New Home Sales Hold Steady

The US Census Bureau and HUD reported new home sales for August remained virtually unchanged from a revised July level at 373,000. The last two months set the highest levels in new home sales since the momentary bump provided by the home buyer tax credit in 2010. The current levels are driven by underlying pent up demand, buyers taking advantage of record low mortgage rates and very affordable home prices.

The median home price rose 17% from August 2011, which is the largest year-over-year increase since 2004. The increase is more likely to be a result of the kind of home sold than any significant change in underlying home prices. There was a small shift in the sales distribution from the lower cost South (down 9,000 seasonally-adjusted annual sales rate) to the more expensive Northeast (up 6,000 SAAR) and 21% of the homes sold were over $400,000 compared to 14% in calendar 2011.

The increase is also the likely impact of move-up buyers taking a larger share of the market. Because of the overly strict lending standards, current new home buyers are more likely to have a down payment, be continuously employed and have sufficient credit scores to qualify. Those same characteristics are more likely to occur in the move-up buyer who purchases a more expensive home.

The inventory of unsold new homes once again established a historic low at 141,000 and the number of completed new homes within that group also dropped to a new all-time low of 38,000. In a normal market where potential home buyers have a wider selection of alternatives, there would be 100,000 completed homes ready for immediate occupancy.

The steady level of new home sales supports other housing data showing continued improvement in the housing sector as the number of markets seeing improvement continues to grow.

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NEW! Client Diary (Updated March 12th)

Meet Mistie English as she signs on as a contributing author for regular posts about the construction of her new home - experience her feelings, thoughts, good days and even bad as we progress through the construction process together.

Click here for a first hand look into her experience with Dalton Built Homes.

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Client Diary

The drywall is now finished. Once the drywall is finished the fun begins!

Trim work - Kevin & Scott do all the trim work - they have done a beautiful job. I thought the wainscoting was purchased pre-made - well it isn't by Dalton Built Homes. Kevin makes each piece right there in the house.

Stone Fireplace - This guy is truly a craftsman - he chisels out each piece so it fits perfectly. The fireplace isn't finished yet but it will be beautiful when it's finished.

Painting - all the trim has now been painted and they are starting on the walls. They will only put 1 coat of paint on the walls until the house is complete then they will go back and add the 2nd coat after everything is complete.

The hardwood & ceramic have been delivered - the cabinets will be installed soon.

Again I will say this has been fun - we have even had some fun with the UK vs UL rivalry. Everything goes a lot smoother if everyone laugh & have a good time with things. I will say to Scott - you still need to watch out - LOL - GO CATS!!

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

I can't believe it's January! (Uh, going on February) The house looks so amazing!!

Client Diary #8

The front door has been installed and I must say I think it's just beautiful, we did buy it from Lowes. The drywall is up and the deck has been started. I have to give a shout out to the guys who did the brick, Williamson Masonry, they did a great job! See attached pictures and the detail around the front door! Again, everyone that has been contracted out by Dalton Built Homes has been amazing!

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The house is locked. Another good thing about a custom built home - when the house is locked I can still go by there anytime because we have a key.

For anyone that is considering building a home - I will say this again - it really has, as of today, been pretty stress free and no fights between me and my husband. Everyone told me that building a home would cause a divorce, but when we first met with Dalton Built Homes Don said, " if this isn't fun for you all then I haven't done my job." Well I will say it has been fun, but just remember every decision is yours and with every decision you have to make there are ten thousand choices!

We have picked out our paint colors and now are looking at carpet. We decided to go front entry with hardwood in all the rooms including the kitchen except for the bedrooms, baths and laundry room.

We are having cabinets made by Bill Green, they will be installed by the end of February if everything stays on schedule.

It's getting closer to moving day every day - I just can't wait!

Soon we will have pictures of the inside, since the inside is now changing day by day.

Client Diary #7

As I am sitting here thinking of all the things I have to do today - 2 closings, Christmas shopping with my mother and I am so thankful for describe the image

all that we have been blessed with this year I still find myself wishing my life away. I just can't wait until we can move into our new house and start making holiday memories there.

The brick is going on (again the rain has held up some things) the duct work for the furnace is being installed by my husbands company AVI. Another reason to build a custom home with Dalton Home Builders. It was great being able to get Bobby (my husband) able to run all the duct needed b/c his company does industrial sheet metal and he is very picky of how he wanted this done so Don & Kevin were very happy to let him handle this part of building the house.

I still can say there hasn't been a lot of stress. The only thing that I think has been the most stressful is - you just never realize how many choices have to be made. I have picked out lighting, ceiling fans - then change my mine and pick out something totally different ( I have done this several times) it really helps looking at other homes Dalton Builders have built to see what choices other people have made. Christy Helton at Ferguson's has been wonderful and very patient with me and all the times I have changed my mind.

I also want to tell everyone that the contractors that do the building for Dalton Homes they are awesome!! The framing guys are so great and everyone has been so nice when we stop by b/c we do stop by at least once a day.

I have attached some pictures of the brick at the back of the house - from the back the house looks really large.

Also you will find a picture of Don hard at work doing some last minute lighting design.

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year! This time next year I will be getting ready to host Christmas at our new house and I can't wait.

Diary Entry #6 The Roof is on!!

Well the roof was all complete on Saturday - Tar paper was put on and the house is now enclosed so weather shouldn't be a problem. Windows will be in soon, front door was ordered from a wonderful salesmen at Lowes Bobby English.

Since this is my first time building a custom built home I didn't realize what all could be changed - we were meeting with Don last Friday and my husband asked about arch doorways (I love arch doorways) but I didn't think this was even an option at this point, but Don said he could do that no problem. (Now it is an upgrade so it will cost a little more) I was so excited b/c I had no ideal I could have arch doorways so now guess what - I will have arched doorways. YEA!!

Of course with the arch doorways you also have to have an elliptical transit for the front door so another small upgrade. I am so excited!!

We have also met and determined where we wanted electrical plugs & light switches - who knew you got to pick where you wanted your outlets? Still have to decide on the family room but I think we have most of that figured out.

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The one bad thing about building is so many decisions and I am so horrible at decisions so I mostly leave all of the construction decisions up to my husband and do you all realize how many choices of everything there is - window choices, doors, brick, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures you just don't think about all of that but when you get to start looking & picking things out it is a lot of fun b/c you then realize that this house will have our stamp on it - no one else's but ours and that's pretty incredible.

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I have attached more pictures of the house - it is looking so good!! I swear I am just like a kid on Christmas morning every time I go over there and see all the changes. Who knew that building a home would be so much fun!

Have a great day!!

Client Diary

All the preparation and planning has been completed. The home has been drawn to scale, specifications have been cleared and the contract signed. We are ready to get started!

Meet Mistie English as she signs on as a contributing author for regular posts about the construction of her new home – experience her feelings, thoughts, good days and even bad as we progress through the construction process together. Check back often for regular updates.

Diary Entry #5 – We have rooms!!!

Ok so the weather has held off this week but I think that is going to change tomorrow (Wednesday) but as of yesterday all the rooms were framed. Now it is starting to look like a house. This is short & sweet but I included pictures.

Can’t wait to see what they have done today!!

Diary Entry #4 – Framing Begins – Walls & Windows (man there is a lot of windows)

Well this is what I’ve been waiting for – the framing has started and it really is starting to look like a house now.

Now as I go through the house and start seeing rooms begin to form I get more excited every day. Our master bedroom, bath & closets are all framed. The laundry home, hall closet & pantry along with a 2nd bedroom and the basement garage.

Don called last week and told use we needed to get select our brick/stone and our windows so those decisions have been and it was all quick & painless.

It’s funny b/c our friends will ride out by there & text pictures to me or post on FB so it seems everyone is excited. We took my mom & dad out there last week to see it and our son & his girl friend went out last night. I have friends already planning our party at the new house.

Well as of today 10/16 – this building process has been wonderful (except for the weather). Everyone always says that building a house can cause a divorce but it really has been a pleasant experience – and I think it’s all b/c of the builders.

I think the problem with building is people compare some of the homes that are built everyday in different subdivisions to homes that maybe custom built. People don’t realize when we started this process everything was our ideas – now Don did offer his expert opinion but the final decision was ours. I will let you know if anything changes with the building process but as for today it has all been pleasant. Well I can say the only decision that we have disagreed on was CATS vs Cards and I say GO CATS!!!!!

Until next time!

Diary Entry #3 – Rain, Rain Go Away!

Well there hasn’t been much to write about with all the rain everything has been delayed! Hopefully now the weather will give us a break.

It’s so exciting this entire building process the problem is I have no patience so when it rains it just drives me crazy. My husband on the other hand is very patient and he always says “It will happen” but it never happens as fast as I want it to.

Thursday (Sept. 29th) & today (Sept. 30th) I can see things starting to come together – the beams were set yesterday, the basement floor was poured today and according to Don (and the weather) the framing should start on Monday.

As always even if there is rain delays in the construction I am still enjoying buying new things for the house. Well hopefully I will be updating everyone on the framing process soon!

Diary Entry #2 – Construction Loan Closed!

We closed on the construction loan on Friday (good thing since we had already started building – LOL) Due to rain things didn’t move very quickly last week, but Friday they started forming the walls in the basement so hopefully by Wednesday they will start pouring the concrete for the walls.

Things are getting very exciting as the construction progresses the fun part for me is shopping & picking out things for the home. We did buy a new kitchen & dining room table. Also today we went out & picked out all the bathroom, kitchen fixtures and all the lighting for the house we met with Christy Helton at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery, she was so helpful and she thinks of everything – which was really nice b/c she thought of things that we hadn’t thought of.

I can’t wait for the framing to start b/c that is when I can tell more about the house. So far so good! I’ll keep writing to keep everyone updated on the progress that is being made.

Diary Entry #1 – How We Discovered Dalton Built Homes

My husband & I were driving through Brannon Crossing one day when we came across Ashtree Subdivision. Since I am a Realtor with CENTURY 21 Pacesetters I am always looking out for new homes, subdivisions, etc… There was a ranch on Patmore that was in the beginning stages of being built – we both fell in love with this house (which is unusual because we never agree on anything – LOL) We watched this house being built and still loved it as much as we did the first time we walked in it – but knowing that if we were going to build our own home someday that there were a few things we would change to make it ours. After previewing other builders homes and as we continued to watch this house on Patmore being built we decided that we really liked the details that Dalton Homes added to a home. Since my husband is very picky and he was very impressed with all the construction and finishing details that Dalton Homes added to their homes. So when the time was right we called Don Dalton to set up a meeting.