Financial Goals and Irregular Incomes Working Together

Managing finances with a variable income can be difficult, so the financial wizards at the Equifax Finance Blog have come up with a plan to help you keep your financial goals, from everything to meeting monthly budgets to saving up a Chicago new home. These tips can be found in a recent article called, “Creating a Budget with an Irregular Family Income.”

One tip that can be found in this article refers to saving money in order to build up a cushion. Let’s face it: even people with regular monthly incomes should have an emergency fund, so that makes it doubly important for those with irregular incomes since they need to protect against a weak month of income and the potential for costly problems. Putting away a small amount of money into a separate account every month can make the difference between being able to pay your expenses on your lowest months.

Chicago Townhome Construction on the Rise

According to a report issued by the National Association of Home Builders, more townhomes are being built in the real estate in Chicago market.

Construction of townhomes has increased a great deal in the areas of total units and market share. In fact, construction increased so much in recent months that it matched a post-Recession high.

One of the main reasons townhomes are so popular is that homebuyers want to live in locations with medium density, but still want to enjoy walkable environments and other amenities that many townhome complexes offer.

The market share of townhomes currently stands at 11 percent of all single-family starts, which is an improvement from the 10.4 percent rate that occurred in the first quarter of 2012.

During the first quarter of 2008, townhomes hit their peak market share, which reached 14.6 percent.
Prior to 2008, townhome share had been increasing at a consistent rate since the early 1990s.

So if the recent numbers are any indication, you can expect to see more townhomes for sale in the Chicago area.

M/I Homes Offering Townhomes in Lemont

If you're in the market for a Chicago townhome, be sure to check out the M/I Homes' Briarcliffe community in Lemont. Briarcliffe is located off of major highways 3-55 and I-55 and is only 20 miles southwest of Chicago's loop.

Future Chicago new home residents can choose from four different floor plans at Briarcliffe. All of these floorplans feature two car garages, which is a great bonus. The townhomes are priced starting at $199,990 and two bedroom or three bedroom plans are available. Buyers will also love the ability to customize their new residence with add-ons such as optional third bedrooms and dual master suites.

Both the Belmont and the Clark models are currently open for touring. The Belmont is 1,183 square feet and features a spacious, open floor plan with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. The Clark is 1,910 square feet and features two bedrooms, a domestic great room with bay windows and an optional third bedroom and luxury master bath.

What are some other benefits of living in a Briarcliffe townhome? All of these townhomes have Whirpool kitchen appliances and Moen faucets, as well as designer interior light fixtures with a custom choice of finishes.

No matter what M/I community you live in, you'll find that each M/I home is 100 percent Energy Star certified, which will help homeowners save on their energy costs. Another benefit of owning an M/I Home is that each house comes with a 30-year transferable warranty.

To find out more information about Briarcliffe or if you want to tour one of these townhomes, visit the M/I Homes website or contact (630) 605-8271.

Atlanta New Homes in Kennesaw Built by Ashton Woods Homes

When looking for Atlanta new homes, be sure to check out one of Ashton Woods Homes’ newest communities, Heritage at Kennesaw Mountain. Located next to historic Kennesaw Mountain, these estate-sized homes are priced from the low $400,000s. The community offers four energy efficient home plans, the Cambridge, Kentwood, Kingston and Wesley.

The elegant Cambridge is priced at $434,900, offering four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths in this brilliant 3,606 square foot home. Some lovely features of this great plan include a formal living room, gourmet kitchen with breakfast area, family room with fireplace and spacious master suite.

Priced at $424,900, the Kingston plan boasts three bedrooms upstairs, a master on main, charming family room with fireplace and gourmet kitchen with keeping room. At 3,455 square feet, this gorgeous home will provide plenty of luxury and comfort for your family.

Conveniently located near Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield, Lake Allatoona and Swift-Cantrell Park, this community is great for the nature lovers in your family. Heritage at Kennesaw Mountain also provides easy access to Interstate 75 and Kennesaw shopping, dining and entertainment.

Students residing in Heritage at Kennesaw Mountain attend Hayes Elementary School, Pine Mountain Middle School and Kennesaw Mountain High School. Kennesaw State University is located just minutes away for your live-in college students.

Heritage at Kennesaw Mountain is waiting for you! Please visit us today before all of these amazing luxury homes are sold.

For more information on these Atlanta homes, call 770-425-2177.

Cobb County New Home Community Welcomes Special Visitor

Left to Right: Kirk Ricketts, New Home Specialist at Traton Homes, Donna Mungin, 2012 President Cobb Women's Council of Realtors®, Angela Barner, 2012 President of the Cobb Association of Realtors®, and Ronald Phipps, 2011 National Association of Realtors® President and 2012 National Association of Realtors® Leadership Team

Traton Homes' Cobb County new home community, Rockford Township, recently had a special visitor stop by and take a tour. Ronald Phipps, 2011 President of the National Association of Realtors and current member of the National Association of Realtors Leadership Team, toured this intimate gated community earlier this month following an event with the Cobb Association of Realtors. Phipps received a firsthand look at why this beautiful community has became a favorite among Atlanta homebuyers. 

With Atlanta luxury homes priced from the $260,000s, Rockford Township is the perfect representation of a Cobb community that is alive with activity, construction and sales. These spacious single-family homes feature rich exterior designs with brick, cedar shake, stacked stone and carriage-style doors, as well as beautifully designed interiors with desirable elements such as stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and hardwood floors.  

This unique community is situated on 27 acres of the Smith-Manning antebellum estate and includes a fantastic selection of community amenities such as a pool with cabana and outdoor fireplace, a playground and sidewalks throughout. Located in the vicinity of vibrant Marietta Square and historic Kennesaw Mountain, residents of our Rockford Township enjoy close proximity to excellent dining, shopping and entertainment. 

Children at Rockford Township receive a top education attending Burruss Elementary, Marrieta 6th Grade Academy, Marietta Middle, and Marietta High schools. 

Only nine opportunities remain for you to call Rockford Township home! For more information on this fabulous community or to schedule a tour of our award-winning decorated model home, call 678-355-9978. For more information on all of our Atlanta new home communities, visit the Traton Homes website today!

Purchasing a New Chicago Home is Cheaper than Renting

A new study by  Trulia has found that purchasing a home is 45 percent cheaper than renting. This percentage applies to every single one of the 100 largest metros in the country, which includes the Chicago new homes market.

The main reasons for the 45 percent savings are rising rents and low lending rates. Homebuyers will be pleased to discover that the average savings from owning a home total $771 per month.

This number is based on a couple of factors. First of all, it assumes that buyers qualify for a 3.5 percent mortgage rate, plan on staying in their home for seven years and are in the 25 percent tax bracket and have taken advantage of homeowner benefits. Lastly, the amount of savings also assumes that buyers put down 20 percent on their new home.

Yet homeowners will be happy to learn that they don't have to be in all of the above categories in order to save money.

Yet homeowners don't need to fall into all of the above categories in order to save on housing costs. Even if buyers stay in their homes for less than five years or only qualify for a 4.5 percent mortgage rate, buying will still turn out to be cheaper than renting.

The cost savings of buying versus renting can easily make one wonder why home sales aren't even higher. Due to the recession and unemployment, many renters who wish to own a home are struggling to put away money for a down payment.

However, the housing market will continue to stay more affordable than renting for quite some time. Even if mortgage rates were to rise, buying would still be cheaper than renting in most large urban areas.

Alderwood Opens Stunning Atlanta Townhomes

Come one, come all! It is the grand opening of the new Atlanta townhome community of Alderwood by Ashton Woods Homes. Nestled in the beautiful Sandy Springs area, these energy efficient townhomes are priced from the high $200,000s and offer three unique floor plans to homebuyers. By October, six of these lovely three-story homes will be move-in ready!

One of the gorgeous floor plans available, the Brighton, is priced from $322,005 to $340,951. This home features three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. The Brighton also boasts fine details such as hardwood on the main floor, a marble gas fireplace in the family room, upgraded kitchen and other wonderful elements like trey ceilings in the master suite and more!

The elegant Lenwood floor plan is priced from $310,608 to $319,341. This amazing design allows for many optional design changes on every floor, even the basement. On the first floor the lovely dining room has the option to become a third bedroom with bath or a study with tech area. The spacious master suite on the second floor has a mega shower option. Even the bonus room in the basement has an optional light well and guest retreat with full bath.  

For the active resident or nature lover the Alderwood townhome community is located near many great Sandy Springs recreational activities. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Sandy Springs Tennis Center, Dunwoody Country Club and Lenox Mall, among others, are just minutes away from this great community.

Residents with children in Alderwood attend excellent schools like Woodland Elementary Charter, Ridgeview Middle Charter and Riverwood International High Charter.

For more details on these stunning Atlanta homes please call 404-236-2024.

The Pointe at Kirk Farms Selling Out Fast

Traton Homes, a top Atlanta new home builder, is proud to say that all but one home remains at The Pointe at Kirk Farms. This wonderful community is located in Cobb County next to Paper Chase Farm, another quickly sold out Traton community.

Priced at $466,800, the award-winning Providence home design is the final luxury home left in this picturesque community. Features of this floor plan are a beautifully designed gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances, gorgeous cherry cabinets, hardwood floors and a large island perfect for preparing meals. Other appointments such as a guest suite on main, spacious rooms, bonus room and lovely family room with fireplace, all make this home perfect for the family. For more information on the final home at The Pointe at Kirk Farms, call 770-792-0261.

Traton Homes has been honored five years in a row with a Guildmaster Award for excellent customer service and has been recently published in The Atlanta Business Chronicle on the Top Homebuilder list. Come take a tour of The Pointe at Kirk Farms and the stunning Providence home that is still available. These homes sell out quickly so act fast!

Traton Homes has built new Atlanta homes for over 41 years, creating an impressive tradition of striking architectural design and quality in all of its homes. Currently selling in seventeen lovely communities, Traton Homes offers new homes in Cobb, Cherokee, Dekalb, Fulton and Paulding counties. These beautiful homes rang in price from the $180,000s to the $800,000s.

To learn more about Traton Homes, visit www.tratonhomes.com or call the corporate office at 770-427-9064.