As a homebuilder, I hear this question ALL THE TIME! “Is anyone really building in the current economic climate?”

My response, “Only the smartest ones.”

Are you kicking yourself for not buying stock or mutual funds in March of 2009 (the lowest point for stock indexes in the past 5 years)?

The same relative buying opportunity to purchase or build a new home at incredible value holds true today. Even new construction, which rarely experiences significant price drops, is a relative bargain. We’ve seen overall cost decreases of 15%-20% recently.

In a recent post by Financial analyst Dr. Steve Sjuggerud, True Wealth, Sjuggerud says “Right now, is the best time in history to buy a house in America.”  While many of us in the industry have been touting this for months, Sjuggerud uses century old financial facts - cold, hard facts to back up his claim.

Fact #1 MORTGAGE RATES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVELS IN AMERICAN HISTORY: Investors only see a couple decades of mortgage rates on a chart but Sjuggerud accessed Global Financial Data databases that track real estate data going back centuries.  The charts show mortgage rates since 1900 and as you can see, today’s rates are lower than they were in 1900!

Fact # 2 HOMES ARE MORE AFFORDABLE THAN EVER: Based on a 40-year history of the Housing Affordability Index, Sjuggerud points out that houses are more affordable than they have ever been. Affordability takes into account:  home prices, personal income, and mortgage rates.  Sjuggerud explains this simply, “What people think about when they buy a house isn’t the price of the house …It’s the payment.  People think, “Can I afford this mortgage payment on my monthly income?”

As I said, home prices have dropped significantly – in some markets prices have fallen by one-third. And mortgage rates are at record lows. But, incomes (nationwide) haven’t fallen … which makes homes more affordable than ever. 

Additionally, land prices, which again rarely decrease, are phenomenal bargains. Steals in some instances such as distressed or bank owned properties. With this combination, along with some intestinal fortitude about the future, you can get in or upgrade into a new custom home in Colorado Springs with the latest technology and energy efficiency available today.

At Comito Building and Design, we believe RIGHT NOW, is the time to take advantage of an incredible opportunity to build the Colorado Springs Custom Home of your dreams.  But, industry experts say this opportunity won’t last long!  As we come out of this economic downturn construction crews are slim and building supply inventory is modest. Any uptick in demand will put pressure on prices - fast!

At Comito Building and Design we believe a great home at a fair price and a wonderful experience should be the desired outcome of your custom home building process. As a third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship. We hope you will consider us as your resource to help you make your Dream home a reality.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information on the custom home building process or any of our Colorado Springs luxury home sites call us at 719.219.5421 or visit us online at Comito Building and Design.

One question we seem to hear a lot when we’re meeting with clients on their Colorado Springs custom home is, “Do I need to hire an interior designer for my new custom home in Colorado Springs?”

The Comito Building and Design team approach rings true once again!  We do recommend using an interior designer and for your convenience have several on our team!

We work very closely with several Colorado Springs interior designers who understand construction and how it relates to interior selections and decorative decisions you need to make for your Colorado Springs custom home.  Having this resource available is a valuable tool to all of us.  Knowing the order in which selections need to be made and how they might affect the construction process is just another part of our team effort.

Most times these creative professionals are able to purchase tile, carpet, and other interior selection materials at a much lower price point than we can.  Allowing our designers to purchase and install these “hard finish items” that are permanent fixtures in your home really allows our homeowners to get professional design services at virtually no additional cost. And, if you prefer, they can also offer you an hourly rate instead.

To get started on the interior and exterior choices for your new home, begin by putting together your “idea book”.  This is easily done with a file folder or 3-ring binder; collect magazine and brochure clippings, photos, and swatches of fabric ideas you like.  Don’t hold back, if you like it, tear it out - interiors, exteriors, fireplace surrounds, window coverings, kitchen cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, appliances, carpet, area rugs, wood… the list goes on and on.  More times than not we can achieve the look you like in that photo and probably for less than you think.

Our designers personally meet with you at the beginning of your project and see it through till the last paint color is applied and the final pillow is fluffed.  And, as the Comito Building and Design Client Coordinator, I’ll be there with you for every appointment, color selection, and showroom visit.

Also keep in mind if you prefer not working with an interior designer, I’m happy to work with you to provide expertise, coordinate on all of your selections, keep the project in budget and your ideas and your vision in mind. 

“ Let’s get the team together and start creating!”

At Comito Building and Design, we believe a great home at a fair price and a wonderful experience should be the desired outcome of your custom home building process. As a third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.  We work with many of the top Realtors in the county.  We hope you will consider us as your resource to help you make your Dream home a Reality.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information on the custom home building process or any of our Colorado Springs luxury home sites call us at 719.219.5421 or visit us online at Comito Building and Design.

Last month we talked about the importance of pricing your existing home for a successful sale within the first month it’s on the market.  Another important component for a successful sale is the condition of your home.  It’s important for you to keep in mind that the moment the “FOR SALE” sign goes up in your front yard, this no longer your home but your product to sell – your show room – your model home.

In order to achieve a successful and timely sale you need to give your home a critical look.   These simple tips can help you best prepare your Colorado Springs Home for a successful sale that allows you to move forward with building the Colorado Springs Custom Home of your dreams!

Exterior

 House numbers should be easy to read

 Place lights on timers to ensure the home is lit up after sunset

 Eaves, troughs, and down spouts need to be clean and in good repair

 Make sure the garage/carport clean and tidy

 Pick up litter from around your home and window wells

 Cracked or broken windowpanes need to be replaced

 Doorbell and door hardware should be in good repair

 Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc. 

 Specifically, paint and clean the entry

 Mow, edge and weed the lawn frequently until the home is sold

 Overgrown shrubbery should be cut back to show as much of the exterior as possible

 Plant low-cost seasonal flowers or ground cover to add a touch of color

 Inspect the roof for necessary repairs and any visible broken shingles or tiles

 Fences should be mended and painted

 Wash all windows inside and outside

Interior

 Lights should be on and drapes should be left open during daylight

 Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature with the fireplace lit in cooler weather  and the air conditioner on in warm weather

 Place fresh flowers/plants in various rooms

 Chipped plaster and paint should be touched up and repaired

 Doors and cupboards should be cleaned and properly closed

 Leaky taps and toilets should be repaired

 Replace burned out light bulbs

 Oil squeaky doors

 Mirrors, fixtures, and taps should be cleaned and polished

 Seal or caulk around tubs and basins

 Don’t forget to clean floors and empty the dishwasher and trash containers

 Closets and cupboards should be neat and tidy

 Valuable property should be out of reach, out of sight, or locked away

 Pets need to be absent, where possible, or contained during showings

 All torn screens should be repaired or replaced

Repaint walls if necessary - white or light pastels are the easiest to work with and they make your rooms look larger



Remember what your mother always told you, “You never get a second chance to make a GREAT first impression.”  The approach from the street all the way to the view from the back door must be considered in today’s real estate market.

Talk through the showing experience with your Realtor.  Consider smells/scents, music, temperature, and light.  Remove as many personal items as possible. You don’t want your visitors to be distracted by the hall of your family pictures or the model car collection.  You want them looking at the property NOT your “stuff”

So, price your house appropriately, repair and de-personalize your house, and start packing for your move to the Colorado Springs Custom Home of your dreams! 

At Comito Building and Design, we believe a great home at a fair price and a wonderful experience should be the desired outcome of your custom home building process. As a third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.  We work with many of the top Realtors in the county.  We hope you will consider us as your resource to help you make your Dream home a Reality.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information on the custom home building process or any of our Colorado Springs luxury home sites call us at 719.219.5421 or visit us online at Comito Building and Design.

As you’ve read, Mark and I are building a custom home with Comito Building and Design.  Many of you are familiar with the large, award winning custom homes by Comito Building and Design, but after months of research and planning, Comito Building and Design is excited to now offer smaller custom homes priced from the $700,000s.  Our home is part of this new collection of custom homes designed for homebuyers who are looking for smaller, less expensive custom homes without compromising on individuality, quality, experience, or style. 

As the Marketing Director for Comito Building and Design, it’s always exciting to see the foundation go in and the walls go up but as a homeowner, I have to tell you that the real excitement is just getting started!  In the last few weeks we’ve been busy with interior and exterior selections with Joni Bader (Comito Building and Design’s award winning interior designer) making selections to create a home that’s uniquely ours.  We’ve also met with Home Run Electronics for the wiring of our new home (Mark really loved this meeting).   

While this is very exciting for us, it could also have been a very overwhelming experience if it weren’t for the Comito Building and Design Client Coordinator, Debbie Comito.  Debbie has attended absolutely every appointment with us as we selected the decorative interior features and exterior finishes of our Colorado Springs Custom Home.  Debbie has painlessly guided us through the selection process.  Her extensive product knowledge and her honest approach to our budget have been extremely helpful.  She’s helped us to make good design choices while being mindful of our budget to make sure that the selections we made would provide us with years of lasting enjoyment and financial success. 

To date, we’ve finalized our exterior stone, stucco and paint colors. On the inside, we’ve selected our cabinets, countertops, floor coverings and tile. We could not be more excited - this home will truly be one of a kind and a reflection of our Colorado Contemporary style!

Stay tuned for more and don’t forget to follow our weekly video blog on our home building process and experience!

A third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.

The last time I talked (in my blog) about how the custom home building process starts with the home site.  Now the fun begins - Designing a Colorado Springs custom home to a budget! This task requires an honest and frank discussion with the professionals who are helping bring your dream to reality – your architect (or designer), your builder, and possibly your interior designer.  Oh, and maybe your banker!

Your architect is responsible for translating wants, needs, and dreams into a great design.  She/he is not responsible for meeting your home’s budget.  As your builder we will help with budgetary issues and guidelines throughout the design process. We will weigh in with “ball park” estimates, more efficient ways to achieve the same goals, creativity when asked and advice on materials and techniques.  And most of all – experience. 

Don’t have a builder identified yet?  It’s important to select the right Colorado Springs custom homebuilder from the start.  Remember the part about the architect not being responsible for the budget?  Many of the homes that are designed (without a builder’s assistance and expertise) are never built.  And, the few that do get constructed end up going to the lowest bidder and often still come in over budget.  When it comes to the most expensive and time-consuming purchase of your life, it’s important to remember that the lowest bidder is not always the wisest choice.    Your home needs to be thoughtfully designed and expertly constructed by a team of professionals who will provide you with a home that will give your family comfort, livability, style, and value for years to come. The team approach from the beginning is absolutely the most efficient and cost effective direction for your new custom home. This has been proven to me over and over again during my 30-year career.  Hire good people, establish honest parameters, and build trust. 

Once you’ve identified the right team, you’re ready for the next step(s). Assuming you own or are buying a home site, the first meeting will likely be at the job site.  In Colorado, we are blessed with a variety of home sites that offer views, privacy, trees, and sometimes “interesting” topography.  Typically the design of your dream home and the positioning of your home on the home site will be determined based on optimizing the views, the slope, or the topography of the home site.  Other factors that come into play include the style of the home, design guidelines, covenants, building and zoning codes, availability of utilities, access issues or challenges, soils conditions, etc.

It’s critical that your new home team investigate all the controlling factors before too much design work takes place.  A prime example is the need (often times mandatory) to commission a topographical survey and tree location on a treed home site.

Additionally, most communities and municipalities have height restrictions that are often challenging to meet.  Much depends on the methodology used to calculate height.  It may vary considerably from one jurisdiction to another.  Soils conditions also have a significant impact on the design (and budget) of your new home.  It’s important to know (at least generally) what to expect.  Soils conditions and makeup can vary dramatically from area to area and even from location to location.

Obtaining good information at the outset can save money and eliminate future disappointment. 

At Comito Building and Design, we believe a great home at a fair price and a wonderful experience should be the desired outcome of your custom home building process. As a third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.

“At Comito Building and Design, your have our guarantee that we will keep your home in budget and on schedule. That sounds all well and good you say, but where do we begin?”

I’m Debbie Comito co-owner and client coordinator for Comito Building and Design.  For the past 25 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work hand in hand with hundreds of families to help them pull together their visions to create the custom home of their dreams!  Using our easy to follow home selection guide, we seamlessly break down home selections into an easy to use schedule that the entire team will follow to keep us in budget and on schedule. 

As your client coordinator, I will provide you with all the information, color samples, and pricing necessary during the selections process. Together we will meet with our dedicated trade partners to help you personalize your new custom home to your lifestyle and personality.  I’ll be happy to provide you with as much or as little advise and expertise as you wish as we visit the design center, the lighting store, the stone showroom, the interior designer, the paint store, and more! The process may sound overwhelming but is really quite enjoyable and very rewarding once you see your choices come to life during the construction of your new Colorado Springs custom home. 

Each month (in my blog) I will provide you with an overview of how the process works and give you examples and ideas of how to make this exciting time less stressful and a lot of fun!

            This month I want to focus on one of most common misunderstandings of the process - Why the exterior choices and colors are one of the first decisions to be made.

            In most new home communities, the Architectural Control Committee Board (ACC) will require approval of your exterior selections (including materials and colors) prior to the start of construction.  Additionally, many of these exterior items require longer lead times to order and are actually installed sooner than you think.

            As I said earlier, my primary goal is to help keep this process from becoming overwhelming to you.  To make the exterior selections process easier, I suggest that you keep a simple three ring binder to collect photos, samples, magazine articles, etc. of homes and interiors that appeal to you. 

            To get started on the exterior, I recommend that you drive around various neighborhoods and gather ideas (and photos if possible) of exterior combinations (colors, textures, materials, stone, etc) that appeal to you.  Be sure to write down addresses as well so that we can drive by if needed.

            Be sure to look from the ground up – as you’ll be asked to make decisions from the ground up!  For example, look at roofing materials and colors  - do you prefer coordinating or contrasting the roof color to the soffit and fascia so they

are an accent to one another. 

            Look at the clad (the trim around the windows) color – make note of looks you prefer such as windows that look like they seamlessly blend with the home color or do you prefer a color that will accent your stucco or siding? 

            Pay attention to exterior doors (including garage doors) – remember your front door in the entry into your home and it should reflect your personality as well.  Do you like a painted front door with a bright accent color or does your taste dictate a classic stained wooden door? 

            You may find that as you begin this process, some of the decisions are easy for you to make on your own and others will be challenging as you try to pull them all together to create a cohesive home that stylishly flows from the outside in.  But, not to worry!  That’s where age and experience are a huge benefit – at Comito Building and Design, you aren’t left to these difficult decisions on your own – I’ll be with you throughout the entire process!  Together we’ll take each selection one at a time and then package them together to help you create the home that many only dream of!

            A third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship. 

            If you are interested in obtaining additional information on the custom home building process or any of our Colorado Springs luxury home sites call us at 719.219.5421 or visit us online at Comito Building and Design.  

            Happy Building – Let’s do this together!

You’ve decided you want to take advantage of today’s incredible home buying conditions. You’re excited about the idea of building your dream home every time you watch one of Lauren’s weekly videos. BUT you have a house to sell!  You’ve heard ALL the stories and read ALL the articles that talk about the less than stellar real estate market conditions. BUT, Did you know that over 7300 residential, single-family homes SOLD in El Paso County in 2010!  People are still buying homes of all ages, all styles, and all price ranges!

How are these people getting their houses SOLD?

Pricing…

Pricing your existing home correctly from the very start is the single most important thing that can be done to ensure a successful sale - one that is quick and puts the most money in your pocket.

Homeowners are often tempted to set the initial list price higher than fair market value because they think they can simply lower the price later if the property doesn't sell.  In addition, the expectation is that the offers received will be low. Most people don't realize, however, that setting the price too high in the beginning can drastically increase the time it takes to sell and typically achieves a final sales price that is well below market value.  Low offers will be received at any list price in today’s market conditions.

The higher the list price, the more buyers will automatically exclude your property from consideration. By pricing your property at fair market value, you increase the number of potential buyers and offers that can be considered.

A listing generates intense interest during its first two weeks on the market, but activity drops dramatically in the third week and beyond - subsequent price reductions notwithstanding. A property that is priced too high will not get the necessary attention during this critical period of peak activity.

Some buyers are wary of price-reduced property, thinking something might be wrong with it or that it may still be priced too high.  This, including extended days on market, may even show distress.

Statistics clearly indicate that the longer a property is on the market, the lower the final sale price will be. Properties that sell in the first four weeks typically achieve the closest sale price to their fair market value. This discount increases every week thereafter! By pricing your home correctly from the start, you greatly increase your chances of selling your home faster and for more money.

Choose a Realtor with the knowledge and experience to choose the best list price for your property.

Comito Building and Design works with many of the top Realtors in the county.  Building throughout the Pikes Peak Region, consider us as your resource to help you make your Dream home a Reality.

A third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information on the custom home building process or any of our Colorado Springs luxury home sites call us at 719.219.5421 or visit us online at Comito Building and Design. 

After months of planning and pricing in the Design Build Process, our new custom home in Colorado Springs is well underway.  As homeowners, we are excited to stop by our home site and see our home (which is in the framing stage) starting to take shape.  The excavation, foundation and backfill are all complete, and the framers are busy building the main level walls. On the other side of the process, as the Colorado Springs custom homebuilder, we’re excited to set roof trusses by the end of this week so we can get the home dried-in and protected from the winter weather which seems to be hitting this Colorado Springs custom home site every week! 

This part of the process, has been the most exciting so far – now that the walls are framed, we can actually see how our home will look, how the rooms will layout, and our actual views from every window in our new home in Colorado Springs. We can now envision our life in our home - entertaining guests, holidays with family and friends, kids and dogs in the backyard. This is what home is really about and this stage really brings the design we created to life.

Stay tuned for our view on the building process with Comito Building and Design.

A third generation Colorado Springs Custom Home Builder, Comito Building and Design has been designing and crafting award winning Colorado Springs custom homes since 1983.  Our luxury homes in Colorado Springs are synonymous with extraordinary design, quality, and innovation.  Our team creates homes that are a solid investment for our families who live in them and a testimony to our creativity and craftsmanship.