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Our staff will help
you in every step of getting your new home project properly started.
These are some of the key areas in which our experience can benefit
you from over 18 years and nearly 500 new homes. Simply click on the
topic below. |
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Selecting
a model, floor plan and elevation.
Financing,
qualification, and payments within your comfort zone.
Lot
purchase (if you dont already have one in Lake Havasu).
Lot
preparation (or including the essential tasks in your budget).
Budget
and contract.
Project
management.
Warrantees
Home
Owners Guide.
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| Selecting
a model, floor plan and elevation.
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As you can see from
this huge web site, we have a lot of new-home floor plans.
Moreover, we have two models (both very different) open daily.
And, with computers, we have numerous plans for use in our office.
Surely we can
help you with your search for the perfect house. How do
you get started with this review? Simply check the plans on this
web site. Visit our models. Talk to our staff. Most of our
clients find the personal contact with our folks the best
option. We can answer questions more quickly and save you
considerable time.
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| Financing,
qualification, and payments within your comfort zone.
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A few new
homebuyers prefer to deal in cash and not mortgage finance. Some
people finance the new home due to tax benefits and the
advantages of keeping their cash in other investments. Most
people use mortgage financing because that's the only way they
can gain access to the size and type of home they want and need.
Just let us know your preferences and we will do what we can to
help.
We are happy
to recommend any one of a dozen or more reputable mortgage
companies in Lake Havasu. Mohave
State Bank is very good. We will not hesitate to share general
impressions and some details of our past experience with these
lenders. We are particularly willing to discuss those lenders
who have consistently performed admirably with our other
clients. We will give you references of our current and past
clients relative to specific lenders if you wish.
One of the
first steps is to get pre-qualified. This takes 10 to 15 minutes
and is fairly easy. You can do it on the lender's web site. You will be given a list of information you
will need to supply for the required credit check. We can help
you get started. Our staff can complete most details on our
computers or you can do this work at the mortgage brokers
office. We can help you select the lender of your choice.
We do not
do mortgage lending ourselves. Why? Simply too many
opportunities for conflicts of interest. Our method best
preserves the good relationship we desire with our valued
clients.
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| Lot
purchase (if you dont already have one in Lake Havasu)
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There are still over
1,000 vacant lots in Lake Havasu! Usually, 100 to 200 are on
the market and multi-listed. Our licensed realtors (DBU Realty,
LLC) are very knowledgeable of this market. DBU does not
typically list lots. Thus, in most instances, our
realtors can represent you solely, as a buyer. Its a concept
called "buyers agent." The intent is to avoid conflicts
and misunderstandings that sometimes occur when agents represent
both buyer and seller in real estate transactions.
Our staff,
because of their experience and active involvement in new
construction, can help you evaluate the lot and its potential
for the type of home you want to build. Our job superintendents
or head contractors should see the lot before offers are made.
Some details may need to be specified in an offer to purchase
for your protection. This is very important.
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| Lot
preparation (or including the essential tasks in your budget).
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Lake Havasu
generally enjoys very stable soil. Only a few lots need
special attention. We can help you get bids for fill where
required. We help with the survey, PERC test (required for
septic systems), plot plan, grading, and engineering/compaction
tests. This work can be done prior to writing a construction
contract with DBU. However, most of our clients include lot
preparation in their construction contract. They save the cost
of a special grading permit. We simply include such details in
the new-home budget. We know what to do and how to do it.
Properly approached, lot preparation should not be unduly costly
or a problem of significance for you.
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| Budget
and contract.
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With most
construction contracts, we develop a detailed Excel spreadsheet
budget. Every detail of importance is included. This becomes a
vital part of the construction contract. For some projects, such
budgets are quite short and simple. On large luxury homes where
everything must be bid, the budget may be 2 or 3 pages long.
Most new homebuyers make some changes to our standard designs.
For example, garages are occasionally shortened. More often,
garages are enlarged to accommodate all of the toys. We
add and enlarge rooms, RV garages, tile upgrades, windows, doors, or just about
any thing you want done. Our staff is prepared to quote prices
for all such changes. If it is something we haven't done
recently, we simply call our subs and suppliers for firm quotes.
Usually, they respond within days. Sometimes such bidding takes
a week.
The contract
form we use is common to our industry. Similar forms can be
purchased at most office supply stores. Our staff will be happy
to provide you with a copy and explain the details. Most
mortgage lenders are familiar with our contract. It meets their
requirements. And since we seldom make changes to the standard
form, it is not subjected to legal department review with each
new loan application. For us, such stability is good business.
Your mortgage
lender, before your application is approved, will require a
signed contract. The budget must be complete and correct. We
will supply them with a plot plan and a complete set of prints
for your specific project. An independent third-party appraisal
will be required for the protection of everyone involved. This
is the way it should be.
During the course of construction, we
will be required to provide the lender with lien releases on
every expenditure prior to any payments to DBU. A title company
(usually First American
Title) will be involved as a requirement
of your lender.
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| Project
Management.
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As the
general contractor, we help you with pre-qualification and
application for mortgage financing (Mohave
State Bank). We help with the land
purchase. We provide all essential documents to your lender and
the title company. We submit the permits and make any changes
and revisions as required by the city. We help you with color
and material selections including appliances, cabinets, etc. We
schedule all work with our subs and suppliers. Many of these
folks have been with us for 10 to 15 or more years. They know our
rigorous standards.
They know that they will be paid weekly and
they know that the checks wont bounce. Financial stability in
this business is vitally crucial to long-term success. Were
among the best anywhere in this country.
Our
construction superintendent for your specific project will be on
your job site on most days, sometimes two or three visits when
necessary. The city building department and the county health
department are also involved in a series of inspections. Your
mortgage lender will conduct inspections prior to each draw or
payment to DBU.
With such
rigorous service and frequent inspections, what if anything is
left for you to do? Actually, not much. If you wish, you can
travel or go on vacation. Some of our winter visitor clients
return home with the intent of having a completed new home when
they return the next fall or winter. This works fine. Your
lender and an independent appraiser do their final inspections
anyway. We do a final walk-through with clients when they return
or at their convenience. If you are in town, we would prefer
that you participate in weekly visits to the job site with the
construction superintendent. This is done by appointment.
How does our
performance compare with other general contractors in the state
of Arizona? One former inspector for the Registrar of
Contractors told us that he could find no other general
contractor in the entire state of Arizona with fewer complaints
filed over a ten-year period for a similar number of homes
built. Impressive!
We will be happy to provide you with a list
of the original owner of every home we have ever built. We can
also give you a phone list of all of our current suppliers and
subs. Call anyone. You should check references before
undertaking any new home construction project.
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