Housing Part 2

Well, Victor, the kids, and I spent a good part of the day in Southern Maryland.  We looked at two spec homes (built by the competing builder) and an existing home.

These homes were in two different neighborhoods.  I am going to explain the differences in the neighborhoods below...

1)  Wildewood...

-slightly older but still all new homes
- community pool
-nice playgrounds
-smaller lots (1/4 acre)
-walking distance (about a mile) to a brand new elementary school
-townhomes, duplexes, and single family homes are all part of the community

2) Mrytle Point...

-newer community still starting phases of development
-bigger lots (1/3 acre) with a lot more wooded/private lots
-no community pool or playground now (although it is planned to add these in the next 3-4 years which doesn't matter now but will if you try to resell your house)
-NO townhomes or duplexes
-elementary school is about 5 miles away-- older school
-very beautiful community -- looks nicer than Wildewood
-more expensive homes will be built in this neighborhood than the other one which may help resale value

Onto comparing the homes we looked at....


A)  Colby #1

Builder:  Stanley Martin

Neighborhood:  Wildewood

Features:  Kick ass kitchen (everything you would ever want in a kitchen -- you will drool), very nice family room, nice layout on main level, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms

Missing Features:  Office, extra bathroom upstairs so kids don't share one bathroom getting ready in the morning (when older), basement is unfinished, little to no upgrades in the house except for the kitchen

Square feet:  Not exactly sure but around 3000

Price: 359,000

Incentives:  12,000 off of original price (already accounted for above); will be ready by end of October; 3% toward closing

Concerns:
1--the builder is currently offering new builders in wildewood (starting from scratch) 25,000 worth of incentives  (finished basement, free fireplace, 2000 back);  if we make an offer we would put it in around 345k or 350k but they are a large company and not likely to budge a lot.
2-- We think Wildewood would be a nice place to live especially with small kids but are nervous that people will prefer homes in Myrtle point if we try to sell in 5-10 years (and the playground and pool there would be done by then)


B) Colby #2

Builder:  Stanley Martin

Neighborhood:  Mrytle Point


Features:  Kick ass kitchen (everything you would ever want in a kitchen -- you will drool), very nice family room, nice layout on main level, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms; nicer ceramic tile in master bath, nicer lighting package, nice front porch, upgraded carpet

Missing Features:  Office,  basement is unfinished



Square feet: 3100

Price: 385,000

Incentives:  10,000 off of original price (already accounted for above); will be ready by end of September; 10,000 toward closing


Concerns:
1- Price
2-  Not sure we want to be in a neighborhood that won't have access to pools or playgrounds for 2-3+ years
3- Must drive kids to elementary school
4-  On the main road of the neighborhood; still pretty quiet

3) Existing Home - previously built


Builder:  can't remember at the moment-- they are out of business;  House is new.  Was built in 2008.

Neighborhood:  Mrytle Point


Features: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, finished basement, lots of hardwood through out house, nice porch

Missing Features:really sucky lay out on the main floor; small undesirable kitchen


Square feet: 3500 (including basement)

Price: 340,000

Incentives:  Price -- they have dropped it by $45,000


Concerns:
1-Lot-->  it is a flag lot that means it shares a driveway with another house (when you sit on your front porch you look directly into the backyard of your neighbor)
2-  absolutely NO storage room (every inch of the basement is finished!)
3- kitchen
4-- lot; most of the lot is flat and usable but on one side of the house the lot is very, very sloped (hard to walk on at all)

D)  Building Our Originally Planned House



Builder: Curtis Homes

Neighborhood:  Mrytle Point


Features: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms,  really nice kitchen; very similar floor plan to the Colby (which we love), closed off kids playroom on main floor (instead of useless "sitting" room), Office upstairs; lots of hardwood on main level; nice ceramic tile in bathrooms upstairs; really nice wooded and private lot

Missing Features: basement is not finished; it is on a private drive -- this is nice because it is very quiet (only 5 houses on the road which is attached to a cul-de-sac) however it is not maintained by the city so snow removal and road maintenance is required by the home owners


Square feet:2800-2900

Price: 394,000

Incentives: 10,000 toward closing;  10,000 of in design center (already accounted for); picked everything out ourselves; nicer homes in neighborhood (new homes range in price from 375K-425Kor so)

Concerns:  price (if we go this route we will likely take 10000 of upgrades out to drop the price) top end of our budget for sure especially after losing so much on our WI home; waiting--wouldn't expect getting into the house until Christmas which is a long 3 months of commuting 3 hours a day for Victor


We are leaning strongly towards a particular house. I am not going to tell you which one but would love it if you would leave a comment and tell us if you would pick A, B, C, or D based on my descriptions.  Sorry there are not any photos.  We need to make this decision SOON so speak up now!

Thanks for your input!