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Jonathan Williams

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Pick the Right Layout for Your Lifestyle

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Finding the right home for your family can be tough! That’s why many families choose to build custom homes to fit their needs. But even designing a custom home that will fit your family’s needs is difficult! In order to build the home of your dreams, you need to consider your family’s lifestyle from the beginning of the building process. Your northern Utah home builders will help you along the way, but here’s some extra thoughts to consider!

    1. For the extroverted family: If your family loves social interaction, build accordingly! Create open spaces where visitors can be comfortable in your home. If you anticipate that your family will spend most of their time in the main areas of the house, pick a floor plan that accommodates family togetherness. Don’t dedicate as much time or money to the private areas of the house if you expect that your family will mostly be in the main area.

    2. For the introverted family: If the members of your family highly value alone time, then take that into consideration when building. When you focus on creating better bedrooms and solitary spaces, your family will enjoy the floorplan that you create! Be realistic when thinking about what your family is really like so that you can build a home to fit their needs.

    3. For the family that is part extroverted and part introverted: It’s likely that most families fall in this category. Most families are not all extroverted or all introverted, but a combination of the two. Or maybe your family has both extroverted and introverted interests. In order to satisfy the needs of this family, pick your priorities when it comes to both the extroverted and introverted sides. If your family, for instance, enjoys cooking as a social activity then focus your energies on a social kitchen. Or if your family enjoys reading, create reading spaces in your home. You may not be able to satisfy all the extroverted introverted needs of your family, but you will satisfy the most important ones!

Don’t worry! With these careful considerations of your family’s lifestyle, you will build the perfect home for your family!

Skiing in Ogden, Utah

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As far as skiing in Utah goes, Ogden is pretty overlooked. Most visitors who come to Utah for ski trips spend their time closer to Salt Lake City, skiing at Alta, Brighton, Canyons, or Park City. But what most people don’t know, is that the Ogden area has some great ski resorts as well! These are the top ski resorts to check out:

1. Snowbasin Resort: This resort has received quite a bit of attention in national Ski magazines, even though it may not be the most popular ski resort in Utah. Snowbasin has nearly 3,000 vertical feet and 2,800 acres of terrain that can entertain any skier for days! With three resort lodges, you’ll have plenty of time to refuel before you get back on the slopes.

2. Powder Mountain: Powder Mountain has more acreage than any other ski resort in the US! This resort has great night lighting so you can stay out late on the slopes!

3. Wolf Mountain: This resort is one of the best for those who are learning how to ski! Some of the hills from this resort were used during the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Wolf’s Lair terrain park has over 20 features with boxes, jumps, and rails!

So take this advice from Mt. Sterling Custom Homes (your favorite northern Utah home builders) and check out these resorts for winter 2013!

Why Build a Custom Home

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There are many reasons to build a custom home, and choosing to do so could be one of the best decisions of your financial life. First, no two families are the same. Each will have a different preference on how a certain function of the home should work, or where a certain thing should be. Cookie-cutter homes for the masses do not give each family that freedom. As top notch, Northern Utah homebuilders, we understand that fact and specialize in helping families create their own living space.

Second, production builders use products that minimize the cost of construction, but also maximize their own profits. What that means for you as a homeowner is that the products used during construction may not have the life expectancy you hope to get from a new home. When you have your home custom built, you have a say in the materials used, and this ensures you get the quality you want, as well. Additionally, you get to choose the style that suits you; from the floors to the built-ins, everything is catered to your personal tastes.

Buying a home is an investment in your future, and if it is going to be a place you spend the next 20-30 years of your life, it might as well be a place you love. Contact northern Utah homebuilders for more information about the process. They can walk you through the ins and outs, including what you can expect to pay. Following are a few tips to keep in mind if you are planning to custom build your home.

*Keep an eye on your budget – manage your expectations and desires realistically so you do not end up overextending yourself.

*Plan ahead – custom building can be a little more expensive than building from pre-existing blueprints, so it is important to know what you want and plan your finances accordingly, while also being as frugal as possible during the build.

*Be Patient – custom building a home will take longer than other options, but is well worth it. There are blueprints to draw up; building permits to obtain, and then the actual building time will vary based on your design. Stay in contact with your builders for updates.

With those tips in mind, anyone can successfully build a custom home. While not all of the decision-making may be desirable for some, those who enjoy deciding exactly what their home will look like will enjoy the process.

Iannucci, L. (n.d.) “Should You Custom Build Your Home?” Bob Vila (Website). Retrieved from http://www.bobvila.com/articles/423-should-you-custom-build-your-home/ . Accessed on October 1, 2013.

Housing Industry and the Current Status in the U.S.

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There are plenty of people that worry about the state of the housing market in the United States. The housing market affects different people on different levels. Some depend on the housing industry for employment. Other people are worried about getting a return on an investment they made on a home in the past. There are groups of people that wonder if now is the time to buy a home or would they be better off renting a home. There are many reasons to worry about the housing market and that is why there is so much information being written about it.

The state of the housing market can be broken down into several areas. These include the sales of homes, the construction of new homes and the interest rates of mortgage. In order to understand how the housing market is doing, you have to look at all three areas.

Sales of Existing Homes

During the height of the real estate boom, houses were selling like hotcakes. You could get a premium price on any home you owned because of the demand that there was. When the bottom of the market fell out, the sales of existing homes also slowed. Homes would sit on the market for a lot longer and the price they could get was much lower. Over the last few years the average price of homes has risen slightly, but it really depends on where a home is. Many homes have still not gotten back to the value they had before the real estate bust, but they will get there eventually. The amount of time it takes to sell a home is also decreasing and homes that are priced well and presented in the right way can still sell quickly.

Building of New Homes

At the height of the real estate boom, the sales of new homes were never higher. When the market fell, no one needed a new home and construction of new homes stopped as the supply of homes in the market was much higher than the demand. In 2012 the construction of single family homes increased a little less than 3% over the previous year. That trend is expected to continue and should increase even more in the future.

The Mortgage Rates

The mortgage rates and the availability of money for people to buy a home is a reflection of the housing market. For the past several years the rates have dropped and people have been able to obtain mortgages for as low as 3% APR. That makes home more affordable for everyone to buy. It also is easier than it used to be to get a mortgage although it is still not as simple as it was 10 years ago.

Tips on Decorating Your Basement

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There are plenty of people who own homes that do not make use of all of the space that the home has to offer. One of the most neglected areas of a home is the basement. For many homeowners, the basement is a dark and scary place that the kids are afraid of to go down to. It is used for a few of the mechanical necessities of a home and for storage, but not much else. If you are looking to get more room in your home, think about using your basement. With the right decorating touches, it can turn into a very family friendly area or a secret hiding place for the adults to use.

Have a Purpose

The first thing that you need to think about when decorating a basement is what it will be used for. Many basements feature a lot of open space. They can be the perfect place to have a playroom for the kids. If the room is going to be used for kids to play around in, find the decorations that are kid friendly. Bright colors and soft furniture are great. Bean bag chairs are comfortable and easy for kids to use wherever they want. Consider using furniture that kids cannot harm. The lighting in the room should also be bright, so the kids can see everything easily. Other considerations for a playroom include items such as pool tables and pinball machines. A media setup where the kids can play their video games will turn the basement into the place to be.

If you want a romantic getaway, make sure that you have plenty of furniture that can be shared by more than one person. An electric fireplace and some romantic table lighting will help set the perfect mood.

Take Some Precautions

No matter what you are going to use the basement space for, you need to make sure to take some basic precautions. An intercom system can help you talk to anyone in the home when you are in the basement and a cordless phone can keep you from having to trek upstairs when it starts ringing. You might have to do some things to make it easier for you to hear what is going on above you when you use your basement as extra space in your home.

Before you decorate your basement, make sure that it is a place that you will want to be in. Even if you decorate it fabulously, if you don’t like the idea of heading downstairs, it may not be worth the effort.

Benefits of Living in a Neighborhood Community

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The number one thing that people worry about when they are looking to buy a home is the location. The location of a home has more to do with its value than any other thing that a home has to offer. You can build a home to have all of the upgrades that you want, but when it is not in the location you want, it is never going to be the perfect home.

There are plenty of home buyers that are looking to live in a great neighborhood community. They want to be able to know their neighbors and to enjoy all of the benefits that these types of communities can offer. There are plenty of builders that are creating the planned neighborhoods that people are looking for. There are certain things you can expect from these communities.

Nice Amenities

The communities want to make sure that everyone’s home looks nice to anyone that is driving through. They offer services such as mowing of lawns and snow removal. The idea is to keep the neighborhood looking nice for everyone.

Parks are another important consideration in these communities. They provide families and individuals with a place to go and to enjoy the outdoors in. Bike trails, walking paths and playgrounds are features that the parks might offer to the residents of a community. It is also popular to join a community pool that is in the neighborhood.

The pools and parks will offer activities for children such as team sports. It is a great way for people to come together to cheer on their friends and neighbors that are competing. The best neighborhood communities will make the effort to keep everyone entertained regardless of their age.

Who Creates All of These Things

A developer might plan a park and they might build a community pool, but it is the people in the neighborhood who keep it running. Boards are created to help keep the neighborhood looking the way that everyone wants. They can deal with homeowners that are not keeping up their home or are in some way disturbing the neighborhood.

The homeowners association for a neighborhood will control all of the amenities that are offered. They will determine how much each homeowner has to pay because of all of the benefits that the community offers. Nothing in a neighborhood is really free. Every homeowner has to pay their fair share so that all can benefit from what is offered.

Why Be Choosey When Building a Custom Home

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One of the biggest decisions that a person or couple can make throughout their entire life is having a home built or purchasing a home. However, there are many pros and cons to both, most custom home builders will tell you that it’s cheaper in the long run and you get exactly what you want with homes that are custom designed by the buyer. Being picky over how your home is going to look or how the floor plan is going to be is not a bad thing. In fact, it shows that you are more interested in the future than what is currently happening right now. Why be choosey when building a custom home? Because in the long run it will save you time, money, and headache.

Having a home built can be extremely stressful and when it comes down to married couples, most say that it caused several discrepancies within their marriage. The decisions to be made may take up to a year to work through and plan. This is just the beginning. The planning process itself can take up to a year and a half depending on if the buyer has an idea in mind for what their end product will look like. This is one of the upsides to having a home custom built. Being choosey about it, just shows that you don’t want to live with the last homeowner’s choices but want to create your own dream house.

A key point to be choosey about when having your home custom built is the appliances, fixtures, and landscape. Even though you’ve already got your foot in the door to owning your dream home, these things can be the make it or break it of your vision. Choosing to place a chandelier in the kitchen might seem like a great idea now, but considering prices and how much electricity that fixture might take, you might find a cheaper fixture that looks just as good and drains less energy.

It’s very important that the choices made are those that you’re willing to live with for the remainder of your stay in the home. If you are indecisive about certain things, try visualizing what it will be like in your home. You can even take pictures of the items in the store, or find them online to compare how it would look versus a different model. Why be choosey when building a custom home? Because if you’re not, you could end up paying a ton of money for remodeling that could have been avoided by being choosey and planning ahead.

Questions To Ask Your Custom Home Builder

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Purchasing your first home can be a very rewarding experience, especially if you get the chance to watch the construction as it is progresses. The first step in the construction of your home is finding the perfect custom home builder. This might be challenging for those that are novice in the field of purchasing homes, however with the following ‘questions to ask your custom home builder,’ the process will be easy enough for a toddler to do.

1. What are the strong points of the company?
The answer to this question will vary depending on the size of the building company. Strong points can be a personalized updating system where the owner is notified after each milestone has been met in planning. Another could be working solely with one project until it is completed before scheduling another, for companies that tend to overbook their time this can be very worrisome.

2. Does your company work with an architect?
This may not be a very big deal to some people as the architect can be hired outside of the company, but companies that provide their own are rated higher among individuals who are looking to work with custom home builders.

3. Are you experienced in building this size of a home?
This is an excellent question because many companies are either large home builders or small ones. Finding a company that can build any size home at the owner’s desire is a diamond in the rough.

4. What stage in the building process should you be called in?
Although many companies will say immediately, because the quicker they get started on building your custom home, the quicker you can move in it. However, if the decisions have yet to be made on location, size, or style it’s best to figure those out before going forward.

5. Do you have a company construction crew on hand?
Normally this would be ideal, but some companies do tend to sub-contract. Companies that are larger might have their own crews on hand but if they do, the question of how many projects they are currently working on should also be asked.

6. After construction, can you help with home decorating?
This question is not one that is highly asked but there are many home designers that are connected to specific custom home builders. If requested, they might be able to give you a great deal on a package through their advised designer by having your home built by them.

7. Can you provide References?
This question should not be overlooked. References are the only real key that anyone has to knowing what type of work that a company is capable of. By calling the previous clients that they have built homes for and getting a review, you’ll be able to understand exactly what they can provide to you.

And the winner is…. :Cache Valley Parade of Homes 2012

We are so grateful to everyone who came to visit us at “The Sparrow” and voted for Mt. Sterling Custom Homes!

For the second time in a row, never done before, Mt. Sterling Custom Homes was voted as the winner in all of the following categories:

Most Outstanding Overall

Best Kitchen

Best Master Bedroom

Best Interior Design/Décor

Best Curb Appeal

Best Layout and Design

Best Unique feature

We could not be more excited with how much you seemed to love this house. If you were able to visit us and had any questions or were thinking about building, please don’t hesitate to call one of our amazing sales people, we would love to hear from you!

The Sparrow- Mt. Sterling Custom Homes Parade Home 2012

The Parade of Homes begins this week! We are so excited for you to come see “The Sparrow” built by Mt. Sterling Custom Homes. It has been so hard to decide what part of the house is our favorite.

There is a gloriously large closet that is connected to two of the bedrooms. It is every little girl’s dream. The kitchen is beautiful with granite countertops and appliances that would make any gourmet cook green with envy. It has a two-story entryway that will take your breath away and the common areas are very large and open- perfect for parties and gatherings.

The house has 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms and is 4,765 square feet. It has a four-car garage and a stunning yard. We hope that you get to come see us. You can buy tickets online, at Macy’s, or when you come see us. Make sure you stop in the garage after your tour of the house to speak to our amazing sales people and enter to win some prizes!

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About Us

Mt Sterling Custom Homes is dedicated to providing excellent craftsmanship, customer service, and communication throughout the design and build of your home. Call today to speak with one of our New Home Consultants.

Visit Us

50 East 2500 North
Suite 101
North Logan, UT 84341

Talk to Us

(435) 580-4111
info@mtsch.com
The Sparrow- Mt. Sterling Custom Homes Parade Home 2012
The Sparrow- Mt. Sterling Custom Homes Parade Home 2012
The Sparrow- Mt. Sterling Custom Homes Parade Home 2012
The Sparrow- Mt. Sterling Custom Homes Parade Home 2012