The journey to homeownership all starts with the search, so why not make it easier to begin? NewHomesDirectory.com has recently added a brand new feature that will aid in making your home search even more easy and convenient! NHD continues to explore ways to increase the productivity of your home search from the comfort of your home and the palm of your hand. Time is something you don’t always have much of and now you can save even more of it when looking for your next new home with the use of the new map and grid split view feature.

Depending on your search preference, viewing new homes within the map view may be much more convenient. The map view can assist in gauging the distance of your new home to your place of employment, access to nearby freeways, local schools, shopping, and more. While searching for new homes in the directory, you can now click on a pin within the map view on the left side of the webpage and it will highlight the associated community details on the right side. You still have the option to view new home communities within the grid view on the right side of the webpage as well without having to switch back and forth between pages. Simply click the “grid view” or “map view” button on the right side of the page next to the “filter results” button to switch your view of the available communities in the directory. You can also directly visit the community of your choosing to learn more by clicking the “visit community” button when the pin is highlighted. 

NewHomesDirectory.com is very proud of the addition of this new map and grid split feature in hopes that it will help bring you that much closer to turning the key on your brand new home.

If you’ve ever been fresh out of ideas when it comes to designing your newly purchased home, Trandmaker Homes Austin has the perfect solution! Longtime home builder, Trendmaker Homes has recently announced the grand opening of its newest 4,000 square foot Design Studio which is located in Austin, TX. This new development will move Trendmaker Homes forward as a premium lifestyle brand within its industry.

What is a Design Studio?

The Trendmaker Homes Design Studio is a Class A space designed to inspire you with numerous possibilities for the customization of your newly purchased home. You'll have the ability to choose the finishes, options, and upgrades you desire by simply visiting the Design Studio. It offers a curated collection of product choices with interactive displays as well as resources to help you find the perfect touches for the home of your dreams and create memories that will last a lifetime.  

What are the benefits of using the Design Studio?

Trendmaker Homes Austin offers the opportunity to meet with a design consultant in order to make selections from flooring, countertops, cabinets, lighting fixtures, appliances, interior paint colors, stair railing systems, and even the electrical options. Each of these many options available are based on what the customers of today desire in their home’s interior design.

Who can make use of the design studio?

Homebuyers who purchase a new to-be-built home at Trendmaker Homes communities within Austin, TX can make use of the new design center including in such communities as Rancho Sienna, Palmera Ridge, and Highlands at Mayfield Ranch. The viewing of the Design Studio is not available prior to purchase your home. As an added bonus, those who purchase a home in 2020 also have the opportunity to receive up to $10,000 in design studio selections credit.

About Trendmaker Homes

Established over four decades ago, Trendmaker Homes Austin designs builds and sells high-quality single-family homes in Austin, TX. Trendmaker Homes is a member of TRI Pointe Group which is a family of premium regional home builders as well as one of the largest homebuilders in the United States. Inspired by the Texas families they build for; Trendmaker Homes Austin envisioned a new home buying experience that would turn out to be both simple and straight forward. This homebuilder has also been a leader in green building since 2001 by offering a LivingSmart program that includes five areas of advancement: HeathSmart, EnergySmart, EarthSmart, WaterSmart, and HomeSmart. Trendmaker Homes believes that the home buying process is about becoming a partnership instead of a negotiation.

South Cove is one of Dana Point’s newest communities with luxury must-have amenities and a prime location you do not want to miss out on! This high-end development made up of 168 luxury flats offers up to 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and up to 2,038 square feet of living space perfect for entertaining guests or simply spreading out. Enjoy the simple convenience of being within distance of all of what sunny Dana Point, CA has to offer. Dip your toes in the cool waters of Doheny State Beach or Dana Point Harbor. Learn and explore at the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area where there are over 150 species of native coastal plants and animals. Westwind Sailing offers safe boating and sailing education for the general public. You’ll easily find yourself living an active lifestyle while walking, biking, and rollerblading on the many trails in the area.

The standard community features in each floor plan at South Cove including exterior styling with dual-glazed white vinyl, Low-E windows, the option of balconies, patios, and roof decks per plan, and Boral fire resistant flat concrete tile roofing. The interior amenities include quartz countertops in the kitchens and bathrooms, Decora rocker light switches, recessed lighting at select locations, USB ports at the kitchen and all bedrooms, and pre-wire for ceiling fans in the living room and all bedrooms. The gourmet kitchens come equipped with GE Profile Series gas stainless steel cooktops, stainless steel pyramid hood, built-in single convection wall oven, and a counter depth side by side stainless steel refrigerator. Your brand new kitchen will also come with a heavy-duty garbage disposal and a kitchen island with bar top seating.

South Cove’s Luxury Home Designs also offer energy-saving features that are truly beneficial to your way of life. Central forced air heating and cooling, Low Flow toilets and showerheads, and temperature-balancing shower valves will all save you energy and lower your monthly bills. You will also find fluorescent lighting in the kitchen and garage, weather stripping on all living area exterior doors, and energy-efficient gas hookup at the laundry room dryer location.

Zephyr is an extraordinary development company with a commitment to sustainability and a history of bringing to life some of the most innovative ideas. Zephyr was named Best Builder in Ranch & Coast Magazine. The Park, Bankers Hill, and South Cove won multiple gold and silver awards at the NAHB Nations in February of 2019. Zephyr takes a fresh approach to the environments they create and strays away from designs that fall in the box of being simple or ordinary. Look for your next new townhome in Orange County at the beautiful beachside community of South Cove by Zephyr.

Our February realtor of the month is Liana Norman, broker-associate for Liana Norman & Associates and our Real Estate Market Expert for Dana Point, CA.

Liana prides herself on going above and beyond for all of her clients in the South Orange County area. She is knowledgeable in all fields of real estate and keeps clients informed in the marketplace using the latest statistics in the local area.

Liana has been in the top one percent of Realtors in Orange County for years. She began her career in 1985 working in the lending industry and transitioned into working in escrow and property management in 1987. While working in San Clemente, Liana obtained her real estate license in 1989. Partnered with realtor-associate Dusty Janisch, Liana has made over $260,000,000 in sales since 2000.

Liana’s main objective is to work diligently to assist her clients with meeting their real estate goals whether they are buying or selling. If you are in search for the perfect new home near Orange County, be sure to contact Liana Norman with Liana Norman & Associates for all of your real estate needs.

Millennials are the next generation of home buyers that are making a wave in the real estate market this decade. They are the largest U. S. generation ever and are definitely making an impact. Millennials are expected to buy more homes in the next year than both Generation X and baby boomers combined. With lessons learned from previous generations, this group of tech-savvy adults has come to make decisions with a very different perspective. 

Despite the popular belief that millennials are less likely to invest in purchasing homes with their overbearing student loan debt and love for Starbucks, they are taking homeownership to a new level. Millennials were the most dominant buyers in 2019 and will play a large role in the coming year as well. In 2016, adults 36 years old and younger accounted for the largest portion of homebuyers at 34 percent. Millennials make up 56 percent of first-time homebuyers according to Zillow.

Rent prices are continuing to rise and more times than not, a mortgage may turn out to be much more affordable for a 30 something adult. This generation is taking its time and planning accordingly when it comes to their first home purchase. We are seeing many millennials becoming more frugal by moving back home with family members in order to finish school and save for their first new home.

Millennials rely heavily on technology to find and purchase homes

This is the generation that is extremely tech-savvy dominating with the love of social media. Millennials are twice as likely to use their cell phones as aids in their home search process compared to the baby boomer generation. There is literally an app for everything these days including an app that will assist in searching for and eventually purchasing a new home. In 2017, 99% of millennials searched online prior to making their first home purchase. These same buyers tend to look for properties with a social media prescience when trying to find the right home to fit their needs. Apps like Trulia, Realtor.com, and Zillow are just a few of the tools that have helped millennials dig into the real estate market.

Millennials are going green

Millennials are very interested in minimizing their carbon footprint by going green, which means they are on the hunt for lots of green features both inside and outside of their home. This generation is very environmentally- conscious and is looking to have efficient features such as low-emittance windows, fluorescent light bulbs, sustainable lumber, and solar energy. Many millennials have a desire to help reduce their carbon footprint and will opt for more all-electric homes that come equipped with induction stoves and heat pump dryers that are energy-efficient and will reduce costs.

Millennials are looking for convenience

Along with the desire to help save the planet, millennials are opting for communities that are closer to everyday necessities like parks, shopping, dining, and even employment to lessen the load of a commute. Many are riding bikes, carpooling, taking trains, buses, and utilizing Uber or Lyft to save funds and the earth.

Millennials want more space

This generation of adults is starting families and businesses, and entertaining guests. They desire homes with open floor plans and great rooms that will accommodate their growing needs. New homes with spacious and open floor plans are more desirable and allow for more options as life changes. Potential homeowners are looking for houses with options for an in-home office, game rooms, nursery, or even an in-home gym.

As more and more millennials begin to dominate the real estate market and express their specific home needs, home builders are making the efforts necessary to accommodate this growing generation with smart home technology and lots of amenities that will keep them coming. Millennials are making much bigger decisions than which Snapchat filter to use. They're making investments that will last a lifetime.