This month, we are excited to "unveil" our Home Asset Management Plan for homeowners throughout Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Dauphin and Cumberland counties. This plan asks the question: How are you really spending money on your home? And it helps homeowners find the answer to the age-old question: Should we move or should we improve?

All the best,

Bill Patrick, Senior Designer/Division Manager Residential Remodeling

EGStoltzfus Homes, LLC

(717) 393-0212

P.S. Don't forget about the two excellent remodeling resources are available - for FREE - to assist you through the planning process (see below). If you are interested in one or both, just give our office a call at (717) 393-0212.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you found value in this newsletter, please forward it to your friends and colleagues so they, too, can enjoy the information provided every month. They'll thank you (and so will we)! You can use this handy "Forward This Issue" link. 

Feature Article

Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset  

For most people, your house is the most expensive purchase you'll ever make. It provides shelter for your family, and it plays host to countless moments that will stick with you for a lifetime.

Yet, in the 40+ years we've spent building and remodeling homes, we've noticed something: many homeowners simply don't know what's involved in managing this asset - so it can reach its fullest potential. While some regular maintenance to your home is necessary for it to remain structurally sound, other changes will increase the value of the home - and even others won't increase the monetary value, but will increase the enjoyment your family gets from the home.

This is why we've created the EGS Home Asset Management Plan. This plan looks at your home as an asset and takes a three-tiered approach.

Protecting your asset involves those items that need to be fixed to be proactive about maintaining the value of your home. Nothing lasts forever, and periodic repairs or upgrades need to be performed to preserve the worth of your home, such as sealing windows, replacing shingles, and having the furnace and air conditioning systems inspected annually.

Investing in your asset involves those modifications that can lower your operating and maintenance costs. These items can include new technologies, higher efficiencies, and installing improved products.

This tier also includes comparable improvements you could make to keep your home in line with the others in your neighborhood. Real estate is local, so when investing in your home as an asset, you should consider the baseline value of those homes around you when making improvements. Keep in mind, however, that not all improvements need to be solely about Return on Investment (ROI); some improvements are made for the Return on Enjoyment (ROE).

The enjoyment of your asset involves lifestyle and functionality. This could include improvements to accommodate aging in place, a growing family or the Boomer generation moving in with the family. Remember, how you enjoy your home is a very personal experience for each one of us, and even though this tier may be difficult to quantify, it is an element that must be heavily considered.

With our unique Home Asset Management Plan, all of these factors are calculated into planning the management of this asset known as your home. We provide a thorough consultation with a professional team of experts who can provide you with information about your home so you can make decisions about whether to move or improve ... even when you aren't quite sure you are ready.

Here's how easy the Home Asset Management Plan is ...

Step #1. After you contact us, one of our team members will come to your house to perform the consultation when it is convenient for you. He spends time talking with you about your home - the age of the home, the modifications you've made and any issues you've noticed. He also asks you about your "wish list" of changes you'd love to make to your home (either now or in the future).

Step #2. Our consultant will take a thorough look at your home - from bottom to top - and notes all the areas he noticed that need some attention - in order to maintain the value of your home. We'll then return to the office and our team starts the work of compiling your data to create your assessment.

Step #3. With your customized plan in hand, we return to your home and go over the details with you. This includes some discussion of your home in comparison to others in your neighborhood and providing a list of maintenance issues we noticed. We will provide a full scope of recommendations - with a range of expected costs - so you fully understand the steps you can take to maintain and improve the value, and increase the enjoyment of your home.

The process of building your custom-designed home begins with your imagination. For months (or possibly longer), you've thought about your custom-built home, and now it's time to start that process.

Although you don't have to have a floor plan selected when you first discuss building your home, it is always good to have some ideas narrowed down. If you are still in the "imagining" stage, look through magazines or floor plan service sites such as DesignBasics.com or HomePlans.com. This helps refine the style, size, look and functionality you want in your home.

At the same time you are reviewing home plans, you are also determining your "wish list" of items - and distinguishing between your wants and needs. For instance, you many want a three-car garage, but you need a first-floor guest suite for your parents to use when they visit. Of course, your wish list will also include fixtures throughout the house, such as granite countertops, radiant heat in the master bath or something as simple as a red front door.

Once we, as the builder, have a clear picture of the home you have in mind, our in-house designer draws a few sketches for you to visualize on paper what we've discussed. Naturally, this process allows us to further define your home - until we finally have the ideal sketch of your custom-built home.

From the sketch, we can then price out the home. Our proposal includes "allowances" for items such as appliances, cabinets, countertops, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, flooring, etc. Keep in mind that our allowances are based on the finishes and fixtures that you told us you wanted - and are not based on an unrealistic number.

When comparing proposals you get from different builders, keep a few things in mind.

1. As we mentioned above, make sure that all proposals take into consideration what types of finishes and features you want in your home - and that all allowances are realistic and comparable among proposals.
2. It is also important to understand the quality of material that is going into building your home - not just the price. For instance, there are windows that cost $200 and there are those that cost much more - but will you be satisfied with the look and energy efficiency of a $200 window? Make sure you know what quality of material is being included in your proposal, and again that you are comparing like quality materials.
3. Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions - like inquiring about the quality of materials or the type of insulation being used. It is important to take the time to develop a clear understanding of precisely what is behind the numbers of the proposal to build your home.

One way EGStoltzfus helps our buyers visualize the materials we use is by experiencing them in one of our many model homes. There, you can see some of the standard features that go into a home, along with the quality of products we use. We find this much more effective than picking solely from a catalog or brochure. We know buyers like to touch the products that will go into the making of their beautiful one-of-a-kind home ... and this way, you can.

At EGS, we can create the home you've always imagined to your precise specifications. Taking budget into consideration, we are only limited by your imagination. 

To discover more about our designed home services, start here. 

Choose Wisely Before You De-Ice

Even though Old Man Winter has taken it fairly easy on us this year, Punxsutawney Phil told us earlier this month to expect six more weeks of winter. With that in mind, keep this de-icing information in mind.

Before you de-ice your sidewalk or patio this winter, it is important to determine which de-icing salt is right for the surface - some types can cause severe damage to concrete and brick pavers. There are three de-icing salts readily available in our area; all have different characteristics.

The most common de-icing salt is regular rock salt or sodium chloride. It can melt ice until the temperature drops to between 16° and 20°F. When it dissolves, this de-icing salt releases the highest amount of chloride ions, which can pollute streams, rivers and lakes. The chloride can also cause metal to corrode.

Calcium chloride is another de-icing salt; it looks like small round white pellets. It will melt snow and ice until the temperature drops below 0°F; however, concentrations of calcium chloride can attack concrete!

Finally, the newest de-icing salt is magnesium chloride. It continues to melt snow and ice until the temperature reaches -13°F. This salt is better for the environment (releasing 40% less chloride than either rock salt or calcium chloride) and is also less damaging to concrete surfaces. Magnesium chloride is also less toxic to plants, trees and shrubs.  

The EGS Handyman Service: Your Trusted Expert

Do you need help fixing a few things around your house? EGStoltzfus can help with this, too!

The EGS Handyman Team can expertly fix and/or replace items such as doors, windows, and siding and repair or install exterior or interior trim ... to name a few tasks we help our homeowners with. Got an issue you want fixed? Give us a call at (717) 393-0212.

The BIA of Lancaster County's Spring Home Show at F&M College is only a month away, and with that comes all kinds of plans for moving or improving your existing home. We'll be there - and we have 10 pairs of free admission passes to hand out to our customers!

The Spring Home Show is March 16, 17, & 18 at F&M College. You can find us there all weekend long; stop by to gather the latest information about neighborhoods and designed homes or talk to us about a remodeling project you have in mind.

If you'd like to be one of the 10 lucky folks who gain a free pair of passes, simply contact Cindy Luckenbill - and tell us the project you have in mind. (Don't worry, although we'd like it to be something we can help you with, it doesn't have to be. We just want to know what's bringing you to the Show!)

We have the tool for you! If you are thinking about remodeling in the next 12 months, these tools will help you navigate that process.

Free Kitchen Planner guide. Published by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), this full-color guide is filled with advice to help you define the scope of your kitchen remodeling project, finalize a budget, refine product choices and plan for installation.

Free Concept to Completion guide. This easy-to-read booklet walks you through the eight steps to a successful remodeling project.

To request either the Kitchen Planner or the Concept to Completion guide, email  Cindy Luckenbill or call her at (717) 393-0212.

Our purpose for bringing you The Construction Connection is to share our wisdom. We have seen it all and yet there is so much more to learn every day.

For nearly 45 years the divisions of EGStoltzfus (Neighborhoods, Designed Homes & Remodeling, Commercial Construction and Handyman) have been Building Better and Creating Value for more than 7,000 property owners. The collective wisdom of our team is the key to a predictable outcome for each and every project.

In this forum we will be reaching out to offer specific how-to's for caring for your property and improving what you have, as well as suggestions as to what to do when it's time to start anew. Additionally, we will provide you with information on market conditions, technology updates, codes and legal concerns, design trends and many more topics we feel can connect all our readers to Better Value.

The team of EGStoltzfus Homes is always available to answer your questions and advise you through a remodel or new home construction project.

Get to know us better!>>