Category Archives: Uncategorized

Are you Ready for a Swimsuit?

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Legacy Models 063 (1)Summer is around the corner and with that comes shorts and swimsuits. If your body is still in inter mode and you feel better covered up, here are a few suggestions to help get you back in fighting trim.

Make healthful snacks easy. Keep raw veggies washed and ready to munch, and make a tasty dip with Greek yogurt and your favorite dip mix. That gives you something fun and still good-for-you. Think fruit too. This time of year some of the best berries and summer fruits start to show up on store shelves at reasonable prices. Fresh raspberries and blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and still feel indulgent.

Build in Exercise. How about putting that stationary bike or treadmill in front of the big TV instead of tucked into a corner of your spare bedroom? With it sitting there asking to be used, you’re more likely to take advantage of it. Pick out a favorite old television series from Netflix or on DVD and watch one or two episodes a day while taking a walk or cycling. You’ll be surprised how quickly that regular exercise pattern becomes a good habit.

Go shopping. It may be time to explore the newer styles of bathing suits and shorts. Something new can help you feel good when you’re out and about. Be sure to check out some of the great deals for today’s styles online. Many online shops have good return policies if something doesn’t work.

Have fun. Remember that summer and swimming are about getting out and getting cool, not how you look. Enjoy yourself and go for a swim –after all, swimming is good exercise too!

Dark Blue Focal Wall Creates Drama

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Models 019Sometimes it takes just one daring design decision to turn a room into something special. This family room is lovely, but without the dark blue focal wall, it would feel rather boring. Instead, the dark blue makes this room. Here are some tips for using a strong color like this and making it work.

Balance light and dark. Because this room has so much natural light, the dark blue wall adds personality while still letting the room feel light and airy. Light flooring and furniture also contribute to the well-strutured contrast of light and dark.

Pull the color into the room. Don’t let the strong color on one wall stand alone. In this room the navy sofa across the room ties everything together. A few blue bottles on the coffee table also support the blue theme. However, there’s not enough to make it feel overwhelming.

Bring in a second accent color. In this room, touches of yellow provide a positive contrast to the dark blue. Once again, just a few elements make the difference. Two matching ottomans flank the seating area, connecting with the tall yellow vase against the dark wall. Touches of yellow in the rug finish the connection.

Pay attention to the neutrals. Choosing a cool consistent tone for the neutral pieces in the space let the pops of color stand out. This shade of grey makes the blue and yellow stand strong while not looking out of place.

Take a look at your home. Do you have a wall that would benefit from a strong focal color? Why not take a chance?

Make your Backyard Special

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corsica ironwood crossingWith a little planning, your backyard can become another entertainment, eating or relaxing space. The secret is setting up several independent “rooms” using furniture or other elements to define each functional space. Let’s take a look at one approach – this backyard from Ironwood Crossing’s Corsica model.

Use color and style. Just as you want to coordinate the colors and design choices in an open kitchen-family room-dining space in your home, you want to ensure that every separate area in your outdoor space works well together. Look for table and chair sets that use the same colors as your outdoor seating arrangements or bar chairs.

Notice in the photo above, the cushioned bar seating around the outdoor kitchen matches the cushions in the seating area. Also the chair backs coordinate with the outdoor dining chairs. This makes your yard feel coordinated and thoughtfully-designed rather than a haphazard collection of items.

Add accessories. While you don’t want to accessorize the outdoors at the same level as the inside of your home, a few additions make a difference. The plants in pots scattered through the yard contribute to the charming feel of the space, and adding throw pillows in the seating area gives it a finished look.

Consider the ground surface. If you add pavers, tile or finished concrete for a consistent appearance, they can make everything feel integrated. In this backyard grass, planters and columns create a sense of separation.

Think about what you want from your backyard and you can suddenly expand your home’s choices and add charm and fun to your home.

Ironwood Crossing

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ic_masterplanFulton Homes takes pride in its planned communities with amenities selected to suit the home buyers. They are also set in locations close to shopping and good schools. Ironwood Crossing demonstrates that commitment to neighborhoods you will be proud to live in, with an Aquatic Center, Community Clubhouse, parks and other shared benefits that make a group of homes into a special community.

Located at Ironwood and Ocotillo in Queen Creek, twenty parks, approximately one for every 100 families, offer every homeowner a selection of ramadas, barbeques, basketball courts and shade structures. The Aquatic center has a splash pad set off from the main pool area so that small children can play in safety. The 7000 square foot pool is half covered to shade swimmers from the sun. It also includes separate restrooms and a
clubhouse with a kitchen – perfect for neighborhood or family parties.

ic_aquatics_center1The community is part of an excellent school district – the J.O. Combs Unified School District – and the Legacy Charter School offers education from grade Kindergarten to sixth grade right within Ironwood Crossing itself.

Outside amenities are also easily accessible, with a new Banner Hospital only two miles south and over one million feet of retail to provide shopping, services and dining. Ironwood Crossing was designed for affordable family living, with everything homebuyers need to make a good home for their families.

It’s no wonder that Ironwood Crossing was named the best-selling master planned community in Arizona. We invite you to visit our sales office and see the possibilities for yourself.

Fulton Homes Named 2015 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year

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carousel_quote_v2We’re proud at Fulton Homes that we have been named 2015 ENERGY STAR partner of the year.

Why is Fulton Homes committed to building only ENERGY STAR certified new homes? Because this certification ensures that you get a better house.

When we apply rigorous ENERGY STAR requirements to our new homes, the result is a home that is constructed better from the ground up, providing you with better durability, better comfort, as well as substantially-reduced utility and maintenance costs (up to 30% savings compared to a typical new home). This makes an ENERGY STAR certified home your logical choice for energy efficiency.

carousel_supergirl_3Building in Benefits for You

The fully-integrated approach to design and construction that is required to receive ENERGY STAR certification makes a difference you can see, feel, and hear. We apply these tried-and-true best building practices are applied to every ENERGY STAR certified new home, giving you the following plusses:

Reduced Leaks and Drafts: We minimize warm and cold spots through comprehensive air sealing, quality-installed insulation, and high performance windows and doors.

More Consistent Temperatures: With the installation of a high-efficiency heating and cooling system, designed for optimal performance you will experience better comfort in every room, year round.

Better Durability:With the comprehensive water management system built into your home, including flashing, moisture barriers, and heavy-duty membranes, roofs, walls and foundations are protected from moisture damage.

Improved Indoor Air: To keep your indoor fresh and refreshing, your ventilation system includes a fresh-air system that introduces a controlled amount of outdoor air. Combined with a high-performance filter, this improves air quality while reducing the dust, pollen and other allergens we experience here in the desert.

Peace of Mind: ENERGY STAR certification requires independent inspections and testing by trained and certified professionals, so you can sleep well knowing things were done right.

The average ENERGY STAR certified new home saves its families about $300 each year. And compared to other new homes, these homes reduce greenhouse gases by about 3,700 pounds per year, equivalent to the emissions absorbed through planting 43 trees. At Fulton Homes, we hope you will join our homeowners and over 1.5 million others across the United States and make the choice to purchase only an ENERGY STAR certified home.

Spring Cleaning

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spring-cleaning-webWith temperatures in the 90’s only a few weeks ago, most Arizona residents know that summer’s heat is just around the corner. This makes Spring cleaning extra important, since now is the best time to open all the doors and windows and sweep everything left over from Winter away to gear up for Summer.

This is a great time to open all your closets and cupboards and gather old clothes, kitchen utensils and other unneeded things that have accumulated over the past year and donate them, sell them or throw them out.

Start by creating a list of goals. Do you want to make-over your master bedroom with new colors and less clutter? Maybe you would like to get rid of all the junk food hiding in your kitchen as the start to a new healthier eating plan. Or it could be time to wander through some of the toys and DVD’s that your children are too old to enjoy anymore. Remember that others can benefit from items that you no longer need.

Next, set aside time to meet your Spring-cleaning goals. Do you work better with a large block of time? Then choose a free Saturday to tackle your list. See if you can get help from your family or trade time with a friend so you can work on each home and chat while you clean and organize.

Finally, dive in. And be sure to plan a special reward when your list is finished. It might be dinner out or a bouquet of fresh flowers to set off your newly-tidy dining room. Or maybe just the promise of a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do but relax. With just a bit of planning and some serious effort, you can refresh your home this Spring and prepare for Summer. And above all, have fun with the process!

Do You want a Fulton Home Right Now?

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Inventory_home_montage-webMaybe you’ve just moved to our area and have fallen love with Fulton Homes. Or maybe you’re just ready to move into a new home before summer’s heat hits us. If for whatever reason you want to move into a brand new Fulton Home without a delay, why not check out our inventory of almost-finished homes?

Here at Fulton Homes, we know that there are customers who find it difficult to wait through the entire construction process to move into their new home. We have a selection of inventory homes waiting for you to explore. With a variety of layouts and finish choices, you may find the home that would be perfect for your family. These homes are almost move-in ready, making it easy for us to help you into your home with minimal delays.

If you want to see the choices available, we invite you to call or visit our sales offices for the community you’re considering. A member of our sales team can help you discover the homes available so that you can determine which one will be perfect for your new home.

This home, located in our Ironwood Crossing community, is just one of our inventory homes. With its completed kitchen, front-yard landscaping, and lighting, it will be perfect for some home buyer. Our design team makes the finish decisions, ensuring that every inventory home has an inviting and unique look.

We look forward to showing you our selection of homes – built with you in mind.

Your New Indoor airPLUS Home

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Inventory-Home-130-webOne advantage to a Fulton Home that you don’t see immediately comes from your home’s construction. We design and build all of our homes to be both Indoor airPLUS and ENERGY STAR Certified for improved indoor air quality as well as energy efficiency.

If you have concerns about mold, radon, carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals in your home, you can trust that we share your concerns and build our homes with these issues in mind. Poor indoor air quality can cause serious problems for you and your family, including eye irritation, headaches, allergies, respiratory problems such as asthma and other serious health issues.

Indoor airPLUS construction specifications are designed to help improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in new homes compared with homes built to minimum code. However, these features alone cannot prevent all IAQ problems. Occupant behavior is also important for IAQ. For example, products used in the home after occupancy and smoking inside the home may both negatively impact the home’s IAQ and the performance of the specified Indoor airPLUS features.

Indoor airPLUS home features include:

  • Mold and Moisture Control
  • Radon Control
  • Combustion Pollutant Control
  • Pest Barriers
  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
  • Building Materials

At Fulton Homes we are committed to creating better environments both inside and out. We are proud to offer new homes that have earned both the Indoor airPLUS and ENERGY STAR Certified Home labels because it means your home has been designed and built to standards well above most other homes on the market today.

 

What’s Stopping You from Buying a New Fulton Home?

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Inventory-Home-143webIn our last blog we talked about some of the concerns that may keep you from thinking you can buy a Fulton Home. Let’s take a look at some other issues you may be facing or questions you may have.

If you are upside down on your mortgage, you may still have an option to buy:

Our Guaranteed Lease Program allows you to lease your existing home and buy a new Fulton home with that income. If you’re not sure how to handle renting out your property, this program lets you get a guaranteed three-year lease on your current home. Any of our salespeople can provide details on this choice.

If you think that renting is cheaper than buying:

Think again. Buying a new home is still a better choice in most situations. Our large selection of homes is designed to fit a number of budgets and lifestyles. Visit one or more of our communities and compare your current rent to the monthly payment using our mortgage calculator. With the tax benefits you may be surprised at the affordability of buying.

If you’re worried that new homes are too far away from the center of things:

We build many beautiful communities in established areas of the Valley such as Chandler and Gilbert. You’ll find they are close to shopping, restaurants and jobs. On-site amenities such as aquatic centers, parks and trail systems, tot-lots and green spaces help make your home community a great place to spend your leisure time. And our communities are known to stand the test of time.

If you’re not sure that single family homes are right for you:

You might want to check out our homes designed for the “lock and leave” lifestyle. Homes at The Reserve at Fulton Ranch and Cooley Station are not your traditional single family homes. And you still get the benefit of lush common areas, community pools and other amenities you normally see at resorts.

If you have other concerns, talk to us. Contact us online or visit one of our sales offices and give us a chance to help – odds are we can, no matter what your issues are!

What’s Stopping You From Buying a Home?

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Inventory-Home-092

If you love our Fulton Homes but you aren’t sure you can make the purchase at this point, let us help you explore your options. We have some great solutions – solutions that may surprise you.

If your credit is less than perfect:

With three preferred lenders, we can offer access to a variety of mortgage products that provide flexibility and affordability. Our lenders will work with you if your credit is not perfect, and can help you understand what you need to do to repair your credit so that you will be able to buy a Fulton Home. Over 20,000 people have been successful and we can help you too. But you’ll never move forward if you don’t get started.

If you experienced a short sale, foreclosure or bankruptcy recently:

Most people have heard that they won’t be able to buy another home for anywhere from three to as many as seven years. The good news is that mortgage programs and lending standards are lightening up, and you may be surprised at your eligibility. One of our preferred lenders can help you determine what will work for your situation.

If you’re concerned that you may not have enough cash for a down payment:

Some of our mortgage programs require only 3% or 5% down, or possibly even zero down! And with some of the changes in government mortgage insurance (PMI) programs, you can still end up with a low monthly payment.

If you have an existing home that needs repairs or updates:

The Fulton Homes Trade-In Program™ some of the top resale agents and brokers in Arizona can provide advice on everything from home renovations to staging. They’ll help you get the most from your current home.

If you’re upside down or have no equity in your current home:

Are you sure about that? Home prices are going up again in this area. Our Trade-In Program™ helps you understand your home’s value and maximize your resale price, all with reduced commissions.