Continue reading »]]> It appears the housing market is nearing a bottom.  Home prices are holding steady and there are even signs prices are rising in some areas of the country. Perhaps now is the time to consider re-entering the real estate market.

If you have been listening to the news you are aware there are a record number of homes in  foreclosure.  This may seem like a logical place to start looking until you actually visit some of the properties.  Designers and Builders Dev., Inc. has been remodeling homes for the past 25 years and many of the homes in foreclosure that I have looked at are not worth the reduced price tag.  Homeowners faced with foreclosure do not have the funds to pay their mortgage which means they also lack the funds to properly maintain their home.

It takes a trained professional like the folks at Designers & Builders Dev., Inc. to understand the costs associated with rehabbing a property that has been neglected due to foreclosure. Many of these homes have leaky roofs and/or basements which can lead to mold problems.  The costs associated to rehab these homes can be far more expensive than if you purchased a new home.

Perhaps you should consider building a new custom home.  In order to stay competitive Designers and Builders Dev., Inc. has reduced the prices on their homes and lots in Sunset Estates Subdivision in Barrington, IL to be competitive with the resale market.  Visit our website @ www.designersbuildersdev.com to learn more about us.

Continue reading »]]> Are you considering building a new home or remodeling your existing home. Choosing a general contractor can be the most important step in the success of your project. There are a couple of ways to decide upon a contractor.  You can put your project out for competitive bid or select a contractor you can trust and hire them to help you throughout the project.   Finding the right contractor should be taken seriously as you will be spending a lot of time working together.

Competitive bidding can save you money. However, more often than not it leads to extras. During the competitive bidding process contractors will only price what is shown on the drawings.  Unless you have done a through review of the drawings with your architect items not shown on the drawings will be left out of the proposal.

Once you have all the bids it is important to compare them very closely to ensure the contractors have covered everything in their price. Many times these proposals will not specify what is included.  This makes it very difficult to compare pricing and may require additional conversations with the bidders requesting more breakdown.  If you make it through this process you may have saved a few dollars but have surely spent a lot of time trying to figure it out.

The other way to find a contractor is to reach out to people you trust who have been through the construction process.   Ask them what they thought of their contractor and how the process worked.  If you like what you hear set up a meeting.  Prior to the meeting take the time to visit the contractors website and prepare some questions and concerns you may have regarding the construction process.

While meeting with the contractor make sure you understand everything they say. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions concerning timetables and costs. If you are confident this is someone you can trust then take the next step and hire them.

By hiring a contractor  early in the process you can save both time and money using their expertise to work through the process.  The sooner you bring a contractor onto your team the greater your chances of completing your project on time and within your  budget.

Continue reading »]]> Are you thinking of remodeling or adding onto your home?  Home remodeling is easier than you think. We offer a full line of construction services to guide you through the process.  Starting with a free in home consultation through the completion of your project.

The process begins when I come into your home and listen to your ideas.  I will then offer suggestions and comments relating to your home improvement plans and budget.  Once we agree on what it is you are trying to accomplish I will go back to my office and prepare a preliminary set of drawings I can submit to my trades for pricing.   After I have complied all the proposals we meet again to discuss the project.  If everything meets your satisfaction we will sign a contract and begin the permit process.

After the permit is issued the actual construction takes place.  I believe the most important part of the remodeling process is to order all the materials as soon as construction begins.  This eliminates any delays during the construction process.   So it is important that you make your design decisions early in the process.  If all the materials are readily available the project will run smoothly and can be completed in a timely manner.  Once the work is completed you and I will perform a final walk thru and prepare a punch list.  If communication is good during the building process this list should be minimal.  So if you see something you are not happy with it is best to point it out immediately.

To learn more about us please visit our website at www.designersbuildersdev.com.

Continue reading »]]> Are you thinking of refinancing the mortgage on your home?  With interest rates remaining at their lowest levels in decades many homeowners are living the nightmare created by the housing bubble that burst in 2007.  Due to record foreclosures our government has made it their business to make the refinancing process nearly impossible to bear.

I have  been living in this nightmare for more than 3 months and the paperwork seems to never end.  We moved into a new custom home in the summer of 2010.  As rates continued to drop we began to look into the possibility of refinancing.  After contacting several brokers we settled on one who told us we should be able to complete the process in 3 weeks.  Oh how time flies.  In the last 3 months we have signed and resubmitted our paper work on 3 different occasions.  Then our appraisal (that is a story for another day) came in way below what we thought was the market value of our home and the bank tried to raise the rate we were quoted.  After arguing to no avail for two weeks we agreed to pay the additional .2% and go ahead and close on the new mortgage.  That was two weeks ago.  Our broker advised us not to pay this month’s mortgage, stating there was no way we would not be closed before the late payment went into effect.  Well next Tuesday is the last day we can make a payment without being late.  Guess what we still have not closed.  More excuses and more lies.

Oh by the way even if we close on Monday it will take the new bank 6 business days to pay the old bank off.  Who do you think is going to get stuck with the late payment?