New Home Source’s Top 10 Articles of Fall 2015

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Looking for a quick answer to home shopper questions? Find out what they’re researching on NewHomeSource.com and learn for yourself!

To help you ring in a successful new year, why not take a second to think about what your clients are researching involving the new home process?

On the consumer site NewHomeSource.com, home shoppers have access to hundreds of articles to help them wind their way through the process of buying a new home, from the first steps of research all the way to landscaping weeks after move-in day.

So, take a look at the top 10 articles viewed throughout the fall of 2015. You might be able to brush up on a few topics so you can answer your clients’ questions yourself!

10. Top Trends in Home Design for 2015

Though 2015 is almost over, some of these trends hold true and may still carry into the new year. Going into 2015, however, one of the largest trends was that home sizes were getting smaller. Other trends on the list: opting for great rooms over living rooms; increase in energy-efficient features; larger, decked-out kitchen spaces; mixed metals such as copper and gold; textured surfaces; and freestanding bathtubs.

9. The Teardown Option: Is it for You?

One option new home shoppers were pondering in 2015 was the teardown option, which means demolishing an older home in order to build a new home you want in an already-established community. Deciding if this is the right option for a homebuyer may not always be an easy choice, as teardowns can often be quite complicated — permitting, zoning, historic preservation and demolition challenges often pose road blocks. Here you’ll find a list of questions to think about when helping your clients consider the teardown option.

8.  How to Finance Your New Home

Money. Money. Money. For almost everyone buying a new home, financing it is always the least fun part. It’s no surprise lots of people are asking about it! In this article, finance experts can help you learn what buyers need to know and do to make the mortgage process smooth and simple. From obtaining credit information all the way to choosing a finance plan, it’s all here.

7. The Hottest Trends in Flooring

On the other hand, one of the most fun parts about buying a home is choosing all your options! Perhaps the most exciting part is choosing the flooring, as it is one of the most wide-spread and functional features of your home. In this article, real estate writer Mary Umberger lays out the hottest trends in carpeting, wood, tile and even luxury vinyl — that’s right, vinyl is still a hot option.

6. 15 Questions to Ask When Selecting a Home Builder

One of the key steps in the journey to a dream home is selecting the right builder, they are the ones bring the dream to life after all. To do so, shoppers should be prepared to ask a builder a few questions before they make a decision on the fly. Here you’ll find a list of questions buyers may want to have handy before they even set foot in the sales center. Among them: How many years have you been in business? How many homes have you built? Are you licensed and insured?

5. How Much of a Down Payment Do You Really Need to Buy a Home?

A lot of new homebuyers have heard the myth that they’re going to need a 20 percent down payment to buy a home. The fact? There are many lenders out there who might require much less — or even nothing at all. This article dives into the nuts and bolts of down payments, loans, home types, prequalifications and more to help debunk this daunting myth.

4. When’s the Best Time to Buy a New Home?

Before anyone buys a new home, they’ve got to figure out what happens to their old home — and that often means selling it. Thus, it’s no wonder this question made the top five. However, it’s a question that doesn’t always have a simple answer. You might have heard that spring is the best time, but in some circumstances it really isn’t. Before you’re faced with this tough question, you might want to read up.

3. Building Your Dream Home on Your Own Lot

One of the big influencers in buying new homes is that there are so many options for customization. That customization can grow even more by building on the buyer’s own chosen lot! Some buyers may automatically think that option comes with a heftier price tag, but that’s not always the case. Here’s what you need to know to help your clients who may be interested in building on their own lot.

2. How Much Does it Cost to Build a House?

The first question to come into mind before anyone buys anything: How much does it cost? When buying a new home there are so many factors that affect the grand total, so this one is going to take a little bit of research. How does the cost of a new home compare to resale? Are upgrades included? Does customization cost more? Find out what you need to know right here.

1. A Step-by-Step Guide to the Home Building Process

And the top question home shoppers are looking to find answers to: How is my home being built? Unless you had experience working in construction before becoming a real estate professional, it’s likely you won’t have the answer to this one. Here we outline the 10 major steps to construction and what to expect during inspections and final walkthroughs. Now you can know too!

About the author 

Drew Knight

Drew Knight is a freelance writer for Builders Digital Experience (BDX). He graduated from Texas A&M University in December 2014 with a degree in agricultural communications and journalism.

He previously edited and designed pages for the Bryan-College Station (Texas) city paper The Eagle, wrote for the Brazos Valley’s premier arts and entertainment publication Maroon Weekly and worked in publicity at Warner Bros. Records in New York City.

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