design-build Archives - Real Estate News and Commentary

January 3, 2019December 13, 2022

New home diligence

It’s understandable that new homes are alluring. After all, newly built homes are modern and efficient. And there is the idea that new homes require minimal maintenance for the first year of ownership. But new homes are not flawless.

Last week’s Florida’s Attorney General home builder settlement is the latest reminder that new home buyers need to exercise due diligence. The multi-million-dollar settlement with PulteGroup, Inc came after a two-year investigation. A simultaneous complaint alleges that the home builder violated the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by: failing to disclose to certain home buyers in Florida that the homes were being constructed in violation of applicable building codes; unfairly denying certain homeowners’ repair claims for various reasons: unfairly denying certain Florida homeowners’ repair claims without performing an adequate inspection of the home; and unfairly withholding a customer’s deposit in certain instances. The details of the settlement can be found in the Florida AG’s December 28^th news release (myfloridalegal.com).

This settlement comes two years after the Florida AG entered into a settlement with KB Home in 2016 for similar alleged complaints.

Home builder complaints are more common than you think. In fact, Home builder complaints occur throughout the country alleging violations that may include (but not limited to): code violations, improper warranty denials, and improper handling of deposits.

Maryland’s Attorney General fined NVR Inc in 2012 because it was alleged that required warranty protections were omitted from their subsidiary new home contracts. A number of other home builders were fined that year for failing to register with the Consumer Protection Division’s Home Builder Registration Unit. And in 2016, the Maryland AG filed charges against a Rockville home builder for alleged violations of the Home Builder Registration Act, the Maryland Express and Implied Warranties Act, and the Consumer Protection Act. And more recently, the Maryland AG filed charges in September against a Baltimore County home builder for allegedly “failing to comply with Maryland’s Home Builder Registration Act, Consumer Protection Act, and the Custom Home Protection Act.”

Unfortunately, many home buyers let their diligence lapse when buying a new home. New home builder reps are friendly, helpful and often appear to be on your side, so it’s understandable how a home buyer may misconstrue the builder rep’s loyalties. However, when buying a new home, you should conduct your due diligence. You should also consider hiring a Realtor and a licensed home inspector to assist you through the new home buying process.

When buying a Maryland new home, you should know that the state regulates home builders. Before considering a home builder, make sure that the home builder is registered with the Consumer Protection Division’s Home Builder Registration Unit. Before entering into a contract with the home builder, review and understand the contract. You may want to consult an attorney to make sure that your Maryland new home contract complies with the state requirements.

You should also keep in mind that Maryland has established a Home Builder Guaranty Fund that is overseen by the Consumer Protection Division. The fund allows consumers to seek recourse “for losses resulting from an act or omission by a registered builder who constructs a new home for a consumer.” For additional information about due diligence when buying a new home and obtaining the handbook “Buying a New Home, Consumer Rights and Remedies Under Maryland Law,” contact the Maryland Office of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division (marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/CPD).

By Dan Krell.
Copyright © 2019.

Original published at https://dankrell.com/blog/2019/01/03/new-home-diligence

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Disclaimer. This article is not intended to provide nor should it be relied upon for legal and financial advice. Readers should not rely solely on the information contained herein, as it does not purport to be comprehensive or render specific advice. Readers should consult with an attorney regarding local real estate laws and customs as they vary by state and jurisdiction. Using this article without permission is a violation of copyright laws.

September 3, 2017September 8, 2019

3D printed homes

Imagine a time when you can print a new door knob, a sink trap, a cabinet, or any other house component right in your home. That time is rapidly approaching, thanks to 3D printing technology. 3D printed homes may be your house of the future.

When Sean Mashian recently wrote about the potential of 3D printing technology (The impact of 3D printing on real estate; Cornell Real Estate Review; 2017. 15, p64-65.), he was correct to say that the technology has the potential to change the home construction industry. 3D printing may also be the ultimate affordable housing solution, printing on demand homes and apartments at a fraction of stick-built homes.

Mashian stated:

Currently, 3D printing is most often used in the real estate industry as a way of creating scale models for new developments. As the technology grows and becomes more commonplace, there may be huge changes coming to real estate from this emerging technology…Right now, 3D printing is expensive and still in rudimentary stages. As we learned from the explosion of e-commerce just a decade ago however, a rapidly growing trend can quickly become a way of life. If 3D printing continues its swift rise to prominence, real estate will change and well positioned assets stand to benefit.

But 3D printing is already making an impact on housing design and construction, as Eric Schimelpfenig wrote in 2013 (Design and the 3D Printing Revolution; Kitchen & Bath Design News; 2013, p20). He talked about one New York company that was already manufacturing personalized 3D printed bathroom fixtures. Besides custom faucets, 3D printing tech will also bring us on-demand custom cabinets and other fixtures too. Schimelpfenig said, “that future isn’t far away… and it’s going to be awesome.”

Schimelpfenig’s future is unfolding before us as 3D printing technology is rapidly advancing. The technology has come a long way since the first 3D printer was created by Charles Hull in 1983. Originally, 3D printing was used for 3D modeling. As the technology become cheaper and widely available, 3D printed modeling become a hit with hobbyists. However, the potential in commercial applications didn’t really make strides until the turn of the century.

Although, 3D printing is not yet widely used in home construction, there are companies already 3D printing entire homes. Apis Cor (apis-cor.com) not only builds 3D printed homes, but claims to be the first company to develop a mobile construction 3D printer capable of printing an entire building completely on site.

We are the first company to develop a mobile construction 3D printer which is capable of printing whole buildings completely on site.
Also we are people. Engineers, managers, builders and inventors sharing one common idea – to change the construction industry so that millions of people will have an opportunity to improve their living conditions.

Apis Cor 3D printed a home in Russia last December in 24 hours. The one level home was rudimentary, and had 38 square meters (about 409 square feet) of living space. But this was a demonstration of the flexibility of the 3D printing technology. The endeavor not only showed how a home can be 3D printed on site, but that it can also be done in the cold of winter. The company claims that 3D printed homes can be any shape, and designs are only restricted by the laws of physics.

Apis Cor states that 3D printed homes can also cost less because an onsite 3D printer “frees up resources.” Construction costs are lower because there is a cost reduction in labor, construction waste disposal, construction machinery rentals, tools, and finishings. They claim that one 3D printer “can replace a whole team of construction workers, saving time without loss of quality.”

Original published at https://dankrell.com/blog/2017/09/03/3d-printed-homes/

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May 21, 2010October 5, 2019

Should I stay or should I go?

Many home owners are content to stay put in their homes. Talking to home owners seeking larger spaces, many are just not convinced they need to move. This is more of a phenomenon for home owners who already traded in their “starter homes.” For many of these home owners, planning expansions combined with interior design to create functional and large spaces is an alternative to (once again) engaging the process of selling and purchasing real estate.

Expanding a home can be accomplished in a variety of ways; homes can be expanded vertically and/or horizontally. In some cases, home owners make major renovations such that the home style is dramatically changed.

To build additions, expansions, or total renovations, consulting with licensed professionals is a necessity. Some home owners decide to hire independent architects and contractors, while others hire a design-build firm that has all the necessary talent “in-house.”

Weighing the options to expand or move can include financial and personal considerations. Home owners might consider the financial aspects that may include (among other items) the cost of the move (including Realtor commissions, taxes, lender fees), as well as differences in mortgage payments as compared to the cost of the expansion. Personal considerations may include thoughts of a home’s location; for example: some home owners find it difficult to leave a neighborhood that has been their home for many years, while others say moving would make their commute to work an inconvenience.

More information about home renovation/expansion as well as the design-build concept can be obtained from the Design-Build Institute of America (dbia.org) and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Design-Build Institute (dbia-mar.org). The Maryland Home Improvement Commission offers useful consumer information and advice (www.dllr.state.md.us/license/mhic/mhiccon.shtml) on home improvements.