Wait Longer to Move Up and Lose Money, or Buy Now and Save Big

Ready to trade up to a nicer home? Yes, it’s always better to trade up in a buyer’s market, like the one we are in now. This is because while the value of your house may have gone down, the prices of higher-end homes have also dropped—creating real opportunities for you.

Think waiting will save you money? Say your neighbor sold his house six months ago for $300,000. In today's market, your home's value has decreased 10 percent and you could only get $270,000. So you might think you'd be taking a $30,000 'loss' on your home when you sold it for the new $450,000 move-up home you desire, but you’d be wrong.

Why? Don’t forget that higher priced homes are also dropping in price. And if you wait for your home value to increase, the move-up home you desire will also likely increase in price just as much. So if you waited to recoup the 10 percent value on your home and sold it at $300,000, chances are that the same move-up home would also move up in price to at least 10 percent from $450,000 to $500,000. That’s a $200,000 price difference between the two homes.

So by NOT waiting, you could actually save as much as $20,000. And most likely, by buying today your savings would be even greater because consumers have much more bargaining power when shopping for higher-end homes in a buyer’s market. Shaw Homes has been recognized as Builder of the Year by The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa. We are proud of our exceptional, high-quality new homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore, and Bixby. Please visit ShawHomes.com for more buyer resources and home buying advice.

Big Tax Advantages to Homeownership for New Homes in Tulsa

You know that buying a home is one of the smartest things you can ever do. You certainly understand the benefits to your family and your future, but did you know that homeownership can help you save big money when it comes to your taxes?

3 Big Sources of Tax Savings for Homeowners:

• Deductions for mortgage interest
• Deductions for real estate taxes
• Capital gains exclusion for the sale of a principal residence

The deductions for mortgage interest and real estate taxes reduce the annual cost of homeownership by reducing the homeowner’s tax liability each year. For example, for a couple with an income of $60,000 and an initial mortgage of $180,000, the five years tax savings total would be more than $6,000 and the total savings over a twelve year period are estimated to be more than $33,000.

And, when the home is sold, the capital gain exclusion can again provide homeowners a tax benefit. Under present law, sellers of a principal residence can exclude profits from the sale of a home from taxation, up to $500,000 for married taxpayers and $250,000 for single taxpayers. With capital gain tax rates expected to increase from 15 to 20 percent in coming years, these tax savings can be substantial.

So it’s a no-brainer when it comes to saving money on taxes: Buying a Home keeps more of your money in your own pocket! Please visit ShawHomes.com or contact us for more information. Shaw Homes builds high-quality new homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore, and Bixby.

The Tulsa Parade of Homes Just Around the Corner

The 2010 Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes is right around the corner, Saturday, June 19 - Sunday, June 27, 2010. Register online today with Shaw Homes for a chance to win an Apple iPad. And now you can double your chances of winning: Register on our website contact page or on our Facebook page prior to June 18th, 2010. The drawing will be held on the first day of the Parade of Homes and the winner will be announced on the Shaw Homes Blog and the Shaw Homes Facebook Page.

And, when you register, you’ll also receive a complete list of all our Parade Homes on display, and you’ll be among the first to learn of our special new parade of homes buyer incentive!

Get free advice from homebuilders and real estate professionals on achieving the dream of owning or building a new home, discover new ideas on floor plans to fit your family and lifestyle, and tour all the new Shaw Homes available at the 2010 Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes.

Shaw Homes is exceptionally proud of our service to our customers, and of our exceptional, high-quality new homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore, and Bixby. Please visit ShawHomes.com or contact us for more information.

Brand New Shaw Homes 3-Bed & 3-Bath Available Now in Owasso

This newly completed Pinnacle II model at the Lakes of Bailey Ranch community offers a spacious 2,713 square feet, three bedrooms, and three full baths, and is listed at $269,654. See this brand new Shaw Homes masterpiece at 9404 E 91st St N., Owasso, OK 74055 or click here for more information.

• 3 Beds/3 Baths
• Owners Suite
• Spacious Kitchen with Island
• Two-way Fireplace
• Great Room, Dining Room, & Study
• Covered Patio & 2-Car Garage

We invite you to visit ShawHomes.com or contact us for more information about this home or other Shaw Homes services or homes. Shaw Homes is proud to offer spacious new homes in Tulsa, Owasso, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Claremore, and Bixby, and we have been recognized as Builder of the Year by The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa.

Even New Homes Need to Breathe—Why Shaw Homes uses Tyvek Wrap

Did you know that your new Shaw Home needs to breathe? It’s true—your home will need to effectively deal with moisture, water, and air to give your family comfort and protect your investment.

That’s why at Shaw Homes, we exclusively use Tyvek Wrap during construction to make sure that your new home has the best materials we can provide, and to make sure your home is weatherproofed during and long after construction.

Tyvek Wrap is the gold standard for new home moisture control, and you’ll find it on every new Shaw Homes house we build. Learn more about this important construction material and how it can add years of life to your home by watching this brief and informative video.



Shaw Homes offers high-quality new homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore, and Bixby. Shaw Homes has been recognized as Builder of the Year by The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa. Please visit our website or contact us for more information.

New Law Makes Remodeling “Older Homes” More Expensive

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that its new Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule will apply to all homes built before 1978. The agency is eliminating an “opt-out” provision that largely limited the regulation’s applicability to older homes that were the residences of pregnant women or children under six years old.

Expected to be enforced starting in July, the new mandate will increase the number of homes covered by the lead rules from an estimated 9.4 million to about 79 million, even though the EPA itself estimates that a significantly smaller number of homes — about 38 million — still contain lead paint.

Citing the economic impact of the rule, a remodeler from Colorado said that he has already lost bids because of the additional expense and an Alaskan remodeler said the rule is likely to add between $7,000 and $10,000 to his company’s cost of a major home addition project. The EPA estimates that the rule will add between $8 and $187 per project. “We stand by our analysis,” they said.

Whether the contractors are correct or the EPA is correct, it still proves the point that it is a good time to build new.