The Campbell Homes Peace of Mind Program

CLICK on image to view flyer about our new Peace of mind program!
Questions? Contact us at info@campbellhomes.com

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Whats love got to do with it...tips for selling your home

Its not just a second hand emotion folks it’s the real deal which means when you go to sell your home you need to know how to emotionally grab your buyer (you know the people viewing the home and thinking about making it their own). Preserved value is everything and nothing helps build value more then emotional pull. So you wonder “How do I accomplish this?”

It’s easy:

#1 Make the right adjustments. This means when you are ready to sell your home think about what is worth updating and changing in your home to make it look better and be more valuable to a buyer. This could mean new carpet, new appliances or new (preferably neutral) paint. Think about the market value of your home and think about how you can increase the value without over pricing your home. Focus on kitchens and bathrooms.

#2 Clean it. Your home can not have any clutter. It needs to be tidy and clean. Bright and dust free. If you need to hire a cleaning person to freshen things up until it sells. I suggest getting a storage unit and start moving out the unnecessary things that clutter your rooms and closets.

#3 Stage it. A professionally staged home is proven to sell faster then a non-staged home. If you can’t afford a stager do your research and figure out the best way to set up each room to maximize its size and use.

#4 If there is one thing you can’t skimp out on when selling your home I would say it’s a REALTOR. A good realtor will advise you on how to stage, present, price right, update and list your home correctly. Your home will sit much less if you have a good Agent on your side. But buyer beware… research your Realtors success rate and make sure they are working for you not against you.

Now when a prospective buyer comes through your clean, nice smelling, clutter free and updated home they will feel at home. They will have an emotional feeling that this is it! And they will make an offer.

I hope this helps you at least a little bit when it comes to selling your old home. Now if you want further advise on how to find the right new home please feel free to contact me at knoble@campbellhomes.com and if you are in the Colorado Springs area feel free to stop into any of our communities and take a look. You can get more information about Campbell Homes at www.campbellhomes.com

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The President of the United States has signed a bill into law that will give many home shoppers the extra push they need to get off the fence and into a home of their own. If you are a first-time home buyer, you should definitely investigate the possibilities.

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 provides a tax credit of up to $7,500 if you buy a home. A new Web site, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com, explains how this important incentive works. Here are the provisions in a nutshell:

• Qualifications. The tax credit is available for first-time home buyers, which under the Act also includes people who have not owned a home for at least three years.
• Income limits. The credit can be as much as $7,500 but is decreased depending on how much money the potential home buyer makes. To receive the full tax credit amount the income limits are $75,000 a year for single tax payers and $150,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns. For partial credit the upper limit is $95,000 and $170,000 respectively.
• Time limits. To qualify, a home purchase must occur on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009. For the purposes of the tax credit, the purchase date is the date when closing occurs – the date when title transfers.
• The way credits work. Qualified home buyers claim the credit when they file their income tax return – no additional application or certification is required. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in what the taxpayer owes. A taxpayer who owes $7,500 in income taxes and who receives a $7,500 tax credit would owe nothing to the IRS.
• Payback. You can look at this tax credit as an interest free loan with up to 15 years to pay it back. For example, a home buyer claiming the full $7,500 credit would repay the loan at a rate of $500 a year. There are exceptions, of course, but all that is explained on the Web site.

Www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com also includes links to the resources you need to help make buying a home easier, including information on the home buying process, financing and new home listings.

Homeownership has always been the cornerstone of the American dream, and it remains the best way for a family to build wealth over the long term. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 is also designed to help struggling home owners avoid foreclosure and keep their homes and provide a boost to the housing market and economy overall.

The new legislation combined with current market conditions gives home buyers the opportunity of a lifetime to get into the home of their dreams. Interest rates are still at near-historic lows, and due to the housing downturn, there is a large selection of homes on the market to choose from, and prices are more competitive than they have been in years.

But this opportunity won’t be around forever.

Remember that you need to purchase and settle on your new home before July 1, 2009. As homes currently on the market sell, there won’t be a lot to choose from for the next couple of years. And as fuel and material costs and demand for homes goes up, so will prices.

More than two and half million home owners and home buyers will benefit from Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. To find out if it can help you, visit www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com today. Learn about home buying opportunities in Colorado Springs by visiting our website at www.campbellhomes.com

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The Truth is Out About the Housing Market!

The media has been reporting for sometime that the housing market is bad and that now is not a good time to buy a new home. I beg to differ. With interest rates at an all time low and the supply of new homes starting to decline it’s only a matter of time when supply and demand take effect and prices will start to climb again. It’s a known fact that when demand is high and supply is low prices rise. Therefore NOW is the best time to purchase a new home since prices are reasonable and stable, and there is still enough supply of homes to suffice for the demand that we are starting to see. The following is a fantastic article from REALTY TIMES covering this very topic.

Columnist: 'Media Is Wrong About Housing Slump'

Realty Times feature article by Blanche Evans

Why buy a house now? You've been getting bad information. Here's why.
The financial press is worried that they might have gone too far - paralyzing the nation into recession by piling on housing. So they're finally beginning to question the indexes where they get their data, and whether the news is really as bad as it seems. Slowly but surely, headlines are changing from Don't Buy a Home Now to Is It Time To Buy?

We said it here first on Realty Times - that consumers aren't getting the full story. Indexes can be misleading because of the locations, prices, types of housing, and rates of increase they track.

In late April, Robert Shiller, founder of the Case-Shiller Index, announced that there was a good chance housing prices would fall further than the 30 percent drop during the Great Depression.

Shiller has plenty of reason to be negative - he makes money when people buy housing hedge funds, licensed with data obtained through his company Macromarkets LLC.
Now, finally, one brave journalist is writing that Case-Shiller is flawed.

In his story "Home-price data has its flaws," Chris Plummer of MarketWatch slammed both Shiller's Index and the Associated Press for being "grim reapers."
For the first time, S&P Index Committee Chairman David Blitzer "acknowledged his organization's overall and metro-market readings paint an incomplete picture."
No kidding. The index covers only 20 markets, heavily weighted to the most volatile metros in the nation.

Plummer also lampooned the AP for writing that "despite that index's limited seven-year history, home prices plunged by a record percentage at their fastest rate ever."
He also notes, "The glaring discrepancy in this case is that 17 of the 20 metro areas posted record annual declines, and yet 78 percent of the 330 metropolitan regions that the NAR tracks reported price increases ... "

Bravo, Plummer. But the rest of the financial press still has a long way to go.
When Shiller says home prices are going to fall 30 percent, not one reporter who covered the story asked this simple follow-up question: "Bob, during the worst part of the Great Depression, one in four people were out of work. Our unemployment rate is a little over 5 percent. So what's going to drive home prices that low?"
Instead, no one did even the minimum Wikipedia search to find out what conditions were really like 75 years ago.

What that means is not only are the indexes misleading - the reporting is worse.
Right now we have mortgage interest rates three points below historical norms. We have housing inventories five months greater than balanced markets. Combine that with unemployment that is a half percent lower than the recession of 2003, and you have excellent homebuying conditions.

Stop listening to the media. Go buy a home.

Copyright © 2008 RE/MAX International Inc. 5/6/08

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House Huggers!

Keeping with my recent theme of built green I would like to show you how Campbell Homes has done their part in helping the environment by building Energy Star and Built Green Colorado Homes. Last year (2007) Campbell Homes built 53 homes all of which were certified by Energy Star! This is equivalent to:

· Eliminating the emissions from 37.10 vehicles
· Saving 20,352 lbs of coal
· Planting 5.30 acres of trees
· Saving homeowners $23,691 on their utility bills

Because of their contribution to helping build better energy efficient and environmentally friendly homes Campbell Homes was recently awarded the
ENERGY STAR for Homes Leadership in Housing Award!

Campbell Homes is proud to be a house hugger!

For more information about how you can become a Campbell Homes’ House Hugger visit us online at www.campbellhomes.com or call Kelly Noble at 719-266-9780 or email her at knoble@campbellhomes.com

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below is a fantastic article about green building that I found in Newsweek:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/120128


Not Just for Tree Huggers
Despite the free fall in housing prices nationwide, green homes are still red hot.
Daniel McGinn
NEWSWEEK

Updated: 12:35 PM ET Mar 8, 2008
Rob Moody didn't set out to be a builder. After graduating from college with a biology major, he began work as an environmental-science teacher in Asheville, N.C. On weekends, though, he spent long hours fixing up the classic shingle-style home his family had owned for nearly a century. Then, after seven years in cinder-block classrooms, he decided to make a change. "My love for old houses fell together with my love for the environment," says Moody, 34, who launched The EcoBuilders to construct environmentally friendly houses. Today Moody's foremen drive pickup trucks that run on used grease from fast-food fryers. And whether he's building new homes or renovating old ones, he insulates them to the hilt, uses sustainable materials and recycles so much debris that he requires only the smallest Dumpsters. Clients love the approach. "We doubled production last year, and we'll probably double again this year," Moody says.
The predominant color in the building industry right now is red, not green. America's housing markets remain in free fall, as the foreclosure crisis continues and more homeowners discover their mortgage debt exceeds the value of their house. Last year the average home builder laid off a quarter of its employees; this year the industry estimates it will sell just 632,000 new homes, its lowest total since 1992. But amid this gloom, there's buzz about consumers' shifting demand toward "green homes"—and how builders with this expertise remain busy despite the bust. In a 2007 survey by the National Association of Home Builders, home buyers said they'd be willing to spend an additional $8,964 on a home if it could cut their utility bills. Throughout the industry, there's a sense that consumers have finally reached a tipping point. "It's taken almost as a fait accompli, that green building is where the market is headed," says Michelle Moore, senior vice president at the U.S. Green Building Council.
For all the professed consumer interest, though, the average home buyer knows little about green building. That's partly because it's a broad concept with several components. The most obvious attribute is energy efficiency. For some buyers, that means investing big money in fancy geothermal or solar technologies—but more often it simply means being diligent about using good insulation, efficient appliances, superior windows and designing the house to take advantage of the sun. Green houses also conserve water, often by using specialized plumbing fixtures. For some builders, going green also means limiting waste, sometimes by using "panelized," factory-built walls or recycling wood from older homes. Inside, green homes often feature sustainable materials, like countertops made from recycled glass.
For a public tired of stories about the latest health scare, green homes have another allure: they're often healthier. Since these homes are built more tightly than drafty older homes, many builders install systems to bring in—and filter—fresh air. Green builders typically use paints that are low in volatile organic compounds, and avoid the carpeting, adhesives and varnishes that often give new homes their distinctive smell—and that have been associated with health problems. When George and Dorrie Sieburg hired Moody to remodel their Asheville bungalow in 2005, this approach was a big selling point. "At the time, we were pregnant, and we wanted to build as green as we could to make sure it was safe for our child," says George, whose wife is expecting again.
As with many innovations, some of the biggest gains in efficiency come from using old-school materials that have been slow to catch on. Consider spray-on foam insulation, which fills and seals wall cavities better than the fiber glass used in most residential construction—but at twice the cost. As energy costs rise, however, more buyers are opting for it: sales of Icynene, the leading brand, grew 22 percent annually the past three years. When Jacob and Alecia Sessums added a master suite to their Asheville home, they opted for foam insulation, a multizone heating system and a superefficient tankless hot-water heater. As a result, their gas bill dropped from a high of $400 a month to $37. Says Alecia, 32: "For people in my generation, [going green] is the way you have to do it—there's not a choice."
For darker shades of green, homeowners typically take more-radical action. In Grapevine, Texas, the home Ross and Tami Bannister moved into last fall is so tight, "it's built kind of like an ice chest," says Ross, who marvels at how infrequently the heat kicks on even on the coldest days. While their house is filled with sustainable products, its most innovative functions involve water. Out back lies a 10,000-gallon tank that collects rainwater from their roof; the water is filtered and routed inside for household use. On the roof, solar panels heat their water. Ross says people are sometimes surprised to hear about the home's advanced technology, since it's hidden beneath the bones of a classic Texas farmhouse. "It wasn't like we built some sort of George Jetson-looking future house," Ross says. That's partly why their custom builder, Chris Miles of GreenCraft Builders, fields five calls a week from prospective buyers.
The biggest energy-savers can still require big investments. A photovoltaic solar system, which generates a home's electricity from the sun, can cost $40,000. Likewise, a geothermal system—which uses pipes to send water underground, where the heat stored by the earth's subsurface is converted into energy to heat and cool the home—has long been a budget buster. But as energy costs rise, the return on investment does, too. Last fall, when Shirey Contracting remodeled Sean and Lynn Dillon's home in North Bend, Wash., the couple spent $34,000 on a geothermal system. That's more than twice the cost of an ordinary heating and cooling system, but Sean figures it will pay for itself in six years. Along the way, they'll feel good about reducing their carbon footprint.
Builders are working hard to educate consumers about why such expenses can be worthwhile—and why a lot of green innovations can be done for relatively little money. New kinds of certifications will also help consumers understand the paybacks. In December, the U.S. Green Building Council began offering LEED certification (it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for homes; last month the National Association of Home Builders announced plans for its own green certification. Both use point systems that tally up a new home's earth-friendly attributes and award different levels of certification. In theory, a certified home will be easier to resell down the line, but green-building advocates also hope that the new yardsticks will make consumers pay more attention, the same way Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates rankings became big influences on car shoppers a generation ago. Says home-building consultant Sara Lamia: "People will see how the house they're living in is costing them money, and it gives consumers a reason to buy a new home."
At times such chatter about how a shift toward green building might lift this moribund industry sounds like so much wishful thinking. So far most of the biggest builders are experimenting with only the most basic green innovations (like using Energy Star appliances); most of the greenest builders do only a tiny number of custom homes. "The smaller you are, the more your numbers might mislead you to thinking this is what matters," says Ivy Zelman, an industry researcher. Some environmentalists apparently believe builders are putting green labels on homes that aren't really environmentally friendly—an attitude that appears to have motivated arsonists who torched a neighborhood of newly built trophy homes outside Seattle last week, leaving signs saying BUILT GREEN? NOPE BLACK!
It's also apparent that some green innovations are used side by side with products that aren't so earth-friendly. At the International Builders Show in Orlando last month, the plumbing company Kohler showed off ecominded low-flow shower heads and bathroom faucets—but across its booth, it also displayed gigantic water-hogging showers and whirlpool tubs nearly large enough to hold residents of Sea World. Likewise, if you build a green home in the exurbs but still drive an hour to work, has your carbon footprint really decreased? These are questions Danielle and John Arnett have considered. Next month they'll break ground on a 4,600-square-foot home in Colleyville, Texas. They hope to include loads of green technologies—perhaps even solar panels and a wind turbine—but they're still building a house that's nearly twice the size of the average newly built U.S. home. They admit a smaller house would be greener, but in their neighborhood, where nearby homes range from 6,500 to 12,000 square feet, they say their new house will be downright cozy. "It sounds crazy … but it's really, really relative," says Danielle, who notes they reduced bedroom sizes in an attempt to downsize the design.
If there is a downside to this trend, it may be the growing number of green homeowners who'll brag about low utility bills the way golfers boast of low golf scores. But for builder Rob Moody, whatever motivates people to desire better-built homes, he's not complaining. "People know it's good for their pocketbook, they know it's good for the environment, and they like the badge," says Moody, who was in New Orleans last week working with ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on an earth-friendly project. Green homes may not spark the building industry's recovery, but in a world whose energy problems aren't going away, they certainly can't hurt.


URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/120128
© 2008

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The Importance of Testimonials

Testimonials are an important part of any good business. When a company says they have a highly developed customer service program they will be able to prove it with a plethora of strong testimonials. A sales person can tell you all day long that their company is the best and offers the best product but unless they can back that up what’s the point in even listening? The best way to know if a company is going to take care of you is to see how they have treated their current and past customers.

Below are some of the testimonials Campbell Homes’ customers have been sending us over the years. We are proud to have the kind of reputation that can be backed by our homeowners and Realtor partners.

Testimonials:

As I write this note the October blizzard of 2006 is raging outside my home. Unlike most testimonies you receive my home was one of the very first you built in Briargate, back in 1982. I want you to know, after 24 years my home is as tight and strong as the day it was built. The wind outside is 50 mph but I can’t tell because the walls and windows of my home are so strong. I still have the original windows and they give me much lower power bills then most folks know. I live at the top of Briargate hill and have a two story home. I can’t hear the wind today. Thank you SO much for building a home so sound and secure.
-Pam S.

“When you grow up the son of contractor, like I did, you inherit an eye for craftsmanship. So when I saw the building materials that went into Campbell Homes, I knew this is where we wanted to be. Campbell Homes uses all the right name brands, and backs up their work with old fashioned attention to detail. What more could you ask for?”
–Scott Farrell
US Army - 21 years

“Sometimes you have to brave the cold to find a home that warms your heart. I know. I spent weeks looking at houses this winter, but I didn’t fall in love until I found Campbell Homes. Campbell Homes did so many things right, I was ready to move in while my home was still under construction! That’s how comfortable they made me feel.”
–Cavalene Regan

“A while back, we downsized to a townhome. But when room started getting scarce, we thought, ‘Hey, time to look into something a little more livable.’ Campbell Homes impressed us not only with their floorplans and craftsmanship, but their ethics. They showed us the kind of commitment they’re known for in this community, and we appreciated it.”
–Scott Vaughn
Realtor and Entertainer with
The Colorado Wranglers

“This is the first home I ever bought. So it was scary, as well as exciting.
Looking back, all I can say is, I not only picked a dream home, but a dream builder. Campbell Homes treated me like royalty—answering my questions, and walking me through ever step of the process—from start to finish.”
–Amy Tran

For more testimonials or more information about Campbell Homes please contact our Internet Concierge, Kelly Noble, at knoble@campbellhomes.com.

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Energy Star Rated Homes are Better

What is Energy Star? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set up the Energy Star guidelines to make new homes at least 15% more efficient than homes built to the specific Energy Conservation Code (ECC) for the corresponding year the home is built. Within the program Energy Star identifies over 40 products that meet and exceed these qualifications in areas such as climate appropriate insulation, high performance windows, efficient heating and cooling systems, plumbing and lighting fixtures and appliances.

More than 7,000 organizations and manufacturers, including over 2,500 homebuilders across the nation, have formed a partnership committed to the efficient use of resources to create a more comfortable and healthier living environment inside and outside the home.

Campbell Homes in Colorado Springs takes great pride in being not only an Energy Star certified builder but being one of only 4 builders in Colorado Springs that is 100% Energy Star tested. EVERY new Campbell Home is tested by an independent inspector.

Did you know that Energy Star only required builders to test 15% of their homes to become an Energy Star builder? This basically means when you buy from a builder that is not 100% Energy Star tested you are playing the Energy Star lottery because you never know if your new home is actually Energy Star rated. So, as you are shopping around for a new home please make sure to ask not only is the builder an Energy Star builder but also is your particular home Energy Star tested. They should be able to show you the sticker or certificate that will usually be located in your power box.

Below I have highlighted some of the reasons Campbell Homes makes your home better with Energy Star…

6 Ways Energy Star Makes Your Campbell Home Even Better...
1. Effective Insulation
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort.

2. High-Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer.

3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Sealing holes and cracks in the home's "envelope" and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance.

4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home.

5. Efficient Products
Your Campbell Home will be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as rnage, dishwashers, and microwaves.

6. Third-Party Verification
Third-party raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details. A homebuilder has to have 15% of their homes tested by an independent inspector in order to qualify as an ENERGY STAR builder. This however does not guarantee that your home will be ENERGY STAR rated. But Campbell Homes has 100% of their homes tested so you can rest assured that your home, no matter which home you choose, will be an ENERGY STAR home.

Visit http://www.energystar.gov/ for more information on the Energy Star Program or you can always visit Campbell Homes' online community at http://www.campbellhomes.com/

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Why Buy New

There are so many reason why buying a new home rivals that of a used home. For instance new houses are more energy efficient they outperform used homes by a landslide! New Homes are also healthier to live in since fewer pollutants and allergens can leak into the home because of superior insulation and building methods.

Campbell Homes, a local homebuilder in Colorado Springs since 1965, is one of the best examples of a homebuilder that builds a healthy and more eco friendly home. For example

One of Campbell Homes’ homeowners found that when they moved from a 1,400 square foot town-home to a 3,966 square foot Campbell Home he was only paying $15 more per month in utilities.

Actually according to Mountain View Electric, who supplies electricity to Falcon Colorado, Meridian Ranch, and surrounding areas, the average home spends $3.50 per day on electricity where Campbell Homes’ homeowners only spend $1.78 per day.

A new home has so many advantages over used homes, which is why I have included the following list to help explain the top 10 reasons to buy a new home over a used home...

10 Reasons to Buy a New Home

1) Warranties - New homes come with a builder warranty that covers workmanship, materials, structure and mechanical systems as well as manufacturer's warranties on carpeting, heating and cooling systems, roofing materials and appliances. If something needs repair or replacement in the first few years it's probably covered.

2) Energy Efficiency - New homes are built in compliance with new energy conscious building codes. Advanced heating and cooling systems, improved windows and insulation techniques reduce energy costs. New homes consume about half as much energy as a home built prior to 1980.

3) Safety Features - New homes are built in compliance with the latest mandated safety codes. Emergency egress, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, safety glass and superior wiring greatly reduce the chances of serious injury.

4) Low Maintenance Costs - Everything is new and probably under warranty! Up to date technology in construction using today's building materials require little maintenance and virtually no care for many years.

5) Simplified Financing - Most home builders have very experienced "preferred lenders" who make financing a breeze. Many times upgrades such as landscaping or even swimming pools can be wrapped up and packaged into a single mortgage making qualifying for a loan and home appraisal a simple matter.

6) Floor Plans - New homes have improved room and "flow" designs to accommodate the way we live today. More windows, open space, closets and storage areas, numerous bathrooms and larger kitchens and garages help to create a sanctuary for everyone in the family to enjoy.

7) Appreciation - Most real estate professionals tend to agree that the first seven to eight years in the life of a home are the years with the greatest appreciation. It is during this time that a home has the most appeal to those looking for a used home. The demand for a "newer" home drives demand and results in higher values.

8) Modern Amenities - New homes offer the latest technologies that will pamper you, save you time and even make you a better cook! All are designed to make life a little simpler and more enjoyable.

9) Availability - New homes are ready when you are; there's no need to wait months for completion or vacancy. Whether you need your new home today or months from know, builders in your area will have unsold inventory homes at various stages of completion to meet your needs.

10) Location - Developers and home builders choose up and coming areas. Community schools, infrastructure and services are more likely to be modern and convenient. Neighborhood amenities such as parks, open space, walking trails, community rec centers and swimming pools are more likely to be found in new home developments.

For Further information on Campbell Homes or Energy Efficient building please visit me at my Online Community at www.campbellhomes.com.

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