Wednesday, February 13, 2008

We have Inventory Ready to go Very Soon!

The Monticello, by Dakota Villas Lot 4 for $389,900 is a 4 bedroom Reverse 1.5 Story on a level lot with 2 car garage. It backs to the South with a huge easement between its backyard and the neighbors backyard. The trim & cabinets are up and we will be working on spraying the ceiling and then start painting! It will be ready in 60 days.



The Siena by Pinecrest Development Lot 2 is sheetrocked and ready to be trimmed with cabinets coming this week. The Siena is an open floor plan reverse 1.5 story. Wonderful Kitchen that looks out into the Great Room and Eating Area. The lower level has a wet bar and a Wine Cellar! The Garage is a 2.5 car garage, plenty of room for 2 cars and storage! This home also backs up to the huge easement area to the South. It is ready for color selections and will be completed in 60 to 90 days.



The Chalet by KC Builders and Design Lot 20 is getting sheetrock very soon and has a 3 car garage. The open floor plan is new and very exciting. We have had great response to it so far. The rooms are very spacious and the covered patio has a fireplace for extra outdoor living. The lower level has plenty of room for company with the Rec Room and Wet bar along with 2 more bedrooms all on a walkout lot. This home has a 3 car garage and should be completed in 60 to 90 days.



The Granada by Dakota Villas, Inc. Lot 27 is framed and getting electrical & plumbing work now. It will be completed between 90 & 120 days. The Reverse 1.5 Story home is situated on a Walk-Out lot and is approx 3000 sq ft. with a 2 car garage. It features Dining Room & Breakfast Room with a more secluded kitchen area. Lower level finish includes a Rec Room, full bath and 3rd Bedroom with optional Wet Bar & 4th Bedroom.



The Siena by Pinecrest Development Lot 22 All the same fantastic features of the Siena on Lot 2 but with a bigger 3 car garage and a walkout homesite. Pinecrest trys to stay "Green" on his homes by using Tile Roofs, Low E Windows, I Joists Beams, R-38 Attic Insulation. Right now it is being framed in and will be complted in 120 days. Plenty of time to make your selections.



The Granada by Dakota Villas Lot 21 All the same wonderful features of The Granada on Lot 27 but with a bigger 3 car garage! Dakota Villas is known for their Elaborate Millwork and Trim Package, quality of construction and great customer service before and after the home is yours! We are digging the foundation now and we are about 150 days from completion.



The Raphael by Lambie-Geer Homes Lot 9 & Lot 28 We are staked and ready to start the foundation process on Lot 9. We are all very excited to see The Raphael Plan, it is new to the wonderful Lambie-Geer Line up of popular floor plans.



We encourage you to drive by and see our progress, for more info please call us Thesa 913-636-8118 or Rosie 913-707-7496.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Happy New Year from Ashford Villas

2008 started off with a bang. We Sold the existing home that we were using as our Welcome Center! We would like to welcome the new family to Ashford Villas, we think they are going to love it here.

We are on track to have several floor plans completed by spring. Right now there are 4 homes being framed, The Chalet, The Monticello, The Siena, & The Granda. We have one foundation, ready for The 3 car, walkout Siena Plan and One Lot staked for The Raphael Plan. If you are in the area please drive by to see all the action.

As of now, we are not on site but our officing out of GWA corporate office right down the street at 151st & Antioch. Thesa and I are only a phone call away from being there in minutes. Thesa 913-636-8118 and Rosie 913-707-7496. We also plan to be at the subdivision on the weekends when the weather is good or call us for an appointment. We would love to show off the newest maintenance provided community.

Happy New Year!

K.C. Builders & Design: No housing slump here

K.C. Builders & Design

According to information recently published in The Kansas City Star, despite interest rates that have continued to drop in the past few months, consumer confidence has been affected by the many negative articles in print across the country that have been forecasting a melancholy real estate market.
The feature went on say that many local experts say that the subprime market experienced elsewhere in the country is quite the opposite of what is happening in the Midwest, and that both new and resale homes 5 years old and newer are still a great buy.
Builder Kelley Babb of K.C. Builders & Design echoed that assessment.
“People need to realize that in Kansas City we don’t have the peaks and valleys like the coastal areas of the country, which is where the (Associated Press writers) are located and basing their information,” Babb said.
“A few months ago there was an article about the sky falling, and all of the doom and gloom, and at the end it said, ‘This applies to everywhere but the Midwest.’ That needs to be in big bold letters to draw attention to it. It is damaging our market wholeheartedly, and it is not fair for the areas that are doing well.”
Babb maintains that because Kansas City is geographically located in the middle of the country, it is cost effective for big businesses to operate here in terms of logistics regarding shipping of goods, travel and so forth.
“Those businesses bring in new residents who are buying homes, and the good areas are still good. They are slower, but still good. The subprime confusion does not affect Johnson County as much.”
K.C. Builders & Design, operating since 1997, is a well-known and respected custom homebuilding firm working primarily in Overland Park, Olathe and Lenexa, Babb said. Its award-winning homes, priced from $375,000 to $700,000, are found in communities such as Polo Fields, Cedar Creek, Patrician Village, Deer Valley and Prairie Brook, the new maintenance provided community Ashford Villas.
“Creative designs and basement finishes from simple to elaborate are our specialty,” Babb said. “People like us because we change anything and everything in our plans. If you like the layout of the house but need a mudroom, let’s include it. If you want a spectacular basement, we can do it while we are building the home, or after you move in. There’s nothing that we cannot do.”
Working with the belief that building a new home should be an exciting and enjoyable process, the firm places great emphasis on good communication and great customer service.
“We have over 75 referral letters and these accolades are wonderful because we pride ourselves on catering to our clients and modifying our plans to accommodate their needs,” Babb said.
Another source of pride is the boutique size of the firm that comprises primarily family members.
“We are not a big operation, but we are very lean and efficient,” Babb said. “Every year since we have been in business, we have doubled our sales. Despite the market, we built 41 homes in 2007 and hope to exceed 50 in 2008. We have done well, and can’t build homes fast enough to keep up with the demand.”
K.C. Builders & Design will be featured in a 30-minute infomercial on “The Savvy Homebuyer,” tentatively scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Jan. 19, on WDAFTV

Sunday, December 9, 2007

It's a Great Time to Buy

The housing market is experiencing a cooling-off period from the boom of several years ago, making today’s economic environment the perfect one in which to buy a home. Low rates and new housing choices meaning more opportunities for home buyers. The Home Builders Association has gathered a list of questions to help consumers discover why in today’s market, now is the time to buy.


There have been a lot of stories about home prices dropping. Should I wait until prices go lower to buy a home?

The stories you're seeing about home prices dropping on the national level are from markets in booming locations such as California and along the coasts where home prices have soared as much as 40 percent in recent years. In Kansas City, housing values have increased at a more moderate pace, and continue to go up now even as some parts of the country are seeing a decline. New-home values are up more than 5 percent in metro Kansas City this year and forecast to increase again next year. If you're waiting for prices to drop in metro Kansas City, it may cost your family more money to make the move to homeownership down the road.


Why would delaying a home purchase now cost me more money later?

With new-home prices continue to go up in metro Kansas City, waiting to buy a new home simply means the price will be higher down the road. Another major factor are mortgage rates. Mortgage rates have fallen in recent months to the point where they are actually lower than they were a year ago for fixed-rate mortgages. Economic forecasters expect mortgage rates to go up in 2007, which means your buying power will be decreased -- you will have to pay more for monthly mortgage payments and will qualify for a smaller loan amount. The combination of rising prices and rising mortgage rates are a double whammy for consumers. That makes taking advantage of low rates and current prices is crucial to saving money.


Is it better to wait until the economic picture is clearer so my house will appreciate?

No. The fact is, the economy is still solid. After expanding rapidly over the past few years, economic growth is moderating – and this is actually good for housing. Most economists predict that overall GDP growth will average about 2.5 percent for the rest of the year. That means that job growth will continue to move forward at a pace that should not trigger higher inflation or interest rates. This period of moderate economic growth, job creation and low inflation, coupled with a true buyer’s market where there are plenty of homes to choose from, makes this an ideal time to purchase a new home. Kansas City has added more than 30,000 in the last two years, including more than 10,000 in the last 12 months.


Isn’t it better to “play it safe” and keep renting until things are more certain?

No. The best way to “play it safe” is to actually buy a home. And here’s why. Studies show that owning a home is the best way to builder household wealth. The sooner a person owns a home, the faster they begin to build up equity and wealth. When you buy a home, you are also purchasing price stability, knowing that you will pay the same monthly payment for the life of your 30-year mortgage. With fewer apartment rentals on the market and rents on the rise, renting lacks economic security, tax benefits and price appreciation. All of the economic fundamentals show that this a good time to buy a home and that there is upward pressure on rental apartments. The real risk isn’t in buying a home, said NAHB, it’s continuing to rent.


Should I invest my money in the stock market or use it to buy a home?

Buy a home! Thanks to the concept of “leveraging,” purchasing a home is by far the best long-term investment. Leveraging means putting down a small amount of money to earn a big return. As a homeowner, your savings continue to grown in two ways. Every year, a greater portion of your monthly mortgage payment goes to principal, reducing the overall loan amount. Second, your home appreciates over time, making it one of the very best financial investments. Not only is homeownership a stepping stone to a future of financial security, it also helps build neighborhoods and strengthen communities. It is truly the cornerstone of the American way of life, and the fulfillment of the American dream.


Should I wait to buy a home until interest rates go down further?

No. Interest rates currently stand at about 6.4 percent and are extremely favorable for buyers. In fact, they are hovering near 30-year lows. But waiting to time the market is a dangerous – and losing – game. Because interest rates are near historic lows, it is much more likely that they will head higher in the future as opposed to moving even lower. And home prices don’t necessarily move in unison with interest rates. With interest rates low, home prices down, a strong and diverse supply of houses builders offering incentives, the smartest and safest time to buy is now. Any or all of these favorable variables could change for the worse.


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HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY600 E. 103rd Street · Kansas City, Missouri 64131-4300OFFICE (816) 942-8800 · FAX (816) 942-8367
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2007 Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City

Friday, December 7, 2007

County Property Taxes

County Property TaxesAs taxes become due, there are many frequently asked questions. We wanted to take the time to review some of the details of paying property taxes. The county appraiser values your property every year and then gives that information to the county clerk. Your county will notify you of the newly assessed value; however, Countrywide may not be notified of the new tax information until the end of the year. Thus, your escrow account may not reflect the change in taxes until we are notified by your county. In Kansas, taxes are split in half and are due by Dec. 20th and May 10th, paid in arrears. In Missouri, taxes are paid in full at the end of the year.

Monday, December 3, 2007

The Monticello





Here is the progress of Dakota Villas - Monticello! It is moving right along and should be finished in about 60 days. It really is moving right along. I can't tell you how excited Thesa and I are about seeing the homes really take shape here at Ashford Villas.

Party for the Villas of St. Andrew's Residents





We had so much fun on Thursday, Nov. 29th with our luncheon for our neighbors at the Villas of St. Andrews. We served Smokehouse BBQ and desserts from 3 Women & an Oven. The real fun began when we started doing our drawings every 1/2 hour for some fun prizes. We had a huge turn out - thanks Villas of St. Andrews for making our party a memorable one!