Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh Realtor Co-Op Program

We are happy to announce that effective Monday, May 19 2008, we are changing our longstanding policy regarding our Realtor co-op program as follows:

• All homes/ homesites that we have released for sale will be available for the Realtor co-op program, regardless if the homes are listed in the MLS or not.

• We will pay a 3% co-op fee to participating Realtors provided the Realtor registers their client on their first visit to a model home.  Registration will be good for 60 days.

• Homebuyers with Realtors will be offered the same pricing and incentives and contractual conditions as homebuyers without Realtors.

If you have any questions regarding this change, please call (724) 695-1200

MARONDA HOMES WELCOMES REALTORS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW PROGRAM!!!

Thank you!

This offering by Maronda Homes at Dartmoor Estates is truly an opportunity for you or your buyer in North Huntingdon:

Total Amount: $223,025 includes EVERYTHING

This home offering has incentives for using our in-house financing with BELOW market rates!

1.)  $5,000 for new owner front landscaping  AND

2.)  $4,461 toward new owners Closing Amounts!!

Call Clayton for details about this and other homes in the Pittsburgh Area  (724) 695-1200!

HOMESITE DETAILS Address:  11910 DARTMOOR DR N. HUNTINGDON, PA 15642   (View Map) Total Price:   $223,025 Approx Move-In:  IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE Community:  DARTMOOR ESTATES Phase: 01 Lot: DM10801   WORTHINGTON 'G' LOW SIDE MODEL DETAILS: Square Feet from: 1966 Standard Bedrooms: 4 Standard Bathrooms: 2 + 1 half bath(s)     SALESPERSON INFORMATION Salesperson:  CLAYTON ZELAZOWSKI Phone: (724)695-1200 Email: zelazowskc@maronda.com   WORTHINGTON 'G' LOW SIDE STANDARD FEATURES: engineered floor trusses asphalt paved driveway  smoke detectors with battery back-up air conditioning starter lawn dishwasher gas and electric service to range icemaker water line wired for cable & phone in multiple locations   SELECTED FEATURES FOR THIS HOMESITE:   12 course foundation curved arches cathedral ceiling master br 10' x 14' rear deck sliding glass door-brk nook sgd l.l. in lieu of svc door gas/electric dryer outlet whirlpool jets in garden tub paddle fan rough-in--family rm fan rough-ins--all 2nd fl brs electric lamppost advanced wiring package home office prewire--den computer network option four-room speakers liberty fireplace--1st floor cultured stone accent deluxe cabinets & vanities disposal microwave upgrade carpet pad upgrade carpeting hardwood kitchen hardwood den

What is a Panelized Home?

Clayton Zelazowski, New Home Specialist

Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh

(724) 695-1200

            Have you ever noticed a home in your neighborhood that seemed to have popped up in a matter of days?  Most likely it was a home that used panelized construction methods.

What is panelized construction?

            Panelization, the fastest-growing segment of residential new construction, is a method where housing components are prefabricated in a climate-controlled facility before being shipped to a home building site. 

            They are delivered as a complete set of engineered exterior and interior wall panels, structural floor systems, exterior decks, and roof and floor trusses. Some home panel packages contain just the structural components of the home, while others are complete home packages, including everything from windows and doors to siding, paint, and even appliances.

            Panelized homes are not to be confused with manufactured homes, which are sometimes referred to as "mobile" or "trailer" homes. 

What are the benefits of choosing a panelized house?

            A primary advantage of panelized construction is lower overall costs to the builder due to reduced waste and increased efficiency gained in factory production.  The savings are passed on to the home buyer in a lower purchase price.

            In addition to cost savings, the homeowner also benefits from a quicker move-in date and minimal construction delays caused by bad weather.

            Panelized construction is also eco-friendly as they are stronger, better-insulated structures; produce less waste from construction; and have reduced transportation impacts. Panelized homes provide the sustainable "green" attributes that today's homeowners are looking to purchase.

Does that mean there are only few standard floor plans to choose from?

            No!  With the technology currently available and the inherent adaptability of panelized systems, no two panelized homes need ever be exactly alike.  With computer-assisted design programs, designers and engineers can turn just about any idea into a working blueprint. In many cases, the plans for your home are sent directly from a designer's computer to the panelization shop floor, ensuring your home is built accurately and efficiently.

Will it be the same quality as the other houses on my street?

            Absolutely!  Not only are panelized homes built to the same local building code as "stick-built" homes - houses constructed almost entirely on-site - this type of building system often exceeds the building codes. 

            Today's panelized home building systems retain the best aspects of stick-frame construction. They combine time-tested building methods with modern technology to deliver a well-designed, energy-efficient, and beautiful new home.

For more information on panalized homes, contact Clayton Zelazowski with Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh at (724) 864-5942.

Why This is a Great Time to Own a New Home

Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh (724) 695-1200

I.                   Perspective on a Buyer's Market - Don't Believe the Headlines

 •·         Today's sensational headlines ("Subprime Mortgage Meltdown," "Housing in the Tank") place an unduly gloomy picture of the national (and local) housing market.

  •·         Despite the dire headlines that have appeared in the news, housing markets, like all markets, inevitably have their ups and downs. But as a long-term investment, homeownership remains one of the best investments for individual households, with a track record that is virtually unlatch by any other purchase in terms of its real benefits.

 •·         A closer look at conditions in the housing market provide further grounds for optimism among prospective home buyers, and some of the negative developments in the marketplace can actually work to their benefit.

 •·         For example, housing prices on a national basis have been losing some ground -- a development that sounds far worse than it actually is.

 •·         At the height of the housing boom, home prices were rising at their fastest pace in history. In the hottest markets, prices doubled in a matter of years.

 •·         Clearly this pace was unsustainable. And it didn't take too long before prices rose to unaffordable levels in many other parts of the country.

    II.                Surprising Advantages for Home Buyers

  •·         But today's down market offers some surprising home-buying advantages.

 •·         The speculators who flooded the market in search of overnight gains are gone and the downward adjustment to housing production should run its course later this year, creating several opportunities for home buyers in the interim:

 •o   In the near term, the fact that home builders are appropriately cutting back on new supply to meet current market conditions and acting aggressively to offer great incentives to boost sales is a boon to home buyers.

•o   The current housing price correction is helping to restore affordability. Prices have leveled off, or even declined in some areas, making this the best time to buy.

•o   With a wider variety of choice for home shoppers in all price ranges, families looking to buy can shop at their leisure and decide what home comes closest to filling their needs and desires.

•o   Mortgage financing for borrowers with solid credit remains readily available for a conventional loan limited to $417,000.

•o   In fact, mortgage interest rates are still very affordable and remain near historic lows in the 6 percent range.

•o   Creditworthy buyers looking for a jumbo loan above $417,000 will find more challenging conditions. However financing opportunities are still available, though buyers will need to pay a premium of about 1 percent above conforming loan rates.

•o   As home builders continue to work down their inventories of unsold homes in a market that definitely favors the home buyer, the future looks bright for housing.

•o   Economic fundamentals remain solid and the home building industry will need to construct almost 18 million new homes in the next decade to keep up with expected new household formations.

•o   All of this bodes well for future house price appreciation.

 III.             Timing the Market is for Losers

  •·         Housing has always been a cyclical business, with its ups and downs. As surely as the market has slowed today, it will start picking up speed again.

  •·         Potential home buyers who try to "time the market" in hopes of buying at the trough are likely to lose out. Here's why.

 •·         Just as no one can accurately predict the peaks and valleys of the stock market, the same holds true for housing.

  •·         Fence-sitters waiting for the absolute best deal could end up literally waiting for years, and most likely their guess on market timing would be wrong. Meanwhile, those who buy now will have a home they can call their own and reap the long-term gains of home price appreciation.

  •·         For example, those who purchased homes in the early 1990s during the last big economic and housing downturn came out as big winners. The median price of a new home in 1991 was $120,000. In 2007, it was $246,900 - more than double in price.

  IV.            Advantages of Homeownership

  Best Investment ...

•·         Consumers who take advantage of this excellent buying climate to purchase a home will find that it is the best investment they ever made.

 •·         Buying a home is the largest investment most families will ever make and homeownership is the single largest creator of wealth for Americans.

  •·         It allows families to build financial security as the equity in their home increases.

  •·         As home owners repay their mortgages, their debt declines, while overall wealth and equity in the home grow.

  •·         Although local housing markets periodically adjust according to overall economic conditions, over the long term real estate has consistently appreciated.

 •·         On a national level, home appreciation has historically risen 5-6 percent annually.

  •·         Five percent may not seem at much at first, but take a look at the numbers. If you bought a $200,000 house and put 10 percent down, that would be an investment of $20,000.

  •·         At an appreciation rate of 5 percent annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. That means you earned $10,000 with an investment of $20,000.  Your annual "return on investment" would be a whopping 50 percent.

  •·         In contrast, putting the same $10,000 in the stock market and registering a similar 5 percent gain would only yield a $500 return on investment.

  •·         The big difference in returns is a result of "leveraging" - putting down a small amount of money to earn the biggest return.

  •·         This is especially important for first-time home buyers. Entering the market now starts you on the road to home price appreciation. And the profit from selling a "starter" house will enable buyers with growing families to afford a bigger home in the future.

 ... Even Better than Stocks  

  •·         Compared to other investments, such as stocks, a home is a relatively stable investment.

  •·         Homes tend to increase in value at a steady, reasonable pace while alternatives can be extremely volatile.

 •·         For example, during the stock market decline of 2001-2002, households lost more than $1 trillion in stock value, while their housing equity continued to climb.

 •·         Looking at this another way and applying the power of leveraging, if someone put $10,000 into the stock market in 1996, the average annual S&P return would make that investment worth $21,500 today - an increase of $11,500.

 •·         By comparison, the median priced home in 1996 was worth $140,000. Today, that same home would have gained more than $100,000 in value. And the real value of the investment is worth even more, because the home owner has paid down a significant portion of the mortgage in the interim.

 Tax Savings

  •·         And don't forget the fantastic tax incentives. It's by far the biggest and best tax break for middle America.

 •·         Collectively, home owners save nearly $100 billion annually on mortgage interest and property deductions alone.

  •·         These tax incentives are designed to make owning a home more affordable.

•·          In most instances, all of the interest and property taxes you pay in a given year can be fully deducted from your gross income to reduce your taxable income.

  •·         These deductions can result in thousands of dollars of tax savings, especially in the early years of the mortgage when interest makes up most of the payment.

  •·         To look at this another way, if you are in the 30 percent tax bracket, you only pay 70 cents on the dollar in mortgage interest payments.

  •·         Plus, the best tax break available to homeowners is when they sell their primary residence.

 •·         A couple who own and live in their home for two years and then decide to sell can keep up to $500,000 of the profit tax-free. (A single owner can keep $250,000.)

  •·         If the couple use these gains to buy a bigger home, and live in that home for at least two years, the same rules hold true when they go to sell again.

  •·         This is one of the biggest tax advantages of homeownership and a great way to build household wealth.

  Building Equity for the Future

  •·         Owning a home is like investing in an automatic savings account. You accumulate savings in two ways. Every month, a portion of your monthly mortgage payment goes to the principal, reducing the overall loan amount. Each year, a greater percentage of your mortgage payment goes to paying down the principal.

  •·         Second, your home appreciates over time, making it one of the very best financial investments.

 •·         As your property appreciates, you build up equity in the home, increasing your household wealth.

 •·         Many families elect to take out home equity loans to help put children through college, to purchase a second home, to make home improvements, to start a new business, to pay for medical costs or even to take vacations.

 •·         And interest payments on home equity loans are fully deductible up to $100,000.

  •·         By comparison, consumers who carry credit card balances cannot deduct the interest and can pay rates as high as 20 percent, more than double a typical home equity line of credit.

 Price Stability

  •·         Owning a home provides price stability. While a rent payment can change substantially from year-to-year, you will have the same monthly payment for 30 years under a fixed-rate mortgage.

 •·         Even if you get an adjustable rate mortgage, your payment will stay within a certain range for the entire life of the mortgage.

  •·         And interest rates today are running near historical lows and not nearly as volatile as they were in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

 •·         Knowing their mortgage payments will stay the same month after month provides households with a sense of financial security and also acts as a hedge against inflation.

    Fulfilling the American Dream

  •·         In summary, owning a home provides:

•1.      The best investment

•2.      A great tax benefit

•3.      Financial freedom to send a child to college or provide a nest egg for retirement

  •·         Not only is homeownership a stepping stone to a future of financial security, it provides a permanent place to call home and enormous personal satisfaction.

  •·         It strengthens the nation's people and its communities. Homeownership creates community stakeholders who tend to be active in charities, churches and neighborhood activities. Homeownership inspires civic responsibility, and homeowners are more likely to vote and get involved with local issues.

  •·         Americans associate homeownership with economic success and the accumulation of wealth.

  •·         It is truly the cornerstone of the American way of life, and the fulfillment of the American dream.

 I am Clayton Zelazowski with Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh.  Please feel free to contact me anytime at (724) 695-1200 

Q:        Shouldn't I wait until home prices go even lower to buy?

A:        No. Just as no one can accurately predict the peaks and valleys of the stock market (name one person who sold their tech portfolio in April of 2000), the same holds true for housing. If you wait for what you think is the absolute best deal, you could end up waiting for years. All the market fundamentals show that now is a good time to own - prices are down, interest rates near historically low levels, and there are lots of homes to choose from. If you own now, you will not only be in the driver's seat during the buying process, you will also reap the gains of price appreciation. Remember, those who purchased homes in the early 1990s during the last big economic and housing downturn came out as big winners.

Q:        Doesn't it make sense to wait out the market until can I get the same price on my home that my neighbor got when he sold a year ago?

A:        No. It's always better to trade up in a buyer's market. While the value of your house has fallen, the prices of higher-end homes have also dropped. Here's an example:

Your neighbor sold for $300,000. Let's say values in your area have dropped 10 percent, so you could get only $270,000 for your home today. You have your eye on a move-up home that previously sold for $500,000, but now is selling for $450,000. If you sold your home today for $270,000 and purchased the larger house for $450,000, the difference in price would be $180,000.

But if you waited to recoup the 10 percent value on your home and sold it at $300,000, chances are the move-up home would also increase in price 10 percent to $500,000. That's a $200,000 price difference. So by selling today, you would actually save $20,000.

Q:        Interest rates keep going down. Shouldn't I wait until they go even lower before I buy a home?

A:        Interest rates for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages are currently below 6 percent and are extremely favorable for buyers. In fact, they are hovering near 30-year lows. But waiting to time the market is a dangerous game. Even those who follow the market for a living can't figure out when interest rates will bottom out. If they could, they would all be multi-millionaires.

            And home prices don't necessarily move in unison with interest rates. So, if you decided to wait to purchase a home and the price dropped $10,000 from where it is today, you could still end up losing money. How? If interest rates were to move up by a half-a-point during this period, the savings on the reduced home price would be more than offset by the higher monthly payment you would be making over the life of the loan.

Q:        I have $10,000 to invest. Should I put that money in the stock market or buy a home?

A:        Purchasing a home is by far the best long-term investment. For example, say you use that $10,000 to purchase a $250,000 home, and the house appreciates a modest 3 percent during the first year. That means after one year, the house would be worth $257,500 - a gain of $7,500. By contrast, putting the same $10,000 in the stock market and posting a similar 5 percent gain would only net a $500 return on investment.

  And don't forget the tax incentives. In most instances, all of the mortgage interest and property taxes you pay in a given year can be fully deducted from your gross income to reduce your taxable income. These deductions can result in thousands of dollars of tax savings, especially in the early years of the mortgage when interest makes up most of the payment.

Q:        I'm a first-time buyer and still can't afford the type of home that I want. Is it best to wait, keep renting, and hope that prices will get even lower?

A:        If you continue to wait, you may never be able to afford to get into the housing market. Even as home prices are currently moderating or falling, depending on where you live, rents continue to climb. When you buy a home, you are also purchasing price stability, knowing that you will pay the same monthly payment for the life of your 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage.

Once you become a home owner, you are able to take advantage of the tax deductions that homeownership offers, and you begin to build equity in your property.

With so many homes on the market to choose from, your best strategy may be to scale back expectations for your dream starter-home. After a few years, you can use those equity gains to sell your starter home and move into a bigger house. The sooner you make the jump from renter to home owner, the quicker you begin to create and build up wealth for your family.

Clayton Zelazowski, New Home Specialist

Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh

(724) 695-1200

1.)  UNBEATABLE INVESTMENT

Even in down markets, over the long term home prices still appreciate more than the stock market.

2.)  LOW INTEREST RATES

Rates remain at near-record lows; you can lock in a payment that fits your budget.

3.)  AVAILABLE LOANS

Lenders are still eager to make loans to borrowers with good credit.

4.)  GREAT SELECTION

With so many homes on the market, you can get the features you want!

5.)  ENERGY EFFICIENCY

New homes have the latest environmentally-friendly, cost-saving, advanced technology materials and appliances.

6.)  IT'S YOUR HOME!

It's more than a house-it's a place to raise your family, make memories and call your own.

Clayton Zelazowski, New Home Specialist

Maronda Homes of Pittsburgh

(724) 695-1200

5 GREAT Reasons to Purchase A Maronda Home!!!

(1.)  FINANCING:  Maronda offers our customers unbeatable in-house financing with BELOW MARKET AVERAGE INTEREST RATES.  Often times, OUR rates can be more than 1 percentage point LOWER than an alternative competitor!!!  The monthly & yearly savings with a lower rate could save your family thousands of dollars throughout the life of your loan.

(2.) LOWER YEARLY UTILITY COSTS:  Maronda exceeds building code standards by increasing R-Value ENERGY EFFICIENTCIES in all of our homes.  Our customers pay lower yearly energy costs with significant increases in insulation components & better product design features. 

(3.) MORE VALUE, LIVING SPACE & INCLUDED FEATURES:  Maronda Homes provide more home for your money!  We offer more square footage, value and included features than any of our competitors.  Simply put, our customers get more home, space and value than ANY OTHER NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME BUILDER. 

(4.) AWESOME SELECTION OF NEW HOMES TO CHOOSE FROM:  Maronda Homes provide a great alternative to purchasing a re-sale home by maintaining an awesome selection of "Quick Delivery" showcase homes in each of our 38+ active communities in the Pittsburgh area. 

(5.) BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE:  Maronda provides the highest level of CUSTOMER SERVICE available in New Construction!  Maronda hires and proactively trains all sales staff to insure superior levels of customer service and satisfaction for years to come! 

I am Clayton Zelazowski with Maronda Homes at Dartmoor Estates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  You can find more information about Maronda Homes in Pittsburgh by visiting http://www.maronda.com and navigate to "Pittsburgh."

This is just a sampling of one of Pittsburgh's Best housing values by Maronda Homes!  With over 3400 square feet of living space and almost every available upgraded feature, this home is a smart choice.  Homesite is located on a private cul-de-sac with an amazing private wooded view from the rear elevated deck.  Special incentiveare also available on this home until April 14th 2008.  Call (724) 695-1200 for a complete list of included features and current special promotions!!!

Clayton went above and beyond what we had previously experienced in a new home community representative.  By all measures, Clayton is a true professional in the new home sales arena. Our first contact with Clayton was over the phone as we sought directions to his community at Dartmoor Estates. Instantly, we were pleased with Clayton's warmth and friendliness over the phone. Meeting Clayton for the first time face to face, we were tremendously impressed with his friendly nature towards both us and our children. Clayton never made us feel like a nameless customer and went out of his way to address us and our two kids by name.  He treated our family graciously and we felt he was exclusively committed to providing our family with top notch service. Clayton made a comforting effort to learn as much about our family as possible, in doing so, Clayton was able to guide us to the most appropriate home for our family and our individual needs. We gave Clayton our guidelines, and he stayed within them at all times. It was refreshing to work with someone who did not attempt to pressure us into something that was above our means or resources. Clayton's knowledge of the home construction process was truly remarkable; likewise, he radiated the appropriate understanding and confidence of an expert in his field of study.  Not only did Clayton provide meticulous detail of each home offered, but also provided the same for the background of his company, Maronda Homes. Clayton overwhelmingly exceeded our expectations when he was able to thoroughly answer all of our questions pertaining to the area and community development at Dartmoor Estates. With our family relocating and being from another state, this additional information was vital and pertinent to our final decision. When Clayton produced information and statistics on the school district, we truly felt like he had our family's complete wellbeing at heart. We toured several other homes the day we signed with Clayton, among them, three other new home communities.  We were all set to settle for one of the other developments, but decided to visit "just one more" community. The last visit we made to meet Clayton at Dartmoor Estates officially ended our new home search and proved to be a wonderful decision for our family.  If it had not been for that last minute decision to see Clayton at Dartmoor Estates, we might have ended up elsewhere and less satisfied. We are beyond happy with our final decision!  Thank you Clayton for providing us with a remarkable home buying experience with Maronda Homes at Dartmoor Estates!

Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity

•·         Cherri & Peter Quattrini - Hired Clayton as a New Home Specialist in 2007       (March 16, 2008)           

Maronda Homes Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Maronda Homes builds new construction homes in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky.  Maronda Homes is well known for providing more home for less money and is an easily observable better value. Prospects often ask about our super low pricing and how we do it, so presented below are frequently asked questions by prospects interested in purchasing a Maronda home:

Q.  Why do Maronda Homes cost less than other builders?
A.  Maronda Homes builds thousands of homes each year.  We supply and manufacture many of the components used in our homes.  By combining our purchasing power and supplying most of our materials and labor, we are able to substantially reduce our costs and pass the savings on to our customers.  

Q.  Is Maronda Homes' quality the same as other builders?
A.  Yes! By supplying our own materials and labor, we are better able to control our quality.  Each home we build must meet stringent standards prior to settlement.  In addition to meeting our own standards, every Maronda Home is built to meet or exceed national and local building codes.

Q.  Why are there limitations on selections?
A.  In order to maintain our strict production schedules, selections must be limited to items that are readily available.  This ensures your home will not be delayed due to lack of product availability.  By streamlining your selections, we increase buying power and pass the savings on to you.

Q.  Why can't I make changes?
A.  We must adhere to strict construction cycles and high quality standards in order to offer our customers the best value. Through the use of extensive market research, we are able to incorporate features in our homes that are popular with our customers.  Our commitment to on-time deliveries and superior quality would be compromised if we deviate from this policy and allowed changes.

Q.  Why can't I select any lot in the community?
A.  We release home sites (lots) in predetermined groups.  Our Streamlined Homebuilding Approach allows us to control the quality as well as the timeliness of our new home deliveries.  Additionally, our sequenced construction zones minimize the inconvenience to our customers who already live and enjoy their new homes.  Our goal is to be a good neighbor before and after your move-in.

Q.  How does having a preferred lender (MFC Mortgage) help me?
A.  We encourage our customers to use a preferred lender.  By limiting the number of lenders with whom we do business, we minimize our administrative overload while saving time, improving the accuracy of information and providing better service.  MFC Mortgage is an affiliate of Maronda Homes and a full service mortgage banker.

Q.  What is Maronda Homes Warranty Program?
A.  Our warranty program is simple.  We offer a one year warranty on workmanship and material.  If something goes wrong and it is our fault, we will fix it.  Additionally, we offer a third-party ten year structural warranty.

I am Clayton Zelazowski with Maronda Homes at Dartmoor Estates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  You can find more information about Maronda Homes in Pittsburgh by visiting http://www.maronda.com and navigate to "Pittsburgh."