Many claim to be the most efficient among luxury home builders not just in Arizona, but also in other parts of the United States. What qualifies a home builder for such a title? The premier Arizona luxury home builder, Dorn Homes, gives pointers on what a home buyer should look for in a luxury home builder.

• Unlike average homes, building luxury homes requires double the effort, time, and money. As such, a true luxury home builder constructs only a few luxury homes per year.

• An expert luxury home builder follows a unique set of plans for one particular home. They should be able to work well with architects.

• The subcontractors and the entire contracting team should understand the goals and desired final output to avoid any communication problems and misunderstandings.

• Contractors should be able to provide at least three references and these should not be overstated. Try to call each of these to have a better judgment of the contractor you are considering.

• Personally check the previous works of the contractors and pay attention to the details for you to be able to assess if they are capable of building the home you have in mind.

• It will also be best to contact the Better Business Bureau as they give overall ratings for contractors. They can also provide you with a list of complaints regarding certain contractors.

• Look for cooperative builders with whom you can establish a good working relationship with as it will be beneficial if you feel at ease and if you keep the communication lines open.

• Make sure that you will be updated with the progress of the home construction and schedule on-site meetings. A good custom home builder is confident enough to not be intimidated by client visits.

If you are still uncertain about what makes for an efficient home builder, look for builders that have already established their reputation. As the most recognized and acclaimed among Arizona custom home builders, Dorn Homes does not only possess these ideal characteristics, but exceeds them. Dorn-built homes in Tucson, Tubac, Green Valley, and Prescott are stylish, comfortable, convenient, and energy efficient.

Purchasing a home is a big step for most of us. It is something that requires a lot of time and thought because it involves many things. The decision making process is crucial and first time home buyers need all the help they can get to achieve their dream homes. Dorn Homes, the best home builder in Arizona, shares a few tips for inexperienced home buyers.

• Inform yourself – Arming yourself with some knowledge can aid you in understanding the terms and processes involved in home building. Knowing some home building jargons can help you clarify things more easily with your architect, contractor or home builder.

• Plan your budget – The budget is crucial in making your dream home a reality, so know how much you can afford from the onset. Make sure you have a contingency budget apart from the main budget to cover for other unplanned expenses. If planning to get a mortgage, make sure you have a good credit score; the higher the credit score, the lower the interest rate will be. Make copies of your credit report and verify the information.

• Study the mortgages available – Choose wisely and know which one is ideal for you. The fixed-rate mortgage is usually ideal for those planning to live in their new home for a long period of time. Only a minimal interest needs to be paid since it is stretched over time. Adjustable-rate mortgages, on the other hand, have interest-rate risks because the loan is at a low rate. Moreover, the rate needed to be paid changes according to a set formula as interest rates fluctuate on the open market.

• Choose your home location wisely – Buying a home near schools and other facilities will help you boost your property values when you want to sell your home. It would also make your life easier because such conveniences are easily accessible.

As long as you put your mind into it and make the commitment to realizing your dream home, you can make it happen. Make good use of the available resources and don’t hesitate to seek the help of experts like Dorn Homes. Dorn Homes is one of the most commendable home builders in Green Valley and other major locations in Arizona. Many clients and award giving bodies have recognized the service and quality work that goes into new construction homes in Prescott, new construction homes in Tucson, new construction homes in Tubac, and new construction homes in Green Valley built by Dorn Homes.

Just about everyone dreams about buying a home. If you are one of those who are on the verge of realizing this dream, take a moment to read this article.

The design of the house may be crucial, but there are other important matters you need to consider before you take the plunge. Dorn Homes, a premier Arizona new home builder, shares pointers on a few things you should consider before buying a home:

• Choose between a new home or pre-owned home – Both options come with their share of advantages and disadvantages. To make the final decision, you will need to weigh the consequences of your choice to see which option will best fit your needs.

• Be inquisitive – If there are items that need clarification, ask questions. Make sure you fully understand the details about the offer price, location, and condition of the home, especially if it is pre-owned. The price is a critical factor in making your decision especially if you are working within a limited budget. Try to negotiate and see if you and the seller can come to an agreement. Apart from the price, it is important to assess the accessibility and condition of the home. It is also a good idea to gather some information about the previous owners if the house is pre-owned.

• Do your research – Explore the area and get to know your neighbors. Since you will be spending a huge chunk of your time in your future home, it is important that you feel comfortable about the place from the onset. You will also get a better grasp of the culture and traditions of the place by interacting with its current residents.

Remember that buying a home is a decision that should be taken seriously. However, it does not have to be such a difficult process if you have the right people to help you out. Dorn Homes, the most reliable among AZ new home builders, offers only stylish, comfortable, convenient, and energy efficient custom homes in Arizona. Dorn-built new Homes in Tucson, Homes in Tubac,  Homes in Green Valley, and Homes in Prescott are strategically located in established communities. Apart from its quality workmanship, Dorn Homes is recognized for the great service it provides, making it the most trusted among new home builders in Arizona.

It’s easy enough to picture your dream home. It’s another thing altogether to translate that dream into reality, especially where budget is involved. Sometimes you have to make compromises to be able to stick to your budget. Not everyone is a fan of compromise. But you need to know that as long as you know how to manage your budget, you would not have to give up a lot of things. Dorn Homes, a premier Arizona luxury home builder, shares a few tips on controlling home building costs and making the most out of your budget.

• Plan – Take time to put down your plans on paper. Planning helps minimize last minute changes, which can be costly. Making a plan in advance also gives you sufficient time to look for the best deals for appliances, tiles, and furniture. Being able to browse and explore your options can give you a better idea on what you want and what they will cost.

• Design – When it comes to the size of your home, working with even numbers and having your home size rounded up or down to increments of 2 feet helps reduce wasted materials. It is also best to stick with rounder shapes because more corners and angles will increase the amount of labor and materials needed.

• Have a contingency budget – In case cost overruns occur, having a 5-10% contingency fund in your budget can help you cover for unexpected changes in the cost of items.

• Fully understand the contract – It’s important to have a solid grasp of every agreement stipulated in the contract. This way, you will be able to stay on top of the project.

• Communicate – Talk to your contractor and provide specifics on every detail of your home. Keep the contractor informed about any changes you want to ensure that you are always on the same page. It would be best to have a written record of all these things, so that you can easily refer to the documentation when the need arises.

• Start and end things right – The start and end of the home building process are the two most likely times when you will encounter cost overruns. The first occurs because you won’t know what is under the ground until you begin excavation. The latter is because you will typically select furnishings, appliances, and other finishing touches only at the end of the process. To avoid this trend, make a solid plan and set a budget then stick to them.

Apart from planning and budgeting, it would also be a wise decision to go for the most reliable among home builders in Arizona. Dorn Homes can help you achieve your new Arizona custom home stress free and you can be guaranteed that your Dorn-built custom home in Arizona will be stylish, convenient, comfortable, and energy efficient.

People relocate for different reasons. Sometimes, they choose to move to a new place because of work. Other times, they simply want change. With so many locations in different states to choose from, how do you narrow down your choices to just one?

You may have different reasons for choosing a place, but it’s important to go for a location that best fits your wants, needs, and lifestyle. For instance, people who enjoy lots of sun and warmth would feel most at home in the western and southern part of the country. And if culture and outdoor adventure are what you seek, then you should consider settling down in a new home in Green Valley, Arizona.

Green Valley has often been included in the lists of best places to live in Arizona. It is particularly popular among retirees and the active adult community. New homes are regularly built in Green Valley because of the growing interest in Green Valley real estate. The community attracts a lot of home buyers because of the friendly and active atmosphere. Residents also have unlimited access to wholesome and fun activities all year round.

There are numerous country clubs and parks with golf courses, ball courts, spas, swimming pools, hiking trails, birding areas, picnic sites, fishing areas and boating sites. Hikers and equestrians enjoy the popular Anza Trail, which follows the route of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza II. The trail also promotes the preservation of local historical culture. Nature lovers would love Green Valley’s wildlife which includes a variety of animals such as coyotes, foxes, moles, groundhogs, birds, and so much more.

Of course, the weather and scenic sights also contribute to making Green Valley a great place to call home. With warm temperatures throughout the year, individuals who used to live in colder areas are attracted to Green Valley.

The abundant servings of sunshine and unlimited outdoor fun makes Green Valley the ideal place for outdoorsy folks and those who dream of retiring in a peaceful, yet active town. In 2011, ehow.com named this amazing town as one of the “10 Best Cities in Arizona to Live In,” describing Green Valley as “the perfect place to retire.”

To maximize the great living experience that Green Valley offers, go for the most reliable among home builders in Green Valley, AZ. Dorn Homes offers stylish, convenient, comfortable, and energy efficient custom homes in Green Valley. Home buyers looking for the best options in the market would definitely appreciate the work that goes into Dorn-built new homes in Green Valley.

Green Valley, AZ – This coming Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21-22, Dorn Homes and Fairfield Homes will have their Grand Opening celebration of Solterra, a joint venture of the two Arizona home builders, at 690 ObservationTrail, Green Valley.

This joint Green Valley real estate venture allows the two Green Valley home builders to showcase their expertise and standards. Fairfield is known for high quality homes while Dorn Homes is adept in energy efficiency.

The celebration will be held from 9 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon and will be open to the public. There will be model home tours, food, and beverages.

Solterra is a community by Fairfield Homes constructed by Dorn Homes. This active adult community’s name wasderived from the Spanish words “sol” meaning sun and “tierra” meaning earth. Solterra features four1,400-1,991square foot floor plans priced from the mid $100,000s.

The new homes of this new Green Valley community were strategically arranged for maximum enjoyment of the scenic views of the Santa Rita Mountains upon sunrise and sunset.

Dorn’s Building Science maximizes energy efficiency and exceeds the U.S. Government’s Energy Star Program standards.

The new homes in Solterra Green Valley include memberships to Green Valley Recreation, which features more than $18 million worth of facilities including 12 recreational centers, fitness centers, spas, swimming pools, andracquetball and tennis courts.

Custom homes are generally perceived as a luxury that not everyone can afford. In reality, however, owning a custom home is easier than most people think. So what does owning a custom home entail? Dorn Homes, the trusted home builder of custom homes in Arizona, shares some tips on custom home building.

Find an architect and a home builder you can trust. People in search of homes with more character or with more efficient features should look into custom home plans. A custom home is not too difficult to achieve if you work with an experienced architect and a trusted home builder. With the right tools and reliable people on board, your dream home is within your reach.
Set your budget. The next step in building your custom home is setting your budget. Take your needs and financial constraints into consideration. It’s true that customizing a home is often more costly than settling for a standard home. However, achieving your dream home is doable as long as you know how to maximize your budget. If you make smart decisions, you can attain the home you want without breaking the bank. The costs of building a custom home depends on what kinds of materials you end up choosing, so it would definitely be pricier if you opt for expensive things. The best way to save is to set a budget and to stick with it.

Know your priorities. It’s easy to get carried away with all the options available when you’re designing your custom home. But once you stick to your budget, it will be easier to say no to certain features you don’t necessarily need. Another important step in building your custom home is knowing your priorities. Since you can’t have everything, knowing what matters most to you can help narrow down your options. It will also be helpful to keep in mind that the interior of the house is ultimately more important than the exterior. You will be spending more time inside the house, so it’s best to prioritize features that would ensure a comfortable living space.

Building a custom home does not have to be a difficult experience. Premier Arizona luxury home builder Dorn Homes helps make the process easier for clients by allowing them to make pre-engineered changes to their home’s floor plan. Dorn’s sales representatives assist clients in altering the plan or adding features to suit clients’ preferences. If an extra car garage, a side load garage, a home office, an entertainment room or even changes in the home exterior is needed, Dorn’s team of experts will be there to help.

A Dorn-built new custom home in Arizona typically has high ceilings, post tension raft slabs, interior beams, and real wood interior doors. But these features can easily be modified to meet the design and budget requirements of the clients. Dorn Homes works with the clients in planning and building the perfect home while managing the cost at the same time.
Considering the time, money, and other resources you will invest into your custom home, it’s important to make the right decisions from the onset. So keep these tips in mind and make sure that you will go for a trusted AZ new home builder like Dorn Homes to avoid hassles, scams, and regrets in the end.

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A Dorn-built home is a re-engineered American home that allows homeowners to enjoy financial, health, and environmental benefits. Its 10-year extended warranty gives homeowners the assurance and peace of mind they need.

The Dorn Building Science method uses a holistic approach in the design and construction of new homes in Arizona. We consider the physical location, climate, community, and accessibility of every home we build in order to incorporate the Dorn Building Science method. Dorn Homes aims to maximize four important components to create stylish, comfortable, convenient, and energy efficient new homes in Arizona.
Energy Savings – All Dorn-built homes are 53-70% more energy efficient than average pre-existing homes. A Dorn home scores between 48 and 61 on the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) scale, which is a scoring system set by the Residential Energy Services Network to measure a home’s energy efficiency and determine if it meets Energy Star guidelines. A home with a lower HERS score is more energy efficient. In financial terms, a Dorn home could save you $12,000 to $20,000 over an ownership period of 10 years when compared to a typical pre-existing home.

Performance – Dorn-built homes make use of highly efficient appliances, including an Energy Star dishwasher and compact fluorescent light bulbs that use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Oversized dual pane, low E, vinyl high performance windows give great views of the scenic outdoors while preventing heat and ultra-violet (UV) rays from passing through the glass and preventing furniture fading due to sun damage. The windows reduce energy loss by 30-50%, keeping the home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They also provide superior acoustic performance by reducing noise transfer. The solar hot water systems, high-endurance PEX plumbing water lines, and water conserving toilets, faucets and shower heads contribute to the overall energy efficient performance of a Dorn home.
Health – Because of the Fresh Air Intake and Full Home Ventilation System, a Dorn home creates and maintains healthy fresh air. During framing, jump ducts and/or transfer grills are installed in all of the sleeping rooms to act as a pressure valve. Some Dorn-built homes include a separate return vent for the master bedroom suite. The grills and vents result to pressure relief in bedrooms when doors are closed. This prevents doors from slamming when heating and cooling systems are turned on and eliminates extreme temperatures in the rooms because of poor air flow. The ventilation system also maintains a balanced pressure that prevents unconditioned air from being drawn in.

Comfort – A Dorn home’s Spray Foam Insulation System extends up to the roof deck and seals the building 25 times better than standard insulation. The system reduces leaks, drafts, and wasted energy. The exterior wall insulation features cellulose recycled blown-in Spray Foam insulation, creating a perfect blanket around your home so it’s quieter, cleaner, and more comfortable. Complementing the insulation system are programmable thermostats. These reduce energy use by adjusting the temperature according to a series of programmed settings that take effect at different times of the day.

The home building science Dorn Homes follows has earned the nod of countless homeowners who are simply proud of their homes. Because of its dedication to the science of home building, Dorn Homes is recognized as the top choice among Arizona new home builders. If you are looking for a reliable home builder, trust only the best among custom home builders in Arizona.

The number one home builder in Prescott, AZ—Dorn Homes—provides home buyers with great options for beautiful homes in Prescott and in other premier locations of Arizona. One such home development is the master-planned community of Prescott Lakes in Central Arizona. Ideal for outdoor-loving individuals, the homes feature designs that complement the surrounding environment. For Prescott Lakes, Dorn Homes offers three model home plans that are stylish, comfortable, convenient, and energy efficient.

• Pine Hurst is a 1,713 square feet 3-room home that has two bathrooms, a covered patio, and two garages. This efficiently planned home carries a simple yet tasteful design that would cater to both the whims and practical needs of homeowners.
• Augusta is a 1,900 square feet 3-room home with two bathrooms, a toilet, a covered patio, and two garages. It features an elegant design that would delight any homeowner.
• Spy Glass is a 2,163 square feet 3-room home that has two bathrooms, a toilet, a covered patio, and two garages. This master-planned home carries a chic design that would impress anyone.

If Prescott Lakes caters to the outdoorsy types, the latest home development from Dorn Homes is created with the indoor hobbyists in mind. The new community, Brookside, has 73 with Energy Star homes measuring 1,700 to 2,200 square feet. The new construction homes in Prescott may be modified to include unique add-ons like golf cart garages, basements, or guest casitas. The added features can expand homes to as much as 3,000 square feet, making them the ideal choice for custom homes in Prescott.

Like Prescott Lakes residents, Brookside residents will have full access to the Prescott Lakes Athletics Club. The 2,000 square foot state-of-the-art club offers sport courts, swimming pools, and a trail system. Also available for an extra fee is the 18-hole golf course designed by three-time U.S. Open winner Hale Irvin. Come early 2012, a new golf club will open for Prescott Lakes and Brookside residents.

Like other Dorn Homes communities, Brookside offers two- and three-bedroom single-story Energy Star homes with high-efficiency heating, cooling, and piping systems. Brookside is yet another proof of the efforts that Dorn Homes puts into its craft. This trusted Prescott AZ home builder strives to create homes that clients will love.

Developed by Dorn Homes, Arizona’s new home builder, Brookside has 73 lots allocated for energy-efficient, single-family floor plans that range from 1,700 to 2,200 square feet. Homeowners have the option of adding special features like golf cart garages, oversize showers, basements and guest casitas. Exterior elevations come in both Craftsman and Prairie styles. The neighborhoods’ two bedroom, single-story Energy Star homes, equipped with high efficiency heating and cooling systems to further reduce utility costs, are priced from the low $200,000s.

To help prospective home buyers design their homes, two decorated models are available on-site, says Jim Gunby, vice president of sales and marketing at Dorn Homes, which builds homes in various parts of Arizona like Prescott, Tucson, Green Valley, Tubac and Oro Valley. The first model features a customized garage and workshop, while the other highlights a den that has been converted into a wine-making and tasting room. Other optional features homeowners can add include putting greens and fire pits in the backyard.

Brookside is ideal for active retirees because the houses combine hobby spaces and 360-degree mountain views. As Gunby notes, “Our Arizona homes are made to bring indoor and outdoor together. This is a very outdoor community—lots of hiking and biking, golf, softball and tennis, plus we’ve got sunshine so many days of the year.”

However, Brookside also has a lot to offer those who prefer a low, slow, and relaxed lifestyle. The area has a mild four season climate, the Old West charm of nearby Prescott and a highly rated regional medical center.

Brookside likewise offers residents with exciting benefits including free membership to the Prescott Lakes Athletic Club and its swimming pools, sport courts and trail system. Residents also have the option of paying an extra fee for the use of an 18-hole golf course designed by three-time U.S. Open winner Hale Irvin. A new golf club is also in the works and is slated for an early 2012 opening.

Prescott effectively combines a relaxation with an active lifestyle, making it an ideal place to live. A lot of people have primary and secondary homes in Prescott. Secondary homes abound because many would like to relax in the mild winters of Prescott. Dorn Homes, one of the best home builders in Prescott, offers incredible new homes in Prescott Lakes.