David Weekley Homes Houston Division presented its Top Sales Consultant of the Year and Top Builder of the Year Awards to Katy residents Wayne Greer (left) and Sandee Horton (right), who build and sell homes, respectively, in the Firethorne master-designed community.  This marks the third consecutive year for Horton, a David Weekley Homes Senior Sales Consultant, to earn the Top Sales Consultant honors and the fourth Top Builder of the Year designation for Greer, a builder with David Weekley Homes for more than 20 years. 

            Firethorne is a 1,400-acre master-designed community in Katy/Fulshear.

            “Sandee and Wayne’s citywide recognition by David Weekley Homes-Houston Division is well deserved,” said Firethorne Marketing Director Janet Burkett.  “Sandee’s efforts to cultivate relationships in the Realtor and business communities have helped her and Firethorne break all previous new home sales records for the community in 2009.”   She added, “Wayne is proud to build high quality homes in Firethorne that he refers to as ‘very advanced, tight,’ energy-efficient homes through David Weekley’s participation in the ‘Environments for Living’ building program.” 

            Both built and sold in all of the Firethorne different sections and price categories.  They were also awarded “Star Achievement” for continually attaining outstanding Customer Service.

            In addition to David Weekley Homes, the Firethorne builder team includes Coventry Homes, Highland Homes, Parkwood Builders, Partners in Building, Perry Homes and Plantation Homes.  Firethorne has 1,000 housing starts in its Katy/Fulshear community in four years of development.   

            Firethorne, located 15 miles west of the Houston Energy Corridor, is a community located in Katy Independent School District that features 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, resort-style swim center, sports fields, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat.  It’s a community where the vibrancy of West Houston meets the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.  Take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, go to www.firethorne.info, or call 281-693-1011.    

CALLING ALL SALES PEOPLE!! Whether you sell homes, bricks, concrete .... Troy Elmore will engage you to modernize and redefine your selling system!

~ What are your buyers doing behind the scenes that you need to know about??
~ What is your plan to deal with these challenges??
~ How are you differentiating yourself from... the competitors??

Special BONUS:
SMC's very own Toby Ware with Metro Study will give us an UP TO THE MINUTE update on the forecast.

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Builder Offers Extra Incentives as Clock Ticks toward April 30^th Deadline

With less than 45 days remaining before federal tax credits of up to $8,000 are set to expire, Beazer Homes, one of the country’s top 10 homebuilders, is encouraging house hunters to take action now by offering additional savings on top of the government incentives. Qualified buyers who purchase now can save up to $8,000 on move-in ready and to-be-built homes at all 24 Beazer new home communities throughout the Houston metropolitan area. 

To claim the government-sponsored tax credit— up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers and up to $6,500 for repeat buyers —eligible buyers must execute a written contract by April 30 and close by June 30, 2010. Those who qualify have the option to claim the credit on either their 2009 or 2010 income tax return. 

With the clock ticking, Beazer is betting the expiry of the federal government tax credits and milder temperatures will bring shoppers out earlier than usual this spring. According to Kurt Watzek, president of Beazer Homes’ Houston Division, this year’s home-buying season shines a spotlight on the exceptional buying power currently available, with the looming tax credit deadline adding an additional spark of urgency.

“We’re experiencing a true homebuyers’ trifecta. Record affordability, low interest rates and a government-sponsored tax credit have all aligned in favor of buyers,” said Watzek. “We have completed or nearly-completed homes awaiting their first owners in all of our markets, and we’re prepared to execute contracts before the April 30 tax credit deadline.”

According to some real estate experts, for prospective buyers who are looking to cash in on the government tax credit, buying a brand new home directly from a builder could mean the difference between meeting the government’s deadline or not.  In some cases, bank-owned or distressed properties are taking several months to get to contract.

There also is the added incentive to act before FHA changes drive up agency-backed mortgage costs. Those who qualify for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) financing have an incentive to act now before new guidelines take effect by the middle of the year.

The FHA commissioner recently announced new rules that will increase the upfront mortgage insurance premium to two and a quarter percent (2.25%) of the loan amount, instead of the current one and three quarters (1.75%) percent premium. This upfront mortgage insurance premium increase will go into effect April 5 for all new FHA loan applications.

Additionally, applicants with FICO credit scores below 580 will soon have to make down-payments of at least 10 percent (10%), up from three and a half (3.5%) percent currently.

Those opting for a new Beazer home will have the added benefit of lower monthly utility bills. Beazer builds only eSMART high-performance homes, which are engineered as a whole-house system to achieve greater energy efficiency, conserve water and improve indoor air quality.  To reduce energy use, all Beazer homes include additional air sealing and framing techniques that allow for more insulation per home. Additionally, Beazer uses denser insulation within walls and attic spaces and energy-efficient low-e windows.

A study conducted by the NAHB Research Center found that, depending on home size, Beazer’s eSMART homes can offer an up to 46 percent energy cost savings over comparable houses built 10 to 15 years ago. 

Other energy-saving features incorporated into every Beazer eSMART high-performance home at no additional cost include a home energy monitor, programmable thermostat, compact fluorescent light bulbs and Energy Star dishwasher.  To help conserve water, Beazer uses regionally-appropriate plants and only water-saving bath faucets and showerheads. To address indoor air quality, paints and carpets that emit lower Volatile Organize Compounds (VOCs) are used, and every home is equipped with high-efficiency MERV 8 air filters and carbon monoxide detectors.

For more information, visit www.Beazer.com.

With REALTORs® going broke even as commissions are rising, Great Spring Real Estate offers REALTORs® a way to stay profitable WHILE offering a premium service at a lower price. It’s a new day in Real Estate – Full Service for a Flat Fee.

Broker/owner Jack Maxwell advises “Sellers are walking away from the closing table unhappy with the commission they pay while their REALTORs® are barely able to eat.”

Under the traditional contingency commission model, split between the buyer’s and seller’s agents, sellers of higher priced homes pay more – often a lot more. High-end sellers end up subsidizing the sale of low-end properties. This offsets REALTORs® losses from listings that do not sell and the sale of lower priced homes which the REALTOR® spent time and money marketing. Currently, commission rates are not reduced as home prices increase yet most agents deliver the same level of service regardless of the home price. This is where the problem lies.

There are other firms who offer flat fees; however, they are usually stripped down, minimal service, budget listing or home buying services.

“I knew there had to be a fairer way. We have established a way to deliver a premium service at a fair price. For a low flat retainer fee, paid up front, sellers receive all of the premium real estate services: professional full-time agent, one open house, color flyers, online virtual tour, HAR listing, professional scheduling service, professional staging and photography options, and more.

The REALTORs® are always paid for the work they do, which keeps them profitable so they can pass on the savings to all of their clients. This is a new way of doing Real Estate and Great Spring is excited to be a leader in revolutionizing the real estate industry. Our sellers now leave the closing table satisfied and happy. ”-Jack Maxwell

Great Spring Real Estate serves Northwest Houston and Cypress as well as the surrounding areas of Katy and Tomball.

Saturday, March 27, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., David Weekley Homes is hosting their Home Show! This is an opportunity to meet with the builder’s many vendors and view a wide range of products used in their homes. Every hour, Homebuyers can enjoy educational presentations about why the time to buy is now, the builder’s green building techniques, floorplan customization and much more. In addition, Metro Study will be on-hand to share information on Houston’s economic outlook. And Homebuyers who visit David Weekley’s Home Show will receive exclusive Home Show incentives and on-site loan pre-qualification, through Priority Home Mortgage.

Green is good

When a home buyer owns a green home, they'll enjoy a home that is friendlier to the environment and gives them a break on their bills, too. By offering the latest energy-efficient building techniques, the builder adds value and does its part to impact the environment less. During the David Weekley Home Show, buyers will have the ability to walk through a display showcasing these building techniques. 

Home buyers can really go green with the Ashton Woods Powerhouse Green, which not only helps save the environment, but also saves owners cash.

“As a long-time Environments for Living builder, Ashton Woods has stayed on the forefront of energy-efficient building initiatives,” said Dan Gezella, vice president of sales and marketing for Ashton Woods.

Ashton Woods installs heating and cooling systems with a SEER rating of 15, as well as ultra-efficient, variable-speed furnaces with an efficiency rating of 94 percent. Windows — a huge energy drain — are vinyl-framed and Low-E glass, deflecting much more sun than traditional windows. Radiant barrier decking is used on rooftops, reflecting ultraviolet rays and keeping attics cooler. Similarly, R-30 ceiling insulation and R-13 wall systems help keep the heat outside the home. The addition of radiant barrier roof decking and ultra-efficient, variable-speed furnaces, combined with the company’s other energy-efficient initiatives, propelled Ashton Woods to Platinum status in the Environments for Living program. The builder is now one of only four in Houston to attain the estimable ranking.

Other energy efficiency efforts include numerous air conditioner filters and a fresh air system with multiple air ducts and return air grills to help stimulate fresh air ventilation and decrease humidity. Homes also are built to eliminate drafts and mold, with cement Hardi board and anti-fracture coatings — rather than Sheetrock and green board — used to build mold-resistant shower and tub walls.

“Our homes are built to a high energy-efficiency standard that saves homeowners a substantial amount of money, even when compared to a home just 10 years old. Our research shows it would take nearly $50,000 to bring an existing home to our energy-efficient level and that’s just for the items that could be addressed.”

Earning the Environments for Living designation also qualifies Ashton Woods as an Energy Star builder. Energy Star is a cooperative program of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  According to program guidelines, Energy Star-qualified homes are at least 15 percent more efficient that homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include additional energy-saving features that make them 25 to 45 percent more efficient than standard homes.

Ashton Woods has homes available in eight of the Houston-area’s most sought-after communities with prices from the $140,000s to the $410,000s. For more information about Ashton Woods Homes, visit online at www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.