Thursday, November 29, 2012

What is your favorite color?


How many times have you been asked that question? Perhaps when shopping for clothes, getting your nails done, or even buying a car. And when most people are asked that question, they have a ready answer. Pink! Blue! Green! Yellow! Red!

We are drawn to our favorite colors when selecting the simplest of things – a notebook, a pen, a box of paper clips.  I know that when given a choice of a pen in blue or green, I will always choose green. We often define our style by the colors we wear or in the way we decorate our homes. When helping people make their selections for their home, I’ve noticed that sometimes they will identify themselves as a “blue” person or a “green” person. They are drawn to colors that they love and take comfort in surrounding themselves with these colors.
 Color schemes can be monochromatic, meaning several shades of one color; or complementary, meaning shades that are opposite each other on the color wheel.  One favorite is the analogous color scheme, which is using colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel, such as blue and green.

You can easily add touches of your favorite colors to brighten up a room by using accent pieces that compliment your décor. If your favorite color is hot pink, are you really going to decorate your home all in hot pink? Probably not!  But pink throw pillows might hit the spot.  While aqua might be your favorite color and you have 16 aqua shirts of various styles hanging in your closet, a whole foyer painted in that color might be too intense. Instead, consider adding an aqua vase in an otherwise neutral space to inject a burst of color. Or if bright chartreuse makes you happy, how about using it on an accent piece of furniture, like this candlestick table.
At Atlantic Builders, we help you make your selections based on how you will be living in your space, and are always ready to help you find a bright spot of color in your day.

Visit our Chelsey Model at the Estates of Idlewild in Fredericksburg and see how we used touches of color to brighten up this brand new home.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Meet Sid Means, Atlantic Builders' Purchasing Manager


When Sid Means played second base growing up in West Virginia, he felt “consistency” was his hallmark as a player. His favorite ball player then was Roger Maris, the quiet, steady home run hitter who edged out the more flamboyant Mickey Mantle in 1961 to break the single season home run record held by Babe Ruth. Sid brings his vast experience in construction and “day in, day out” consistent hard working ethos to Atlantic Builders as our Purchasing Manager.

Sid’s first job at 10 was a laborer for his father who was a trim carpenter and also Sid’s baseball coach. Sid grew up to love coaching baseball and coached his own son Wes from ages 6-19, including from 2003-2005 at Massaponax High School in Spotsylvania, VA. Last month, Sid enthusiastically arranged a fun outing to the Richmond Squirrels for almost 50 Atlantic Builders team members and their families.

When he is not working hard, Sid also manages to ride his Harley, which he loves to ride on weekends or often to the Myrtle Beach Bike Week. What happens while in Myrtle Beach stays in Myrtle Beach as Sid jokingly says, “Some stories can’t be shared”.

Sid takes construction and home building very seriously, though. His tremendous knowledge of construction and thoroughness have been key to Atlantic Builders’ updating of our home designs to comply with the recent March 2012 adoption of the most recent building code standards in Virginia. Sid feels that the newer, higher standards make today’s homes superior to others he has built in the past. This is from a man who has been involved in building over 3,703 homes in his career and counting. Sid feels home buyers will appreciate, for example, that new wind bracing requirements require homes to withstand up to 90 mph winds in the Fredericksburg area. He also feels that municipal building departments and inspectors are more thorough and professional today than ever before.

Sid is key to the Atlantic Builder’s team effort in designing new homes like the new townhomes in Ladysmith Village in Caroline County and our expanded and revamped line of Executive Homes designs. Sid combines great value engineering skills with a wise understanding of customer preferences for style and included features. He is proud of his longevity with the few companies he has worked for over his long career, but says he loves being at Atlantic Builders since our culture encourages collaboration and continuous improvement. We hope he remains here for the rest of his long and continuing career.
 

Monday, April 30, 2012

What Makes a Home Energy Star Certified?



To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

And with homebuyers increasingly interested in green building, energy efficiency is the place to start. That's because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global warming. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include a variety of 'tried-and-true' energy-efficient features that contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduced air pollution:

1. Effective Insulation
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort.

2. High-Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.

3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Sealing holes and cracks in the home's "envelope" and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance.

4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home. When properly installed into a tightly sealed home, this equipment won't have to work so hard to heat and cool the home.

5. Efficient Products
ENERGY STAR qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines.

6. Third-Party Verification
With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details. 

Interested in an Atlantic Builders Energy Star certified home??  Visit our website here to learn more!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Green Building Practices Save Homeowners Serious Money

The current economy has definitely heightened people’s “green” awareness. Green – as in ecology AND economy!


The hard truth: It costs a lot to build – and maintain – a home. From material costs to heating & cooling, owning a home can be an expensive proposition. Luckily, Atlantic Builders has embraced the elements of green building, and has been able to incorporate them into our homes. From careful site designs to right-sized floor plans, green materials to energy-efficient systems, air quality to water conservation, there are dozens of ways for homeowners to build a “green” home.


Come see us and we’ll get you started the green home of your dreams!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

What is the HERS index?

HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System. It identifies the rated home’s energy performance compared to a home built only to code requirements. A standard, code-built home has an index of 100. Each point below 100 represents a 1% improvement in overall energy performance. For example, a home with a HERS index of 70 is 30% more efficient than a standard, code-built home. Note that a home can be Energy Star-certified with a HERS index of 85. Atlantic Builders’ homes perform much better – with average scores of 62 – 65. And a better HERS index means more savings for our homeowners!


HERS scores:

Atlantic Builders – 62-65 avg. HERS score

Energy Star home – 85 avg. HERS score

Standard new home built to code – 100 avg. HERS score

Existing home – 130 avg. HERS score

Estimated average utility bill:
Atlantic Builders - $138/month
Energy Star home - $180/per month
Standard new home - $223/month
Existing home - $431+ /month

Monday, April 2, 2012

Atlantic Builders Sponsors Student Scholarships

Atlantic Builders is proud to sponsor scholarships to worthy students at Germanna Community College. We believe in education as a critical path for individuals to achieve more in life. We also believe the future of the world depends on getting everybody the chance to continue learning and growing. Germanna Community College serves the Fredericksburg region. It is an excellent value for students and has seen full time enrollment of students surge in the past 5 years by 50% to 11,000 students.

Elliott Fairhurst and Tracy White are 2 of the 3 Atlantic Builders sponsored Germanna scholars in 2011/2012.
Elliott was homeschooled and at 18 years old is working toward a 2 year associates degree in engineering. He plans to complete his B.S. in engineering at VA Tech. He is interested in aeronautics, particularly drone aircraft.

Tracy is pursuing her nursing degree. She is a single parent with 3 children. While her mother helps her watch the kids, it is a great financial strain to attend Germanna given her family’s needs. Atlantic Builders is proud to help Tracy make her dream of becoming a nurse a reality.
If you wish to make a pledge to financially support Germanna Community College, please contact Mike Catell at
mcatell@germanna.edu

Monday, March 26, 2012

Atlantic Builders' Quick Delivery Homes

Please see this link to a March 22, 2012 report from the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors. The report notes that in Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties there is only a two month supply of homes listed for sale in MRIS. A balanced market is considered to be a six month supply. So there is a shortage of homes for sale in the Fredericksburg region based on demand levels that have been increasing modestly in the past few quarters.

Atlantic Builders has 7 homes available for immediate move in that are either complete or will be complete from April to June in 2012. Please see our "Quick Delivery Homes" on the Atlantic Builders' website for more information.

-Adam Fried, Atlantic Builders CEO

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Live Green. Save Green. Our Homes Save You Money Every Month.


A home that has earned the Energy Star label meets the EPA’s strict guidelines for energy-efficiency and is verified by an independent third party. Energy Star homes cost less to own, protect our environment, and reduce our reliance on imported energy. Our Energy Star homes feature high-performance doors and windows, high R-value insulation, tightly constructed duct systems, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and appliances.


The bottom line? Having an Energy Star home can save you from 30 to 40% on your utility bills. When comparing an Atlantic Builders’ home to the competition, look for the Energy Star label.


Friday, March 16, 2012

A TED Talk Worth Watching


Atlantic Builders CEO Adam Fried has something worthwhile to share!

"I found this TED Talk by Peter Diamandis both eye opening and inspiring. Take 16 minutes to watch it and it will give you a bright feeling about science and technology and mankind’s ability to keep making the world better for itself at an ever increasing pace."

We hope you watch and enjoy. Feel free to share with us your thoughts on our Facebook page.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Thoughts on the Local Housing Market

There are many variables that we all know affect homebuilding production in positive and negative ways.

Some of the negative ones are large amounts of continuing foreclosure homes entering the resale market, tougher credit standards for potential new home purchasers and, for residential developers and builders, lack of equity (or negative equity) in existing homes that makes it tough for people to purchase move-up homes, and high unemployment and underemployment.

Some of the positives are historic low interest rates, increasing pent-up demand for new homes relative to population growth and long-term trends, costs to own are now favorable relative to renting, and nascent consumer confidence and employment improvements.

In the Fredericksburg region, we have more positives and fewer negatives than in almost all the other metro areas in the U.S. thanks to the high levels of employment from the federal government. We also have a relatively tight supply of resale homes in MRIS available. We have seen a bottom in home prices and some small movement upward. Ask anyone who has tried to purchase a reasonably priced home listed in MRIS in the past six months and they will tell you that the seller received multiple offers.

The most important factor in determining demand for homes in the Fredericksburg region in 2012 is job growth. Job growth creates new home demand and trumps other important factors like interest rates and affordability relative to existing homes. There will probably continue to be modest employment growth in our region in 2012. BRAC transfers seem to have ended but getting specific information about what to expect in the near future from BRAC has eluded me and everyone I know who tries to determine this.

Stafford County has been by far the strongest new homes market in the Fredericksburg region. This will continue. Outlying markets like Caroline, Orange, and rural Spotsylvania will continue to be weak. King George is also slow but has some steady demand from Dahlgren. Spotsylvania has limited closer in water and sewer lots developed and also struggles significantly with extra commute times relative to Stafford. Home prices bear this out. So do lot prices. For example, in the new Colonial Forge community, lots are under contract to public builders for about $150,000 each for Spring 2012. New lots coming online in Pelham’s East in Spotsylvania this spring are under contract for about $105,000 each to Ryan Homes.

Our company is taking the following actions to try to grow and compete in Fredericksburg in 2012:

We have learned that we are in the housing business and not just the new home business. Rental home demand is strong and we think this will continue. We just began building the first of 37 rental townhomes in the Belmont community in Caroline County. Union First Market Bank (the lender) and local developer Frank Sealy wanted to see progress on some of the few remaining finished lots in Belmont. By working with them to create rental homes, we can stabilize property values, complete homes on otherwise stubbornly vacant lots, and get construction going in an area where there is very little demand for new townhomes. We are actively looking for more rental townhome locations.

We are completing a new model home in Idlewild subdivision in the city of Fredericksburg. From it we expect to sell homes at $500,000+ in Idlewild and other upscale Spotsylvania communities such as Fawn Lake, Bloomsbury Farm Estates, and Breckenridge Estates where we have acquired home sites at favorable prices and can pass on the great values to our buyers. We expect to sell about as many homes, 45, as we did in 2011, but larger ones at significantly higher prices. Part of our strategy is out of necessity because the many national and public builders we compete with are purchasing the closer in water and sewer lots being developed in locations with 20+ at prices that do not work for our business model.

We continue to build in many locations in the Hartwood area of Stafford County on 3 acre + home sites from our model in Richland Forest off Rt. 17. We plan to relocate the model home from there to Oakley Farms off Poplar Rd. in 2012 as we wait for 45 more home sites to be developed in Richland Forest in 2013.

*To read the full article featuring Atlantic Builders CEO, Adam Fried, please click here!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A Blog Featuring Adam Fried, CEO, Atlantic Builders, Ltd.

Like almost all residential developers and home builders, Atlantic Builders (and related LLCs) bought too much expensive land and lots in 2004, 2005 and early 2006. Looking back, I wish I had listened to my own instincts. I asked a room packed with large builders and bankers in 2003, after a prominent panel of economists made a presentation about the future, whether anyone thought a bubble was forming with high home and land prices. There was silence. Nobody agreed with the premise of a bubble then in that room. So I swallowed my concerns and proceeded to get seduced by the easy profits and kept buying more land and lots at ever dizzying prices. My friend Doug Janney urged me to divest from residential property as he did when he presciently sold all his lots off to K. Hovnanian in 2004. He was a rare voice then preaching doom and gloom. I wish I had listened.

Fortunately, we survived the crushing downturn for homebuilders by acting quickly to sell most of our land and lots relatively early by year end 2007. We (My partner, Tom Schoedel, is president of Atlantic Builders) took massive losses. It was the second-hardest experience in my career next to having to let go so many good people who worked on our team. We just knew by then that it was going to get worse. But it turned out to be much uglier than we imagined then. We never expected it to be five years and counting with such continued weakness in sales volume and low prices for new homes. We are one of only a few local and regional home builders still standing and luckily thriving, albeit modestly, in the Fredericksburg area.

Lessons learned from this experience are many. And most of them have been known by home builders for decades but get ignored in boom times. As Lee Evans, the post-WWII Edward Demmings of the home building industry, sagely advised, “DO NOT DO STUPID THINGS THAT GREATLY INCREASE RISK.”

Some of the key lessons are the following:

New home values and prices must be favorable when compared to “new used” resale and foreclosure homes to achieve reasonable sales levels.

A successful homebuilder needs to focus on customer delight, efficient production, cost control, and offer homes on appealing sites in desirable communities.

Land and lots need to be carefully purchased so that owned property is ideally no more than two years ahead of anticipated sales. Atlantic Builders has returned to our pre-bubble strategy of purchasing only finished home sites (on options from developers when possible) instead of entitled land. This strategy has worked well for Ryan Homes, our most admired competitor, and the 800-pound gorilla in our marketplace.

Lot prices should ideally be no more than 20 percent of the anticipated home sales price. Home prices should be a multiple of no more than three times target customer annual income. I know of a national builder purchasing lots in a Stafford County community who projects that their lots will account for 37 percent of the home sales prices. They expect to not make profits initially but want to try to control lots and gain market share. Lee Evans’ words still resonate: “Forget the ego drive to be the biggest builder in town. Do not sacrifice profit for more sales volume.”

We keep a great team tight: fewer people great at their positions, paid well, and earning good bonuses when key metrics are achieved. We went from over 60 team members to a low of eight in 2008. Now we have just 14 people. My partner, Tom Schoedel, and I decided to keep a group of core people rather than close up as so many builders across the U.S. have done. We get along well working pretty intensely, manage to do some good in the community (such as building Homes For Our Troops), often socialize together, celebrate our successes, and create positive energy in an industry that has generally lost its mojo. It helps that we have great trade partners, many of whom have been with us since we built our first home in 1988.

Our team expects that 2012 for our company will be at best as good as 2011. We expect about the same number of new home permits will be issued in the Fredericksburg area in 2012 as this year. We expect that not much will change until after the exciting election of 2012. Our area has ridden the wave of federal government expansion since FDR for 80 years. The election will determine if that expansion will be stopped or even slowed. Our Fredericksburg area, particularly Stafford County, has been the southern edge of the best new homes market in the U.S. the past few years. That is why we have 10 public and national home builders competing in this marketplace. The intense competition is good for home buyers. I am particularly keen to see how some of the large builders who lately have bid lot prices up significantly in Stafford will perform in 2012. Let us look to see if they can achieve good sales and raise home prices. If they can, it bodes well for all of us who own property in the Fredericksburg region.

Much of the employment growth that fuels new home building here has been BRAC-related. The 2012 election will determine if defense-related spending for Homeland Security and Command and Control in particular are to be cut. Defense spending cuts may slow our growth over the next few years. Fredericksburg should still continue to grow in the medium and long term as U.S. population demographics are favorable unlike Japan, China, and European nations. Our area has a highly educated workforce that will be needed for new 21st-century jobs. I believe the quality of life here is great and attractive except for our traffic congestion, especially on I-95. I fear even the new widening and extension of I-95 into Stafford is inadequate. But we will solve our
transportation issues. The future remains bright for the Fredericksburg region. With more rooftops, eventually employment centers will develop farther south as they have already around Quantico.