Homebuyers have many choices these days as the market is flooded with homes new and old. Interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in 50 years and the Wall Street Journal says this is the time to buy! There are many options to weigh out when selecting the right home and there are quite a few factors to consider. Here are a few reasons that buying a new home instead of a resale may be your best choice.

More Energy Efficient. Homes that are built new offer better energy efficient features and systems. Heating and cooling systems are new and wall insulation is better quality than homes that were built years ago. Low-e windows are the normal as well as other cost saving features.  In the end, you will have the piece of mind that most everything is covered under warranty and will save you money on utilities.

Includes a Homebuyer’s Warranty. New homes come with a builder’s warranty and will give you a sense of security for years to come.  Many resale homes do not come with as comprehensive of a warranty and often isn’t included in the price. Your brand new heating and cooling systems are also usually covered under the manufacture’s warranty.

New Appliances. Many times, brand new appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers can be included in the price of a new home or mortgage. You won’t be settling for old outdated appliances that may need to be replaced.

Custom Design Options Available. When you’re building and buying new, most of our builders here at Provenance will give you the freedom to make choices of colors, stains, flooring, cabinets and countertops. Buying a resale means either living with someone else’s style choices or remodeling which can be expensive.

More Storage. When you are buying a new home, you’ll be able to choose floorplans that offer more space saving and storage options such as walk-in closets, pantries and larger garages and basements that you’ll be able to grow into. With older homes, the storage space is often limited or customized to someone else’s liking.

Being faced with the decision to purchase a new home or resale can sometimes be difficult but making a smart decision is looking at the long-term investment and remember that these factors will matter. When you buy or build a home at Provenance, you also have the added bonus of all the community amenities included! It is the perfect place to call home.  If buying a new home sounds like it’s the way to go, talk to our Realty team at Vintage today and see how we can build your dream home! Call David Alexander at (318) 222-2244 or Pam Smith at (318) 683-0399.

At Provenance, our residents have the luxury of many amenities throughout the neighborhood including a new planned commercial development within the community. The Windrush Village Marketplace will make Provenance that much more compelling, and its just minutes away.

The Marketplace is a 17,050 square foot retail center within Provenance that is home to a post office, dry cleaners, banking services restaurants and a primary medical care provider. In the near future, the new center will grow to include gift boutiques, apparel shops, specialty food stores, jewelers and galleries.

There are 1,200 – 3,000 square foot suites that are available for lease and have the option of building a custom storefront. If you ever dreamed of living or owning your own boutique or both, then Provenance is the perfect place for you!

Contact agents Hilary Bransford or Cecile Coutret with Vintage Realty at 318-222-2244 for more information.

If you are a first-time home buyer, taking the plunge into the commitment of buying a home might seem like a daunting task. All first-time home buyers want to make sure they are taking the correct path to a major investment in their life.  Here are some guidelines to follow when beginning the search for your new home.

By the time you have decided to buy a home, you have already passed the major hurdle in the decision making process. Now you are focused and ready to take on the task of purchasing your first home.

The truth is, 80% off all home searches begin on the Internet.  Home buying has become so much easier considering by the time you get to the real estate agents office, you already have an good idea of the type of home and neighborhood you want. Provenance may be exactly what you are looking for. With some time spent with your search engine, you can look through hundreds of online listings, pictures and virtual tours of homes and neighborhoods.

See all of our new home listings for Provenance here. You can have all of the information about schools and the community before you even step foot into a potential home. The truth is, most of your search is done by the time you get to the actual looking process.

Most first-time home buyers wonder how long it should take them to buy their first home.  An unmotivated buyer will take months if not years to find a home. A motivated buyer will buy a home within a few weeks. Most motivated buyers buy a home within a few days.

So how many homes should a new buyer see before making a decision? It is best to limit the number of homes you see in a day to seven. Although it is possible to view 20 or 30 homes in a day, you will not remember specific details about any of them in doing so.  When shopping for a new home, do not treat it the same way you do shopping for a pair of shoes at the mall. Take Your Time! When you find the right fit and price, buy it. Most home buyers start off finding a home in the beginning that fits the bill for them, but continue to look around at several more houses, only to come back to the home they originally liked in the first place.

While looking at homes, it is best to keep an inventory of them for yourself to look back at. Take a digital camera and begin a series of photos by taking a photo of the house number to begin with to create a starting place for each series of homes. Take notes of different elements in and around the house and when you leave, rate the home on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.

After you feel like you have toured enough homes, you will most likely instinctively know which homes you are interested in buying. Ask to see these homes again because the second time around you will view the home differently than the first time around.  Also, make a point to call the listing agent to find out the sellers’ motivation and to make sure the homes are still available to purchase.

Once all these steps are completed, you should feel confident you made all of the necessary steps to go out and purchase your first home. And we are confident that you will find exactly the home that you are looking for at Provenance! For more information about scheduling a viewing of our homes, please contact Pam Smith at (318) 683-0399 or email her at psmith@yourprovenance.com.