Nailing It - Wonderland Homes

One of the most fun and stressful stages of the homebuying process can be going to the design studio. Lesley Hodges from Saddleback Design sat down with us to share advice with buyers and people looking to spruce up their home. 360 Discussion History of Saddleback Design 2019 Design Trends How to Come Prepared to the Design Center Bringing Your Home Up to Current Trends Resources for Design Ideas “Nightmare” Stories? Fire Round: What does “character” mean to you? What makes a house a good home? Any hobbies outside of new homes/design? Most memorable new home story? Final words of advice? Episode Links: https://www.gosaddleback.com/

If there’s one word that defines Wonderland Homes, it’s “character.” To us, character refers not only to the aesthetic appeal and quality of design and materials that go into our homes; it’s also about the integrity in which we conduct our business. Wonderland architect and homeowner, Seth Hart, joined us to talk about what it takes to design our homes. 360 Discussion Our history with DTJ Design What it’s like to live in a home that you designed The process of designing a collection of homes Most challenging/rewarding part of the process Places for architects to find inspiration/ideas Architecture trends in 2019 Advice for new buyers Fire Round Hobbies outside of the housing industry Most memorable new home story Final words of advice Check Out Some of Seth’s Designs: Quail Creek: wonderlandhomes.com/broomfield/quail-creek 47th Avenue Row Homes: wonderlandhomes.com/stapleton/47th-avenue-row-homes Downtown Superior: wonderlandhomes.com/superior/live-downtown Contact DTJ: dtjdesign.com

We’re just a few days away from Christmas, so we wanted to spend another episode highlighting a phenomenal organization that we partner with each year. Beth Forbes from the Home Builders Foundation stopped by to talk about how the group helps give people a new chance at life. 360 Discussion What the Home Builders Foundation does Current projects Most memorable story How can people help or get involved Help support the Home Builder’s Foundation: https://hbfdenver.org/ Blitz Build: https://bit.ly/2R3aD7C Bathroom Remodel: https://bit.ly/2EzcjQB      

We believe that buying a brand-new home comes with great benefits. This includes saving on your monthly expenses through energy efficiency. Todd Gamboa from Building Trust LLC came on the show to educate us on the benefits of energy efficiency in today’s market. 360 Discussion What does “building science” mean? What’s the difference between a home built to code and an Energy Star Certified home? What questions should buyers expect to learn about building science when they walk into a new home sales office? Misconceptions homeowners have regarding high-performance homes What’s a HERS score? How to save on energy costs with an old home Fire Round Where are you from? Hobbies? What does “character” mean to you? Most memorable new home story? Final words of advice on our topic of the day? Contact Todd Gamboa: https://www.buildingtrustllc.org/

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} Buying a brand-new home can be daunting, especially if it's your first time walking into a sales office. Wonderland Sales Consultant, Andrea Sederberg, sat down with us to share some helpful tips for buyers.   360 Discussion What buyers should expect when they walk into a sales office What the home buying process is like Questions buyers should be asking a sales agent Common misconceptions buyers have regarding the new home process Fire Round Best buyer story Worst buyer story? Word of advice to buyers

As members of the real estate industry, we’re trying to build more than homes. We’re also trying to help build communities. One of the ways we do that is by supporting HomeAid Colorado. Amanda Genakos joined us to talk about the amazing organization. 360 Discussion What is HomeAid? What does the organization do? Who does it help? Current projects? How can people help or get involved? Most memorable story? Episode Links Help support homeless families in our community: https://bit.ly/2ScSfX1 (VIDEO) Ronald Collins’ Story: https://youtu.be/ItxCTGTyEsc (VIDEO) Collecting 60,000 Diapers for Families: https://youtu.be/Bd51DB-o8Dg (VIDEO) Donating Diapers at Mile High Stadium: https://youtu.be/_La0yyPq2OY

Podcast Episode #8 Web Here at Wonderland, we recently went through a complete website redesign. It was no easy task, but we learned a lot of lessons and we’re thrilled with the final product. Web designer and owner of Essentia Web Works, Melodi Sheppard, sat down with us to share how to avoid common pitfalls during a site redesign. 360 Discussion When you should consider building a website Where to start when building a new website Where companies can get ideas from Top elements that you need to have on the page Major website trends Best development tools Tips for a brand-new company on a budget Easiest ways to improve a site that’s already built Fire Round How many sites have you built? Average time to build a site? Favorite project? Worst project? Check out Essentia Web Works essentiawebworks.com info@essentiawebworks.com 720.210.9635

New homes can be expensive, but there are a lot of misconceptions about how much money companies actually make. Andrew Slump, Wonderland Vice President of Finance, sits down with Mike and Garrett to reveal how builders price their homes. 360 Discussion What goes into pricing a home? Master planned communities – pricing segmentation Misconceptions from social media – inflating prices Where we make our money Why don’t we have pricing wars Why we can’t just discount a home General profit margin? Visit us at wonderlandhomes.com

Home builders strive to construct a home free of defects. However, mistakes are occasionally made or something may not perform as intended. In this episode, Mike and Garrett sit down with Wonderland Vice President and Warranty Expert, Derek Peterson, to talk about questions you should be asking your builder. 360 Discussion Regarding warranty – what’s the first thing you should ask any builder when buying a home? Different types of warranties? What do they usually cover? Appliances? HVAC, doors, plumbing, electrical? Are their “official” warranty guidelines? How do you determine if something is warrantable? How do you hold your builder accountable? Can you dispute a builder’s decision to deny a claim? Who does the repairs? Who pays for a home warranty? Buyer or seller? Fire Round Best warranty story – good or bad? Most challenging warranty item? Top maintenance items homeowners neglect? A good resource for home maintenance tips: https://bit.ly/2Dr4NXk

We’re all feeling it. The housing marketing is starting to soften. So what are some online tools to help your home sell faster? In this episode, Mike and Garrett chat with marketing expert and awesome guy, Andrew Peek, from Do You Convert. 360 Discussion • Andrew tells us about his experience helping to sell his home • How to find a good Realtor • Things you can do to help generate leads • Why Facebook ads work • How much should you spend? • How to create a Facebook ad • Best practices for social media • Tips on taking great photos • Does video matter? Fire Round • Favorite phone app • Best advertising tool • Favorite type of house to sell   Contact Andrew on Instagram: @theaddoctor Blogs and Marketing Tips: doyouconvert.com Check out Wonderland Homes: wonderlandhomes.com

Everyone wants to make their home look like a model, but can you do it on a budget? Mike and Garrett sit down with designer, Christine Di Annie, to talk about practical ways to make your home look better. 360 Discussion • What are the current trends? • Where do you get your ideas to stay up to date? • Practical places to start with bringing your home up to current trends • Resources for finding design ideas • Where are some good places to look for furniture and wall art? • The easiest way to make your home look like a professional did it? Fire Round • How much individual vs. builder work do you do? • Favorite home you’ve designed • Favorite part of a model home to design? • Fun projects outside of homes? • What was the fastest install you’ve ever done? • Any funny stories from the past? • Most challenging project? • How much time do you typically put in from start to finish for a model home? Christine’s Work for Wonderland • Sterling Ranch • Quail Creek • The Lakes at Centerra • Freedom • Prominence • Prospect Photos: www.wonderlandhomes.com/kick-things-off-with-a-little-inspiration Jones Design Group: www.jonesdesigngroupinc.com

A lot goes into building our homes, but what helps the project go smoothly? Mike and Garrett sit down and talk with star Project Manager, Jake Nedelea. 360 Discussion • What would you tell a first-time home buyer who is building their first home? • What can your buyers do to make the process go more smoothly? • What’s the #1 most asked question that you get? • What should people be alarmed about if they see on a job site? • Basic questions you should be asking your Project/Construction Manager through the process • What’s your favorite memory working with a new home buyer • Worst experience on a job site Website: wonderlandhomes.com

Photos are key to buying and selling a home, but how do you make one really stand out? Garrett and Mike sit down with photographer, Eric Lucero, to talk about his experience of shooting homes for builders and Realtors. 360 Discussion • How are builders underutilizing their images? • What are some ways people can better use photos? • Photography trends and where the "look" is going • What sets homes/builders apart from one another when it comes to photography • Stills vs video debate • Finding a great photographer • Tips on staging and preparing your home for photos • Funny stories on traveling to shoot for new home builders Eric’s Website:  www.ericlucerophoto.com Eric’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericlucerophoto/?hl=en

You can buy a new-construction home without a Realtor, but should you? How are they paid? Garrett and Mike talk with Mariel Ross about her experience as a realtor and working with builders. 360 Discussion • Do I really need a realtor when buying new construction? • How does a Realtor get paid? • How to best utilize a Realtor during the new home buying/construction process • What is the best way to find a qualified Realtor for new construction Fire Round • New construction vs. resale • Can a Realtor save you money • Interesting/favorite experiences working with a homebuilder • What is a situation that you’ve experienced that it was a benefit for the buyer for you to be involved? Contact Mariel Ross: www.focus-realtors.com Stapleton Scoop: www.stapletonscoop.com Sterling Ranch Roundup: www.sterlingranchroundup.com

We’re seeing more master planned communities pop up across Colorado, but are they worth all that they are cracked up to be? Are they worth the money? Garrett and Mike share their experiences of building and living in master planned communities. History • Planned communities date back to 1695. St. Augustine, Florida was the very first planned community in the United States. • Plans are meant to encourage recreation and create a sense of community. • Cities like Philadelphia, Albany, Williamsburg, Annapolis, New York City started as master planned communities. • Stapleton Denver made the U.S. top 10 for master planned communities in 2017: https://www.denverpost.com/2018/01/08/stapleton-denver-makes-top-10-list/ Pros vs Cons • Pro: Nearby amenities and services • Con: Not all goods and services within easy reach • Pro: HOA regulation keeps the community looking great • Con: Less freedom for decorating and design • Pro: Socializing • Con: Possibly less privacy • Pro: The chance to be involved • Con: Higher fee: • Pro: Don’t have to cut grass/take care of snow removal Story Time • Garrett talks about this experience of living in Stapleton • Mike talks about people wearing hazmat suits while protesting a new Colorado development Nailing It: A weekly homebuilder podcast featuring stories, tips and tricks to help you nail your real estate goals.

This week we sit down with our loan expert, Laura Morrissey, to talk about mortgages and what you need to know before taking out a home loan. How to apply for a loan: 1) Finding the best lender – pros/cons 2) All online – easy 3) What items will be required? 4) How to compare rates/lenders 5) Down payment & closing costs – what should you be saving 6) Why not to overstress Myths about applying for a mortgage: 1) Affects your credit report every time? 2) Rates are locked on day one Tips - things not to do while building a home: 1) Applying for new credit 2) Big purchases 3) Job/life changes Stories about interesting situations: 1) Being in the marijuana business and getting a loan 2) Other crazy stories from Laura’s career Question of the week: What do you want to know about mortgages? Laura's Website: http://www.lauramorrissey.com/  

This week we explain some of the top things to watch out for when moving. We also explain why some people may want to buy a move-in ready home instead of building from dirt.