All Of This For A Handout? Thursday, February 28, 2008
I wanted to create a handout for future homebuyers to help them understand the journey of buying a home. Now most graphic artists would throw in some clip art and call it a shift. Seeing as I work for CBH, I am not your average designer. I do my homework, research my product and in the end, give results. So for this handout it was obvious, I had to buy a house.
Anyone that has ever built a home or even purchased a home knows that it comes with a great deal of emotions ranging from excitement and happiness, down to doubt and worry. Buying a home is the largest expense most of us will ever have, and making that decision should not come lightly. For me, my feelings were all over the board. One would think working for CBH looking at floor plans all day long, would make it easy for me to have my dream house already picked out, but that was not the case. I knew what I wanted, how many rooms I needed, but had not pinpointed a single house in an ideal neighborhood, for the right price that included all the features I wanted. My excitement about getting a new house soon turned into frustration. I had so many great choices and pretty much wanted them all, but my mortgage specialist said I could only have one.
My husband was in love with one particular floor plan called the Rutherford. I still thought the Rutherford was hot too, but there was one little problem that was not going to work for my family. The laundry room was connected to the garage. For most families this is ideal, but anyone who has seen my husband do laundry knows it is something that needs to be kept a family secret, far away from any major entrances. So I did what any smart woman would do, I took the floor plan to our architect and ask him to fix it. And did he ever! My laundry room is now upstairs close to the bedrooms in its' own little private world, just waiting for my husband to take it on. The old laundry room is now a cute little mud area where my kids can take off their shoes and coats. (This change is now how we build the Rutherford, so if you love it thank my husband for his mad folding skills.)
After seeing the new laundry set up, I had no choice but to sign on the dotted line. The new Rutherford was perfect for us. Prefect. So then why did I not feel content? It was not the house keeping me up at night, it was the idea of paying for it. This is when I began to question my decisions. Did we really need that big of a house? Did I want to adjust my budget for my new mortgage? Did I really need that Jacuzzi tub or did I need to put in a water softener? Even though my rational side knew I did the right thing, my cautious side gave me a dose of buyers remorse. Luckily this all passed after a few days. I remember feeling a sense of pride and ownership as my foundation was poured and the framing was beginning. Man I loved it already, even without walls.
I am not going to feed anybody full of anything here, there is always going to be hick ups when building a house. Whether minor or major, they are there, no matter whom you build with or where you build it. Fortunately for me we had very few problems, which were promptly resolved. Even though most people would call me biased because of where I work, I can honestly say that building our house with CBH was not only a good experience, it was also fun and enjoyable. In the end I got a smoking hot yellow house, which has properly been named Big Bird.
On March 4th, I get the keys to Big Bird. I will be a homeowner for the first time in my life, and I am beside myself with excitement. Like all homeowners I have to be realistic, there will most likely be some adjustments that need to be made once the house settles, but I am cool with that because I have seen the CBH Warranty Department does for their homeowners.
As you can imagine, the research for this handout cost more than making it, but come on I have a Jacuzzi tub to show for it! What I am really getting at is, with any rewarding experience in life there are ups and downs. Building or buying a home is the same way - the end results make the trip well worth it.
Happy Home Ownership To All!
Devri Roubidoux
CBH Homes Graphic Designer
One side note: Confession time. Yes I am still a fabulous, dedicated designer, but I have to admit I was already building my house I decided to do this assignment. However, if I ever feel the need to design a handout about Europe, I am so booking my ticket.
Labels: CBH Company Info, Design, Quality
posted by CBH Homes Staff @ 2:09 PM
Bold, Beautiful, Box? Wednesday, February 6, 2008
I have been very lucky in that during my 14 years of designing homes in the Valley. I have been able to design some very unique and unusual homes. They have ranged from smaller entry level homes to multi-million dollar estates-from the simple to the complex. One thing that I can say with certainty is that you do not have to spend a million dollars to have a cool and unique home. Take a stroll through the North End in Boise or some of the older areas in Nampa and Caldwell. You will find homes are simple, graceful and unique. Strip away the paint and some of the simple details, and they are basic in shape and form, boxes. One of my favorite things that I do when looking for inspiration is to look through the Sears Archives where you will find homes that Sears sold through their catalogue. They are unique-dare I say cute, yet very similar. Small simple details give richness to what would be described as a boxy floor plan and elevation. Material changes, window placement, and most importantly color can change something from simple to BOLD and add uniqueness to something that, on paper, would normally be judged ho-hum.
Homes located in downtown Boise; very simple yet very unique.
The Alturas 1209, designed for our alley load garage home sites, was created with simplicity of shape to make it affordable but at the same time we wanted to create something that was rich, bold and unique
The Alturas 1209 that is being built in these CBH Communities; Peppertree, Devonshire, Bridgeview, and Chesterfield.
On paper it is a simple home, but with a few details and some color selected from our Design Studio (we have over 100 color combination choices; I counted them) we have a home that would stand out in a crowd; different even when built next to one another. They can be as unique as the individuals that choose to live in them. Always look at what you can add to your home no matter how simple, small or large it may be. That is what is really cool about CBH Homes; we let you add you, we want you to.
LIVE (to be bold)
LIVE (for colors)
LIVE (for simple coolness)
Mark Waldorf
CBH Designer
posted by CBH Homes Staff @ 12:35 PM
Square One
Today is February 5th, 2008 and we are in the process of swapping out our signs that read Sales Centers to signs that read Square 1. The phrase Square One peaked my interest so I decided to look it up on dictionary.com.
square one
a starting point; initial stage or step: If this plan fails, we'll have to go back to square one.
[Origin, alluding to board games in which a player is penalized by being forced to return to the starting point]
square one
the situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return if your efforts fail; "the police are now back at square one after having arrested and released 27 men"; "she has tried to diet but always ends up back at square one"
square one
The starting point.
[Alluding to board games with numbered squares in which a penalized player may have to return to the starting point.]
Although square one may elude to a board game in which a penalized player may have to return to the starting point, I promise that at CBH Homes we wont penalize you! Since buying a home is the object of the game, I will do whatever it takes to give you the opportunity to beat the game on your first visit! I do not have any get out of jail free cards but I am sure that CBH Home loans could find you some get into a home quick cards! All kidding aside, the next time you or your friends and family go looking for new homes, remember that you should always start at square one!
Chase Craig
Kuna New Home Specialist
CBH Sales & Marketing, Inc.
Office: (208)922-3955 Cell: (208)284-0829
Labels: CBH Company Info, Sales
posted by CBH Homes Staff @ 11:16 AM
Community Donates Monday, February 4, 2008
It's Saturday morning February 2, 2008 and I've been thinking about the family that just lost their mother in a car accident this past week in Boise. I pass by their home everyday when I go to work and now when I drive by I can only hope the husband, kids and new born baby are hanging on.
While in my office earlier this week, which happens to be in the community where the family lives, I had a neighbor walk in and ask if I would like to donate some money to the family to help with extra expenses.
I thought to myself, "why not ask the entire company of CBH Homes if they can donate some money?" I mentioned to the kind neighbor I would have some money for the family by the end of the week, I just needed to make a few phone calls.
To my surprise I received an email later that afternoon from another individual that was concerned for the family. This individual also wanted to know if CBH Homes could do something to help the family.
And thanks to the help of CBH Homes, Pioneer Title and lots of very generous community members, we ended up raising $2,154 for the Stoch family. I appreciate the kind neighbor who approached me in my office and the concerned parent for emailing CBH Homes and asking for help! Your generosity has gone a long way.
Thanks so much for all your help!
Calie Rasmussen
Labels: Giving Back
posted by CBH Homes Staff @ 3:53 PM
My Favorite Question...
My Favorite Question...
I love when you run into someone and they ask you where you work! I respond very proudly, CBH Homes! The typical next question is, what do you do there? I take in a deep breath before I start my long winded explanation. I do anything and everything! Sometimes I am taking out trash or cleaning up after a meeting, other times I am running reports and planning company events, maybe sending out purchases from Club Red, really just working on whatever is needed. Then they might say, you went to college to take out trash? I carefully respond, no, I went to college so I could have a great job and I DO! I work with the most driven people I have ever met, they are truly wonderful. The last question, and my favorite question always comes next..."Are they hiring?"
Bridgette Rutz
CBH Homes
Assistant to Holly Haener
Director of Sales & Marketing
Labels: CBH Company Info
posted by CBH Homes Staff @ 3:46 PM
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