Mick McKenzie, an owner and officer of American Housing, welcomes you to their online Website.

American Housing is located Pinellas County, Florida and has been building quality homes in the Tampa Bay area for over twenty years. Mick is a third generation Home Builder, was licensed in the State of Florida in 1978, and has been Building New Homes and Room Additions for over thirty years.

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We Are Not There Yet, But We Are Getting Closer!

American Housing has been building throughout the economic slow down and have recently seen an increase in activity. Many people have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to bottom out and it appears we may have finally gotten there. With that said, things are not going to change overnight, but they are getting better.

According to a recent article by the NAHB, housing will see a gradual improvement throughout 2011. New-home sales will begin following employment gains, reaching 405,000 for the year, up from an estimate of about 320,000 for 2010. Price increases are already occurring in some local areas, which will attract prospective buyers who have been procrastinating until they see prices hit bottom. The time to act may be right now.

For more information on American Housing Homes, call 727-546-6611.

Click here for full article.

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Santa quits the North Pole. Heads to Florida!

After a thousand years, Santa Clause has finally decided he has had enough of the snow, the blizzards, and the cold weather and is moving to sunny, warm Florida. Asked why he was making this sudden move, his response was “Ho, ho, holy winter white out, it was cold and snowy this past winter at the North Pole and I am getting tired of having to dig my sleigh out of the snow every time I have to run up to the 7-11 for more eggnog.” He said that he had been considering making this move ever since “grandma got run over by that reindeer.” It appears Rudolph’s nose was on the blink that particular night and it was during one of those nasty blizzards.

Mr. Clause said he will be moving his entire workshop to Florida and relocating all of his elves to the Tampa Bay area. His only comment on why he chose this particular area was “Arrr, I couldn’t help it, I just love those Buccaneers.” Asked what he will do with his flying reindeer when he moved, he said he would get back to us on that as soon as he could. “But Mr. Clause, what about the reindeer?” The concern for the reindeer was left unanswered as Mr. Clause headed out into the Gulf of Mexico on his new boat for a fun day of fishing. As he was leaving though, he did wave to those left behind on the dock and yelled “and please, you can call me Santa.”

Now, it seems Santa and Mrs. Clause love their new hometown. Reporters from all over the world converged on the Tampa Bay area in hopes of getting an exclusive scoop on why he and Mrs. Clause made this move. The problem was that every time they tried to ask him a few questions he was always on his way out the door. “Sorry, but Mrs. Clause and I are going to play a few holes of golf at Mangrove Bay,”  or “Sorry, but we are running to Tyrone Mall to do some shopping,” or “Sorry, but we are meeting friends at Outback Steak House for dinner,” or “Sorry, but we are on our way to Ruth Eckerd Hall for a concert.” Just so many things to do and so little time to do it. In fact, one day he was found sitting under a palm tree at the beach by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, where he told paparazzi “Come on fellas, even I like to relax once in a while.”

So, once Mr. Clause, I mean Santa, had made his decision to move to Florida, he knew he had to find a builder to build him and Mrs. Clause their new dream home, along with a new workshop for his elves. So, the first thing he did was to get on the internet and start researching Florida builders. It didn’t take long before he decided on exactly which builder to use. After browsing through their website and making a few inquiries, he knew there was no real choice in the matter and that American Housing Builders was definitely the New Home builder for him. He remembered the owners of American Housing from when they were children and remembered how good and honest they were year after year. He fondly remembered how they always managed to somehow end up on the good list. Because of that, he knew they could be trusted to build him a quality new home and the perfect new workshop for his elves. In fact, they built the elves a workshop right next door to the Home Shopping Channel. Like they say in Real Estate, “It is always about location, location, location.” Santa’s final comment on choosing American Housing Builders was “they are the ones for me because I know they build quality homes and I need to know mine will still be here in another thousand years.”

So Santa and Mrs. Clause, like so many others from the cold north have done, including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and other areas of Canada, chose to pack up their bags, including his giant toy bag, and move to Florida in order to take advantage of its warm weather and sunny beaches. “No more digging out of the snow on those cold winter mornings for me” he said. So, if you are like Santa and are tired of the snow and cold weather and are considering moving to Florida, or even considering buying a second home in Florida to spend the winters,  be sure to contact American Housing Builders to be your new home builder. Santa knows American Housing Builders is a name you can trust and we know that you cannot ask for a better referral than Santa Clause himself. Ho, ho, home sweet home.

By the way, Santa says the reindeer are all living happily in a little Alaskan village where all of the townspeople are vegetarians.

CANADIAN REALTORS

American Housing Builders has an ongoing Referral program: 1% of the sale price for all home referrals that result in the purchase of a New or Refurbished American Housing home for Canadian, out of state and foreign Realtors. For more information on this program, please contact Lee Kretzer, an owner of American Housing Builders, at 727-546-6611 or email him at Lee@Amhousing.com

Home Town Heroes Program

American Housing Builders, Inc. is very aware of the many sacrifices the heroes of the Tampa Bay area make for their communities. These heroes include teachers, hospital workers, policemen, firemen and military personnel. We are proud of what these people do for the community and are very happy to be able to try and assist them in any way we can in helping them obtain the American Dream of owning their own home.

For more information, call American Housing at 727-546-6611.

What is the real cost and what are the real returns when you buy new construction as opposed to an older house? The answers to these questions are necessarily speculative, but certain principles apply universally; and local Florida subtropical conditions, like insects, heat and humidity and occasionally dramatic weather add another dimension to the calculation.

Calculating your true home buying budget.

Did you know that purchasing a high-quality custom home can actually save you money? It’s true. And it’s also true that the
great deal you think you are getting on an existing home in a buyer’s market may not be such a great deal after all.
Why is that? Because so many home buyers don’t add repair and remodeling costs to the price of their new home. But this is
a figure that really must be considered, especially when a home buyer is purchasing a Florida home that is more than twenty
years-old. Homes of this age and older often have repair costs that are not easily seen or predicted, even during a professional home inspection.

Of course, the older a home is the more potential problems it may have, but even homes built twenty years ago are at risk for wood rot and termite infestation. Plus, older homes are often smaller as far as actual square footage. Rooms are
smaller, closet space is limited, and kitchen and bathroom remodeling is a common need. There are many more potentially
expensive problems that come with an older home, but even the few things mentioned above can cost the home buyer thousands of dollars.

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Buying new construction in a relatively slow market like Central Florida‘s can mean enormous savings for the prepared buyer.

Every home must have an inspection before the sale is completed, but new homes have the added advantage of inspections not
unearthing nasty, expensive problems. Builders will often pay for a home inspection as an added incentive to buy, another great help to your schedule and your budget. Although the tax credit for buying a home expired in September, new homes will easily qualify you for the energy efficiency credit. Older homes would need new appliances, windows, air conditioning units, etc. to qualify. There may be other tax credits available to you, so check with your tax specialist for details.

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The two biggies in our Hillsborough-Pinellas-Manatee County areas are the tropical (semi-tropical, really) climate, with
all the attendant weather and pest problems to be guarded against, and the almost-guaranteed routine maintenance tasks that
naturally arise (floorcoverings, paint & wall coverings, appliances, etc.).

Building a new Florida home can save you money

Building a brand-new custom home may be more affordable than you think, and will alleviate several of the home buying
worries that come with an existing home. If you consider the fact that you will not have to spend a penny on repairs or
remodeling, a brand-new home will likely end up saving you money in the long run. There is no need to worry about replacing
outdated electrical, plumbing, air conditioning and heating systems. There is no fear of wood rot, water damage or insect
infestation. Everything is brand-new, and often under warranty.

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It sounds good, but what does “Green Construction” actually mean? At this point it appears to be more of an intent than a measurable practice, but in order to work toward a set of standardss, one must bear in mind several forms in which building or remodeling can impact the environment.

One of these forms is energy efficiency. The production of electricity from the burning of fossil fuels is one of the most harmful activities to the environment in existence today. Green structures incorporate renewable
energy sources that might include the use of wind, solar, low impact hydropower, or biothermal energy. The source of power is not the only concern. Another concern is the reduction of power use in lighting and appliances.

Read the whole article here.

Via: Green Life

By Zack Verde

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St Petersburg’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program

The purpose of the St Petersburg NSP Program is to provide targeted assistance, with the help of government grants, to acquire and rehabilitate foreclosed residential properties.

The City of St. Petersburg Housing and Community Development Department is offering loans to eligible borrowers who wish to purchase and occupy a home through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) by financially assisting them with their down payment and closing costs.

Eligible home buyers purchasing a home through the city’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), may apply for up to $12,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. The loan will be forgiven after 15 years of residency.  The homeowner must reside in the home as their primary residence for the entire 15 year term before forgiveness will apply.  Should the home owner move or some other reason vacate the property, the entire principal amount of the loan will then become due and payable to the City of St. Petersburg and no forgiveness will occur.

For more information on this program, along with other home buying programs available today, contact American Housing at 727-546-6611.

Click here for more information on the City of St Petersburg’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

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The American Dream is Alive & Well!

Homeownership is still the American Dream for most of us, and as the housing market begins to slowly mend, many are learning that now is actually a great time to consider the purchasing of a new home. If you are one of the many thousands who would like to buy a new home but have been waiting to see what happens in the market, you might be interested to learn that as of now, there is an ample supply of affordable building lots available, costs are down making new homes much more affordable, interest rates are at record lows, and there are many tax incentives you will receive as a homeowners, all of which makes today a very attractive time to buy a new home.

The ample inventory of land that is available today includes building lots that have been reduced in price and are ready to build on. These same lots that were unaffordable just a couple of years ago are now obtainable at affordable prices throughout the entire Tampa Bay area, making it an attractive time to consider building that new home you have been dreaming about for so long.

Along with construction costs and home prices being at their lowest level in years, most builders are offering many incentives with the purchase of a new home. When you consider that, and then factor in the many energy saving, “Green,” and “Energy Star” features that are now included in so many new homes today, along with all of the code changes that have been added to new homes to make them more hurricane resistant, it makes even more sense to purchase a new home today.

Another thing to consider is that current mortgage interest rates are now extremely favorable for new home buyers. In fact, a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is now hovering at a 30-year low, and although no one can accurately predict whether interest rates will go up or down, waiting to see which way they will go can be a dangerous and losing gamble. Consider that FHA is now offering loans today with just 3.5% down and when you take that into account, along with the low interest rate that is available, it is easy to realize that your mortgage payment would probably be less than what you are paying in rent today.

Home ownership also makes a lot of sense because of the many positive tax implications. The most important sources of tax savings for you as a homeowner, will be the deductions you receive because of your mortgage interest, the deductions you receive for your paid real estate taxes, and the capital gain exclusion you receive when you eventually sell your home. The mortgage interest and real estate tax deductions alone will reduce your annual cost of homeownership by reducing your tax liability each year.

So, because of the fact that we know that building lots today are much more affordable, we know that new home prices are down, we know that there are many builder incentives available, we know that interest rates are low and we know there are many tax saving incentives available to you as a homeowner, it is nice to know that the American Dream of home ownership is still alive and well and it is clear that it still makes a lot of economic sense to own your own home.

You can contact us here at American Housing Builders, Inc. at 727-546-6611.

Information gathered from various sources, including the NAHB web site at nahb.org.

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“How New Construction Has Changed!”

The typical new home being built today is actually quite different from homes built just a couple of years ago. In the last few years, some of the extravagant extras that were once being taken for granted by homebuyers, are disappearing and many new homes are reverting back to the basics. After all, when it comes right down to it, your home does not really have to be a real “castle,” it just has to be your home.

The size of new homes has gotten smaller and because of this, homes are being redesigned to make homes more functional by taking advantage of the smaller living areas. Being more practical in designing a new home allows you to get much more use out of your home with less square footage. This concept seems to be a win / win for everyone.

Cutting back on the type of materials being used is another change that has taken place. Instead of using so much tile and wood as flooring, vinyl is making a comeback. Instead of using granite, mica countertops have returned. Instead of 10 and 12 foot ceilings, 8 foot ceilings seem to be more in fashion. This does not mean that new home builders are cutting corners, it just means they are replacing higher cost products with good quality alternatives, including materials that are just a little less expensive than some of the higher line products.

Also, more and more “green” technologies are being incorporated into the design of new homes. Products such as low-e windows, energy saving fixtures and appliances, such as “Energy Star” dishwashers, light fixtures and “Energy Star” heat pumps are becoming more and more common. These products, along with many other products and energy saving design changes are making homes much more energy efficient, saving the homeowner money in the operation and the maintenance of their home.

Another area of change in today’s homes are changes that were made because of the many new building codes that have taken effect. It is certainly true in the State of Florida, where many code changes have been made because of the storms and hurricanes that Floridians have witnessed over the years.  Homes now have to meet demanding wind load designs that are obtained by adding either impact windows and doors or by adding window and door protections over the openings, more stringent nailing and strapping of the roof, garage doors designed and installed to withstand high winds and other safeguards that help a home endure severe weather.

Values have pretty much hit bottom and with the changes that have been implemented over the past few years, along with the lower costs and lower interest rates, you can rest assured that now is one of the best times in history to buy a new home. Along with low interest rates that are available, there is also an FHA program that requires only 3.5% down payment, and even lower if you have your own lot, making it an even better time to buy. So, if you have been considering buying a new home but have been holding off to see what the economy will do, now may be the perfect time to take that plunge. Only you can make that call, but with costs where they are, it is certainly time to consider making that move.

For more information on our new homes and what type of financing is available, including a 3.5% down payment FHA program, contact American Housing Builders, Inc. at 727-546-6611 and we will provide you with the information you need to decide if the time is right for you and your family.

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3.5% FHA Down Payment Program

American Housing is now offering a financing program that is designed to meet the needs of buyers who want to build their Dream Home!

The “Close It, Build It” Loan provides builders and buyers the special financing options needed in today’s market. With one application, one set of fees, and one closing, construction of your home can begin.

American Housing builds affordable, quality new homes and also works with all Federal, State and local finance assistance programs in order to make homes obtainable for families wanting to achieve the “ American Dream” of home ownership. We are pleased to be able to make this program available.

The “Close It, Build It” loan combines the lot loan, interim construction financing and a permanent mortgage into one loan, and closes before actual construction begins.

• Program requires as little as 3.5% down payment, or if you already own your land, you can use the equity in your land as all, or part, of the down payment.
• The cost saving package includes one closing and one set of fees, which is unlike a typical two time closing.
• The Power of One program includes: 1 Lender, 1 Application, 1 Approval and 1 Closing.
• There are no payments required during the interim construction phase.
• Rates are protected with a Float Down. If rates go down, your payment could go down as well.
• Minimum credit score is 620.
• Also, ask about a 2 year Deliquency Protection plan that is available.

Call us at 727-546-6611 for more information on this program.

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