They also note that housing is more affordable now than it has been at any time in the last four decades. Click Here to see the Best Cities

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In any case if you are going to grill regularly, you need to cook more than just steaks, hot dogs, or burgers on the grill.  Those traditional grill meals taste great but they get old it you eat them all the time.  If your family likes fish, Salmon is easy. We usually purchase Salmon and leave the skin on.  Grill it skin side up to keep it moist then turn it and when the fish fats hit the flame I burn the skin off.  Not only does it taste great, but the flames produced with keep you hopping.  Salmon oil and Salmon skin really burn well.  That methods works great if my wife makes holandaise sauce. We also barbecue our salmon with a Ketchup, Mustard and soy sauce and have cooked it on Cedar Planks as well (as long as I think far enough ahead to soak them so honestly it doesn’t happen very often).

Baked potatoes and Zucchini are also a popular favorite at our house.  First we nuke the potatoes and the zucchini in the microwave then we oil them with olive oil and coat just the potato’s in sea salt.  Grill and turn as needed.  I was never big on eating the entire potato, skin and all, but when it’s cooked this way I can’t resist eating the entire thing.

If you have the time and your grill will allow a low temperature  and indirect heat, beef brisket is a great choice.  You don’t have to live in Texas to appreciate smoked beef brisket.  Just some time, some pre-soaked Hickory chips (unless you own a real smoker but if so you already know this stuff), a grill that will keep the temperature down in the 175 F to 225 F range some spices for a good rub and you’re good to go.  Look for a brisket with a serious piece of fat on the top and cook it fat side up.

Believe it or not Sandwiches can be great grilled. I just found a Smoked Turkey Sandwich recipe on the Weber Grill Site .  take a look at the link this is a grilled sandwich with caramelized onions and blue cheese on grilled bread.  Weber is not the only place to find great grilling recipe’s.  There is a great recipe for Pizza from All Recipes.com. Fact is you can cook almost anything with the possible exception of Pasta and baked deserts better on a grill than you can in the oven.    I have yet to find a killer grilled lasagna recipe yet but that doesn’t mean it’s not out there.

So find a new recipe that sounds good, break out your favorite beverage (you have to stay hydrated you know) and try something new on the grill tonight.  Oh, and one more thing, your friends that live in apartment complexes and aren’t allowed to have a grill on their balcony, invite them over so they can enjoy some great food and good company.  They’ll appreciate it and learn the grill is good for more than just burgers and steaks.

Enjoy!

According to a recent blog by Tara Nicholle Nelson, a broker in the San Francisco area on Trulia.com, there are still opportunities in this area. In her blog, entitled “5 Secret Sources of Down Payment Money”, she lists possible sources for down payment assistance. Some of these include local government programs, your employer, parents/relatives, budget evaluation and even borrowing against your assets. The city of Jacksonville, Florida, for example, has a program called “Head Start to Homeownership” (H2H), that offers up to $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible families/individuals who are interested in buying a home.  Another popular program available is certain areas is the USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Housing Loan Program, which provides up to 100% financing for qualified buyers.  These opportunities and others are helping first time homebuyers take advantage of historically low home prices and interest rates.

Historically Low Rates Buy Today!

Currently the Freddie Mac Weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey Rate on a 30 year fixed mortgage is 3.83%, one of the lowest rates in over 40 years. Along with home prices hovering around 2003 levels, the opportunity to own a home has never been more affordable. These historic prices and rates, coupled with down payment assistance, can be just what the first time homebuyer needs to attain their goals of homeownership.

Maronda Homes has long been a champion of the first time homebuyer. Since 1972, they have been building quality affordable homes in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. These homes have offered an “Easily Observable Better Value” to homebuyers by providing “more home for less money”, while delivering a quality product specifically designed to optimize energy efficiency and low maintenance. Its signature concrete block homes offer strength and durability as well as provide savings on energy and insurance costs. Maronda has always been on the cutting edge of technology in its design and integrated material purchasing and distribution systems.

Maronda Homes has also been popular with first time homebuyers because of its ability to help its customers obtain affordable financing and down payment assistance. Maronda Homes is a fully accredited and approved FHA, VA, and USDA builder. It’s relationships with lenders who offer many of these loan programs have made this possible.

If you are considering a new home purchase and do not think you can because you do not have the down payment, stop into one of Maronda’s sales centers today. They have licensed real estate agents on staff as well as licensed loan officers available to help you get started.

No. 9 Cincinnati, Ohio

Rankings (of 100 largest metros):
Median Income: 44 Cost of Living Index: 24 Housing Affordability: 13 Commuting: 36 Pct. Owning Homes: 68 (64%) Crime: 30 Education: 8
No real weak spots here – upper half of the country in every category but home ownership percentage

This is Great News for Cincinnati, as a city that is filled with such pride and steeped so deeply in tradition landing on a list in Forbes is a tremendous honor in itself, but to then be in the Top 10 out of a 100 as one of the best places to raise a family!, that says a lot about this great city. Most people here would say it’s the only place to raise a family. So hat’s off to Cincinnati for such a great accomplishment.

Maronda Homes, came to Cincinnati 6 years ago with that same belief of family and tradition, we are a family owned business and have been in doing business sense 1972. Be sure to check out just a few of  Maronda Homes locations that are close to the city. And keep in mind that these communities are offering a 10 year tax abatement as well, so I would really encourage taking a look!

Village of  St. Bernard

Virginia Place

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The Village at Harmony Junction also offers convenient access to both the local towns of Zelienople and Harmony, PA, as well as access to I-79 only a half mile from its homeowner’s doorsteps. This gives the Village at Harmony Junction a direct line to the bustling interior of upscale Cranberry Township and the many shops, stores, and restaurants that have opened their doors in the area.  The convenience of the community is in the easy accessibility to major roadways, downtown Pittsburgh, and the rest of the Greater Pittsburgh area, all at the fingertips of Harmony Junction home owners.

New construction at the community is zooming along, and a new set of St. Matthew units will soon become available for prospective homeowners who are looking to invest in a community with such a key location. The fantastic Seneca Valley School District, superb convenience to I-79 and Cranberry Township, and low Butler county taxes all combine to make a winning investment in any homeowner’s future.

Homeowners can inquire now to begin planning their very own St. Matthew, and units purchased early in the building process offer their buyers unprecedented control in finishing and design. With the launch of Maronda’s new Selection Center, Maronda homeowners can now select from over 500 different finishing options for their town homes!

To inquire about the community, contact Doris Pennock or Mark Abbott at 724-538-3911or pennockd@maronda.com or abbottm@maronda.com!

We currently have homes available in this community priced at $161,127.  Our Express Delivery home has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1 half baths, is 1,552 square feet, and has a 2-car garage.

Step 1)  Figure out how much you want to spend.  You know what  you spend in rent now.  Could you afford a monthly payment the same, a little higher, a lot higher than you spend now? Unless you are a great saver and have a very large down payment the maximum you can borrow is typically somewhere between two and a half to three times your family income for the year.  Understand with a home you will get a tax break as you can deduct your interest and taxes each year from you income making your second, third, fourth year easier and easier to meet the payment.  This is especially true of young couples that can reasonably expect to have salary increases and job promotions in their future.  As long as you finance with a fixed mortgage your monthly payment says pretty stable as only the taxes and insurance portion of the payment change with inflation.  Home ownership is a great hedge against inflation.

Step 2) Decide your priorities.  Which is most important.  Having a yard for the kids to play in or being located in a specific location, School System, etc.?  Having a larger home or having a shorter commute?

Step 3)  Get familiar with the market.  Go on the property appraisers website and look up what homes in the area have SOLD for.  I know it’s easier to go on the web and see what homes are listed for but that doesn’t tell you the accurate story.  You may be seeing short sale listings designed to attract people in the market like you, that don’t have a prayer of approval by the lender or owner.

Step 4) Decide if you want to buy new or used.  You may find that the used market has homes selling for a little less than buying a new home.  Take a careful look at the monthly payment for the existing home and add the anticipated monthly maintenance for home repair you will need to add to the payment.  All homes have some maintenance expense.  The lawn maintenance is needed on both a new and used home.  On an existing home you want to budget for Roof Replacement, Hot Water Heater replacement, Heat Pump Replacement etc. depending on the age of the units for the home you are considering.

Step 5)  If you decided to buy new, start with the website.  You can look at different locations and see what the starting prices are for each different model home.  If you have questions you can either click on the Contact Us button or click on the Chat feature.  When you have found a community or several communities that interest you, you can either stop buy the nearest model home in your area of interest or you can arrange a meeting with the local Sales Rep by either working through the Internet Concierge or calling the sales office directly.

Step 6)  Once you determine the community and model home you would like, we arrange a meeting with our a loan officer.  This can be a simple phone meeting but the purpose is to discover what financing package is best suited for you and if you qualify for a mortgage that will cover the home you want.  When you meet with the loan officer, you will learn what your monthly payment on the new home including an estimate of taxes and homeowners insurance, plus how much cash you would need at closing.  Once the “Pre-Qual” as it is typically called is passed, you would meet with our sales representative, pick which options you want included in your home, sign a sales agreement and select what colors you want to have in your new home.  At this time you would typically give a $2,500 hand money deposit.

Step 7 )  Formally apply for a Mortgage.  Once the sales agreement is signed by an officer of Maronda Homes, you would fill out your Loan Application with the lender and provide all the documentation needed to acquire a “full documentation loan“  That will include bank deposit information, pay stubs, credit card information, assets and employment information etc.  Meanwhile Maronda Homes, as the builder will order the survey, the Sealed Drawings and apply for the building permit on your home.   This process typically takes from four to six weeks.

Step 8 Start Construction and Closing.  Once construction begins the home will be built according to your selections.  When the home is complete you will have a walk through with the Superintendent that built your home.  This first walk will be an orientation to teach you how to maintain the home and do things like shut off the water and locate the sewer clean-outs.  You will also develop a punch list of any cosmetic repairs that need attention.  One week later you will have your second walk through where you will walk through the home and verify everything on the punch list is complete.  From there you go to the closing, sign and initial about a hundred papers, pay any needed down payment  or closing costs and get the keys.  At this point you are a new homeowner.   Congratulations and enjoy moving into your brand new home!

Chris Porter of John Burns Real Estate Consulting, who performed the census analysis, separated the reasons people move into four main categories: family-related, work-related, housing-related, and “other”, which includes factors ranging from finishing college to health reasons and natural disasters.

The analysis showed that the number of homeowners moving for housing-related reasons peaked in 2003, when it accounted for nearly 60 percent of all reasons listed.   From there, the number steadily declined through 2010, reaching a low point just above 40 percent.

According to United Van Lines, states in the Northeast like New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine have some of the highest outbound traffic. Illinois and Michigan are high on the list as well.

As for destinations, the nation’s capital was the most popular.  Beyond that, several states in the South and West have seen a high influx of new residents, particularly Florida and Nevada.

Maronda Homes of Central Florida and Maronda Homes of Treasure Coast are two of Florida’s most desirable places to re-locate and build your brand new single-family home at the lowest prices seen in decades.  These locations are where many people instinctively look to begin their new life. Its climate is warm all year round and you are never too far from water.

We build our quality homes in the best locations, by choosing the most scenic areas that offer a blend of rural charm and suburban convenience. Our communities are surrounded by the untouched beauty of natural Florida, yet located nearby major commuter routes, providing easy drives to entertainment and recreation.

Stop by one of 45 locations in Central Florida and The Treasure Coast and let Maronda Homes show you why we are An Easily Observable Better Value!

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ENERGY STAR

Energy star has expressed its gratitude for the important contribution that our organization has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection.

“Maronda Homes is committed to 100% Energy Star certification. We approach everything at Maronda Homes with the goal of saving you money.”

When we opened our doors in 1972 as a family-owned business, our intention was to build great homes at affordable prices. Since then, we’ve grown as a value leader with a commitment to customer satisfaction, and have built thousands of new homes in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Our home building process provides the most home for you and your family at the best possible price. It’s what we do.

What types of homes does Maronda offer?
We build single-family homes, town homes and condos that range anywhere from 1,100 to 3,900 square feet. We offer a variety of spacious home designs to meet your needs – including: first-floor master suites, attached garages, optional finished basements, and so much more. At Maronda Homes, we bring value to every home design to meet your needs.

Quality Construction Methods:-
We build it right the first time around. With quality as a cornerstone of our business, we control more of the process than your typical new home builder to ensure that each home meets our own high standards.

1.    Building Materials and Distribution System: Our integrated material purchasing and distribution systems provide quality materials delivered to your new home when the material is needed. Through effective inventory management we reduce waste and pass the cost savings along to you.
2.    Manufacturing – We construct many major housing components at our state-of-the-art facilities to both control cost and implement the precision of factory-based quality control – providing you with a well-built home. Our facilities manufacture floor trusses, roof trusses, wall panels, constructed stairs, counter tops and more.
3.    Technology – Our investment in cost saving technology – from project management to estimating software – allows us to better control costs.
4.    Energy Efficiency – Many of our homes meet the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy’s standards for efficiency – to help you save on the cost on your energy bills!
5.    Experience – We precisely construct each home with decades of building experience.
6.   Quality – To make sure that nothing is overlooked, we inspect and ensure quality control – from checklists to walk-throughs to make sure that your new home meets industry standards.

Our Records have indicated that our company has built a total number of 151 Energy Star Qualified Homes in 2011
This is in correspondent to:

1.    Eliminating the emissions from 73.99 vehicles

2.    Saving 447,564 lbs of coal

3.    Planting 122.31 acres of trees

4.    Saving homeowners $67,497 on their utility bills.

“We’re proud to create households where memories are made every day. To us, there’s nothing better than watching a family turn a house into a home.”
That’s our true reward.
As typical approaches, EPA’s ENERGY STAR partnership offers a proven energy management strategy that helps in measuring current energy performance, setting goals, tracking savings, and rewarding improvements.
EPA provides an innovative energy performance rating system which businesses have already used for more than 200,000 buildings across the country.   The EPA also recognizes top performing buildings with the ENERGY STAR.

Check out Maronda Homes for more details!

With Spring in full swing, now is a great time to start that spring cleaning.  Between all of the different cleaning products you use to get your home clean, the smell of your home can start to make you dizzy by the end.

This year, why not try cleaning with green products.  Not only will your home be just as clean and disinfected but you will also be helping the environment by not using all of those harsh chemicals.  Also, by making your own products, you can save a lot of money.

Here are some recipes so you can start making your own green cleaning products.  Keep in mind, that many of these require shaking so the mixture mixes together.  You will need to shake the products before each usage.

Window Cleaner:

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 gallon of warm water

Squeegee the mixture on your window and wipe with a crumpled up newspaper.  The newspaper, unlike paper towels, will not leave lint residue.  And no, the ink won’t run onto your windows either, we promise!

Furniture Polish:

• 2 parts Olive Oil
• I part lemon juice

Combine into a spray bottle and shake to mix.  Spray onto a dry cloth and begin polishing!

Hardwood Floor Cleaner:

• 2 tablespoons of Oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon of alcohol
• 24 ounces of water

Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake.  Spray directly onto the floor and use a damp cloth or a mop to wipe down.

Carpet Cleaner:

Baking soda is the ultimate ingredient when it comes to deodorizing.  Sprinkle some onto your carpets before you vacuum.

Baking soda can also be used to get any unwanted smells out.  It is great to leave out on the counter (out of the way of kids and pets of course) since the kitchen can get smelly even if it is just from cooking.

All-Purpose Cleaner:

• 2 tablespoons of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of Borax
• 1/4 cup of liquid soap
• 10 to 15 drops of an essential oil if you want to add scent

Mix the vinegar with the borax and then fill the spray bottle with hot water.  Shake to dissolve the mixture.  Add the liquid soap and then, if desired, the essential oils.

Disinfectant Cleaner:

• 2 Cups Water
• 1/4 Cup White Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. Tea Tree Oil
• 1/4 tsp. Lavender Oil

Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake.

We hope that these recipes will allow you to make your new Maronda Home a little greener, while allowing you to save some green as well.

What are you favorite cleaning recipes?