Malta Development Blog

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you will ever make.  It is, after all, a substantial investment and most likely your largest monthly expenditure. As such, that decision will have an ongoing impact on your future so it’s only natural that you would want to make the right decision.

Benefits of Building a New Home

Whether you are looking for your first home or a larger one to meet the needs of your growing family or transitioning into retirement to a single-story, ranch style plan, getting started can seem like a daunting task. Like most people you have probably started with an online search and have seen some Open Houses in the area where you are most interested in living.  Perhaps you have even gone out to look at quite a few homes but none of the many existing ones you’ve seen even come close to the vision you have of your perfect home.  Slowly it becomes clear that there is an obvious solution—to build a brand-new home.  A newly built home offers many advantages over a pre-owned or “used” home.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: State-of-the-art building practices and materials have resulted in homes that are more energy-efficient than ever. That means lower monthly utility bills and lower operating costs.  And some Home Builders choose to go above and beyond what is required by today’s strict building codes and produce super-efficient homes with Energy Star certification and National Green Building Standard certification which also creates a healthier living environment.

INNOVATIVE DESIGN:  Many older homes have cut up floorplans, rooms that no one uses (think Formal Living Room) and lack essential storage space. When you build new, look for a Home Builder who offers modern designs and the flexibility to customize a plan to suit your individual needs. Some Home Builders have a Design Center where all of your color choices and interior selections are done under one roof.  Much more convenient than running all over town.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: No matter how well an older home has been cared for there is always something that needs to be fixed, replaced, or updated and that costs money. A newer home, by definition, will generally have a higher appraised value than an older home. Technological advances, modern design elements, and money-saving energy efficiencies will greatly increase the value of your home.

SO I’VE MADE THE DECISION TO BUILD—NOW, WHAT DO I ASK A HOME BUILDER??

According to the experts at the National Association of Home Builders, “You should feel comfortable asking a potential home builder every question that you think is important. And, a professional Builder or Sales Representative will want to make you a happy and satisfied home owner.” 

At Malta Development, we echo that sentiment. We know that you have lots of questions and we are happy to answer them for you—even some you never thought to ask!  Here are some important questions to consider asking:

1. How long Have you been in business?
   This year, Malta Development is celebrating it’s 30^th It is a big year for us and we are grateful to all of our customers past and present, who have been a part of our success.
2. Can you provide testimonials from recent home buyers?
   There is nothing like receiving a glowing, unsolicited testimonial from a valued home buyer to really make our day. We depend upon customer satisfaction for our success and longevity. We pride ourselves on repeat business and have built many 2^nd and 3^rd homes (in one case 4 homes!) for past customers as their lives and housing needs change. You can read our testimonials on our website.
3. How do your standard features compare to other home builders?
   Malta Development believes in the “Everything’s Standard” standard features package. It’s what we are known for. Every Home Builder claims to offer more than everyone else, but we take that claim seriously and back it up with the real deal. Our customers tell us all the time, “We looked everywhere but kept coming back because we couldn’t find anything else that even comes close to what you offer.”
4. What major energy-saving features are included in the homes that you build?
   Malta Development is the only production Home Builder in the Greater Capital Region whose newly-built homes are Energy Star certified, National Green Building Standard (NGBS) certified, and insulated with super-efficient Spray Foam insulation, the recognized gold standard in insulation. According to Philip LaRocque, the independent NGBS verifier who certifies our homes, a newly built Malta Development home is up to 56% more energy efficient than other new homes built to today’s strict building code. That means considerably lower utility bills and a much healthier living environment. Once again, Malta Development has been named a 2017 NGBS Green Partner of Excellence, one of only 2 home builders in the entire state of New York to receive this honor.
5. What kind of warranty do you provide?
   At Malta Development we stand behind every home we build with one of the best warranties in the new home building industry, reflecting the confidence we have in the quality of our homes. 
   We offer a 10 year major structural warranty with the unusual ability to transfer remaining years to a subsequent buyer should you need to sell your home before then. Each individual component comes with its own warranty and you will receive an online interactive Homeowner’s Manual that stores all of your warranty documents where they cannot be lost or misplaced.
6. I have a home to sell. How long will the new home take to build? What if old home sells first?
   We try to make the buying process as seamless as possible. Have a home to sell? Not a problem, most people do.  We have developed many solid and cooperative relationships with top Real Estate Brokers all over the area who can assist you in making the sale of your existing home an easy transaction. Your new home will take approximately 210 days to build. If your existing home sells before your new home is ready, we can even assist you with a short-term interim rental.  Yes, we take customer service very seriously.
7. How much of a deposit will I have to some up with to start the process?
   Unlike other home builders who require up to 30% down to start building, Malta Development takes a one-time deposit of $5,000 with the purchase contract. That’s all you have to come up with until closing.  Yes, you read that right—just $5,000.  Ah, the joys of working with a solvent Home Builder…