than perfection. Good lord, what’s the world coming to! And now the imbroglio heats up in earnest.

The electrician gets into it with the architect, the contractor wrings his hands in despair, and the client stands helplessly by. Finally, of course, agreement is reached on how to proceed, usually with no one assuming any responsibility for the error much less the delay.

But that’s far from the end of the story, because by now the general contractor’s subs have all gone off in different directions while the job was stalled. New work schedules, new supply delivery schedules, and just about new everything have to be re-figured. And it goes on, and on, and on. What doesn’t keep going on is the money budgeted for the remodel. It may be pretty much gone, period.

This scenario may be repeated may times before the job is finally finished ‘ late, over budget, and with probably a dozen compromises along the way. in summation, “the horror, the horror”. Now the typical design/build scenario: The client comes to the design/build firm with their ideas and concepts. The in-house design team which may include both an architect and an oterior designer, take the client’s needs and desire in to consideration and comes up with the design. It’s that simple, and the design process costs ½ as much as going to an architect.

But it gets even simpler. The in-house design team passes the blueprints on to the estimator who gets the best possible prices from suppliers and comes up with the total cost, and a construction timetable. Usually this is then presented to the client as a fixed price contract. And because the design/build firm is the general contractor on the remodel, everything is checked and double checked to make absolutely certain that everything will run smoothly and efficiently. They designed it ‘ now it is time to build it!

Since the process is under one roof with one primary source for accountability, the likelihood of squabbles, missed deadlines and cost overruns is much less likely.

Anyone who is contemplating remodeling plans in the future really owe it to themselves to sit down with a design/build firm in their area to talk about their project. Prospective clients should ask to see pictures of jobs that the design/build firm has done, and get testimonials from clients who have had jobs completed.

It doesn’t make any difference if you are planning a kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel or a new garage. ft. addition. The design/build approach will ultimately save that client money, time and aggravation (probably a lot of aggravation). And, of course, the remodel has a much better chance of being the way you want it - on-time and on-budget.

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Mr. Benson - ACE INSPECTORS asked:


The “Finishing Steps” for New Construction Homeowners

18 November 2007

The Homeowner’s Challenging Journey

The new construction homeowner begins the journey excited about thought of the family moving into a fresh and brand new home. The homeowner dreams about the great meals that will be cooked in the new spacious kitchen; about all the newly acquired space in the big garage; about the sunlight streaming in through that skylight in the laundry room. This new home is going to be the family dream house come true. Then the construction begins and so does the does the decline of the dream. The water meter housing ends up buried in the middle of the driveway; the wrong front door gets installed; the garage becomes a foot and half less in width because the foundation was laid out wrong. After the new homeowner battles a few of the issues it becomes apparent that this is going to be norm throughout the building process. Soon the new construction homeowner realizes that the small issues will have to give way to standing firm on the big issues. So the journey continues until near the end the new homeowner is exhausted with the whole thing and can hardly remember those fantasies of the family dream house.

The Homebuilder’s Profit Bottom Line

The new construction homebuilder doesn’t intentionally create issues, they happen because of various reasons intrinsic to the new home construction business. It is tough for a homebuilder to survive and make a profit. The cost of subcontractors, the cost of their own workers and the cost of materials are continuously occurring expenses they try to minimize. Often this struggle can result in poor quality workmanship and materials and the results are often discovered when it is too late. Now add to the mix unpredictable weather and the customer’s wants and needs and you have the makings of a journey that will have challenges. Some new construction homebuilders manage and mitigate these challenges better than others and usually know it and charge accordingly. But no matter if it is the well-managed new construction homebuilder or the worst managed, they must balance the customer’s satisfaction with their own profit bottom line. At the end of the new home construction building process, the homebuilder is nearly as weary as the homeowner.

The “Finishing Steps”

Most often the new construction homeowner nears the end of the home construction building process tired, weary and anxious to move in. Likewise, the new construction homebuilder reaches the end anxious to be done, to finalize the expenses and realize a profit. So you would think that the “Finishing Steps” would be executed with driven intent to be completed correctly. Think again, often this not the case experienced by this inspector (Professional Inspector Texas License # 8796). Usually the new homeowner has never been through the new construction building process before and the homebuilder frequently neglects these steps in hot pursuit to get the house completed. So here are the “Finishing Steps” in simple terms.

Get the kitchen appliances installed (dishwasher, cooking range and range hood) and turned on

Get the natural gas meter installed and turned on (electricity and water are installed earlier and used throughout the building process)

Get the water heater and furnace turned on (they are usually installed earlier in the building process by the plumber subcontractor)

Execute the “Walk Through Inspection” with the homebuilder (the above mentioned must be done first so that the homeowner knows if these systems pass the “Walk Though Inspection”) – DO NOT allowed the above mentioned to happen after the “Walk Through Inspection”

Execute an independent thorough "Licensed Home Inspection” (the above mentioned must be done first so that the Licensed Home Inspector can execute a complete inspection of all of the house systems) – DO NOT allowed the above mentioned to happen after the "Licensed Home Inspection”

Make the homebuilder fix all that is found in need of repair from the “Walk Through Inspection” and the "Licensed Home Inspection”

Once the new construction homeowner is satisfied with the repairs and fixes made by the homebuilder, the homeowner signs the final closing documents and takes possession of the house (the dream house as it were).

The Best Inspectors

The “Finishing Steps” as described above rarely occurs in the proper order and Licensed Home Inspectors often arrive at incomplete houses not ready to be inspected. However, some Licensed Home Inspectors will go ahead with the inspection and turn an easy inspection (quick bucks). The best Home Inspectors will always advise the new construction homeowner of the above mentioned “Finishing Steps” and offer to return when the appliance are installed and the gas is turned on. It is one of these Licensed Home Inspectors that you want hire.

The Professional Home Inspector’s Tips

New Construction Homeowners, know that the new construction homebuilding process is going to be a Challenging Journey. But battle fearlessly.

New Construction Homeowners, know that new construction homebuilders must balance the customer’s satisfaction with their own profit bottom line. But battle fearlessly.

New Construction Homeowners, learn the “Finishing Steps” to the new construction homebuilding process so that your Licensed Home Inspector can do you the best job possible. Battle to make this happen.

New Construction Homeowners, hire the best Licensed Inspector available so that that you get the best inspection and know what the homebuilder needs to fix prior to your house closing. Battle to make them fix them all.

Good Luck and stayed tuned for more “Tips from a Professional Home Inspector”

Written by Mr. Benson

El Paso Texas Professional Home Inspector

ACE INSPECTORS

Texas License # 8796

 



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Daya asked:


Modular homes, a factory product, are built as different sections so that they can match with all state, local or regional building codes of where you wish to live. These sections are then transported to the home site where they are raised onto foundations and fixed there permanently.

Generally, modular homes are designed to be initially stronger than site-built homes for example by replacing nails with screws and adding glue to joints. This helps the modules to maintain their structural integrity as they are transported on trucks over major highways to the construction site. Even though the modular home is found to be stronger than a stick built home, it is hard to predict the final building strength as it needs to withstand transportation stresses that the site-built homes never experience.

The modular home construction process is smooth and efficient. The construction time period needed to construct a home may vary depending on the home selected. As modular homes construction is constrained in a climate-controlled situation, the chance for moisture, rain or weather to delay construction, presence of dampness etc will be very less. Mold and mildew have little opportunity to grow in your new built modular home. For families with very sensitive members, the final product is an allergy free home to lead a healthier life.

Another advantage of modular home to be noted is in terms of durability. Modular homes have to travel a lot to reach the final site. Manufactures make out modular homes with this idea in mind and provide a durable product that can withstand the side effects of transportation. True modular homes have more flexibility as compared to on-frame modular homes. A perfect modular home can be built from existing plans or from custom plans generated by an architect. Also, a modular home producer’s uses computer generated plans to meet all national, state, and local building standards.

Material waste is very much less when compared to site built homes resulting much saving of money to home owners. This is because the lumber that is removed after construction of one house can be taken for the construction of the new house.

The uniqueness of modular home is it is built in a climate-controlled factory and building in this way reduces the chances of weather related delays or problems. To add to it, the fact that building supplies are stored in on-site warehouses, it also virtually eliminates the chance that wet materials will be used when building the modular home.

Don’t jump into a decision. Have a talk with manufactures to help design your own modular dream home. Make your dream home into a reality by exploring additional features and benefits of modular homes.



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