WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) Buyers who want a new home in the Middle Atlantic region are paying up, reflecting pricier tastes and high local labor costs, according to recent research.

The median sales price for a new spec single-family home in the Middle Atlantic was $131 per square foot in 2013 52% more than the U.S. median making that region the countrys most expensive, according to findings from the National Association of Home Builders, which crunched government data for its report. Speculatively-built homes are residences constructed on a builders land that are sold in one deal along with the land.

The Middle Atlantic includes New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. High home prices in these states show that the relatively large share of well-heeled buyers are demanding nicer finishing touches, such as ceramic rather than vinyl flooring.

Its the level of finish, the level of accessories, said David Crowe, NAHBs chief economist.

Higher costs in the Middle Atlantic region also reflect other higher costs, such as construction workers wages, he said. Meanwhile, the countrys least expensive spec homes in 2013 were found in the West South Central region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Homes there cost $73 per square foot, according to NAHB.

Spec homes accounted for about three-quarters of new-construction starts on single-family homes last year. The rest were for custom-built homes, which are erected on an owners land. The priciest custom residences were found on the coasts. In the Pacific region, the price per square foot was $145, compared with $143 in New England, according to NAHB. The cheapest custom homes were in the East South Central area.

Its partly related to incomes, but more perhaps related to vacation areas, said Sam Khater, CoreLogics deputy chief economist. New England and Pacific [areas] have states with the highest shares of vacation homes in the country.

In most of the U.S., a custom home costs more than a spec home.

New custom home buyers are not only willing to wait longer to move into a new home but also pay extra for more expensive features and materials, NAHB reported.

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Capitol Report: Priciest new homes in U.S. built in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania region

Published: Monday, October 13, 2014 at 3:48 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, October 13, 2014 at 3:48 p.m.

Their three-story vacation rental house with an estimated construction value of $680,000 actually sits on the lot next to the one they own in the gated Ocean Hammock resort community.

We are in total disbelief, just amazed this could happen, said Mark Voss, who owns a property management and real estate company in central Missouri. We may have moved (to Ocean Hammock) someday. But, with this headache and grief, were not so sure. The Midwest is looking pretty good right now.

The Vosss builder, Keystone Homes, which is based in Ormond Beach but builds primarily in Flagler County, has contacted the two lot owners and other parties and is trying to negotiate a settlement, said Robbie Richmond, company vice president.

The buck stops with the builder. We know that. We are in the process of trying to schedule a conference call and find a fair resolution without the lawyers, Richmond said. I have built about 600 homes in Flagler County and this has never happened to me before. It does happen, but its rare.

The Vosses, who own 18 other residential lots in the Hammock Dunes master-planned community, paid $160,000 for one with a street address of 23 Ocean Ridge Blvd. North in June 2012, according to Flagler County property records. They hired Keystone Homes to design and build a 5,000-square-foot house there to use as a vacation rental managed by Vacation Rental Pros in St. Augustine.

The house has five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. It also includes a home theater, game room and screened-in pool.

But the house was mistakenly built on the lot next door, 21 Ocean Ridge Blvd. North.

Andrew Massaro and his wife, Brooke Triplett, of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, bought that lot in 2003 for $355,000. They could not be reached for comment.

The builder and Voss each say the error can be traced to the first survey in 2013. East Coast Land Surveying in Ormond Beach misplaced stakes, and the foundation survey and other documents and building activity were based on the error. During construction, dozens of subcontractors arrived each day to work at the wrong lot. And a final survey failed to note the error.

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Oceanfront dream home built on wrong lot Dream house, ocean view, wrong lot Builder seeks to resolve mistake in Ocean ...

Ophir Custom Builders Colorado
Find the Best Custom Home Builders in San Miguel County Colorado, Home of The Rocky Mountains.Telluride, Mountain Village,Placerville, Sawpit, Ophir and Norwood.

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Placerville Custom Home Builders Colorado
Placerville Colorado Custom Home Builders, Commercial, residential and remodels.

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Telluride Custom Home Builders Contractors
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Telluride Custom Home Builders Contractors - Video

By Katherine Salant October 9 at 8:00 AM

From a distance, the simple gabled roofs and plain brick and lapped siding of the three Line K models offered by K. Hovnanian Homes at Willowsford in Loudoun County appear to be standard fare for a new home community in the Washington area.

Then you get closer, and differences emerge.

The brick is not the red Virginia clay you see almost everywhere its tan, and one house doesnt have brick at all. The facade incorporates charcoal-colored, cast stone that looks like granite. The windows have unusual proportions theyre tall and thin. There are no shutters, and the flat roof and oversized square columns of the front porch give them a boxy look. One house has large, stylized brackets to support the roof overhang.

Thats the warm-up.

Once inside, the differences are so pronounced you realize that these houses are unlike anything currently (and probably ever) offered by a production home builder in the Washington market. Ranging in size from 4,050 to 5,450 square feet with a base price of $1.2 million to $1.29 million that includes a finished basement, the houses were designed by the Piet Boon Group, a Dutch firm, which accounts in part for their very different look. The design team was led by Piet Boon and Karin Meyn, Boons business and design partner for nearly 30 years. Each model has a Dutch name: Noorderwind, Oostenwind and Zuiderwind.

The interiors are unabashedly modern in style, with a level of workmanship and quality of materials that typify high-end, one-of-a-kind, custom-built houses, not production ones. All the traditional Colonial Georgian styled details that have been mainstays of the new home market in this area for decades the three- and four-piece crown moldings, the dark wood stair rails with white balusters, the authentic Colonial era wall colors, the six-paneled doors, the double-hung windows with real or fake dividers are completely absent.

Instead all the walls are white, the floors are black, the trim is minimal, the windows are eight or 10 feet high (depending on the model) and run down to the floor line, and the doors are as high as the windows. Multiple windows across the entire back bring nature inside while creating a comfortable and surprising degree of coziness in these big houses with big rooms. The spare and simple interior produces a calming, almost Zen-like ambience that is completely unexpected, but a Boon-Meyn signature. As the designers have often said of their work, What you see is not design, but feeling.

Reimagined interior

In all three houses, the layout of the main living area is essentially the same; the difference is the location of the master suite (first or second floor), the location of the other bedrooms (first or second floor) and the number of bedrooms (three or four). Unlike most furnished model homes, these are not loaded with options. What you see, for the most part, is what you get in the base price.

Originally posted here:
K. Hovnanian Homes at Willowsford in Loudoun County are unlike anything else

ONCE tired and dated, this Bakers Creek home has been transformed into a custom-made two-storey family haven.

It's a top renovation job and now it has been named as one of the state's best.

Mackay renovation specialist Urban Trend Construction took out top honours at the 2014 Queensland Master Builders Awards in Brisbane in the Home Renovation/Remodelling Project $426,000 to $575,000 category.

Urban Trend Construction business manager Kathryn Ogilvie said the award for their Gorman St renovation project was wonderful recognition.

"The competition in all categories was just jaw-dropping," Mrs Ogilvie said.

The renovation work transformed the once simple three-bedroom brick home into a two-storey, five-bedroom, four-bathroom masterpiece.

It has a clever design and a classy style.

But Urban Trend Construction founder Ken Ogilvie said his business simply made the house "flow".

"A lot of entry-level homes are about cramming in as much stuff (as possible) into a small space, it's done that way from a price point. But we make a house work. We make a house flow."

Mrs Ogilvie believes their renovation work won the award because it was unique.

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Mackay project wins award for amazing renovation

Asheville, North Carolina (PRWEB) October 07, 2014

It's always a fine day for a parade, and folks living in Asheville North Carolina or those considering it take this opportunity to heart. It's the chance to tour Asheville home building masterpieces and trend setting construction designs. And what a better way for home builders to showcase the possibilities than to show them all off at one time. The 2014 Asheville Parade of Homes is ready to commence in just a few weeks!

Going on its 33rd anniversary, the 2014 Asheville Parade of Homes is THE event to attend for families interested in relocating to Western North Carolina. On the weekends of October 11-12 and 18-19, 2014 from noon-5 p.m., Featured in this years Parade of Homes are 29 newly constructed homes throughout the Greater Asheville Area ranging in price from the mid 300,000s up to 1 million.

Asheville mountain communities will be bustling with prospects, real estate brokers and the local community touring model and custom homes. The event is hosted by the Asheville Home Builders Association and is lots of fun. Families and retirees will have a variety of home building, design and trend setting decorating ideas to explore during this self-guided tour through Asheville, North Carolina. Featured development companies include Southcliff and Ark Development.

While the 2014 Asheville Parade of Homes sounds like the form of a treasure hunt, it is actually much more. This home showcase gives Baby Boomers and families valuable information about relocation options in Asheville. Attendees can inspect the quality of the home builders in the parade and preview Asheville real estate developments up close. This is the perfect opportunity to bring a list of questions about sub-contracting, building materials, design layouts and how to choose the right homesite while finding the perfect neighborhood in Asheville.

Check out some of the Asheville mountain communities that folks will be able to see during the parade or after:

Biltmore Lake is the hype of Asheville home buyers this year. This 1,500- acre community consists of multiple neighborhoods, 4.2 miles of blissful walking and biking trails and several dedicated parks and fishing areas. A 62-mile lake overlooks the scenic mountain top views, while the additional amenities add a touch of luxury to the astonishing natural terrain. Boomers can spend their time in the community clubhouse, tennis or ball courts with their friends or just relax at home by the fire without a care in the world at Biltmore Lake.

The Ramble at Biltmore Forest is the community retirees are rambling about in North Carolina. This comfortable golf community is just a few miles south of downtown Asheville and is the center of serenity in the mountain woodlands. Enjoy the hiking and biking trails, hand-sewn fire pit and formal gardens with the perfect mountain back drop 24/7. Complete with the Living Well Fitness Center, outdoor amphitheatre and a variety of community parks, The Ramble at Biltmore Forest is a coveted residence for retirement in 2014.

Southcliff is the perfect place for parks and this Asheville mountain community will never be without. Five community parks and six miles of walking trails highlight this neighborhood in Asheville. To add to the excitement, two homesites are featured in the 2014 Parade of Homes the Duermit and Arthurrutenberg models. Both spotlighting special features like 9 vaulted ceilings, custom flooring and covered porches to savor every moment of the scenic mountain landscapes. Southcliff and its homes are the ideal example of natural beauty in Asheville.

The Cliffs at Walnut Cove will sweep retirees off their feet with its charm. This 1,500-acre gated community is a dream for any retiree seeking luxury in the middle of a the mountain tops. An 18-hole Jack Nicklaus championship golf course and 19,700 sq. ft. clubhouse will occupy the athletes and social butterflies of the family. The outdoor and indoor heated swimming pools, four lighted Har-Tru tennis courts and six miles of hiking trails will keep anyone busy throughout the day. Add in the elegant Tudor-style architecture, elegant Walnut Cove Tavern and charming town in the center of the community, and it will make anyone fall in love. The Cliffs at Walnut Cove will romance Baby Boomers into retirement as soon as they enter the gates.

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Asheville October 2014 Parade of Homes Includes Homes in Stunning Mountain Communities

NO. 1 :Mike Osgood & Son

Address:48 Eastman Road, Laconia, 03246

Home Type:Custom Hybrid Single Family Log Home

Total Square Feet:5,278

Bedrooms:4; Baths:3 1/2

Selling Price:Not For Sale

Website:newhampshireloghomes.com. Contact:603-986-5277

The Wailing Loon Lodge on Lake Winnisquam is a custom hybrid single-family home that is accented with many timbers and built to Energy Star standards with many energy saving features.This energy efficient home features an ICF foundation, a geothermal heating and cooling system, radiant heating in the lower level, an upgraded insulation package and many other exciting features.This custom lakeside home was designed to maximize the view of the lake and enjoyment of water activities.

Directions: From Interstate 93 and Route 104 take Meredith Center Road to Eastman Road Turn right on Eastman Road and follow to Lake where it makes a 90-degree turn to the right which is Eastman Shore Road North The home is about 300 yards after this turn on the left From Laconia take Meredith Center Road to Eastman Road, turn left and follow directions above From Route 106 take Meredith Center Road, turn left onto Eastman Road and follow directions

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Wailing Loon Lodge leads Parade of Homes

The Brittany Model by Hendricks Custom Home Builders
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