Diamondback’s Home Runs Build More than Winning Scores

Fulton Homes’ Home Run Program Steps Up to the Plate to Support Local Charities

Arizona Diamondback fans have more than a stellar line-up to look forward to this season, because every cheer for a home run is a cheer for a great charity. With every homerun hit by the D-backs, Fulton Homes will donate $150 to be shared by the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association and the Youth Assistance Foundation with the Fulton Homes Home Run program.

Now in its fifth season, Fulton Homes has raised tens of thousands of dollars through the Fulton Homes Home Run program, which this year spans the entire regular season and will end with this year’s game against the LA Dodgers in early October.

Also known as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Mountain Rescue team, the Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association has a rich history of saving lives since its establishment in 1969, and is trained technically to perform search and rescue missions in the backcountry of Arizona. The Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office Youth Assistance Foundation works to prevent youth violence through efforts like the Explorer Program which allows 14-21 year-olds to become positively involved with law enforcement and the Sherriff’s Youth Boxing Team, which gives young men ages 8-18 a positive alternative to drugs and gangs.

The Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association and the Youth Assistance Foundation are just two of the many charitable causes supported by Fulton Homes, the Tempe-based homebuilder that has built a legacy upon community activism. Fulton Homes generously contributes over to Arizona communities, schools, and children.

“Fulton Homes recognizes the importance of building not only great homes for a community, but strengthening and supporting the community that lives in those homes, as well,” said Fulton Homes CEO Douglas Fulton. “Fulton Homes is proud of our D-Backs, and now we have even more reason to cheer on our team—every home run can now help someone in need here in the Valley of the Sun.”

Fulton Homes was founded in 1975 and grew to be one of the top homebuilders and family owned businesses in Arizona. During the past year, in the face of one of the worst housing markets in US history, Fulton Homes soldiered on in a market devastated by foreclosures and short sales. Fulton Homes, which offers many homes in the $116,500- $140,000 range, was the first homebuilder to highlight the downside of foreclosures in an informational advertising campaign. The online tool ForeclosureCostCalculator.com can be customized to fit the parameters of any foreclosed property, and analyze such factors as exterior paint, cabinets, and termites.

Selecting the products that will turn your house into a home can be a daunting process, a process that requires your time, creativity and commitment.  There are so many decisions to be made from flooring to countertops to other interior finish options and we’re sure that you have many questions.

We want to help prepare you for your appointment by providing you with the expectations, tips and guidelines that will enable you to make your selection process run smoother and be more enjoyable! Today’s post is about expectations for the process.

WHAT TO EXPECT

To begin with, you should expect to have a great appointment! This is one of the fun parts about buying a new home. It’s your opportunity to select the products that you like with the advice and guidance of a trained professional. What else could be better?

Just like every homebuyer is different, so is every homebuyer’s design appointment. Knowing what to expect before walking into your appointment will help you prepare.

Foe example, Fulton Homes Design Center is a 13,000 square foot facility right off of Warner Road east of the 1-10 in Tempe. At the center you’ll see thousands of choices of options such as Appliances, Cabinets, Flooring, Countertops, Structural Wiring, Window Coverings, Doors, Lighting, Electrical fixtures, ceiling fans, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, outdoor kitchens, garage systems, closet systems, and even fireplaces with plasma TV’s.

We realize that with this many option selections, in all of our homes; the Design Center process can be overwhelming. That’s why we have created the first on-line design center in Arizona. Our buyers can preview and even save options in their own home, well before their actual design center appointment.

When you initially purchase a Fulton Home, you are set up with a “MyFultonHome ” account, and with this account you can access almost all of the options that are available for your particular plan, in your community. With other builders, the sales associate will usually give you a 10 page listing of all of the options that are available, in some sort of code. Some may or may not have prices, so when you finally get to the Design Center you have to make many decisions in a relatively short period of time without much preparation. With Fulton Homes Online Design, you can view pictures, warranty information, descriptions, and prices for this vast array of customized touches for your new home.  Not only can you see what the price is for each option before you purchase, but the site will display how much that option is going to cost per month.  You can also compare options ensuring that your final selection is right for you. These options can be saved and prepared in advance of you appointment and the Design Consultant can review your saved items with you at the appointment. Upon completion of your appointment, your selections will be finalized.

At Fulton Homes, we believe your Design Center experience should provide you with adequate time to become confident and familiar with your choices. However it is vital to the construction process that selections be finalized at your meeting.  For this reason, it is in our mutual best interest that you utilize the significant preparation tools that we offer.

Your appointment may last just a few hours or may require two meetings. The time allotted is solely dependent on your available options and your personal decision process. Once again, preparation is the key. If you have questions prior to your Design Center appointment, please contact your Sales Associate.

Since you will be spending several hours making some permanent design selections, we ask to make child care arrangements and not bring children to the Design Center.

At your Fulton Homes Design Center appointment, you’ll meet with your Design Consultant.  He or she will briefly guide you through the process and review any items that you have saved on your Fulton Homes Design Online program. He or she will be your main contact throughout the appointment, although you will interface with subject matter experts in Cabinets, Appliances, and Structured wiring. These three areas can be so detailed and sometimes confusing, that Fulton Homes wanted to have experts in each of these areas available for all of our homebuyers.

Also, remember to bring your checkbook. A deposit will be required when you finalize your selections.

We hope this information helps you understand more about the Design Center process and how Fulton Homes handles this process. Stay tuned for more information about the Design Center Process.

The cabinets in your home are often a big investment. Like other big investments in your home, your  cabinets needs to be cared for.  Your cabinet fronts are made of finished hardwoods. With proper care, the beauty and utility of your cabinets will last for many years. Below is some information to help you properly care and maintain your cabinets.

• Remove splashes and splatters promptly to avoid permanent stains.
• The beauty of your cabinetry can be preserved by polishing with waxes or polishes formulated for furniture use. Lemon and orange oils are not recommended and whitewashed finishes require a non-yellowing wax or polish. You can contact the cabinet manufacturer by their web site for additional information.
• Minor scratches can be covered with a putty stick that matches the finish of your cabinets. (Putty sticks can be purchased at paint or hardware stores.)

The wood in your cabinets is a natural product. It is subject to drying and can warp. This could cause drawers to stick and prevent doors from closing properly. For Fulton homeowners, if you notice sticking drawers and cabinets doors that do not close properly during the warranty period, please notify the CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT on your “myfultonhome” web site. Maintenance of cabinet drawers and doors is the responsibility of the homeowner.

It should be noted that it is not unusual for the color of the installed cabinets to be different from samples shown at time of selection.

Color can differ with wood grain variation and stain used some color variation on stained areas is to be expected.

Cleaning Tips for Wood Finishes:

Dusting

Dust cabinets frequently with a soft lint-free cloth. You can dampen the cloth slightly with water or a spray-type dust remover.

Spills
Clean spills immediately. Use a clean cloth and mild soap if necessary. Wipe dry with a clean soft cloth.

Cleaning

There are a number of products available for your wood cleaning needs. See manufacturer recommendations for recommended cleaning products.

Polishing

We recommend that you wash and polish cabinets once or twice each year. See manufacturer recommendations for recommended polishing products.

Don’ts

Never use detergents, soap pads, or steel wool on your cabinetry. These harsh abrasives will mar the wood finish. Additionally, the manufacturer recommends that you avoid the use of paste wax and polishes that contain silicone; the wax build up is difficult to remove and will leave a residue that attracts dust.

Melamine and Vinyl

Periodically clean the interior surfaces of your cabinets. See manufacturer recommendations for cleaning products.

Glass Doors

You can use any commercial glass cleaner to clean the glass. Additionally, the glass can be cleaned while mounted on the door, or can be removed for better access.

While cleaning mounted glass, be careful not to damage the finish of the door and cabinet parts while cleaning.

To remove the glass panel, carefully loosen the screws and lift panel out. The door glass is tempered to resist chipping and shattering. However, all glass is fragile so handle carefully.

Do not spray glass cleaner directly onto glass or cabinet parts. Glass cleaner seeping into areas behind the mullions may discolor the wood. Instead, spray a small amount of cleaner onto a lint-free cloth or paper towel, then wipe the glass.