Location, Location, Location

The location of your new home will be one of the most important decisions you make so do some research first. If you have kids you will want to consider the schools in the area. If you have pets you might want to make sure there are parks nearby. If you are concerned about the environment you will want to make sure that your location has a great walk score. Is the neighborhood safe? Those are just some things to think about when choosing the location of your next new home in Kentucky.

Eco Friendly

Newer homes are much more eco friendly than older homes with drafty windows and doors and older appliances. The cost to maintain an older home is also much higher because appliances need to be repaired or replaced and generally aren’t as energy efficient. New homes are more energy efficient and are kinder to the environment because they don’t have lead paint or asbestos.

Realtor

The realtor isn’t part of your new home but having someone who works for you is a great benefit. A realtor can guide you through the difficult and sometimes confusing paperwork that comes with purchasing a new home as well as get the best home for you. Having a realtor on your side can save you time and money.

This infographic shows which parts of the house are most important to the first time home buyer.

Is your master bath something to fall in love with? If not we can build you a master bath, walk in closet and gourmet kitchen worth falling in love with.

So if you want to show mom how much you appreciate all you’ve done for her give her some time to put up her feet and relax. And then take her out to dinner.

Browse more data visualizations.

In this graphic by John Burns of John Burns Real Estate Consulting we can see that:

• 22% of American households own their home free and clear of any mortgage
• 34% of American households own their home and have equity in it
• 34% of American households rent

The majority of Americans own the home they live in (or are working towards owning their home by paying the mortgage on their current home).

Of the 40.6 million Americans who rent:

• 42% rent in a small apartment building
• 27% rent a single family home
• 20% rent in a large apartment building
• 6% rent a condo
• 5% rent a mobile home, boat, etc.

The housing market is on the right track and if left to its own path, slowly improving, according to John Burns “Americans make astute financial decisions, at least in the short-term (our addiction to debt will hurt us in the long-term). We will bailout very few homeowners. We will increase construction by building in the ever-increasing number of areas that need homes and builders can make a profit. We will figure out how to make portfolio investments in the massive single-family rental market. We will buy homes if it makes financial sense for us to do so.”

To see the full article click here.

Use this handy guide  from Rick’s Custom Decking and Fencing to check for yourself if your deck is in need of greater repair.

Browse more infographics.

 

Sanctuary Homes builds Energy Star Qualified homes in Kentucky which means we must meet a strict set of guidelines put forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will make each home 20-30% more energy efficient than standard homes. ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include a variety of energy-efficient features that help to improve home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduce air pollution. Here are just some of the features and benefits of living in an Energy Star Certified luxury home:

Features

Effective Insulation

Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort. Learn more about Properly Installed Insulation  (149KB).

High-Performance Windows

Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings. Learn more about Qualified Windows  (212KB).

Tight Construction and Ducts

Sealing holes and cracks in the home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance. Learn more about Efficient Duct Systems  (163KB).

Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment

In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home. When properly installed into a tightly sealed home, this equipment won’t have to work so hard to heat and cool the home. Learn more about:

• Qualified Heating Equipment  (142KB)
• Qualified Cooling Equipment  (178KB)
• Mechanical Ventilation  (140KB)

Efficient Products

ENERGY STAR qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines. Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified products:

• Qualified Appliances  (153KB)
• Qualified Lighting  (170KB)
• Advanced Lighting Package  (91KB)
• High Efficiency Water Heaters  (177KB)

Third-Party Verification

With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details. Learn more about Independent Inspection and Testing  (182KB)

Benefits

ADDED CONFIDENCE

Home buying is complex enough without having to know all the details of energy-efficient construction. Instead, look for the government-backed ENERGY STAR label to easily identify homes that are truly energy efficient. Find the house of your dreams and enjoy peace of mind knowing that it also meets strict energy efficiency guidelines.

LOWER OWNERSHIP COST

Compared with standard homes, ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating-delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings. Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. Financing your home purchase using an ENERGY STAR Mortgage or an energy efficient mortgage can also lead to savings. Learn more about Mortgage Lending Programs.

BETTER PERFORMANCE

Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.

SMART INVESTMENT

To date, more than 8,500 home builders have partnered with EPA to construct more than 1 million ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The trend is clear. By choosing a home with the ENERGY STAR label, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when the time comes to sell.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.

Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.

When you purchase a Sanctuary Home you get more than just great house, you get a home designed around the way you live and a great community as well. Contact Tony Tingle  at  502-639-5203 or Starr Tingle at 502-648-7451 to learn more about the life you could have in one of our Energy Star Qualified new homes .

Spencer County Courthouse IMG_9704 (Photo credit: OZinOH)

Spencer County is located in heart of Bluegrass country where residents enjoy wide open space, wildlife and a less urban way of life. And yet, Spencer County is only minutes from one of the largest cities in the U.S.

Residents of Spencer County have it all living in a country setting but with Louisville just minutes away.

While there are always plenty of things to do in Louisville there are tons of things to do in Spencer County as well.

Here is a list of links to some great attractions in and around Spencer County, Kentucky:

Spencer County Habitat for Humanity

Spencer County Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, Christian-based, construction organization. Their mission is to build and sell simple, decent, affordable homes to people of need who cannot obtain home ownership by ordinary methods. This is accomplished by using volunteer labor and no-interest, no-profit mortgage loans.

Spencer County Historical and Genealogical Society

For those interested in learning about their history or the history of Spencer Co, the Spencer County Historical and Genealogical Society is a great place to start your search.

Taylorsville Farmers Market

Nothing tastes better than fresh veggies straight off the farm. The Taylorsville Farmers Market is a wonderful place to visit with your neighbors and take home some ripe tomatoes when the season begins. Check out the website for more information on when the Farmers Market is open for the 2012 season.

Inspired by Treehugger and created by Wellhome, this infographic shows you not only the benefits of composting but some of the different methods and which are best for your circumstance.

If you aren’t quite ready to start composting in your own backyard you can take your yard waste to the Shelby County facility where you can pick up as much compost as you need for your own garden.

Here’s the thing:  I have two principals that guide my daily life.  One, I avoid going to the doctor (except for life/death situations; I’m not stupid)  and two, I don’t watch the news.  Okay, so I obviously have more principals than just those two, but really those two get me through my professional life and personal life pretty darn well.

For instance, I often contemplate having a candy bar for lunch (especially the ones with nuts – nuts are good for you!).  But I don’t go to the doctor, right?  And so I have to ask myself, “Would eating this delicious candy bar lead to a condition that could possibly, even in a very remote way, cause me to to visit a doctor at any point in my future?”  Sadly, the answer is yes, so I have a salad instead.  :-/

And the news.  Gosh, I hate to get started on the news, but seriously?  They so deserve it!  It seems there are two main players in the news industry and neither one offer a simple reporting of facts (I will draw my own conclusion, thank you very much.).  There is distortion and manipulation of anything and everything. Freaking people out and cause undue depression.  Why would they do that?  ‘Cause they can.  ‘Cause people still watch.  Piff.  Not me.  (Hurricane Katrina did catch my attention for about 25 minutes.)

Here’s what I do know:  I love to build homes.  Love it.  Love making the people that are buying them so happy!  Love helping them realize a dream.  Here’s what else I know:  there are people out there that have jobs, have families, and want the dream of owning a nice, warm, beautiful home.

And I am here for them.  Not waiting to see the doc or watching the stupid news.

On January 30th.  In Kentucky.

For a home builder, that kind of weather is pure gold.  So why do we continually look up at the sky fearfully?  Because we are watching for the golden egg to hit us in the head!!

Seriously, what Mother Nature giveth, she taketh away.  But until that happens we are going to press forward as hard as we can!

Our LaGrange Road project saw the mechanicals roughed in last week (electric, plumbing, HVAC), the rafter tails and roof installed, and the insulation went in today!  Tomorrow drywall is being delivered.  And hopefully the two windows that were a late add on – we’ve been waiting four weeks on those, so yay!!  And as long as this awesome weather holds out, we are pushing to get the exterior finished.  That includes the stone fireplace, the Hardie siding, and all those neat details that make this home special.

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Our Southern Parkway  project is moving forward, albeit more slowly.  We finally, finally got the plans in for the carriage house going in the backyard and then proceeded to get a major run around from the Department of Codes and Regulations in lieu of the building permit.

Thanks, guys.  No, really!  Thanks!  ‘Cause soon we are going to be able to apply online which will totally remove the snarky factor.

The new Anderson 400 widows are installed (Beautifully so!) in the original part of the house, the new addition is almost totally framed up…just waiting on a gazillion pound steel beam to hold up the new roof and then we’ll be onto inside things.

This week we will be working on the permitting for the carriage house and tearing off the old plaster in the original part of the house.  I will have a second shopping trip with the homeowner to look at granite for the kitchen and baths.  Last week our shopping trip was most productive; we did kitchen cabinets, hardwood flooring, and started on tile for the baths.

It appears we are going to disagree widely on the backsplash in the kitchen.

I wonder if I’ll be able to stay quiet and let them choose the one they want.

Doubt it.  Timeless classics!  Stick with the timeless classics!

Aside from those two projects, we’ll be full steam ahead on three bids and working on the design for the new Show Home!

Coming soon to Elk Creek Ridge in Spencer County!

This photo is of the cabinets I want in my kitchen.  They are on display at Chris’s Custom Cabinetry.   I want them so bad I almost laid on the island in the showroom refusing to move until they were made for my house.

Still wondering if that would work…

And, sorry about the poor picture quality.

It is just so easy to use the camera on my iphone!