When looking to buy land and home together, many people will ask a common question?

“Should I find my land first?”

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a variety of answers. Here is a process that we have seen work well…

Step 1) Consult with a Housing Specialist.

You’re going to have questions. LOTS of questions. Seeking the advice of a housing specialist you trust can really work wonders. A good housing specialist will be knowledgeable about houses for sale, and have some insight into land costs in the area you are looking.

The housing consultant will also talk with you about your budget, to ensure you are getting the most house for your money.

Step 2) Find a house that fits ALL of your needs.

Your housing consultant will take into account your housing needs, including your budget, and show you a list of homes that may work for you. You may see a large number of homes, so find the one that fits your family the best.

Tip: Resist the urge to ask for customization to your floor plan. When you ask for a special change from the manufacturer, you are basically asking for a home that is a prototype. And prototypes are always riddled with problems. The builder engineered that floor plan for a reason, so stay within the options list available.

Step 3) Get an approval from a lender.

This is where most people mistakenly start shopping for land, and it’s a common misstep. Before looking for land, have your housing consultant submit your offer to buy your home to a lender for approval. This is wise for several reasons:

• a) You now have a land budget: The lender will tell you how much they are willing to lend you for your land purchase up front. It will look something like this:

          Land / Home Loan Value:    $150,000
          Home Price:                        $109,000
          Land Allowance:                   $41,000

Now that you know you have $41,000 available to buy land, your land search has become much easier!

• b) You now have buying leverage: Land owner get offers to buy their land all the time from people with no real ability to buy. When buyers show up with an approval from a lender proving their ability to buy, land owners take them more seriously, and are far more likely to cut a deal to get their land sold!

• c) You are not locked into anything: An approval from a lender is not a binding agreement just yet. The lender is merely giving you their terms to issue you a loan for the house you have chosen. You are not required to accept those terms if they are not attractive enough to you, and any deposit money you have made to start the buying process is fully refundable.

Step 4) Shop for land!

Now that you have your lending offers squared away, it’s time to go out there and find your land that will become your homestead. Happy hunting!

Image Credit: Richard Nolan

What Are Low Emissivity Windows?

Low Emissivity windows (commonly referred to as ‘Low-E’ windows) are windowpanes that are covered in microscopic layers of metallic oxides. This coating is invisible to the naked eye. By design, the coating protects your home from unwanted UV rays while allowing natural light to pass through it. The reflection of UV rays into your home helps prevent the burning of skin and the fading of carpet and furniture.

Low-E windows also help keep your house warmer in the winter (by reflecting certain sun rays back into the home), and cooler in the summer (by reflecting similar rays outside the home). This can dramatically lower the costs for both heating and cooling your home.

The science behind Low-E Windows is fascinating. And, as technology behind the windows advances, they will become more and more common in new home construction.

But are they worth the investment? According to HomeAdvisor.com, “Low-e windows are definitely worth the investment…these glazes can save you some serious money down the road”.

Got Questions!

Click here and we’ll get in touch with you right away!

Image Courtesy of VitroGlazings.com

Price Increase Delayed to Sept 22nd

In response to demand for housing to aid those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Oak Creek Homes has decided to delay price increases on new manufactured homes.

As #HurricaneHarvey approached the Texas coast, many industry leaders feared a price increase from building material suppliers. Sure enough, within hours of the storms passing, Oak Creek Homes was notified of a price hike for lumber, steel, sheet-rock, and other materials used in hour Heavy Homes.

In an effort to keep new homes costs as low as possible, Oak Creek Homes implemented a retail program, delaying the price increase for all new homes to September 15th.

That date has been pushed back ever further, and is now set at September 22nd, 2017. All homes ordered by September 21st will be spared the price increase.

Chuck Carney, President of Retail Operations says, “We (Oak Creek) cannot control the market prices of our building materials. What we can control, to a degree, is our ability to insulate those higher prices from our coastal residents for as long as we possibly can.”

The estimated price increase, when enacted, will add roughly $1.90 per square foot to home prices.

*Some exclusions apply. Contact your local Oak Creek Homes center for more details.*

Oak Creek Homes – Hurricane Harvey Update

Thankfully, we are OK and are working to get back on our feet! Oak Creek Homes is a League City- based company (just south of Houston), and extreme weather is nothing new to us. Hurricane Harvey, however, is truly unprecedented in its strength.

The safety of our employees is a top priority. All are safe and accounted for, though many have been kept away temporarily due to flooding. To any customers in the coastal areas, we are wishing you the best and are happy to help in any way.

Our Texas manufacturing plants are located just south of Dallas and in Fort Worth. They are unharmed by Harvey and are operating at their regular production rate. This leaves us prepared for our usual role in the Government’s storm-recovery programs.

We have already been told by a number of suppliers that prices are about to increase due to storm demand. Whatever window we have at buying materials (and selling homes) at existing prices may close quickly. This is an unfortunate reality after any major storm.

Business in non-storm affected areas is normal. Our operations in the rest of Texas as well as Oklahoma are selling and delivering homes as usual. We are day-to-day in coastal Texas and South Louisiana.

Oak Creek Homes appreciates your business and patience! We will keep you posted on our progress and wish you all the best. From our 47 years in business, we know that you can’t keep Texas (or Texans) down!

[Original Image Credit: kut.org]

Add Heavy Value To Your Home by Painting Your Bathroom Blue

Years ago, we were told by industry experts that neutral color paint was the way to go when marketing your home. The idea was that using beige and white colors would appeal to the mass of potential buyers. But recent data points to painting your home using bold colors to maximize your home’s value.

Namely, it’s the bathrooms where bolder colors produce the most value. According to Zillow.com, homes with bathrooms painted in light shades of blue, such as sky blue and powder blue, sold for more money…an average of $5,440 more. Interestingly, Zillow found homes with white/neutral bathrooms sold for over $4,000 less.

Other blue-clad rooms get a good response from buyers, too. According to an article in Money, buyers pay, on average, $1,856 more for homes with blue colored bedrooms. Further, homes with dining/family rooms in shades of slate and navy blue sold for about $2,000 more.

The best part is, painting is cheap and easy. You can call in pros, or do it yourself. Either way, you’ll likely realize more money at the closing table with a bold, yet cost effective, color choice!

Check Out the Oak Creek Homes Design Center for new ideas!

Manufactured Home Myths BUSTED!

“Home sweet home” comes in all sizes, locations, and budgets: urban brownstones, modern high-rise apartments, suburban ranch homes, rustic farmhouses, manufactured homes … That’s right. A manufactured home is the perfect option for many. If that surprises you, you may be buying into the following common (false) manufactured home myths. So, let’s set the record straight!

Myth 1: Manufactured homes are unsafe.

Modern day (post-1994) manufactured homes must meet the same U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) safety standards as site built homes. That means manufactured homes meet the same construction quality, strength, and fire / wind-resistant requirements as site-built homes. In fact, manufactured homes must meet higher building-code standards than site-built homes.

Myth 2: The value of a manufactured home won’t appreciate.

As a blanket statement, that’s false. Like site-built homes, a rise or drop in value occurs on a home by home basis. Manufactured homes can drop in value, just like site built homes…but manufactured homes can also gain equity and increase in value! This is primarily true if:

• The home’s owner also owns the land on which the home sits.
• The house is well maintained.
• The structure is attached to a foundation.
• The home has been updated with additions or attached garages.

Also, location is important. Potential for a rise in home value increases with desirable land location.

Myth 3: Manufactured home communities are tacky.

It is true that you’ll find rundown “trailer parks” throughout the United States. You’ll also find rundown site-built-home subdivisions. But just as you’ll find exclusive gated communities with upscale homes, you’ll find luxurious manufactured home communities with resort-style pools, million-dollar views, and famous residents.

Myth 4: Manufactured homes all look the same.

Granite, hardwoods, gourmet kitchens with islands, fireplaces, soaking tubs, custom window treatments, spacious porches, media rooms, walk-in closets, skylights, master suites … manufactured homes have these amenities, and many more.

Myth 5: It’s tough to find financing for a manufactured home.

It’s no tougher to secure financing for a manufactured home than for a traditional home. When you finance a manufactured home as real property, VA, FHA, USDA and conventional financing is available with terms up to 30 years.

So, consider the benefits of manufactured homes. For significantly less money than you’d spend on a site-built home, you can purchase a manufactured home that has all of the amenities on your wish list. You just might get the home sweet home of your dreams.

Why would credit unions be interested in offering loans for manufactured homes? The answer makes sense when you think about it.

When in the market for a new home, many people are looking to manufactured homes. They are attractive and low-cost. Lending for these factory-built dwellings is different in some ways than a traditional mortgage. According to CFED, “financing manufactured home purchases and refinances can be a viable and effective community development activity for credit unions”. Thus, more and more credit unions have stepped up to answer the call, offering lending for manufactured houses.

Credit Unions prefer helping members over making profit.

Credit Unions have a fundamental approach to building wealth by building their local community. Banks lend money near and far for the sole purpose of turning a profit on each transaction. Credit unions, however, believe that their growth depends largely on the growth of their local community. What is good for the neighborhood is good for the credit union. Thus, if manufactured houses are in demand in an area, local credit unions want to offer loan products to meet those needs.

Manufactured Home Loans meets demand for smaller home loans.

Ever since the financial crisis in 2008, consumers are demanding access to smaller, more affordable home loans. According to an article published by Wired, housing experts confess that “a family that makes $100,000 can’t afford to buy a house” in many cities. The new ‘Duty to Serve’ rule from the FHFA has allowed for more affordable originations of smaller loans. This fits perfectly for manufactured homes. Consumer demand for affordable home loan solutions now has an answer.

Manufactured Home Loans Diversify the Credit Union’s portfolio.

Although Credit Unions are not-for-profit, they also cannot operate at a loss. This means investment diversity matters to them, too. A diverse lending portfolio is the best strategy to mitigating risk and raising profits for credit unions. Manufactured home lending provides a nice alternative loan product to traditional mortgages.

Original Source: Triad Financial Services

When you’ve built homes as long as Oak Creek (45 years!), you hear a lot of common reasons for customers not falling in love with a particular model.  Often, the heart of the home is great, but the rest is just not quite right.  By the heart of the home, I’m talking about the kitchen, living room and master suite.

With the new Magnificent Seven model of Oak Creek Homes, this problem becomes a thing of the past!  You see, all seven floorplans that constitute the Magnificent Seven have the same core of kitchen, living room and master suite…literally identical.  What’s different with each is the size and additional bedroom and living room configurations.

Need a fourth bedroom?  No problem.  Need a second living area?  Gotcha covered.  You want a 3^rd bath?  It ain’t nuthin’ but a thing.  And with Oak Creek’s amazing 3D touring software, you’ll feel like you’re inside of any of the seven configurations while viewing the one at your local dealership.  Call or email today and set an appointment to see the amazing new Magnificent Seven at Oak Creek Homes!

Sometimes when our housing consultants greet new customers, their apprehension and fear are apparent.  They are weary of interacting because they just had a terrible experience at one of our competitors.  Sadly, we are often told of hour-long inquisitions and full credit reviews before a person is even allowed to see a home.  Then, after finally reviewing the homes, a parade of salespeople and managers take turns trying to extract money from the customer, often for a home they don’t really like.  At Oak Creek, we take a very different approach…we take time to LISTEN.  We want to know what your needs are, and then we save you time by only showing you the homes that fit these needs.  Our experience is a true consultation because we work for YOU.  Tell us what your specific needs are and, if we have it, we will tell you everything you want to know.   If we don’t, we’ll shake hands and part friends.  Come try a professional approach to business at Oak Creek Homes.

If you’ve studied our website or researched online, you probably know that Oak Creek prides itself on having some of the highest resale values in the industry.  Considering that most people only keep their house for seven years before selling it, this is an important and substantial consideration when choosing the right home.  Obviously, the extra money you pocket when selling your home should be factored into the home-buying equation at the BEGINNING of the selection process, otherwise you may be comparing apples to oranges.  That being said, one must ask WHY Oak Creek is considered a better investment by most third party appraisal services and the banks who rely on them.  The answer is simple:  quality.  Oak Creek has a reputation for building the strongest, longest-lasting homes in the nation; a reputation that has taken 45 years to build.  Over time, banks and finance companies experience fewer problems with Oak Creek homes and that has led to happier customers who become more likely to pay off their loan.  The moral of this story?  Don’t let a small price difference stand in the way of a happier living experience; you’ll get it back when you decide to sell it and buy a larger, newer Oak Creek!

This year marks the 45^th year of Oak Creek’s storied history, and we couldn’t be more proud.  Starting as a single retail dealership in Pasadena, Texas in 1971, Oak Creek has grown to include 19 dealerships, 3 manufacturing facilities, a mortgage company and a very successful insurance company.  We’ve lead the way in home design by being Texas’ first high volume modular builder and we’ve always prided ourselves in being the most technologically advanced business in the industry.  What we are most proud of, though, is the thousands of homeowners we’ve been able to help through the year.  In all, over 53,000 families have chosen Oak Creek to build their dream home and for that we would like to take a moment and say THANK YOU.  We hope that the next 45 years provide us continued success.  We know our commitment to providing great value and service has never been stronger.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the tragic flooding in South Louisiana over the past several weeks.  Some estimates show 60,000 people without adequate housing, many of whom must completely rebuild their lives due the total loss of their homes.  On August 19th, FEMA contacted all approved manufacturers of FEMA emergency housing (including Oak Creek) to solicit their assistance in responding to the crisis.

 Though we are proud to assist in these times of need (and proud to be one of the manufacturers that FEMA trusts with their housing needs), we are also concerned about our commitments to those in unaffected areas who are in the process of making a housing change.  Though we will continue to build non-emergency housing for our regular customers, the amount of time it will take to do deliver special order homes will grow substantially.  Furthermore, storms like these always create exaggerated demand for building materials, causing home prices to increase. 

There is still a short window for ordering your home before demand accelerates and prices increase.  In an effort to keep your housing change on schedule and in budget, we can either provide you display models for immediate purchase or lock in pricing on special order homes if sales are initiated by September 15^th. Give us a call to discuss your housing plans.

If you’ve seen the list of stock models currently featured on Oak Creek’s website as well as the individual dealer sites (if not, check them out!).  Why are these homes so much cheaper?  Is something wrong with them?  Do they not have the normal warranty?  Well, there’s a lot of reasons to discount stock models, namely that Oak Creek constantly updates its decors, options and floorplans to keep up with popular tastes and styles.  Does this mean that a discounted stock model doesn’t come with the commitment for service that Oak Creek is famous for?  No way!  All stock models come with the same warranties and Home Service Protection (if applicable) that are the hallmarks of our homes.  So why the big discounts?  Because these homes often show the minor wear typical of being used as a model home.  You may see the occasional scratch or carpet wear, but the discounts traded for these shortcoming typically far outweigh the negatives.  Please take a look at our clearance homes by clicking HERE.

So you want to tour our houses but you just don’t have the time?  No problem.  Just click here and take a look at one of our 3 dimensional home tours.  You’ll be able to get an overview of our floorplans and click anywhere in it to see the interior of a particular part of the house.  From there, you can navigate to multiple points in any room (even closets) and get a full 360-degree perspective using your mouse or keyboard.

Navigation is a breeze as you move from room to room and get the truest interpretation possible of our houses without leaving your computer screen.  You’ll find this is a great way to view the various décor choices and option packages we have available as we’ve done our best to include different ensembles across our home offerings.  Furthermore, you will be able to narrow down your home selections before visiting your local home center, saving you time and confusion.

Unlike our competition, Oak Creek goes to great effort and expense to make sure virtually all our homes offer this online experience.  We hope you take advantage of this great new technology!

Salespeople.  The very word brings fear to the mind of most people.  Many people dread working with salespeople out of fear of being taken advantage or of being lied to.  At Oak Creek, we understand that purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions of your life, and we’ve hired and trained our staff to approach their job differently than those at other companies.  Here’s how:

Our people have two ears and one mouth and use them proportionately.  In other words, we listen!  We know you don’t want to waste valuable time so we ask the right questions to determine just which homes at our dealership would fit your needs.  If we can’t find one there, we’ll get online and find the perfect home for you elsewhere in the company.

Our people get the best training in the industry.  Every Housing Consultant (that’s right, we consider them consultants) is given a thorough 10-day class upon hiring to educate them on our homes and company.  Then, they are given a battery of online classes and exams to further reinforce this knowledge.  After that, they each spend 3 days in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex at our our two Texas manufacturing facilities seeing our homes built and observing each step of the process.  Given all of this preparation, you can feel safe knowing you’ll be in good hands with an Oak Creek Housing Consultant.

We’re not pushy.  We’ve got the facts.  We’ve got the proof.  We are confident you will come to the right conclusion without coercion or sales “silliness.”

So come meet one of our fine Oak Creek professionals.  You’ll enjoy the process and feel good about your purchase.  Most importantly, you’ll love your new home.

Every home builder will claim to build the best home for your money, and frankly, we won’t be any different at Oak Creek.  We’ll tell you our homes are built stronger, designed better, more affordable and that we’re more committed to your satisfaction.  But with all manufacturers making their own claims, how can you know who to believe?  At Oak Creek, we strongly advocate PROVING everything we say about ourselves.  If we claim we have higher resale value, we are going to show you an N.A.D.A. record.  If we say we’ve got the best protection plan, we’re going to show you all of its coverages.

Oak Creek uses better and stronger materials when we build our houses, and more of them.  This causes our homes to weigh more than other brands.  How much?  Sometimes SUBSTANTIALLY more.  How do we know?  More importantly, how do YOU know?  By looking at Record Detail form, which is required by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.  Obviously, all manufactured and modular homes must travel on the State’s highways and thus must be measured for weight.  This document exists for every home and is available by request from any dealer who wants you to see them.  At Oak Creek, we do want you to see them…they are proof that a whole lot more goes into our houses.

Oak Creek Homes prides itself on having some of the highest resales values of any manufactured home built in the country.  This value is derived from the N.A.D.A., an organization that determines values not only for homes, but for cars, RV’s and motorcycles.  They are the single most reliable source for appraisers, banks and independent buyers in determining just what someone should pay for a pre-owned manufactured home.  Almost without exception, the N.A.D.A. feels that an Oak Creek Home is worth more than a comparably sized manufactured home built by one of our competitors.

But what does this REALLY mean?  Obviously, it means you’ll get more money for your home if you eventually sell it or trade it in.  But the better question to ask is WHY are our homes valued higher?  The answer is because they are BUILT STRONGER.  If a home is built like an Oak Creek, it holds together better over time, has fewer service issues and is thus considered a better long term investment.

So, when it comes time to choose the best home, don’t just take our word for it.  Take the word of a third-party independent expert…the N.A.D.A.  You will be glad you did.

Celebrating forty-five years in the single family housing industry is a milestone that few companies have achieved, especially in the factory built home segment. But that is exactly what American Homestar Corporation and its 665 employees are doing this year.

From humble beginnings in 1971 as a single model home center on Spencer Highway in Pasadena, Texas operating as Mobile America and featuring Mickey Gilley in their TV campaigns, the company grew to become one of the region’s leading manufactured home retailers. But when the oil boom went bust in the southwest in the 1980’s in order to survive, the company found it necessary to change its business model and go down a different path.

Company founder and CEO Buck Teeter recognized the market the company could serve was for REO services provided to lenders faced with liquidating manufactured homes whose owner’s had defaulted on their loans. According to Teeter, “we had the infrastructure and talent in place to serve this need and help the financial institutions reduce losses on foreclosed homes. We refurbished and re-marketed thousands of homes during this period helping not only the lenders but many home-buyers who were in need of affordable housing at a time when the job market and economy were really bad.”

The market in the southwest soon began a gradual recovery that accelerated quickly through the decade of the 90’s. During this period of rapid growth the company entered the manufacturing segment through mergers and acquisitions and soon had a presence in 28 states with fourteen plants, one hundred thirty five company home centers, eighty five franchise outlets and a large number of independently owned and operated home centers.

In 1995 the company formed 21st Mortgage a joint venture manufactured home financing initiative with a partnership that included Clayton Homes and several former management team members of their Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance operation. It also entered the manufactured housing transportation business through an interest in Roadmasters Transit, one of the leading transporters in the country.

With the growth and expansion activities during the decade of the 90’s the company became fully vertically integrated through manufacturing, retailing, finance, insurance and transportation and grew to be one of the largest manufactured housing companies in the U.S.

In the 1998-99 timeframe the manufactured housing industry was severely impacted by its own financing melt down as subprime loans made by many lenders went into default. This caused the mortgage backed security market for manufactured home loans to all but disappear. With no secondary market for loans, the lack of affordable financing for entry level home-buyers created a dramatic drop in demand and caused the company to retrench back to its core southwest and south central markets with two manufacturing plants, twenty five company owned Oak Creek Home Centers, Western Insurance and American Homestar Mortgage.

In 2008 the company acquired a third manufacturing operation in Lynn, Alabama, Platinum Homes. It expanded its product offering by entering the modular home building and commercial structures markets and offering the industries first 7-year home protection plan.

Following Hurricane Katrina the company was called upon to assist in providing temporary disaster housing to hundreds of families. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike provided the company additional opportunities to provide permanent affordable factory built replacement homes across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. For families with low to moderate income impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Ike in Texas, American Homestar Corporation is currently building replacement homes under a program funded by Community Development Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

According to founder and CEO Teeter, “while the modern energy efficient homes the company builds today bear little resemblance to the homes we built and sold forty-five years ago, one thing remains unchanged; the company’s commitment to quality and affordability.” American Homestar Corporation is primarily employee owned.

Let’s face it…there are thousands of sales jobs out there.  You can sell vacuum cleaners, cars, sporting goods…the list is virtually endless.  There’s only one way, though, to sell the true American Dream.  That’s by selling HOMES.  In Oak Creek’s case, the houses are manufactured and modular in nature.  What’s the difference?  The main one is cost.  With the rising price of housing, this dream is becoming more and more out of reach for the typical person.  That’s why factory-built housing is becoming a more popular alternative.

Of all the companies out there in this field, why choose Oak Creek?  Because of its commitment to training, development and promotion from within.  When it comes to training, we will start you off with 10 days of hourly online meetings followed by a 3-day class at our manufacturing facilities in Texas.  Then, every week, you’ll receive continued education to keep you up-to-date and any and all product and market changes.  We prepare you to succeed at Oak Creek, and once you do, we do our best to keep you.  Many of our sales pros and managers have been with the company for five, ten, twenty even TWENTY FIVE YEARS.

Right now our biggest (but not only) need is for BILINGUAL salespeople.  One of our fastest growing groups of buyers is Hispanic people and those who speak Spanish will be best prepared to serve them.  If you’d like to learn more about an opportunity with Oak Creek, click HERE and visit our employment page.

As you know, our dealerships display stock models so that our customers can get true sense of what are homes are like. Sometimes, pictures or one of our unique 360 degree tours are simply not enough. Because we frequently change our floor plans and decors, we occasionally must change out our inventories and when we do, the consumer is the winner.

Why? Because these homes become heavily discounted for short periods of time.

What’s the catch? There really isn’t one. These houses have full warranties and our 7 year Homeguard protection plan and typically show a minimum of wear. We just need to bring in the newest models and pass on tremendous savings to you to make that happen.

Which houses are included? Across our company, over 30 houses have been discounted for this weekend’s brief yet amazing “72 Hour Sale”. This include single, double and triple section houses as well as homes built to both the HUD and Modular building codes.

Thursday April 28 – Saturday April 30 , put those umbrellas away and come out to Oak Creek Homes for great weather and even greater savings during our once-in-a-lifetime 72 Hour Sale. You’ll be glad you did. Oh, and while you’re there, check out Oak Creek’s new Olympia Home, the most highly anticipated new model we’ve built in years!

MANUFACTURED HOMES TEXAS