BUILT TO SAVE® Homes in Private Gated Communities Get Double Peace of Mind

We would like to spotlight four BUILT TO SAVE® Certified homes in four private gated communities. Why? Because these homes and the communities where they are located represent what most homebuyers want—peace of mind, doubled.

BUILT TO SAVE® Certified Homes

First, let’s talk about a home certified by the high-performance home program, BUILT TO SAVE®. The name points to the main benefit—the home is built to save you money on utilities. Every buyer wants to believe that their home will be energy efficient, and no builder will tell you that it is not. And while the home MAY be energy efficient, the only way to know for sure is to have the home tested after completion with specialized equipment and software. And here is the deal: that’s the final step before certifying a home as BUILT TO SAVE®–to ensure that the requirements for energy efficiency are met!  As proof, you will be given a certificate (a certificate, by the way, which will come in handy should you ever decide to sell your home down the road).

Yet energy efficiency is not the only thing that will give you peace of mind. More importantly, and this is where the “peace of mind” comes in, as a requirement for certification, the home must be inspected by a third-party, RESNET licensed energy Rater after insulation is installed and before the walls are in place. This ensures that the Rater—a trained, independent building inspector—checks to make sure that the correct insulation was used and that it was installed properly. This “under construction” inspection follows a BUILT TO SAVE® checklist that covers a wide range of things to inspect that all affect the home’s envelope, ductwork, windows, sealing, and potential areas that may cause moisture issues. A Rater’s job actually starts before the home is built by reviewing the HVAC contractor’s Manual J that specifies the size of the air conditioning unit to be installed to ensure that it will not be oversized. An oversized unit will cause the homeowner to pay more in utilities and, more importantly, may result in daily uncomfortable humidity in the home and moisture issues like mold in the long term.

Every homebuyer should expect their home to be comfortable, with clean and healthy air inside. They should expect superior quality construction behind the walls, and they should have that secure feeling that the home was constructed according to the building codes as required by law.

The four homes featured here are BUILT TO SAVE® certified, and that means that they were built to above minimum code standards. It is not us saying that. It is not the builders saying that. It is licensed home energy Raters saying that and backing up their statements with photos, documents, and proof that the homes are BUILT TO SAVE® high performance certified. Now that’s “peace of mind” that you can have for yourself, and that, when needed, you can pass on to another buyer should you decide to sell your home.

GATED COMMUNITY BENEFITS

The number one reason people prefer living in a gated community is obvious—it’s gated.

A gated community represents privacy, safety, security, and, ultimately, peace of mind. The four homes featured here all reside within a gated community. Imagine: a BUILT TO SAVE® new home in a gated community…how awesome for “peace of mind” is that—a double Win/Win![bg_collapse view=”link” color=”#009faf” expand_text=”Show More” collapse_text=”Show Less” ]

Privacy and Security

Knowing that only residents and their guests are allowed to enter your community is very comforting. The secure feeling of living in a gated community is actually the number one reason people prefer to live in a gated community over a conventional one. The possibility of having problematic strangers in your neighborhood is greatly reduced. You’ll appreciate the privacy and security of a gated community when you leave your home for work or for vacation. And, super important, one thing you will be happy to say goodbye to in your private community is the “uninvited” home solicitor knocking on your door!

Reduced Traffic

Imagine not having to worry about being exposed to all kinds of unknown traffic and the fast pace of the outside world. Living in a gated community means there won’t be any through traffic. The entry and exit points to the community will control loud noisy traffic and discourage speeding. The reduced traffic means a safer environment for your children and pets. You won’t have to stress as much when either are outside near the street.

Community Living

Many people prefer to be around people like them. People living in a gated community share a common lifestyle and are more likely to connect with each other, which is not common in conventional neighborhoods. If the community offers amenities and shared public spaces like swimming pools, or playgrounds, these facilitate the personal interaction and friendships of its residents.

Exclusivity

Living in a gated community is indeed “an exclusive lifestyle” by its very nature. That’s the point—and the benefit. While there is a kind of “status” or “prestige” attributed to living in a gated community, there is nothing wrong with wanting all the benefits that come with that and being able to afford that lifestyle. It should give you a sense of pride about where you live and what you’ve been able to accomplish.

Higher Property Values

Properly values in gated communities are generally higher when compared with those in non-gated communities. Overall, homes in gated communities tend to maintain or increase their value upon resale. The common areas in gated communities are governed by HOA’s, and their rules help ensure, among other things, the uniformity of the community’s architecture and the maintenance and beauty of common areas—all which have an impact on the value of your home and homesite.

CHOOSE WISELY

The American Dream is all about home ownership. For most of us, buying a home is the largest single investment we will make in our lifetime. Thus, as homebuyers, we should do our homework and get informed before we buy. Not all homes are constructed equally, and not all homesites offer
the same advantage. The decisions we make will affect the quality of life in our new home and whether or not our investment will pay off for us in the future. Be smart, be aware, and have a great time house-hunting!

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