Here are a few things to remember when you decide to move into a newbuild home. Our team at CarrHomes has been building new homes in the Northern Virginia area for more than 90 years. We’re here for you as you build your new home. If you’re ready to get started, then all you have to do is reach out. With that in mind, let’s look at some important considerations to keep in mind when moving into a newly built home.

Customize What You Can

This is your opportunity to turn the standard model house into your very own luxurious home. Our team at CarrHomes has designed six exquisite homes in Waterford Creek. These houses come with an extensive list of standard features — but there is always room for customization and improvement. That’s part of the CarrHomes difference.

Working with CarrHomes allows you to take the opportunity to make your estate home unique. For example, you can add a two-sided fireplace to the extended living room if you love to host events. Or if you’re more of the type who needs some extra space in the garage, you can upgrade to a three- or four-car garage, depending on the base model.

Our expert builders will walk you through every possible option to add a unique touch as we move through the construction process.

Take the Final Inspection Seriously

The point of moving into a brand new luxury house is to create your dream home. There will be inspections throughout the construction process, but the final is one of the most important. Take the time to spend at least an hour walking around the house with your builder as you look at the fine details. It is better and easier for everyone to correct any issues or create any additional requests before you are moved in and settled.

There will naturally be a few minor things that arise after you move in and get used to the house, but the more you can identify with the builder during the final inspection, the happier you’ll be with your home when you move in.

Pack and Move Wisely

Moving into a new, luxurious home is a great opportunity to update furniture and appliances. Take the time to go through your belongings and decide what really needs to be packed and moved. You can order new furniture and appliances to be delivered to your new home. Plus, what a great feeling it’ll be when you walk through the grand foyer and into the family room that is decorated with beautiful new couches.

The best way to accomplish this is to get rid of a large portion of your outdated and rarely used belongings. This is a fantastic opportunity to donate these items to charity. This will give you a blank slate when moving into your dream home. It’s best to move in without the weight of all your belongings resting on your shoulders.

Know the Warranties

Our clients have confidence in our homes. The reviews speak for themselves. And that’s partly because we know that customer service is just as important to homeowners as the construction process itself, which is why our team offers extensive warranties for our designer homes. We strive to have a reputation as solid as the homes themselves. Our builders will discuss the fine details of the warranties with you throughout the process.

CarrHomes proudly carries on the tradition of excellence in Waterford Creek and around Northern Virginia. Connect with us to learn more tips and tricks to make your move into a newly built house as easy as possible. It’s time to explore houses for sale in Hamilton. CarrHomes is here to make that process easy and fun! Contact us today to get started.

The post Important Considerations When Moving Into a Newly Built Home appeared first on CarrHomes.

Whether you’re a current homeowner or this is your first time buying a house, shopping for the right lender can be daunting. You never know what options are out there or if the deal that you’re getting is genuinely a good one, which can leave you feeling guarded, nervous, and overwhelmed with a process that is only just getting started.

If you’ve felt any of the feelings that we just listed, keep reading. In today’s blog post, we are going to go over a few of the things that you should know before you choose the mortgage lender for your next home. Let’s get started.

Know Your Credit Score

A significant piece in the lending process will be your credit score. If you’re not sure what your credit score is, you’re going to want to find out. Not only will a higher credit score show lenders that you’re responsible with money, it will give you a little bit more power in terms of bargaining with the interest rate and loan amount. With that being said, if you know that you’re going to be buying a house in the future, work on getting your credit score into shape. It will pay off in the long run! 

Now, knowing your credit score and having a good score are important, but it’s also good to make sure that you understand why your score is what it is. If you have a lower score but you understand why it is so, you may be able to negotiate with the lender. At the very least, knowledge of your credit score and why it is the way it is will give you some idea of what you need to work on if you want a larger loan or a lower interest rate.

Know the Variety of Lenders

Shopping around for the right lender is something that we strongly suggest, but it can be difficult to do if you’re not even fully aware of the options available to you. By learning about the different types of lenders that are out there, you can take advantage of the various loans available instead of feeling confined to one. Some of the most common home loan lenders that you can work with include: 

• Mortgage Bankers
• Credit Unions
• Correspondent Lenders
• Savings and Loans
• Mutual Savings Banks

Take some time to see what the options in your area are and find the one that works best for you! Do not feel like you have to settle for one lender simply because they’ve approved you, because the reality is that the lender you choose will contribute to the experience that you have.

Ask Plenty of Questions

As we mentioned above, it’s important to shop around when finding the perfect lender for your mortgage. While it can be time consuming to go from one place to the next, it’s always good to have a list of questions that will better help you determine which lender is the right one. By asking thorough questions to the lenders you can quickly filter certain lenders out while also determining the factors that matter the most to you. Of course the interest rate that they’re offering is going to help determine if a lender is right for you, but it’s certainly not the only thing you’ll want to consider.

When meeting with a lender, take some time to ask them some of the following questions:

• What lender fees will I be responsible for?
• What are the down payment requirements? 
• What is your preferred method of communication and how soon should we hear back from you?
• How long does the processes of preapproval, appraisal, and closing usually take?

By having your questions ready you can walk in confident and prepared for whatever happens during the meeting.

Trust Carr Homes with Your Next House

Finding the right lender for your next home purchase can be overwhelming, but it’s worth every minute of time that you invest in the process. Once you find the right lender for your mortgage, you can count on the team at Carr Homes to help you find the house of your dreams. 

Whether you’re looking for a custom built, luxury home or you want to shop the gorgeous homes in Hamilton that are currently on the market, we can help! Browse the variety of homes for sale that we have listed on our website, and reach out to our team if you have any questions or would like additional information on a house that’s listed. We are always more than happy to help!

The post Tips for Finding the Best Mortgage Lender appeared first on CarrHomes.

When you purchase one of our homes for sale, you will find that there are simple but impactful benefits to our unique builds. If you are interested in learning more about any of our floor plans, feel free to check them out online or contact our team to schedule an appointment to view a property.

Learn more below about the simple but meaningful ways a CarrHomes’ luxury build will impact your daily life.

Walk-In Closets Designed For Easy Organization

Every single day, there is one section of your bedroom that you probably frequent more than once — your closet. There is perhaps nothing more frustrating than starting your day rummaging through the back of a small, cramped, poorly lit closet.

When we created our unique floor plans at CarrHomes, we set out to create closets that provide ample storage space with beautiful and abundant lighting. This means that when you wake up in the morning and are hurrying to get ready for the day, you can quickly walk through your closet, picking out every piece you need. Not only are our closets large in size, but they are designed with functionality in mind. Say goodbye to stumbling through a disorganized mess and enjoy the delight a luxury build closet will bring to your daily life.

Pantry Shelving Crafted For A Chef

Do you enjoy spending time in the kitchen? If so, our unique pantry design will be one of your favorite features of our floor plans. Our pantries are large in size and outfitted with high-quality wood shelving.

As you walk into this closet — which feels more like a room or extension of your kitchen — you will find long and elegant shelving that will allow for optimal organization of food, supplies, and more.

Ample Bathroom Space For Busy Families

When you were a single person, living alone, one bathroom provided you with everything you needed. However, as your life has grown — and subsequently your family — one bathroom no longer cuts it.

You will enjoy the ample bathroom space that we design into our floor plans, creating a better flow of daily life in a busy home. From our owner’s bathrooms, which feature multiple vanities and ample room for more than one person to move about the space at a time, to our additional bathrooms scattered throughout the home, you will find that everyone can accomplish their daily hygiene in comfort.

Extra Room For Designing Entertainment Areas

Too often, floor plans stop with a dining area, a living room, and perhaps a small den. CarrHomes’ floor plans, however, take it to the next level. You can choose from one of our many luxury home designs that offers extra room for creating family entertainment areas.

Whether you have a billard, ping pong, or foosball table — or perhaps all of the above — we offer the space you need to design the ultimate family zone. This means less cluttered or cramped areas throughout your home as you can dedicate one area to entertainment.

Open Floor Plans With Abundant Natural Light

One of the most impactful and unique aspects of our home designs is the open feel we have created. With abundant natural light and extra tall ceilings, our luxury build homes feel far more open and airy than most. We have even added special touches to different designs to help promote this open feel, such as recessed stairways and vaulted entryway ceilings.

Shop Our Homes For Sale

If you are looking to purchase a home in Hamilton, we invite you to reach out to our team at CarrHomes. We will be happy to walk you through the options available, as well as provide you with further information on our unique floor plans. We know you will enjoy the unique and impactful ways our careful designs change your daily living.

The post Simple But Impactful Benefits Of A CarrHomes’ Luxury Build appeared first on CarrHomes.

In fact, when you are searching for homes for sale in Hamilton, you want to be sure that you are picking the right community to reside in. Not all neighborhoods are alike, which is why shopping for not only the right home, but also the right community is a must.

Here at CarrHomes, we provide an array of luxury homes and unique floor plans. We can help you find the ideal home design for your needs. Not only that, but we also have carefully chosen and crafted the communities wherein our homes reside.

Check out the following reasons why the community you buy your next home in makes a difference. Feel free to reach out to our team to learn more about CarrHomes communities.

Your Neighbors Matter

Choosing a new home is an incredible experience. You get to seek out that dream kitchen you have always had in mind. You get to plan out the exact home layout that will fit your family’s needs best. However, the right fit goes far beyond just the physical aspects of your new luxury home.

Finding the right home also means finding the right neighbors. You don’t want your dream home to be dropped in the middle of an area that doesn’t fit your family’s lifestyle. Neighbors can make or break your love for your new home.

Choosing a luxury community, such as the ones we offer at CarrHomes, means surrounding yourself with like-minded neighbors. You will all work to keep your community beautiful. You will all keep an eye out for one another, and you will all likely share many commonalities. This can lead you to enjoy more than just your new luxury, but to also enjoy the people you meet through your move.

Your Home Value Is Impacted

The community wherein your home resides has a great impact on the value of your home. The most luxurious home, when dropped in the wrong location, can depreciate, rather than improve in value.

Choosing a luxury community means your investment is guarded. Rather than worrying about what direction the neighborhood is headed, you will be confident in the future of your home. Whether you choose to sell your home one day or you wind up passing it along to the kids, you will rest easy at night, knowing that the value of your local community will remain steady.

Aesthetics Extend Beyond Your Front Door

Choosing a luxury home involves a heavy focus on the aesthetics of the structure. From the type of roof shingles utilized to the exact layout of your master bathroom, every detail matters. However, those aesthetics don’t stop at your front door.

In fact, the aesthetics of your home reach far beyond the walls surrounding you and your family. The luxury of your home should be reflected throughout the entire property and across the surrounding community you buy. From a beautiful backdrop of rolling hills to the way your neighbor’s house looks, it is important to find a home that is surrounded by equal beauty.

When you purchase a home in a luxury community, you will benefit from the aesthetics of everything surrounding your home. This will add to the comfort of your daily life.

Nearby Amenities Contribute To Quality Living

Luxury communities are carefully designed. When the area for a neighboorhood is chosen, the nearby amenities play a vital role. From high-quality school districts to a fine selection of dining options, where your home resides will play a large role in the quality of daily life for your family.

Make sure that as you shop for a home, you consider these nearby amenities. What does the area have to offer? How close will you be to the stores, restaurants, and other businesses you plan to frequent?

Never underestimate how big of a role the neighboring area will play in the satisfaction of you and your family. Make sure you prioritize this as you shop for a new home.

Contact CarrHomes

If you value the community that will surround your luxury home, then we invite you to reach out to our team at CarrHomes. We will be happy to help you find the right homes for sale in Hamilton, as well as walk you through the style of communities we offer.

We understand that your luxury home is only as good as the location in which it resides. For this reason, we have carefully planned each one of our communities to reflect the desire for aesthetic beauty, local amenities, and quality neighborhoods. Talk to us today about finding your next home.

The post Why The Community You Buy In Matters appeared first on CarrHomes.

Inspect The Home

Once the building is complete, you will do a final walk-through with your home builder to check that everything has been completed according to the plans. Either before or during this step, you may want to hire a professional home inspector to also give your new home a thorough once-over. They will be able to offer a second set of eyes and will have a better idea of things to check. This is not to say your home builder has done a poor job; it is just a good way to catch any little details that may need to be taken care of before you move your furniture and everything into your home.

Make A List

First, talk to your home builder about warranty options and coverage. Most new construction homes come with a warranty to cover anything that needs to be repaired within the first year or two (plus a longer warranty for structural damage). Know what your house builder provides and what is covered versus what is excluded from coverage. Then, make a list of any repairs that need to be made according to what your warranty covers. This list can be started with that initial walk-through and carry on into the initial months in the home. Be sure to contact your home builder before the end of the warranty to get those details taken care of.

Keep Receipts

It is never too early to prepare for tax season. Keep all your receipts for any work done on your home, because they may come in handy when it is time to claim deductions on your tax return. Specifically, keep records of anything done to your home office, even getting an alarm system installed or noting the cost of electricity. In addition, keep track of any sustainable or eco-friendly measures taken in your new home. You may be eligible for tax breaks there, too.

Clean The Vents

A lot of dust and grime gets kicked up during the home building process. Before turning on the HVAC system in your new home or starting up your ceiling fans, take the time to clear out the dust. It will be easier to clean everything out before you move all your furniture in (and getting it all covered in dust). Send the hose attachment of your vacuum into the registers to clear out as much dust as you can, or hire a professional HVAC company for an even more thorough cleaning. Also, keep an eye on your filters. You may need to clean or change them more frequently in the initial months as they filter out any additional gunk in the air ducts.

Know Where Controls Are

Something will eventually go wrong with your home. That is, unfortunately, just the nature of home-ownership. It is a good idea to know exactly where your water shutoff valve is and where your breaker box is located. Better still, take the time to label each switch so you know will not need to worry about trial and error when you need to turn off the power to a room later on.

Wait On Paint

Logic says that it is easier to paint rooms before you fill the rooms with furniture. This is absolutely true — but if you find you hate the colors you picked, you may end up painting a second time and working around your furniture anyway. What most fail to consider is how changes in lighting will affect the paint colors. Instead of painting rooms right away, put swatches of potential colors in multiple spots around the room and live with them for a few days. This will give you an opportunity to see how sunlight, cloudy days, and incandescents or LED lights affect the colors.

Are you looking for homes for sale in Hamilton? Explore what luxury home builders CarrHomes have to offer. See our current listings of homes for sale or contact us today to begin making your home dreams a reality.

The post Things To Consider When Moving Into A Newly Built House appeared first on CarrHomes.

First, Finances

It can be a lot of fun to trawl through the listings of homes for sale in your area, or to wander through open houses on the weekends and think about your future home. But, before you start earnestly looking, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of your financial situation. You’ll need to know what your buying budget is before you fall in love with a home that’s well over what you can afford. At the same time, getting your finances together can actually help you save money in the long run!

Credit Score and Debt

Two key components of your financial situation that any lending organization will look at are your credit score and your debt-to-income ratio. Lending institutions want to know that they’ll recoup the money they lend you, and they use your credit score, income, and debt to help determine how likely they are to get their money back. If you have a higher credit score and smaller amount of debt in comparison to your income, you’ll be a more appealing candidate to lenders. Generally, the more appealing you are to lenders, the better interest rate you’ll receive. And, since most mortgages are set to go for a couple of decades, even a point or two of difference in interest rates can result in some big savings or spending over the course of the loan.

Most lenders will be happy to run the numbers with you to give you an idea of where you stand financially. Running the numbers can help you learn whether it’s worthwhile to buy now or to give yourself some time to save further or otherwise adjust your financial situation. For example, bringing your credit score up ten points can push you into a better bracket score-wise, which can mean a big difference in interest rate. If that’s the case, it can be worth taking three or six months to pay down some debt and boost your credit score.

Down Payment

The other key element of home buying finances is, you guessed it, your down payment. The more you can put down, the lower your monthly mortgage payments are likely to be. However, there is a diminishing rate of return on saving up a larger down payment versus owning sooner. Talk to your lender about the pros and cons based on what you have saved up and all those other financial factors. Of course, keep in mind that if you have too small of a down payment, you may be required to pay for mortgage insurance, which will add to your monthly payments.

Know Your Home Options

One of the other key questions you’ll need to figure out before looking at all the homes for sale in your area is whether you’d rather buy an existing home or go the route of a new build. While existing homes may be available more quickly, they’re also likely to come with additional quirks or repair needs from the previous owners. New construction homes might take longer, but also offer you the option to customize as you choose.

If you’re looking for new homes for sale in the Hamilton area, start with the experienced pros. Contact CarrHomes to see our available homes or start planning your own!

The post First Time Buying A House? What To Know Before Diving In appeared first on CarrHomes.

#1. Green materials can increase your home’s value.

Yes, the initial cost of the building materials may indeed cost a bit more than the standard option. Don’t let that scare you away! It may increase your upfront cost, but in the long run, those green building materials are going to provide a better return on your investment. In most regions, a home built with sustainable materials will generally have a higher value than comparable homes in the neighborhood.

#2.  Eco-friendly building offers long-term savings.

A big part of eco-friendly home building is using sustainable materials as much as possible, but that’s not the only way a home can be made eco-friendly. It can also include measures like water-saving shower heads, water-on-demand water heaters, and other resource-saving options. Whether it’s alternative energy production methods or use-reduction options, eco-friendly appliances and fixtures can help you save on your monthly utilities. Over decades in the home, the savings more than makes up for the minor upfront cost.

#3. Sustainable building materials are more durable.

Just because something has been broken down during the recycling process and made again does not mean it’s less sturdy. In fact, the reverse is often true; many of the eco-friendly building products used today are made from recycled materials, but they are more durable than the natural counterparts. For example, a composite decking made from recycled plastic and wood fibers can last around five times longer than the traditional wood option — and, bonus, it doesn’t need to be scrubbed, sanded, and restained or treated every few years.

#4. The building process will produce less waste.

What good would eco-friendly building materials be if home builders didn’t also worry about waste and local environmental impact? Sustainable new construction homes are eco-friendly because they take all levels of sustainability into account. That means you can trust that any house builder who makes eco-friendly homes works to cut down on waste and recycle materials as much as possible.

#5. Green home builders work with the environment.

No, we don’t necessarily mean building into hillsides or creating a living turf roof. But, many builders of eco-friendly homes for sale will put additional effort into working with what nature has already provided for a given area. This can mean making decisions like choosing the home’s placement based on existing trees and only removing what’s absolutely necessary. Doing so might mean a bit more effort on behalf of the construction team, but it also means preserving a valuable resource. Specifically in regard to trees, not only is it a preservation technique, but it means that grown trees will help provide energy efficiency for the home by keeping it cooler in the summer and breaking the winter winds before they reach the house.

At CarrHomes here in Hamilton, we pride ourselves on the eco-friendly measures that go into every one of our new construction homes. Explore our current homes for sale, or contact us to start planning your new home!

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