Thousands of home builders from around the world traveled to Orlando for a look at the latest building products and appliances that will be available soon. Products that enable green living and sustainability were everywhere, along with those that make life easier for America’s gazillion aging Baby Boomers.

We searched acres and acres of convention floor space looking for new ideas. And we toured a number of show homes, too. The International Builders Show, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, is a great place to find innovations for the home. They might not yet be at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot, but they will be on the market soon. Here are 10 nifty products and ideas:

Click to Read More

Spring is right around the corner, and for most home owners it’s an exciting time to get your home ready. In the winter time, many portions of your home are neglected or aren’t used as often because of home owners staying inside their homes. From the interiors of your home to the exterior, getting your home ready for spring will ensure you’ll be ready to enjoy the warmer weather once it hits. Space out your maintenance tips and by time spring is here, you will be able to enjoy the season!

• Start on your exterior: The outside of your home has taken more wear and tear from the harsh winter, than the interior so start here. Walk around your home and examine caulking around windows and doors, as well as open windows and doors and look at weather stripping. Replace old or cracking caulk and replace weather stripping. Inspect the roof for broken or missing shingles, or tiles, and clean out gutters and downspouts at the same time.
• Landscaping tips: While it may not be time for you to start planting flowers and watering your lawn, it isn’t too early to ensure you will have ready your garden hoses, walkways, and adjacent areas to your landscaping. Replace cracked or old garden hoses, and rake away leaves, tree limbs and debris from sidewalks, plant beds and surrounding areas. If you no longer have snow in your area, now is a good time to start planning out your spring landscaping ideas and lawn care maintenance regimen. Pressure wash concrete and paver areas that have become dirty and power wash vinyl siding, brick walls and vertical surfaces on your home if need be.

• Check your interior systems: The fall and spring are the two most important times to review your home’s major HVAC – heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems. Right before the harsh climatic changes are going to occur. Ensure air filters have been replaced or cleaned and stock up on new air filters if you use disposable one. Check your air conditioner before the summer to ensure it is in good working order. If you need to have a service person look at it now, it will be a lot less expensive than 3 months from now.

• Interior spring cleaning: By now your windows – inside and out could use a cleaning. You will be surprised how much you can see out your windows, once they are cleaned. Clean off ceiling fans, and clean out fireplaces from use over the winter. Test your emergency systems in your home: home alarm, smoke fire alarm, fire extinguisher, and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure they are working properly. Most home owners forget to test these regularly; fall and spring maintenance time is a perfect opportunity to ensure they’re in good working order.

Preparing your home for the spring is rewarding now, and 3 months from now! Your home goes through changes as it ages, and climatic conditions change. Spring maintenance is a good idea for everyone, and even more important if you’re considering putting your home on the market soon. Home buyers want to ensure that all systems have been well attended and taken care of before buying a home. If you’re concerned you will miss something, hire a professional home inspector – they will cover the entire home from top to bottom. What are you waiting for? Get started, the warm weather is on its way!

Your choice of a builder is probably the most important decision you’ll make when constructing or remodeling your home. Working with the right firm can be the difference between a job which comes in on time and on budget, with work completed to your satisfaction, and a project which tests your wallet and your patience. Whether you choose J. Tallman Builders or another firm, the information below should help you to make the right choice for you and your family.

What should I look for when choosing a builder?

In any field, good companies build strong word-of-mouth, and that’s true of the building industry as well.

[ ]  Be sure to read testimonials and ask to speak to former clients of any firm you consider.

[ ]  Ask former clients if their final cost matched the initial quote.

[ ]  Find out about the ease of the process from the customer’s point of view; a good builder will make a project easy – and often fun. A client’s happiness and overall satisfaction with a project should always be a builder’s top priority.

[ ] Ask former clients whether their projects were completed on time. If a customer reports delays, find out whether the problem could have been avoided by the builder.

[ ]  You should also ask about the quality of the work completed. Attention to detail and a superior level of craftsmanship are critical.

[ ]  A firm’s experience in your type of project should be a determining factor as well. Find out how long a potential builder has been in business, what sort of projects they typically take on, and how many of those projects they complete in an average year.

A company such as J. Tallman Builders, with more than 35 years in the industry, is usually a reliable choice for your building needs. J. Tallman Builders’ testimonials can be read here, and we are also happy to arrange for you to speak personally with our customers.

How should I go about finding the right builder for me?

There are many avenues through which you can locate a builder.

[ ]  Start by asking friends for recommendations.

[ ]  Look for homes which appeal to you, and research the builders who completed those projects.

[ ]  You can also look for guidance from local architects, Realtors, bankers, material suppliers, and others who would be familiar with a builder’s work.

[ ]  An internet search can also yield positive results, as long as you carefully research every firm you consider.

How should I evaluate an estimate when choosing a builder?

In any project, cost is a critical factor. However, a company’s original estimate does not tell the whole story. Delays, unaccounted-for costs and inefficiency may inflate your project well beyond an estimate – and at a point when you’re able to do little to rein in expenses.

[ ]  Compare proposals for thoroughness as well as price.  Most builders are honest and professional. However, while it’s unfortunate, it’s also true that some will submit an artificially low bid in order to get a job. Avoid potential cost overruns by looking carefully at the scope of what is covered in every estimate you gather.

[ ]  Be sure to ask questions about the structure of the building team.  Will a project manager be on site from start to finish, each and every day?  What level of office support is available to assist in the project?

[]  A builder’s reputation for bringing a project in at or under the original budget should also figure prominently in your decision-making process.

The J. Tallman Builders standard, in which a client’s team includes a project manager, project coordinator and one of the company’s three principals, is a good baseline. Our estimates are as comprehensive in scope as possible, so clients know what to expect before a project begins. As you can see on our Testimonials  page, J. Tallman Builders’ clients praise our scrupulous handling of their expenses. Comments such as “From the beginning, we were impressed with J. Tallman Builders’ ability to accurately estimate costs” are typical.

As a client, how much control and input should I expect to have in the building process?

You should expect to have full involvement through every stage of your project. Clients should never be in the dark about the progress of a company’s work, and should be given complete information about the full range of their choices.

[ ]  Ask any builder you’re considering detailed questions about client control and input.

[ ]  Be sure to also ask a builder’s former clients about this key aspect of any project.

A good process contains few surprises. Because we are singularly devoted to our customer’s happiness with a project, J. Tallman Builders works in partnership with clients, with timelines and decision deadlines clearly known in advance.

What should I expect in terms of communication with my builder during a project?

Your builder should be pro-active in communicating with you.

[ ]  It’s not enough for a company to be responsive to your questions; you should expect that full information is made available before you have to ask for it.

[ ]  Be sure to ask how a prospective builder will communicate with you, and how often. Get as much specific information as you can.

J. Tallman Builders is automatically pro-active in communicating with clients. Through more than three decades of experience, we’ve developed iBOSS, a proprietary system for client communication which is unsurpassed in the industry. Password-protected files available to everyone involved in a project reduce miscommunications to near-zero. Weekly meetings use a large-screen TV as a common monitor, and keep everyone on the same page. Well-organized, with a clear agenda, these meetings always include the client as well as the entire building team, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual support for your project. Meeting minutes are available to all attendees, and serve to further enhance communication.

From planning to completion, J. Tallman Builders’ clients are fully informed about every aspect of their projects.

What should I expect of a builder once my project has been completed?

A good builder will be available to you even after work on your home is finished. Whatever your concern, you should expect the same level of service that you experienced while your project was in full swing.

J. Tallman Builders’ clients know that we’re always available to them, even years after a project has been completed. “We have learned that when J. Tallman Builders takes you on as a client, you become a client for life,” one customer says in his testimonial. [LINK] “This means that if there is any follow-up work to be done, down to a loose knob on a cabinet door, they will take care of it.” Another client sounds a similar note [LINK]: “For the past ten years, anytime I have needed help or had a problem at my house, they have come promptly and solved the problem. This has been invaluable to me as a homeowner.”

How can I learn more about J. Tallman Builders?

We will be happy to provide you with more information on our services. Contact us at (203) 254-1971 or info@jtallman.com to find out how you can experience the J. Tallman Builders advantage.  

Your Checklist for Choosing a Builder:

You should be able to answer the questions below with an emphatic “Yes” regarding the builder you choose.
[ ]  Does this builder have an excellent reputation with former clients?

[ ]  Do former clients say that this builder brought projects in on-time and on-budget?

[ ]  Are this builder’s former clients pleased with the quality of work performed?

[ ]  Is this builder’s estimate a thorough, realistic proposal?

[ ]  Will this builder have a dedicataed team to efficiently manage my expectataions?

[ ]  Does the builder have a proven system for client communication in place?

[ ]  Will I have a collaborative relationship with the builder where my concerns and suggestions are welcome throughout the project?

Do former clients say that this builder is committed to customer satisfaction even after a project is finished?

Surprisingly, the percentage of vacant homes were highest in the most expensive ZIP codes –due primarily to the fact that many homes in these areas are strictly vacation or short-term rental homes.

Click on the arrow to enter our interactive app, then hover over each area’s ZIP code circles and click on each state for more details.

Use CreditSesame.com to find the best mortgage rates based upon your complete financial profile!

Paying rent is getting more painful for renters across the country in the face of rising demand and tight supply.

Both the commercial and residential real estate markets are seeing increases, and more are expected in the months and years to come.

Office construction starts were at the lowest level since 1960, the oldest data available from McGraw-Hill Construction; and that means there will be less space available for companies looking to rent or expand their operations.

It’s also bad timing for people who have been spooked by, or pushed out of, the residential housing market and have decided to rent instead of buy. Home ownership in the United States is at historic lows, but at the same time rental prices are on the rise.

“National vacancies continued to tighten sharply in the fourth quarter, bucking seasonal weakness typical of the colder months of the year,” said Victor Calanog, vice president of research & economic for Reis, in a report on the apartment sector. “In just two years after hitting all-time highs of 8 percent at the end of the tumultuous year that was 2009, vacancies have not just recovered, they have surpassed previous lows.”

Ironically, rising rents are actually making homeownership more attractive. One study by Trulia.com, a real estate research firm, found that “based on current market conditions, buying a home is cheaper than renting in 74 percent of major U.S. cities.”

On the office rental side, this economic downturn has been different from past ones, Calanog wrote.

“Previous downturns for the office sector were complicated by overbuilding; this time around, the massive decline in aggregate demand at least isn’t weighed down by a supply glut.”

Unfortunately, that means the squeeze is on for renters from all walks of life as vacancy rates drop in the face of further shrinking of supply. Fewer places to rent means landlords have the upper hand when it comes to what they can ask. And that will probably be the case for the next few years, said Mark Stapp, professor of real estate practice at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

On the residential side, there will be a push toward higher rents for the next two years, he explained, while commercial real estate rental prices may continue to increase for the next three to five years.

“The supply side is so constrained because no body has been building for years,” he said, because of the economy and the difficulties businesses and developers faced getting loans.

While lending is beginning to open up a bit now, it will take years before real estate firms are able to build enough space to meet the growing demand.

It’s good news for landlords, he added, who were forced to make concessions in recent years because of weakened demand, but it will be tough sledding for apartment and office dwellers who have to pay the escalating rents.