Homeownership is the Foundation of the American Dream

• For many people, owning a home is part of their American Dream. Homeownership builds stronger communities, provides a solid foundation for family and personal achievement and improves the quality of life for millions of people. It is truly the cornerstone of the American way of life.
• Most Americans consider homeownership to be the single best long-term investment and a primary source of wealth and financial security. Countless generations of Americans have counted on their homes for their children’s education, their own retirement and a personal sense of well-being.
• Yet, a home is so much more than an investment. In good times and in bad, the opportunity to own a home has been a cherished ideal and a source of pride, accomplishment, social stability and peace of mind.
• Changing housing policy now to make owning a home more expensive is unfair and would hurt those that have played by the rules and made the sacrifices to get where they are now.
• It would harm millions of Americans who are struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments and those who aspire to one day own a home of their own.

Homeownership is a Major Driver of the U.S. Economy

• The nation’s housing and homeownership policies over the last century have contributed to the growth of the middle class and helped the United States become the most dynamic economy the world has ever seen.
• Fully 15 percent of the U.S. economy relies on housing and nothing packs a bigger local economic impact than home building.
• Constructing 100 new homes creates more than 300 full-time jobs, $23.1 million in wage and business income and $8.9 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.
• A healthy housing industry means more jobs and a stronger economy. Home building increases the property tax base that supports local schools and communities.
• Housing, like no other sector, is “Made in America.” Most of the products used in home construction and remodeling are manufactured here in the United States.

Statistically if you select the lowest bid, you will most likely end up paying an amount closer to the middle, if not the highest bid. There is almost a 100% guarantee that you will not pay the amount on a "free estimate".

 Rapport should always be number one on the priority list and while it's okay for your project to be budget-driven, price should never be higher than #2.

To learn more about a better way, call or click!

Kelly Anderson

Ironwood Custom Builders, Inc
Office 801-416-3131 Ext 101
Fax 801-386-5548
Kelly@IronwoodCustomBuilders.Com

     

     

 See the before and after pictures of the Stringham Residence. Built in 1992, this Sandy, Utah home had all of the original golden oak cabinets with wall to wall wall paper and was desperate to be brought into 2012. This project was in the concept and design phase for about two months and then completed in 9 weeks.  

Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
801-416-3131 ext 101

Remodeling Through Color

Did you know that the colors you select for your home have meaning and can set mood? Studies show that color can complement architecture, enhance or diminish the sense of space, create a particular ambience, and impact your daily moods. Color experts have studied how color is likely to affect you. Here is what they have found:
Blue, universally a favorite, is recognized for its tranquil effects. However, if too dark or used too expansively, it can have a depressing effect.
Red evokes excitement, and is an excellent accent. Often used in kitchens, it’s felt that red enhances one’s appetite.
Green is either loved or heartily disliked, so take care when making this selection.
Brown and orange are viewed as friendly and informal colors.
Yellow, generally perceived as a cheery color, may make children feel depressed, so use it sparingly.
Neutral colors can serve as dramatic backdrops for furnishings, collections, and accessories. Neutrals also add the flexibility to introduce new colors seasonally with throw pillows, artwork, and other decorative items.

When selecting your colors:
Select exterior shades that harmonize with the home’s surroundings—steer towards the earthier shades (i.e. a grey-blue vs. a bright royal blue).
Consider the style and era of your home—there might be some traditional colors associated with them—especially with Victorian and traditional Colonials.
When viewing paint samples, look at chip sizes proportionate to how they will ultimately be used (e.g., if a wall will be painted taupe with a red accent, view a larger sample of the taupe paint against a smaller sample of the red).
Less is more. Don’t overuse a color, especially in a small room.
Even though a color may be too strong for an entire wall, consider it for an accent color.
Most importantly, select colors that work for you and your lifestyle, not what’s considered “in” or “out” at the time. But don’t be afraid to color your world—you’ll find it will make a world of difference!

Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
801-416-3131

Thinking Of Building or Remodeling? Do It Now!

Whether it's to build a new home or renovate the one you currently live in, if you need financing, NOW IS THE TIME! Interest rates are at the lowest levels...ever! Financing can be obtained for interest rates in the mid 4's. That's an unbelievable rate.

Yes, lenders have tightened up their lending standards, but only to back where they used to be. Up until sometime around the mid 1990's, it was almost impossible to find a loan that required less than a 20% down payment. And yes, you do need to have a good credit score, generally one above 700. But that's okay; in order for our economy to pull out of this slump we need responsible homeowners who have some skin in the game. And lenders know that if you have at least 20% of your "skin" in their game, your not likely to default. Homeowners defaulting on loans that they should have never been given is partly what got us into this mess.

So don't be afraid to make the move. If you have good credit and a 20% down payment, you are what the lenders are looking for, and they will lend to you. Principle & interest on a $250,000 home, with 20% down will cost you $1,043.29 per month at 4.75% interest. $2,083.59 for a $500,000 home, and only $4,173.18 for a house that cost $1 million!
Need an equity line to fix up the home your in? A $50,000 loan @ 5.5% interest will only cost you $283.89 a month.

So whether you are thinking of taking the big step and building a home or just fixing up the one you have now, don't wait any longer, these rates may not last.

When you're ready to make your move, call me and I will personally come to your home to go over your project with you step by step. Ready to obtain financing? I recommend Marc Western at Access Mortgage- 208-5222

Kelly Anderson
Ironwood Custom Builders, Inc
Phone 801-416-3131 ext 101
Fax 801-386-5548
http://www.ironwoodcustombuilders.com/
kelly@ironwoodcustombuilders.com
Builder Director Salt Lake Home Builders Association
Winner Parade of Homes "Best of Show"

Fix Housing First!

The economy follows the housing market. It's a fact. So instead of giving potential home buyers a $7,500 tax credit (which is actually just a loan that has to be paid back), that no one wants or is even using, the government needs do something that will affect the housing market and in turn pull this economy out of it's slump.

It is also a fact that tax cuts stimulate the economy. It's really simple, if you are a small business owner and your taxes go down, your overhead goes down which means you have more capital, which will allow you to increase your marketing, increase your staff, or even expand. Each of these things lends to the increase of the others, which ultimately leads to more job creation, which leads to more people paying taxes, which leads to the government generating more tax revenue in spite of the tax cuts.

So taking these two things into consideration, we need tax cuts! Capital gains tax cuts so we're not penalized for selling our homes within two years of the initial purchase. Income tax cuts so we have more disposable income. And finally a reduction in interest rates to encourage those who may be sitting on the fence to finally make their move.

So if the current administration wants to REALLY fix this economy, they need to cut our taxes and lower interest rates. Taking the tax credit from $7,500 to $8,000 and the move to make the tax credit an actual credit as opposed to the original loan that it was is a step in the right direction. But we need more. I would encourage you to contact your Representatives and urge them to take the necessary steps to fix housing first. Once people start buying and building homes again, the economy will follow.

Kelly Anderson
801-416-3131
www.ironwoodcustombuilders.com
kelly@ironwoodcustombuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 500
Salt Lake City Utah
Builder Director Salt Lake Home Builders Association
Winner arade of Homes "Best of Show"

Building a New Home Part 3

After you have selected your builder and made the offer to purchase a lot, it's time to proceed with obtaining financing. You will want to visit with a loan officer before you start the process of building a home in order to get an idea of the loan amount you will qualify for. But ultimately they cannot move forward until you bring to them the REPC (real estate purchase contract). At this point your loan officer will begin the process of getting funding for you. You will need to fill out an application and provide documents such as your last two W-2's. Once you have filled out the application and provided the necessary documents, your loan officer will take it from there. The underwriter may request additional information along the way, which is normal. But generally you should be able to close your loan at around 30 days from when you first started the process.

Once your loan is closed and the lot is now in your name, it's time to begin drawing the house plans. This can often times take several months or even longer on larger, more complex homes which we'll discuss next time.

In the mean time, call me with any questions!

Kelly Anderson
801-416-3131 ext 101
www.ironwoodcustombuilders.com
kelly@ironwoodcustombuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 500
Salt Lake City Utah
Builder Director Salt Lake Home Builders Association
Winner Parade of Homes "Best of Show"