Author: Kendra Sanchez

New Broker Prestige Club – Join NOW!

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

Realtors and brokers, we want to partner with you! Pacific Communities makes the homebuying experience a smooth and easy one for you and your clients. After successfully closing your second sale with us, you are eligible to join our new Prestige Broker Club!

This program rewards new partners like you for all of the hard work you put into making each sale through an exclusive broker tiered commission, including tiered bonuses of up to $15,000. We value our relationships with brokers and real estate agents, and to show our appreciation, we offer competitive benefits if you choose to partner with us, including:

  • Earn 2.5% to 3% Broker Co-Op
  • Tiered bonuses of up to $15,000
  • Personal real estate concierge
  • Join our VIP list and be the first to know about upcoming phase releases, grand openings, and quick-move-ins
  • Additional bonuses for the top producing agent

To join, visit our website to sign up yourself and your client online or contact Maneka Thakarar at maneka@pbcinc.com.

We look forward to your partnership!

Renting vs. Buying: Factors to Evaluate for Your Housing Needs

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

For the last 100 years, the American dream has been homeownership, a white picket fence, and a career that you’ll hold for over 40 years, but times have changed a lot. The average gen z or millennial adult swaps jobs every three years to seek out better pay and perks, and as they start buying homes, it’s clear they’re changing how they view that as well.

Suddenly instead of homeownership being the dream, it’s a conversation to be considered. It’s important to stop and think it over: is renting the right choice, or is it time to settle down and buy a home? Here are the top factors to consider for yourself.

1. What’s Your Financial Situation?

What’s Your Financial Situation?

The rule of thumb used to be that you needed to work at your job for the last five to ten years before you should apply for a home loan, but that’s no longer the norm. Since the average person under forty changes jobs every three years, it’s more realistic to consider how much you’ve made over that time and your salary.

Have you made a steady enough income that you don’t have to fear losing your job or seeing a drop after you buy? Do you have large enough savings to handle the 10 to 20% of the house’s price that becomes the down payment?  If you’re not there yet, you can always save up and consider buying later.

2. What Do You Want in a Property?

When you picture your home, what do you think of it?  Do you want a property that you can customize and make your own by taking out walls and learning about concrete and masonry cleaner? Or do you picture a home that’s comfortable and beautiful, but you don’t have to lift a finger to fix it when the water heater goes out or the dishwasher floods?

If you picture yourself customizing and putting your own fingerprint on a home, you’ll have to buy it to do that in most cases.

3. Are You Planning Any Large Changes?

Large changes happen in everyone’s lives, but are you planning any? Do you think you’ll get married in the next five to ten years? Do you think you’ll have kids? These changes would decide how much property you could afford or how much space you’d need. Although you can easily sell your home to go back to renting or buy something different, it’s important to remember the average homeowner who went through a mortgage doesn’t stop paying off interest until they’re between five to ten years in. 

Are You Planning Any Large Changes?

4. Do You Have Time for Maintenance?

Maintenance is a pricy and time-consuming bit of work. From the time and labor of mowing the lawn and keeping up with the exterior of your property to the cost and time of replacing appliances, repairing broken fence slats, updating leaking windows, adding stone veneer interior walls, and so much more, homeownership is expensive.

Can you handle all of that? Or would you rather have someone else who you depend on to fix items, and although it might not always be on time, it’s always free as part of your rent?

Do You Have Time for Maintenance?

5. What’s the Current Housing Market Like?

Right now, the current housing market has rent costing more than the cost of a house payment. This has tempted more people into the housing market that had been scared off during the rush between 2020 and 2022. 

Although home values have slowed down and aren’t skyrocketing anymore, they are still slowly rising. This means that by owning a home, and slowly paying it off, you’re building equity and value that you can eventually cash in on. When you rent, you’re never going to see a cent that you put into those monthly payments.

6. Do You Have Issues With Neighbors?

One of the largest reasons people turn to buying instead of renting apartments is they get sick of the neighbors living above, beneath, and beside them. Unless you buy a duplex or a condo, the average property owner doesn’t have to deal with sharing a wall with a neighbor. 

If you have problems with your neighbors and hate hearing them talk, stomp around, or smell them smoking, it could be time to buy your own property. Of course, if you don’t want to buy, you can always go for a fix like acoustic wall panels.

7. They’re Both Complicated Choices

Rented or Purchased, You Deserve Your Dream Home

If you’re still unsure about whether you should rent or buy, it’s a good idea to consider how much the costs will change over the next five to ten years. Rent has been rising around three to five percent a year over the last couple of years, but when you get a mortgage, you’re locked in yet still have to pay a large amount to maintain the property.

Think about what you’d rather put your money towards and where you see yourself in five to ten years. The answer might be easier than you think.

Rented or Purchased, You Deserve Your Dream Home

Whether you decide to rent and enjoy having maintenance, take care of the things you don’t want to, or you’re eager to buy and take on the rollercoaster of homeownership, the choice needs to fit both you and your lifestyle. Consider each of these ideas, and you’ll have an easier time choosing between the two.

Brian Jeffries is a freelance writer that loves sharing his knowledge and expertise on construction projects and materials. He lives in Winter Park, Florida where he enjoys spending time with his wife and working on projects in his spare time. Brian’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource.

Why Choose Pacific Communities

With over 30 years of home building experience specializing in constructing quality homes in Southern California, our team at Pacific Communities Builder is dedicated to creating the best valued home in every market. Since 1991, Pacific Communities has built more than 5,000 homes and developed more than 150 communities. The firm has expertise that spans the full range of residential building including attached and detached homes as well as master-planned communities. To find out more, visit our website at pacificcommunities.com to view all available communities and to schedule your appointment.  

Posted in: News

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4 Reasons Right Now is a Great Time to Purchase a Home

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

Purchasing a home is always a matter of finding the perfect time and making the right choice. Unfortunately, if you’re not used to this you might make a choice that could cost you hundreds of thousands when it’s time to sell.

Fortunately: now is the right time to buy.

These are the top four reasons you should jump on buying a house, and what it could mean for your future.

 

1. The Market Has Slowed Down

We all know how wild the market was for most of 2020, 2021, and 2022. There were some months where homes wouldn’t stay on the market for longer than a week, and others where properties were guaranteed to break into a bidding war every time they hit the market.

Thankfully, for buyers, the market has finally slowed down. Flipping into a buyers’ market, you’re now at the advantage, and can get a far better deal. Although the obvious, house prices have slowed and even dropped in some areas: you can take it further.

Since this is a buyers’ market, you can push for even better deals. If there are repairs you want done, you can build this into the agreement. If you’re dealing with a really motivated seller you might even be able to get them to cover closing costs.

The market slowing down now doesn’t mean house prices are going to stay low like this forever. When it picks back up, you want to have a property already so you can watch your value grow with the economy.

2. Home Improvement Materials Are Finally Affordable

The prices of materials like ground pavers and even wood planks skyrocketed between 2020 and 2021 because of supply shortages, but supply is finally catching up with demand!

Home improvement materials are far more available, which means if you buy a home that needs some updates you don’t have to get burned by sticker shock if you DIY the fixes.

Even larger improvements, like adding a room or completing a major kitchen remodel, are more affordable. This means you can buy a project home, within reason, and save some money while getting to put your own fingerprint on it.

3. There Are More Style Options Than Ever Before

Regardless of what type of home you have in mind, you’ll find something you love on the market. Whether you’re particular about fiber cement siding, or you want a home with enough windows and exterior spaces to blur the lines between inside and out, you can find it in today’s market.

Through 2020 and 2021 house flipping was at an all-time high, which killed off a lot of the beautiful visual differences that many homes have. This charm was replaced with gray paint and simple rooms, but you don’t have to worry about that if you buy it right now. Home flippers are slowing down as of the last quarter of 2022, and by the beginning of 2023, you can expect to see far more homes that still have their original charm.

The endless options for style go on beyond the physical home itself. Thanks to the housing boom, there are countless new communities and housing areas that will allow you to pick based on what speaks to you. Do you want to live in a beachy community? Would you rather live in an area that feels like a massive park? You can be a lot pickier about aesthetics than before.

4. Create Your Own Exterior Oasis

After so many years of public spaces feeling unsafe or crowded, it’s time to reclaim the outdoors and make space for yourself. Owning your property means you have the land and option to make whatever you want out of it. This could mean adding cedar decking to create a lounging space, or even putting in beautiful pergolas to add shade from the hot California sun!

Many properties on the market have completely untouched backyards, which can be considered blank canvases.  These give you room to create something entirely new, and develop an experience that speaks to what you want.

5. When Should You Consider Building Instead?

If you’ve looked at all of the options out there, and can’t seem to find the perfect home, you’re not alone. Don’t worry, you don’t have to settle for less than ideal, but you do need to consider building your own property. This could mean starting from scratch, or even better you could work with a builder that’s putting new properties into a community.

Building your own means you get to pick and choose what you want, and feel a sense of pride in your property since it’s everything you wanted. When working with a builder, make sure to check reviews and find a reliable company like Pacific Communities Builder.

 

Buying a newly built home has its advantages as well. For example you don’t have to participate in any bidding wars, it can still be customized to your tastes, and some builders have move in ready time if you can wait for the build time. Considering a new construction home could be a great choice as well to get a home perfectly customized to your tastes.

Now’s The Time to Get On the Market

If you’re eager to move into a place of your own, and aren’t willing to settle on a lackluster home, it’s important to jump now! Get the property of your dreams while it’s still on the market.

Brian Jeffries is a freelance writer that loves sharing his knowledge and expertise on construction projects and materials. He lives in Winter Park, Florida where he enjoys spending time with his wife and working on projects in his spare time. Brian’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource.

Why Choose Pacific Communities

With over 30 years of home building experience specializing in constructing quality homes in Southern California, our team at Pacific Communities Builder is dedicated to creating the best valued home in every market. Since 1991, Pacific Communities has built more than 5,000 homes and developed more than 150 communities. The firm has expertise that spans the full range of residential building including attached and detached homes as well as master-planned communities. To find out more, visit our website at pacificcommunities.com to view all available communities and to schedule your appointment.  

Posted in: News

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Six Trending Features to Look for When Buying a Home

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

HOMES ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST INFLUENCES ON HOW WE EXPERIENCE THE WORLD, SO IT’S VITAL THAT WHEN YOU PURCHASE YOURS, YOU CHOOSE WISELY. WHETHER THIS IS YOUR FIRST PROPERTY OR YOUR FIFTH, IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE THE TIME TO PICK THE BEST HOME YOU CAN.

1. NEW AND STURDY ROOF

The last thing you want to do after buying a home is deal with the noise and mess that comes with replacing your roof. Instead, look for a home with newer concrete tile roofing. Concrete roofing is sturdy and attractive and can last for well over fifty years if maintained correctly.

Any new roof from slate roofing to wood shingles saves you the trouble and time of having to hire someone to update the roof while also giving you the peace of mind that it’ll last as long as you need it to.

If concrete isn’t the look you want, terra cotta is also incredibly popular. Creating a gorgeous rippled look across your roof, you can get this in a range of colors from sand to orange clay and set your property apart. When looking at homes, if it has a terra cotta clay roof, you’ll know instantly. These can also last an incredibly long time and make your home look more iconic.

2. Siding That’s Built to Last

Siding is one of the most important parts of any home. This vital portion of a property stops any moisture, noise, insect life, temperature fluctuations, and more from making its way through. On top of that, it’s also the main part of your property most people will see and describe by.

When you’re looking at houses, consider the siding. Look for signs of age like cracks, warping, color fading, or other problems that mean it’s on its last legs. Although you get the freedom to choose whatever new siding you want, it takes a lot of time and effort to update.

Three-coat stucco siding has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is especially fantastic in warm beachy areas, giving off a cleaner look than classic vinyl siding. This material is one of the oldest mankind has used, and can last a long time, so you’ll be a part of its long history if you purchase a home that uses this material.

3. STRONG INSULATION FOR ANY WEATHER

Insulation is one of the most important lines of defense between your home and the outside world. If you want your house’s interior to feel like an escape, check if the properties you’re looking at have high-quality insulation throughout. Not only will insulation keep temperatures even, but it can also block out noise, moisture, and insect life when used correctly.

If you ever update a portion of your home, consider if that area can be better insulated, from the roof to the siding, floorboards, walls, or any other part of your home. Ranging from wool insulation to polyiso exterior wall insulation, this material will seal your house, making it more energy efficient and far more comfortable to live in.

4. FLOORING THAT COULD STUN

Your floors carry a lot throughout your home, so it’s a good idea to get a property with the best flooring you can find. From flooring with electric heat for basement spaces to a luxuriously soft carpet in living areas, keep an eye out for styles that will make everyday life so much more enjoyable.

LVP or laminate is always a top choice and comes in endless colors, textures, and designs that will help make an incredibly unique look.

In 2023 more nude and natural colors are the peak of style. Whitewashed, gray, and light brown are the top shades you’ll see and should be considered carefully. With the right care these are long-lasting floors, which is great at their price point.

Although updating a floor when you move in can be a huge amount of work and trouble, it’s worth it if you love every other portion of a property.

5. GORGEOUS AND FRESH CABINETS

Cabinetry is a fantastic area of any room, from bathrooms to kitchens and even laundry rooms- that give you the space to keep clutter away and keep organized. Beyond that, this feature can come in dozens of different colors, styles, materials, and finishes that will create as unique a space as possible.

When looking at homes, consider the cabinets, and think about how much room you need and what finishes interest you. In areas like a kitchen, white has been popular for years, but more natural wood tones are leaking into popularity and may sway what you want for your home.

6. SOLAR TO MAKE YOUR ENERGY BILLS PAINLESS

Why Choose Pacific Communities

With over 30 years of home building experience specializing in constructing quality homes in Southern California, our team at Pacific Communities Builder is dedicated to creating the best valued home in every market. Since 1991, Pacific Communities has built more than 5,000 homes and developed more than 150 communities. The firm has expertise that spans the full range of residential building including attached and detached homes as well as master-planned communities. To find out more, visit our website at pacificcommunities.com to view all available communities and to schedule your appointment.  

Posted in: News

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Solar is one of the most important parts of a modern home, especially as energy bills skyrocket, and more people spend time at home than ever before.  Installing solar yourself can be time-consuming, so it’s a good idea to seek out a home that already has solar, or is willing to install it to seal the deal.

For many leasing companies and lenders, having solar is a big deal, and will ensure your purchase goes a lot smoother.  This power source will save you untold hundreds to thousands of dollars in the long run.

Buying Your Home Should Feel Like a Relief

When you’re done with signing, moving in, and getting settled: you should feel relieved in your new home. Take the time to make a choice that will leave you living in paradise every single day.

Brian Jeffries is a freelance writer that loves sharing his knowledge and expertise on construction projects and materials. He lives in Winter Park, Florida where he enjoys spending time with his wife and working on projects in his spare time. Brian’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource launching in Fall 2022.

Pacific Communities is Back to Building in the High Desert

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

Pacific Crest and Pacific Point will be the first two new home communities built by Pacific Communities in over 10 years in Victor Valley.

After a 10+ year hiatus, Pacific Communities (PCB) is excited to be back building their popular new home in the high desert. The last project they built was a master-planned community, Brookside Village, in Victorville. Due to the 2007 recession, this caused PCB hesitation on future projects throughout Southern California.  But with today’s current demand for new homes, “We at Pacific communities are so excited and proud to be building again in this beautiful high desert community of Hesperia. With low interest rates and high demand, this is the perfect time for buyers to experience the uniquely beautiful affordable homes offered by Pacific Communities Builder.” said Rosan Mickey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the builder.

Pacific Crest and Pacific Point are nestled in the charming Hesperia area, near Mission Crest Elementary and Malibu Park, They offer thoughtful single and two-story open-concept floor plans with our signature SmartGenSM Living Suites, kitchen islands, large secondary bedrooms, great nearby walking paths and the convenience of a close-knit neighborhood. Homes at Pacific Crest and Point range from 1,632 to 3,110 square feet and offer up to 4 bedrooms and flex spaces. The communities are surrounded by the natural beauty of the high desert and a full spectrum of entertainment, recreation and dining.

Each new home at PCB includes luxury features that you would not expect to be included in the price of the home. They provide large kitchen islands with eating bar with quartz countertops overlooking the open concept great room and dining areas, most homes include walk-in pantries, 9-11’ volume ceilings, stainless steel appliances, and dual sinks in master bedrooms to name a few.  Just these luxury features save the homebuyer over $15,000.

Floor plans with open-concept designs
Spacious Primary Bedroom
Slider in Great Room
Home Office or Flex Space

Why Choose Pacific Communities

With over 30 years of home building experience specializing in constructing quality homes in Southern California, our team at Pacific Communities Builder is dedicated to creating the best valued home in every market. Since 1991, Pacific Communities has built more than 5,000 homes and developed more than 150 communities. The firm has expertise that spans the full range of residential building including attached and detached homes as well as master-planned communities. To find out more, visit our website at pacificcommunities.com to view all available communities and to schedule your appointment.  

Posted in: News

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30th Anniversary Homeowner Video Testimonial Contest

Posted on by Kendra Sanchez

Help us celebrate our 30th anniversary. As a Pacific Communities homeowner, we would like to hear your happy story. We will select 4 winners to showcase their video.

Just use your smartphone to make a quick video of yourself sharing your wonderful experience with your Pacific Communities home and/or team, and then fill out the form and upload video from our website using the link below.

  • The contest runs from June 15, 2021 through July 15, 2021.
    Video must be a minimum of 45 seconds.
  • We will publicly announce the winner through email and on our Facebook page within 7 days after final deadline.
  • You have a great chance to win since we are limiting this contest to only PCB homeowners, so get us your video!
  • We want to hear your success story with Pacific Communities– so let your creativity go!
Learn More
Winners will be selected by voting method from PCB employees. All decisions are final. Winner will be paid by July 31, 2021. Grand prize winner will need to submit a W9 form in order to receive prize. The contest runs from June 15, 2021 through July 15, 2021. The sweepstakes is opened to homeowners at all currently selling Pacific Communities locations. One video entry per household. Videos must be submitted in English. We have the right to refuse, withdraw, or disqualify entries at our sole discretion. The odds of winning are dependent upon the number of eligible entries received. This promotion cannot be combined with broker co-op, Terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice. Other restrictions may apply.
Pacific Communities has the right to use the participant’s submission, voice, likeness, image, statements about the contest, etc., for publicity, news, advertising, promotional purposes, trade, and so forth, without any further notice, review, consent, compensation or remuneration.
Participant’s entry into your contest or giveaway constitutes his or her agreement to release and hold harmless the Sponsor (Pacific Communities) and its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, etc., against all claims liability, illness, injury, death, loss, etc., that occurs directly or indirectly from participation in the contest or use/misuse of the awarded prize.

Why Choose Pacific Communities

With 30 years of home building experience specializing in constructing quality homes in Southern California, our team at Pacific Communities Builder is dedicated to creating the best valued home in every market. Since 1991, Pacific Communities has built more than 5,000 homes and developed more than 150 communities. The firm has expertise that spans the full range of residential building including attached and detached homes as well as master-planned communities. To find out more, visit our website at pacificcommunities.com to view all available communities and to schedule your appointment.  

Posted in: News

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