Getting your player ready...
How much do home buying families really care about energy efficiency? “It means saving money; it means toys for the kids at Christmas,” said Ashley and Matt Moriarty last week, with no prompting. They were measuring kids’ bedrooms in Meritage Homes’ Telluride model at North Creek Farms last week, in the north area of Thornton off I-25 near E/W470 – planning for their move-in to North Creek next month.
You can see what they’re getting, and why, when Meritage hosts a Fall Festival tomorrow at North Creek Farms, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with barbecue, face painters, and a last chance to tour Meritage’s two decorated models before they go on the market; along with three other homes that can deliver in time for the holidays. At a time when some builders and agents are reporting a slackened fall market, there’s no sign of that at North Creek Farms: another six homes sold last month, taking Meritage down to minimal inventory. “There’s a lack of opportunity for inventory in this price range,” says Craig Dunkelberger, sales director for Meritage. The Moriarty’s, with two tots at home, are proof positive. They’re renting now, after their older house in Thornton’s Cherrywood Park sold in a single day and closed months before the new one was done. The old place, they say, averaged $300/month for energy costs, while they expect the new one to come in around $150. Dunkelberger says Meritage’s energy design, which routinely hits Home Energy Rating System scores from 62 to as low as 58 (the lower the better), is no easy trick for builders to duplicate: “I have yet to see the competition get into the 50s without going to spray foam,” he added, as he showed off the insulation (you’ll see it in an Energy Learning display in the ranch model). Spray foam forms a solid layer that outperforms old-fashioned Fiberglas batts, but also seals better around penetrations. Meritage pairs that to a high-efficiency direct-air-intake furnace and to low-e windows to hit its very low scores, while still coming in below a $300,000 base price. The Moriartys, who had shopped numerous competitors as well as resale areas before purchasing from Meritage, are paying attention to those features, including what they see in the attic. “You see insulation all over the place (in other attics), but here it’s clean,” Matt Moriarty said. “You can actually store things.” All of which doesn’t mean that buyers aren’t paying attention to non-energy features, including interior use of space. “Functionality and layout are always the number-one driver,” said Meritage’s Nathan Penrose at North Creek Farms. He added that the commuter access works for professionals heading into downtown via I-25; or just as well for those headed into the U.S. 36 corridor (W470) or to DIA (E470). All of that will be working for the buyers of three homes ready for pre-holiday move-in, including a Monarch ranch already complete at $340,410. It has over 1,600 square feet in a 2-bedroom plan that wraps around an open kitchen-great room with granite counters, stainless appliances and large eat-at island, surrounded by extensive hardwood flooring. There’s a full unfinished basement with 9-foot ceilings, and a 2-car garage.Follow Mark Samuelson on Twitter:
@marksamuelson
