Compare Shoppg House Huntg to Real Estate - Which is Right For You?

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1 atlantic builders Comparison Shoppg House huntg? From energy-efficient features and personalization options to home matenance costs and mortgage convenience, we tackle the topics that will help you make an formed decision about your next home purchase. This Guide Includes: A Builder vs. Builder Worksheet New Home vs. Resale Home Overview How Buyg Stacks Up To Rentg Community Checklist House Huntg Wish List 1975 Jefferson Davis Highway Fredericksburg, VA AtlanticBuilders.com

2 Table Of Introduction...3 Builder Comparison Worksheet...4 New vs. Resale Overview...5 Community Checklist...7 Benefits of Homeownership...8 House Huntg Wish List...9 Our Companies...10 Notes...12 GET THE 411 ON BUYING A HOME Atlantic Builders is an award wng, established, privately owned regional builder that has been deliverg brand new homes for 25 years the Fredericksburg area. Contact us today for formation about homes Stafford, Spotsylvania, City of Fredericksburg, Kg George or Carole. If you already have a home site, we also build On Your Land! JOIN THE DISCUSSION Atlantic Builders is now on these social media networks: Facebook.com/ AtlanticBuilders Twitter.com/ AtlanticBuilders YouTube.com/ AtlanticBuilders Pterest.com/ AtlanticBuilders Follow, like & subscribe today!

3 Make The Low terest rates, an improvg economy and risg home prices not to mention risg rents have many people terested makg a move. But, how do you know what s right for you? In this guide, we provide worksheets and other resources to help you make a head-to-head comparison between: Atlantic Builders and other builders New homes and resale homes Homebuyg and rentg

4 Buyg New? compare builder vs. builder Tourg beautiful model homes can be excitg, but your next thought might be... what s actually cluded? Don t assume every builder offers the same range of design options, the same standard features or the same degree of home energy efficiency. Askg questions now will help you make a decision you can feel good about from contract to close and beyond. BUILDER QUESTIONS ATLANTIC BUILDERS BUILDER 2 BUILDER 3 How long has the builder been busess? Does the builder have a strong fancial position? Does the builder have a variety of floor plans available? Does the builder offer attractive standard features, so you won t have to upgrade to get what you want? Will you have chances to personalize your home with fishes, home technology and more? Does the builder offer complimentary professional design assistance? Does the builder offer affiliate mortgage and/or surance companies? Does the builder offer energyefficient features such as low-e wdows and HVAC systems designed to reduce energy consumption? Does the homebuilder have a plan to check with you after you close? Over 25 Years Choosg a homebuilder will be an important decision. No matter what the economic conditions are, you want to make sure the company is fancially stable and will be able to fish construction and service any warranty requests after you settle.

5 Thkg Resale? compare to new As you re tryg to decide between buyg a new home and lookg to resale homes, you ll discover brand new communities where you can choose your floor plan, your homesite and all your design options. Then you ll turn around and see the other end of the spectrum: established, comfortable neighborhoods with homes that were built a few years or even decades ago. Here are a few factors to highlight why buyg a new home might be the best choice for you. 1. ENERGY EFFICIENCY New homes frequently offer improved energy efficiency due to better wall sulation and high-quality heatg and coolg systems. These features can provide comfort as well as cost savgs, compared to their older counterparts. What s more, new homes often allow you to opt for features such as low-e wdows or water-savg products. If you buy a resale home, keep md that you could end up with poor sulation, drafty wdows or an old furnace, all of which may need to be replaced. Ask your sales associate about the e-homes difference! e homes 2. DESIGN CHOICES Buildg a new home can give you the freedom to choose your own colors and fishes, while buyg a resale home means you ll have to settle for someone else s choices. Though you can always redecorate later, changg items like ugly carpetg and dated cabetry can be expensive and they re often put off for a ray day that never seems to come. 3. STORAGE Today s new homes can offer floor plans designed to fit the way you live, with convenient features like walk- closets, generous kitchen pantries and large basements that provide plenty of room for growth. With resale homes, especially older models, you may fd that the storage space is limited or has been customized to someone else s preferences. 4. WARRANTIES Brand new homes can clude a builder s warranty, providg an added sense of security for the years ahead. Heatg and coolg systems are also new and often covered under manufacturer s warranties, so you don t need to worry about replacg them right after you move. On the other hand, many resale homes don t come with a warranty cluded the price. If a warranty is important, you may have to pay extra or negotiate with the seller to pay the cost.

6 5. APPLIANCES Some builders offer homebuyers optimal convenience by cludg brand new appliances, such as a refrigerator and dishwasher. And if they re not already cluded the price of your home, you may be able to roll their cost to your mortgage. When lookg at the price of a resale home, you may need to factor out-of-pocket expenses like replacg outdated appliances or buyg a new washer and dryer. 6. INSURANCE PREMIUMS Because new homes have modern plumbg, wirg and HVAC equipment, surance companies tend to view them as a lower risk than older homes a difference you could see your premiums. For more fo, contact your surance specialist. 7. MAINTENANCE The cost of matenance is somethg many homebuyers overlook, but it should be a prime consideration when establishg your buyg budget. Roof replacement, plumbg renovations and other emergency repairs add up quickly! 8. NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES Your home isn t just your house; it s the whole neighborhood around you. Remember that as you tour your home options, old and new. Take a copy of the Community Checklist with you, so you can compare your options later. Many new communities are built with a clubhouse, fitness center, playgrounds, pools and other neighborhood amenities. If those features are important to you, make sure to clude them your decision. As you can see, buyg a new home offers distct advantages that you ll want to keep md while you re shoppg around. Be sure to compare the cost of new vs. resale homeownership, takg all of these factors to consideration. Makg a smart move means lookg at the big picture, so thk about the benefits you ll care about tomorrow as well as today.

7 community checklist Copy this checklist and take it with you on your next tour. Compare your favorites! Community Information Community Name: Location: Homebuilder: Sales Associate: Phone: ( ) Floor plans: o One-story o Two-story o Three-story + o Basement available o 1 2 bedroom o 3 4 bedroom o 5 bedroom + o Ma-floor master o 1 2 bath o 3+ bath o 1-car garage o 2-car garage o 3-car garage + Square Footage Range: Features: o Neighborhood parks o Sports fields o Walkg/bikg trails o Clubhouse o Recreation/fitness center o Nearby shoppg o Freeway access o Medical center School District: Elementary School: Middle School: High School: Private/charter schools available? o Yes o No Estimated commute time: Associated costs: Home Price: $ HOA Fees: tip! Contact us at to learn more about our communities the Fredericksburg area. We have valuable first-hand knowledge, and can provide a tailored list of neighborhood recommendations based on factors like your commute time, whether or not you have children, your budget and more.

8 Rentg? consider the benefits of homeownership Buyg your own home is a central part of the American Dream. The benefits of homeownership are both practical and emotional. Nothg compares to the pride you feel when you re handed the keys to the place where you ll build memories with family and friends. Some of the ma advantages are summarized below. Enjoy Stable Housg Costs For those who choose a fixed-rate mortgage, the prcipal and terest payments are fixed for the life of the loan, a clear advantage over rental market fluctuations. You don t want to be caught off guard by a rent hike, or have to move to get the payment you want. You ll Have An Opportunity To Build Equity While renters monthly payments go to a landlord, mortgage payments made by homeowners can build equity. Home prices are on the rise many regions, but it s not too late to get a brand new home at a great price. The sooner you act, the more opportunity you ll have to leverage any future price creases to build equity. You Can Make Your Home Your Own If you re like many renters, you ve been spired by home design shows on television, but up until this pot you have been limited your ability to make many changes to your current livg space. Even if your landlord lets you pat and make other alterations, it s hard to justify spendg the cash to update a house or apartment that isn t yours. Homeownership will change all that. You will have more opportunities to decorate your home to reflect your personality with pat, wdow covergs, landscapg and more. Furniture Shoppg Is Simplified Have you ever bought a sofa, only to fd that a year later you can t fit it through the hallway of your new apartment? Buyg lastg pieces of furniture is a big decision and one that s hard to make when you re a renter. You don t want to worry about spendg money on somethg that may not work with the floor plan your next place. Instead, if you plan to buy a new home and stay it for a while, you can buy furniture knowg that the pieces you select will work with your home s layout for years to come. Move On Your Own Timele If you rent a house or a condo, you always run the risk that your landlord will want to sell the property and you may be forced to move at the end of your lease. As a homeowner, the power is your hands. You don t have to move until you re ready to sell.

9 Compare Your home options Whether you ve decided to buy new, consider resale or keep rentg, it s important to choose a home that fits your family s needs. You may thk you know exactly what you re lookg for, but it helps to type a list or get it down on paper, especially if you won t be the only decision maker the home selection process. Everyone needs to be on the same page and the followg checklist is a good startg pot. You can carry it with you as you tour each home. It s an easy way to make sure you get what you re lookg for. House Huntg Wish List Ideal number of bedrooms o 2 o 3 o 4 o 5+ Notes: Ideal number of bathrooms o 1 o 2 o 3+ Notes: Garage capacity o 1-car o 2-car o 3-car+ Notes: Type of house o Ranch home (detached) o Two-story (detached) o Townhome What do you want a floor plan? Kitchen open to family room Other Laundry close to bedrooms Spacious garage Deck or patio Study/den What special features are you seekg? Hardwood floors Other Air conditiong Pantry Low-matenance landscapg Technology package Energy-efficient construction Neighborhood details: Ideal commute time Under ms./hrs. Cities/communities you re considerg Location needs to be close to: Other thgs you re lookg for: Quality schools Community pool Parks/playground nearby o Shoppg o Work o Freeway access o PRINT a blank copy of this worksheet for each decision maker the household. GIVE a copy of your completed worksheet to an Atlantic Builder sales associate, and another to your real estate agent. KEEP a copy of your completed worksheet with you as you tour model homes.

10 Choosg New Construction? start today! Our affiliates can help you with every stage of the buyg process. Brian Whetzel Fredericksburg, VA , ext C&F mortgage CORPORATION As a native of Fredericksburg, VA, I am sensitive to my clients needs regardg the home buyg process. For more than 20 years I have helped families make telligent decisions about their home fancg options. I specialize workg with First-time home buyers and have consistently been a Top Producg loan officer for VHDA. However, we also offer a full le of mortgage loans for those movg up, downsizg, or refancg cludg VA, FHA, and Jumbo Fancg. My Assistant, Tracy Bray has worked with me for more than 12 years. A fellow native of Fredericksburg, she graduated from Mary Washgton College with a degree Busess Admistration. She is always available to answer your questions or walk you through the pre-approval process. Together, we work to meet our clients needs and expectations and look forward to guidg you through this very excitg time. We are here to make the home-buyg process enjoyable and stress free. Mitch Rogers Mortgage Banker Office: Cell: George Mason mortgage, LLC George Mason Mortgage, LLC, is a full service lender based Fairfax,Virgia. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Cardal Bank and 2010 we origated over $3 billion residential mortgages through George Mason Mortgage and our affiliates. We have offices throughout Northern Virgia and Maryland and we can offer fancg MD, VA, DC and many other states. We offer a variety of loan programs, products and fancg options to meet the needs of all of our borrowers. Whether you are a first time homebuyer lookg for a low down payment option or an experienced homeowner lookg for a jumbo loan fancg, we can help you. In addition to traditional fixed rate loans, we also offer ARM loans, construction fancg, rehabilitation fancg and everythg between. We pride ourselves providg professional and personal service to our customers and we look forward to talkg to you. At George Mason Mortgage, service is a commitment that never expires. Have you ever wondered, How much can I afford? Check out The National Association of Home Builder s Affordable House Price Calculator by visitg and clickg on the NAHB box and see how owng a Brand New Home is affordable for you!

11 notes The formation contaed this guide is for general formational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, tax, accountg, fancial or other professional advice. You should contact a professional to discuss your particular circumstances and the laws applicable to your particular situation. Atlantic Builders makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of this formation and will not be liable for any losses, juries or damages from use of this formation. Options and features may not be available on all homes and are subject to change without notice. Actual homes may vary from photos and/or drawgs. Features may clude optional upgrades and may not be available on all homes. Specifications and availability are subject to change without notice.

12 additional notes