Referrals Still Prevalent in the New Home Buying Process

When it comes to buying a new home, what do you turn to first? For many of today's buyer the first and most common answer to this question may be the Internet. But, even with today's technology, many buyers still seek advice from their friends, family and even their Realtor.

Realtors are still a staple in today's home buying process with 87 percent of buyers enlisting the help of an agent. And, these agents have a huge say in what homes buyers are likely to see. While buyers may have a good idea of the communities they want to live in based on their online research, their Realtor can help them narrow down their research to a few builders that they know they can trust.

A good reputation among co-op Realtors is a key ingredient to success for any builder, which is why many builders offer special Realtor-only incentives or events. However, one Pennsylvania and Maryland home builder is taking their Realtor marketing a step further with the launch of their new blog, Keystone Rewards Realtors.

The builder has already earned the trust and respect of hundreds of local agents. In fact, more than 90 percent of Realtors say they would refer the builder to family and friends, and this new blog will only help to maintain this strong relationship.

The Keystone Rewards Realtors blog is the go-to source for any real estate interested in working with or selling Keystone Custom Homes. Here, agents will find the information on special incentives, events and contests, as well as updates on the builder's communities and the local real estate market. As an added bonus, Realtors are also able to register their buyers with the builder, connect with Keystone Custom Homes on all of their social media channels and find out more information about their Ambassador Program.

If you're an agent in the Pennsylvania or Maryland markets where Keystone Custom Homes is building, be sure to visit your new Realtor-only blog and subscribe to the email updates at www.KCHRealtors.com.

Homes For Every Lifestyle at Village Walk in Smyrna

Whether you're a young professional looking for new home community with easy access to downtown Atlanta, a growing family looking for convenience or someone looking for a little adventure, Traton Homes' new offerings at Village Walk in Smyrna are sure to appeal to your lifestyle. This townhome and single family community offers accessibility, adventure and artistry that is sure to appeal to all types of buyers.

If an easy commute to downtown and the surrounding area is what you're after, Village Walk will place you in the heart of it all with easy accessibility down I-75 or I-285 to downtown, Midtown, Buckhead and Vinings.

Those looking for convenience will love the community's location next door to the future Belmont mixed-use development and within walking distance of the Smyrna Market Village, which offers restaurants, shops and entertainment. Plus, the community's youngest residents will attend the new LEED-certified Smyrna Elementary School, as well as Campbell Middle and High schools.

If you're up for a little adventure, TratonHomes has you covered. The community itself will offer an amenity center including a courtyard with pergola and pavilion with beautiful stone fireplace. Outside the community, Kennesaw Mountain and the Silver Comet Trail await.

When complete, Village Walk will offer 20 luxury townhomes, and with the first building already sold out and the second building currently under construction, they won't last long. These three-story townhomes feature spacious floor plans with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, two-car garages, gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, site-finished hardwoods throughout the main level, oversized owner's suites with walk-in closets and much more with pricing from the mid $200,000s.

In addition to townhomes, Traton Homes is now offering eight single family homes in this wonderful community. These homes will offer four to five bedrooms and three to four bedrooms with interior standard features including hardwood flooring, fireplaces, tiled bathrooms, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and more. Priced from the $360,000s, these homes' exteriors will also feature three-sides architectural details, architectural roof shingles and carriage-style garage doors.

To learn more about the new home opportunities and incentives at Village Walk, please call Amy Kessler at 678-873-9263 or visit www.TratonHomes.com.

Forsyth County Active Adult Homes Almost Sold Out

If you take a drive through The Orchards Group's Brannon Oak Farms community, chances are you'll notice plenty of happy active adult homeowners out enjoying the beautiful weather and amenities. In fact, this Forsyth County community has seen a record number of homes sold so far this year; so much so that the community is almost sold out.

With 15 homes sold in the past eight weeks and 40 new home sales total in 2013, The Orchards of Brannon Oak Farms won't have "for sale" signs for much longer. Deborah Reahm, remarked sales associate for the builder claims that sales have been increasingly rapidly due to the almost sold out status. “Urgency compels people to buy. As we run out of incredible product, the urgency does nothing but increase. We will definitely be sold out before December."

“Due to this incredible surge in sales, we find ourselves having to quote delivery dates well into late winter or early spring of 2014,” said Mitch Block, director of sales and marketing for The Orchards Group. “It’s a great chance for folks to buy their new home and have at least a month or two to make their decorating selections.”

Currently, only 14 master-on-the-main townhome villas, six ranch condominium homes and just one single-family home priced from the $270,000s to $350,000s remain.

The largest and most unique of all of The Orchards Group's communities, Brannon Oak Farm offers an unparalleled amenities package with a grand clubhouse, swimming pool, barbecue grilling area, community lawn and fire pit.

Homeowners enjoy a convenient location close to GA 400, seven golf courses, Lake Lanier, downtown Cumming, St. Josephs, Northside Hospital and North Point Mall.

For more information on the final homes at this community, please visit www.OrchardsGroup.com or call 678-513-8879.

New Berks County Communities Offer Abundant Recreation Opportunities

Keystone Custom Homes is proud to announce their two newest communities, Middle Creek Farms and Buckingham Preserve, which bring the Pennsylvania home builder to the beautiful Berks County for the first time. In addition to offering an amazing selection of new homes complete with high end features and finishes, these communities also provide easy access to an abundance of year-round recreation opportunities.

Middle Creek Farms in Oley offers homebuyers just what they've been looking for with new single-family homes priced from the $230,000s. Residents are located in the Oley Valley school district just minutes from Route 422, as well as numerous recreation areas, including:

• Pleasantville park and Pleasantville covered bridge
• Oley Valley park
• Earl Township park
• Evergreen Country Club

Keystone Custom Homes' second new Berks County homes community, Buckingham Preserve, is also the perfect place for families to call home with new homes priced from just the $190,000s. This community, located in the Daniel Boone school district, also has a prime location minutes from Route 422 and the following recreation areas:

• Blackwood golf course
• French Creek State Park
• Conventry Woods preserve
• St. Peter's Village hiking and horse trails

Keystone Custom Homes will open a third Berks County community, Penn Hills, in the near future.

After spending your days exploring all that mother nature has to offer in Berks County, imagine coming home to a cozy abode filled with a chef's kitchen, large living areas, spacious bedrooms and plenty of storage. With the new homes and communities from Keystone Custom Homes, you can do just that!

To learn more about these new opportunities from Keystone Custom Homes, click here. Home buyers are also invited to visit the Welcome Center and tour the new model home at Buckingham Preserve. Please call Barb DiBrito at 717-368-9831 to schedule an appointment.

What’s Going On In Real Estate Right Now?

In the recent Equifax Finance blog article, “Buying a Home? What’s Happening in Today’s Real Estate Market,” industry experts shared their thoughts and insights on what’s going on in real estate right now.

Mortgage interest rates are low, but creeping up: According to Amy Crews Cutts, chief economist for Equifax, today’s interest rates are the best you’ll get, and if you have a low rate, lock it in now. While she can’t predict how far and how fast rates will rise, she doesn’t expect rates to hit 6 percent for years. 

New Single-Family Homes Selling Fast at The Orchards of East Cherokee

Premiere Atlanta active adult builder, The Orchards Group, has seen a drastic increase in home sales over the first six months of the year. To keep up with demand, they recently released six single-family basement home sites, two of which have already sold! With one additional site being used to build an inventory home, this means that there are only three basement sites left at The Orchards of East Cherokee. In fact, they expect the community to be completely sold out of single-family homes by the end of the year.

The inventory home, a Piedmont, is currently under construction with an expected mid-November completion date. This plan offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms and the option to turn the den into a third bedroom. The home features a spacious kitchen overlooking the large family room, a formal dining room, oversized master suite with double vanities and a large walk-in closet, as well as a relaxing screened porch. The homeowner will have the opportunity to complete the basement during construction, which would double the square footage of the home and additional storage space, a media room or even more bedrooms.

In addition to the three basement home sites, there are also three non-basement homes available at The Orchards of East Cherokee. Homebuyers will have the opportunity to select the floor plan of their choice, with non-basement homes priced from the mid to high $200,000s and basement homes priced from the low to mid $300,000s. Just like the popular ranch condominiums offered from The Orchards Group, the single-family homes offer homeowners low-maintenance living with regular landscaping and an irrigation system that is paid for by the homeowner’s association. All of the remaining single-family home sites also have beautifully wooded, private back yards.

The Orchards of East Cherokee’s residents enjoy an active lifestyle with an amazing amenities package, including the grand clubhouse with a fireplace, gourmet kitchen, fitness center and card and game room; barbeque grill; community swimming pool and waterfall sitting plaza.

The Orchards of East Cherokee is located in Woodstock near the Cherokee County library, Sequoyah Park, health centers, shops and restaurants. Homeowners also have easy access to major roadways, including I-75 and I-575.

For more information on the new single-family active adult homes at The Orchards of East Cherokee, call 770-345-5409 or visit their website at www.OrchardsGroup.com. 

Keystone Custom Homes Announces Pin-N-Win Sweepstakes Winner

Keystone Custom Homes is excited to announce that the winner of their Pin-N-Win Sweepstakes is Maggie McDermott. Maggie pinned several inspiring images to her My KCH Dream Home board including photos of their multi-function rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, master bathrooms, kids bedrooms, family rooms, home office and more, and with her prize he plans to purchase a modular home-office system.

“I learned about the sweepstakes on Keystone’s website,” explained McDermott. “We are re-locating to Harrisburg, Pa. in September, and I found Keystone in my Google search. When I saw the contest, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, you never know.’ Plus, I was already looking at their homes on Pinterest anyways.”

The Pin-N-Win Sweepstakes from Keystone Custom Homes asked participants to create a My KCH Dream Home board on Pinterest, and then fill it with images from the Keystone Custom Homes Pinterest account. The contest ran from the end of May through early July, and attracted more than 120 entries with one winner receiving the grand prize of a $500 Pottery Barn gift card.

“The Pin-N-Win sweepstakes was a huge success in many ways,” stated Janette Hawkins, Vice President of Marketing and Information Technology with Keystone Custom Homes. “We were able to spread our brand on Pinterest and interact with its followers along with gaining more attention on Facebook and other social media sites with our updates about the sweepstakes. Also, contestants moving to the areas in which we build, such as Maggie, were able to gain a new vision on what we have to offer.”

This campaign is the perfect example of how companies today can use social media to increase brand recognition, putting their name at the forefront of potential homebuyers' minds. With just a simple, fun campaign, Keystone Custom Homes was not only able to increase their followers on Pinterest and other social media sites, but also make sure that buyers associated their company with their own "dream home."

To learn more about Keystone Custom Homes' communities in Pennsylvania and Maryland, visit www.KeystoneCustomHome.com.