Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Wilmington home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers a brand new innovative product that we’ve recently installed in a custom home.

It’s a thermostat called Nest from iPod inventor Tony Fadell’s new start-up, Nest Labs. And like Apple, Nest Labs has taken something you use every day and made it simple and delightful to use.

Nest operates with the same genius wheel user interface as the original iPod, with a digital screen in its center. It connects to your Wi-Fi network, allowing you to control it remotely via an iPhone app or the Web. And its stylish design made of brushed stainless steel is a showpiece.

What makes Nest stand out from other programmable thermostats is that it learns your behavioral patterns and creates a temperature-setting schedule from them. Nest has six sensors that can determine things like when you’re away from home. People with more than one thermostat in one home can use more than one Nest and they’ll all communicate with one another, though each can be adjusted to different temperatures. People with multiple homes can put all of their Nests on the same account.

Nest can get automatic software updates that the company says will let it do things in the future like adjusting temperatures according to current local weather and showing how much money temperature adjustments will save on utility bills.

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to introduce our readers to the Spring Lake plan designed by Sullivan Design Company. This is an affordable design to build. Contact Mark directly at 910.409.2421 for community specific pricing on your lot or ours.

A rocking chair front porch is perfect for southern sunsets and adds to the warmth and charm of this 2880sf home. The entry invites you into the comfortable living room with a full wall of windows and a coffered ceiling that compliments the fireplace and bookcases.

The chef’s kitchen is open to the living area and offers an eat-in morning room flooded by natural light. The oversized granite island holds a huge double bowl sink and is lit by hanging pendant lights. The 36″ gas range sets up the space for cooking the perfect meal and will handle entertaining of any scale.

The master suit will easily hold a king sized bed, it’s accompaniments and a sitting area. The master bath has a separate soaking tub and large tiled shower. A linen closet and separate water closet for the toilet complete this luxurious bathroom.

Hardwood floors warm the main living space and keep the open floor plan concept. The main staircase leads to a sitting area and 2 bedrooms that share a full bathroom. There is a second back staircase for access to the bonus room over the garage.

Energy Features include:

• 2×6 exterior wall construction
• R24 blown in fiberglass insulation (Bibs)
• Radiant barrier roof decking to keep attic cooler and reduce demand on HVAC system
• Attic framed knee walls to include air barrier
• Recirculating hot water system with a tankless hot water heater

Wilmington new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes has recently completed construction on a custom home in Wilmington. Click “The Belhaven” below to take a virtual tour of the beautiful 3,248sf home.

The Belhaven

The holiday season is quickly approaching and we all know the challenges we sometimes face when juggling multiple activities this time of the year. Wilmington, NC builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article courtesy of RealtyTimes.com that gives great tips on how to make moving during the holiday season extra special for your family.

It’s the holiday season! For many readers out there this season is taking on a whole new meaning.

Cold weather, rain, and snow doesn’t keep a good buyer down. There are great deals to be had all year round. Buying doesn’t always happen on schedule. It can take weeks or months to find the perfect house, you may need to move suddenly to follow a new job opportunity, or move to be closer to ailing parents.

Buying happens for a myriad of reasons and during every month of the year. Yet, buying during the holidays can be challenging, especially if you’re a family with lots of traditions or with children.

If you have children, then here are some tips to make a move during the holidays a big deal in a good way!

First, children follow the lead of their parents. If you are depressed about missing out on Aunt Sue’s famous turkey or daily noting the bad luck of buying during the holidays, your children will likely pick up on this. So start by adjustingyour attitude first. Focus on the positive aspects of the move. Try to keep a cheery, upbeat attitude.

Will a child be getting their own room? Will their new room be “awesome”? These can be reasons to celebrate! Talk up all the great new area parks, restaurants, and kid-friendly attractions.

Older children may be a harder sell, especially if you’re moving them away from their school or friends. Do a little research and find out more on area malls, sports teams, or youth groups that your child may be interested in.

Also consider rewarding children especially well for their good behavior during a move. Maybe now is a time for that allowance raise (if it doesn’t seem too much like a bribe), to let them select the new decor for their new room, or to have one extra pizza night this week.

Communication is key for getting through a move, regardless of the season. Have a family meeting to discuss concerns and fears, or have one-on-one talks with each kid to assess their feelings.

Finally, make every attempt to keep traditions alive. This is important for adults and children alike. If your family loves having a fully decorated tree, then you might have to set it up twice this year — once at your current home and then quickly again when you first arrive in your new home.

Boxes and chaos aside, you can still sit down for a fun family dinner or for an evening of singing songs and opening presents. Keep your traditions alive and your move this holiday season will be an easy one!

Article written by: Carla Hill, RealtyTimes.com

Wilmington home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article courtesy of Realtytimes.com that was written to ease the minds of those contemplating the sale of their home in order to build a new one that is just right for them.

The decision to sell your home can come with a mixed bag of emotions. There is uncertainty and fear about how quickly your home will sell and for what dollar amount. There may be guilt about leaving behind family, friends, or neighbors. You may also feel anxiety about what is to come.

Many others who have made the leap are ruled by emotions of sadness or regret. How does one let go of a home where so many memories were made?

The answer is in the attitude. It’s not about letting go. It’s about moving forward.

In order to let go of the negative feelings you have about the selling process there are a few crucial steps to take.

First, be resolute about your decision. If we allow ourselves to go back and forth between “I should” and “I shouldn’t”, you’ll always have uncertainty. Decide once and for all what is best for your family. Many people make pro and con lists. Others simply go with what feels right.

Second, remember that memories aren’t housed in the walls of your home, they live inside your mind. Those last a lifetime! Plus, take lots of pictures and video to document what life was like in your old home.

Third, talk about your decision. Bottling or resisting emotions can simply make them more pronounced. If you feel anxiety, talk to your spouse, friends, and realtor about it. It helps having a sounding board for fears and questions. Bounce ideas off of them.

Next, be willing to compromise. Today’s sellers are finding tougher conditions. There are lots of homes on the market and that means more competition. Go into the selling process with the mindset that you may have to make certain concessions. Many sellers find they need to lower their price. They may need to pay the buyer’s closing costs. They may also need to move out sooner or later than they anticipated.

Finally, refocus your attention on the fact that you’re moving on to a new phase in life! Many of you will be experiencing moving-up to your dream home. No matter the reason you’re selling, get excited about the changes or opportunities in your life.

Article written by: Carla Hill, Realtytimes.com

Wilmington new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to announce that we have completed construction of The Angelique, a custom home in the Landfall community. We invite you to take a tour via the two minute video below to experience the home’s New England colonial style and old world charm. Simply click “The Angelique” below to view the video.

The Angelique

Wilmington home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an interesting article, courtesy of environmentalleader.com, about the Empire State Building being awarded LEED Gold Certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally-recognized green building certification system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in March 2000. LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

The Empire State Building has been awarded LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification.

It is the tallest and almost certainly the best-known building in the U.S. to receive the award, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, the company that managed the retrofit.

Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle conducted the retrofit, and say the $20 million project is guaranteed to reduce the building’s energy consumption by more than 38 percent and should save $4.4 million in energy costs annually. The improvements also reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 105,000 metric tons over 15 years.

In January 2011, the Empire State Building Company agreed to buy wind-based carbon offsets totaling 55 million kWh per year from Green Mountain Energy, making the Empire State Building carbon-neutral.

In March, the window technology used in the retrofitting of the building went on sale for commercial use. The iWindow is a thin material frame which is installed on the inside of existing windows. This then improves the thermal performance of single pane aluminum systems.

Article Courtesy of:  environmentalleader.com

Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to introduce our readers to The Angelique, a custom home we are currently building in the Landfall community.

This client, currently residing in California, brought The Angelique plan to us from Southern Living House Plans. We purchased the plan and had a designer redraw it locally with changes.

The 3800 sf home has a washed and aged tumbled brick exterior that offers a feeling of old world European charm. The dark brown windows will match the gutters to contrast the soft and creamy white color tone of the home’s exterior. Soft arches on a courtyard wall will be lit by large carriage lights and softened by natural green landscaping, leading overnight guests to their own entrance and private suite. Walnut colored operable composite raised panel shutters will complement the pallet nicely.

The interior of the home will be a study of clean lines, layers of soft white with gray tones. The chef’s kitchen will be set with Thermador stainless appliances that will contrast white cabinets and a subway tile backsplash. For a little flair, there will be black granite counter tops with a complementing carrara marble island. Mini crystal and nickel chandeliers will punctuate the setting with a perfect amount of accent lighting.

We invite you to visit The Angelique on our Flickr page to view the construction progress.

Wilmington, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes values our clients’ feedback in an effort to grow and improve our business. Below is a testimonial from one of our recent clients.

“I would indeed recommend Mark Johnson Custom Homes, I already have. My design, worked out with the architect, required some imagination and attention to detail, especially in regards to building codes. The job was completed exactly as I wished and required considerable ingenuity.”

Virginia Baker

Wilmington builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article written by Carla Hill with RealtyTimes.com that gives tips for increasing the value of your home.

It is no secret. 2010 was a hard year for home values. According to Zillow.com, homes were expected to lose $1.7 trillion in value. This is an even greater loss than what was seen in 2009.

They report that “the bulk of the total value lost during 2010 was in the second half of the year. From January to June, the housing market lost $680 billion. From June to December, Zillow projects residential home value losses will top $1 trillion.”

Some of the largest losses in value were seen in the West. Los Angeles’ values fell by $38,000 over the course of 2010. And they are down a whopping $676,000 from the peak in the second quarter of 2006. Phoenix, Arizona, saw values falls by $36,000 in 2010. This is down $222,000 from peak times.

There were exceptions to this loss trend. The Boston metropolitan statistical area (MSA) gained $10.8 billion in value, while the San Diego MSA gained $10.2 billion.

Now, while you cannot protect yourself against market corrections such as these, you can take small steps to help increase your home’s value and make it more marketable. The following tips are meant to inspire and motivate you to treat your home like the investment it was meant to be.

1. Make Repairs: Homes require regular maintenance and repairs are a necessary component of homeownership. Procrastination gets you nowhere when it comes to home value. Stay on top of repairs as they are needed. And be sure to address large projects before placing your home on the market. For example, roofs are expensive to replace or repair. Many buyers will pass up your otherwise wonderful home when faced with roof issues.

2. Curb Appeal: Curb appeal is about first impressions. It is also about neighborhood values. Drive down a street lined with manicured lawns and well-maintained homes and the values are sure to reflect the care their owners take. On the other hand, streets with overgrown trees, junky yards, and chipped and faded paint are fighting an uphill battle in the values game.

3. Community Involvement: The classic quote from Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu says, “A journey of 1,00 miles begins with a single step.” This is especially true for improving the health and wealth of a community. Change starts with yourself. By becoming an active member of your community, you can inspire the change you desire. Family, friends, and neighbors will follow your lead of civic duty. How can you get involved? Run for city council, join the PTA, volunteer, and help organize fund raisers and events that inspire community togetherness.

4. Updated Kitchen: Kitchens are a real selling point. Outdated cabinets, counters, and appliances will stick out like a sore thumb to buyers. Be sure, however, that you research your comparables before beginning a remodel. You don’t want to price yourself out of the running. This means if while you love granite and travertine, other homes in your area are selling with laminate, you will probably not be able to ask for a drastically higher price that covers the price of the granite.

5. Updated Bath: Bathrooms also hold much of a home’s value. New low-flush toilets cost as little as $100. And tubs and showers can be easily replaced or resurfaced. Be sure, above all else, that your bathrooms are clean for showings.

6. Energy Savers: Buyers are looking for homes that are energy efficient. Low-flush toilets, solar panels, water filtrations systems, and insulated windows are all inexpensive fixes for energy zappers.

Consider these simple tips and decide for yourself what may help your home retain its value.

Article courtesy of: RealtyTimes.com