Free Solar Seminar this Saturday with SunPower & SMUD | New Homes Sacramento

The Boracay Plan | New Homes by Lennar

Lennar will be hosting a complimentary seminar this Saturday, April 23^rd at 1 p.m. at their community, Vineyard Point in Sacramento.  The seminar will present homebuyers with the necessary information about solar homes, their efficiency and ultimate savings for the home.

Jim Burke from SMUD will conduct the seminar and SunPower, Lennar’s solar system provider, will also be on-site presenting how the solar electric system works as well as covering the energy-efficient benefits of living in a Lennar solar home – you will not want to miss this special event!

“We will show buyers just how simple it is to get into a new solar home today with Lennar and start saving money,” says Laura Stickelman, VP Sales for Lennar Sacramento. “We explain the homebuying process step-by-step and make it easy to understand so that buyers feel more informed when making their purchase decision.”

The Vineyard Point Welcome Home Center is located at 9582 Blue Mountain Way in Sacramento, west of Bradshaw Road and off of Gerber Road.

Home shoppers who visit Vineyard Point this weekend during the event will also have the opportunity to tour four professionally decorated models.

The single-family residences at The Gables encompass approximately 1,268 to 1,876 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, up to two and one-half baths, large master suites and two-bay garages. Currently, homes at The Gables are available for immediate move-in and with low interest rates from Lennar’s preferred lender, the monthly payments are often lower than rent. Homes at The Gables are currently priced from the $100,000’s.

The spacious Gardens homes offer approximately 1,794 to 2,567 square feet, four to five bedrooms, two to three bathrooms, sprawling master suites and two-bay garages. Homes at The Gardens are priced from the mid $200,000’s.

Buyers may qualify for a down payment assistance program. This down payment assistance will come from a partial or full rebate of the local school facility fees paid by the builder when the new home building permit was obtained. Assistance may be used for down payment, closing costs, or any costs associated with buyer’s first mortgage loan, subject to acceptance by the mortgage lender and mortgage insurer. Buyers can discuss with their lender. This program is subject to availability and the CA Housing Finance Agency eligibility requirements, program details and restrictions.

The Carlyle decorated by Pottery Barn | New Homes by Lennar

In addition, Vineyard Point is a part of Lennar’s “Everything’s Included” program. With innovative green technology, upscale amenities and incredibly low financing through Lennar’s preferred lender, Lennar’s unique “Everything’s Included” program offers homebuyers the most popular upgrades and features and automatically includes them in the purchase price, making it easier than ever to move into a brand new Lennar home in Sacramento.

Lennar has been building solar homes in the Sacramento region since 2006 and has closed more than 1,800 solar homes throughout the Northern California area. With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has long distinguished itself by simply including everything as standard.

For more information, or to RSVP to the Saturday’s seminar, call (916)-670-1159 or visit LENNAR.com.

For outdoor living spaces, think high style and low maintenance | New Homes Sacramento

It’s the time of the year when spending as much time outdoors as possible becomes everyone’s lifestyle priority. But there’s only so much time that you can spend at the beach or on a restaurant patio – enjoying the season at home, in your own outdoor space, is ideal for so many reasons. You can relax, gather your friends and family, linger as long as you like with no restrictions on kids or pets joining the party.

There’s a difference between the modern outdoor space and what’s been the standard in the past. Today, a few stray folding chairs on the grass and burgers on a beat-up old grill doesn’t quite cut it anymore. Outdoor spaces are increasingly viewed as extensions of a home’s interior – and just as worthy of careful designing and planning. That doesn’t necessarily mean spending a fortune – one of the best ways to keep costs reasonable is to use materials that don’t require a lot of maintenance.

Your first step is creating the space. Your house has walls to define individual spaces – without them, it would be impossible to decorate and maximize the functionality of an area. Think of your outdoor space in the same way. Though you won’t need walls, you can literally lay the foundation by adding a deck to your property. A deck provides a space for seating, cooking and interaction that’s separate from the garden or the lawn, making it an ideal solution for creating the focal point of your outdoor living space.

Instead of decking that demands care throughout the season, choose a low-maintenance deck material. Earthwood Evolutions, a line of natural hardwood style and authentic, variegated color and graining decking from TimberTech, is one solution for those who want the aesthetic quality of wood, without the maintenance headaches. It resists the scratching that comes along with parties, kids and pets, the staining that may occur with food and drink and the fading to which traditional decking materials are so susceptible.  Once you’ve created your space, you’ll want it to be an extension of your home for years to come, so choosing a product like Earthwood Evolutions, which has a 25-year limited fade and stain warranty, will make your investment worthwhile.

To bring some decorative verve to your deck, add color and consistent style elements. Rather than amassing a group of mismatched chairs, choose a suite of outdoor furniture to help create a more cohesive design statement that gives your space the look of a well-designed living room. No matter what price you pay for the furniture, make sure that it’s weather and fade resistant – there are options that even stand up to being outdoors throughout the year. For extra protection, consider purchasing furniture covers that will keep the elements at bay.

Adding color is easy with planters filled with annuals – combine flowers, like vibrant tuberous begonias, and foliage, such as the variegated leaves of many coleus varieties, for interesting texture and color variation. There is an ever-expanding selection of planters that are made of foam, but which have the appearance of stone or pottery. Not only are they easier to move around, but they’re immune to the cracking that sometimes happens with extreme temperature fluctuations in winter.

Having a view from your deck is also important. If you’re not in possession of a green thumb, it’s still possible to create an attractive backdrop that doesn’t demand too much attention from you. Flowering trees, like crabapples or plums, or shrubs, like hydrangeas or lilacs, offer two different looks with one plant. Look for varieties that have form and foliage just as appealing as the flowers, such as sand cherries, which have soft pink blossoms and glossy red leaves, and you’ll have a plant that you can enjoy with minimal maintenance. Choosing perennial plants makes it easier to maintain your garden from year to year, and adding plants of varying heights, colors and textures creates visual interest.

Investing in your yard and outdoor space is something that you’ll enjoy for years to come, but their value goes beyond your own use. The 2011 Husqvarna Global Garden Report showed that for every dollar invested in landscaping, homeowners selling their houses see a $1.80 return. And with long-lasting, low-maintenance amenities, you’ll be able to get that return even if you sell your home years from now. For more information about how Earthwood Evolutions decking can enhance your yard without increasing your workload, go to www.timbertech.com.

It’s Time for Festival Fun in Northern California | New Homes Sacramento

With the gorgeous weather we’ve had recently, it’s time to get outside and start enjoying the sights, sounds and aromas of the many festivals that Northern California hosts. Here are just a few upcoming California Festivals:

April 15 – 17   Stockton Asparagus Festival

April 9/10 & 16/17   Norcal Cherry Blossom Festival (San Francisco)

April 16 – 17   Sebastapol Apple Blossom Festival

April 16 – 17   Petaluma Butter & Egg days

April 16   California Nut Festival (Chico)

April 17   San Francisco International Chocolate Salon

April 22 – May 5   San Francisco International Film Festival

May 7    Great Petaluma Chili cook-off, Salsa & Beer tasting

May 7-8    El Dorado Hills Art & Wine Affaire

May 14   Zinfest Wine Festival (Lodi)

May 21   Luther Burbank Rose Parade & Festival (Santa Rosa)

May 2   West Coast Brewfest (Sacramento)

May 21 – 22    Castroville Artichoke Festival

May 27 – 30   Sacramento Jazz Jubilee & Festival

What is a QR Code? | New Homes Sacramento

Over the past year, and even more so recently, you’ve probably seen the little black and white squares that look like barcodes, used in advertisements. You’ve probably been wondering what they’re all about. QR codes or Quick Response codes are two-dimensional barcodes that present a versatile way to enhance and deliver information. They are similar to traditional barcodes used by retailers, however, they differ based on the amount of information they can hold. QR codes link offline information to online information by encoding within it, a URL (web address), text, or other information. QR codes can be “decoded” by using most smart phones by downloading a QR reader application.

At Lennar, we will be using QR codes in our Welcome Home Centers in Sacramento, Reno and the Bay Area to highlight some of our most distinctive features such as Solar, Granite Countertops, Low VOC Paint and State of the Art Insulation. These QR codes are encoded with URLs that link to videos we have created and posted to YouTube. Look for these QR codes in our Welcome Home Centers in April.

Download your favorite QR Code Reader and check out a few samples:

Scan this QR Code using your favorite QR Code Reader to see just one of the distinctive features Lennar includes in our Everything's Included Homes in Sacramento.

Down Payment Assistance Program for New Homes in Sacramento

Lennar wants first-time homebuyers to be aware of the School Facility Fee Down Payment Assistance Program that is now available in all Sacramento area Lennar new home communities. There are limited funds available and moderate income limitation for this program, so interested buyers are urged to visit a Lennar Welcome Home Center today for more information.

Down Payment Assistance - New Homes Sacramento

This down payment assistance will come from a partial or full rebate of the local school facility fees paid by the builder when the new home building permit was obtained. Assistance may be used for down payment, closing costs, or any costs associated with buyer’s first mortgage loan, subject to acceptance by the mortgage lender and mortgage insurer. Eligible properties include new single family detached homes, townhomes and condominium units located anywhere in California. Buyers who qualify for this program will not have owned a primary residence in the last three years.  Additionally, buyers must agree to occupy their new home for a minimum of five years. The program funds are subject to availability and the California Housing Finance Agency eligibility requirements, program details and restrictions.

“This down payment assistance program opens up new home buying to a variety of interested shoppers,” said Laura Stickelman, VP Sales Manager for Lennar Sacramento. “This is an exciting opportunity that will help prospective homebuyers take advantage of low interest rates and move into a Lennar new home today.”

The Montiero Plan | Available in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova & Roseville

In the Sacramento area, homebuyers will love finding great deals at all of Lennar’s new home communities. Models are available for viewing today! With Lennar’s progressive Everything’s Included^SM program, homebuyers are able to move into the home of their dreams without the need to upgrade. That’s because features such as GE^® stainless-steel appliances, slab-granite countertops, ceramic tile floors in the kitchen, entry, bathrooms and utility rooms, and much more are included in the purchase price of the home.

“Lennar offers a variety of new homes in the Sacramento area, including environmental friendly homes with quality craftsmanship and deluxe interior appointments. These luxurious features, that are included, combined with quality craftsmanship are what distinguishes a Lennar new home,” said Laura Stickelman, VP Sales Manager for Lennar Sacramento.

For a complete list of communities in Sacramento, call (866) 417-8471 or visit http://www.lennarsacramento.com.

With hundreds of Communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.

Lennar has been building new solar homes in the Sacramento region since 2006 and has closed more than 1,800 solar homes throughout the Northern California area. With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has long distinguished itself by simply including everything as standard.  Everything You Want, Everything You Need, That’s the Logic of Lennar.

Thanksgiving Survival Guide – Make it Through the Day…Guilt-Free

— By SparkPeople.com

A gathering of close friends and family is one of the happiest times of year for all of us. Celebrations like Thanksgiving can distract us from our everyday worries…but they can distract us from our diets too. Here’s what you need to know so that the only thing you’re “adding on” this holiday is joy.

[Click here to read entire article]

What is a HERS Rating and why is it important?

Ever wonder what “HERS Rating” means? Here’s a great definition of HERS and why it’s important.

A Home Energy Rating is a measurement of a home’s energy efficiency, used primarily in the United States. Home energy ratings can be used for either existing homes or new homes. A home energy rating of an existing home allows a homeowner to receive a report listing options for upgrading a home’s energy efficiency. The homeowners may then use the report to determine the most effective ways in which to upgrade the home’s energy efficiency. A home energy rating of a new home allows buyers to compare the energy efficiency of homes they are considering buying.  A lower HERS index indicates a more energy-efficient home. (Source: Wikipedia & California Energy Commission)

Based on the home’s plans, the Home Energy Rater uses an energy efficiency software package to perform an energy analysis of the home’s design. This analysis yields a projected, pre-construction HERS Index.

Did you know Lennar Sacramento’s homes are designed to be 15% More efficient than required California standards?* Click here to learn more about Lennar’s energy-efficient Solar PowerSmart homes.

Why should I care about HERS?

Owning a home with a low HERS rating is important for some of the following reasons:

• Lower your energy bills
• Enjoy a safer, more comfortable and durable home
• Reduce your impact on the environment
• Increase your home’s sales appeal and appraisal value

[Click here for a HERS brochure from the California Energy Commission]

*Estimated savings are based upon the California Energy Commission’s Tier I rating standards (15% more efficient than CA standards) under California 2008 Title 24.

Easy, affordable Halloween projects that kids – and adults – will love

(ARA) – Before the fall wind blows trick-or-treaters to your front door, make the most of the season with a few simple projects that your kids will love and you will too. They’re easy, fun and very affordable. All it takes is a little imagination and a few things you already have around the house to transform your home into Halloween central.

“Halloween can be so much fun, especially if you involve the kids,” says Paintideas.com blogger Angie Stinner. “Painting pumpkins or creating simple crafts to decorate your home doesn’t take much time and can be done on a shoestring budget. It’s a great way to share some quality time before the busy holiday season.”

Here are a few easy, affordable projects from Angie’s Halloween bag of treats:

* Go batty – Create adorable beverage can bats to hang on your porch or anywhere in your home. Just rinse a few empty beverage cans with soap and water and allow to fully dry. Remove the ring that’s attached to each can and bend the can slightly at the middle. Then, in a well-ventilated area like a garage with an open door, lay out old newspaper or an old sheet and spray several light coats of Rust-Oleum Universal Gloss Black spray paint onto each can and allow them to dry for 24 hours.

Once the can has dried, glue bat wings to the sides of the can, teeth to the drinking area on the can, eyes to the top of the can just above the drinking hole and bat ears to the outer ring of the can (right above the eyes). The wings, teeth, eyes and ears can be found at your local craft store or you can make them yourself from foam or construction paper. Glue a piece of fishing line to the can, allow the glue to dry and then unwind a paper clip and tie the other end of the fishing line to the paper clip to hang. Leave this “welcome bat” plain, or use orange puffy paint to write a fun Halloween message.

* “Trick” their treats – Don’t send your little ghost or goblin out with an ordinary treat container when it’s so easy to personalize it to reflect their Halloween style. Recycle the old plastic pumpkin they used the year before and transform it into something unique and special with spray paint. Try Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2X. It is available in a rainbow of colors to coordinate with any costume. Try a color like Grape or Berry Pink for your little princess or ballerina. Do you have a Shrek in the family? Try a color like Key Lime or Green Apple for their carrier. Once the plastic pumpkins are painted, let the kids decorate them using markers, puffy paint, stickers or stick-on jewels and they’re ready for a night full of candy goodness.

* Instant messaging – Leave the carving knife in the kitchen drawer and try a new twist on pumpkin decorating. Buy a pumpkin or two at the supermarket or farm stand, clean it well to remove dirt and debris and paint it with Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint. Spray paint it traditional black – or brush on one of 14 colors in the chalkboard palette with a foam brush. Remember to “scuff” up the pumpkin with the rounded edge of the chalk – then write messages to your kids throughout the season. The paint preserves the pumpkin, so you can have some Halloween fun right through Thanksgiving.

Looking for more inspiration or Halloween ideas? Visit http://www.paintideas.com or www.facebook.com/RustOleum.

Deluxe Move-In Packages* Available as Part of Lennar’s “America’s Greatest Home Sale Ever!”

Lennar is inviting all prospective homebuyers to their “America’s Greatest Home Sale Ever” event running now through October 10, 2010 at a variety of Sacramento area communities. Incredible offers are available on 1,000 homes in 240 communities across the country. In the Sacramento area, homebuyers will love finding great deals at all of Lennar’s communities. Models are available for viewing today!

With Lennar’s progressive Everything’s Included^SM program, homebuyers are able to move into the home of their dreams without the need to upgrade. That’s because features such as GE^® stainless-steel appliances, slab-granite countertops, ceramic tile floors in the kitchen, entry, bathrooms and utility rooms, and much more are included in the purchase price of the home.

“Lennar offers environmental friendly homes with quality craftsmanship and deluxe interior appointments like 18 x 18 porcelin tile flooring in our kitchens, nooks, laundry rooms, baths and entries.   The luxurious included features combined with the quality craftamanship is what distinquishes a Lennar new home.” Said Laura Stickelman, VP Sales Manager for Lennar Sacramento.

During the “America’s Greatest Home Sale Ever Event”, Lennar is also including a  Deluxe Move-In Package includes backyard landscaping, window coverings and stainless-steel refrigerator, and is available on select solar homes at The Gardens and The Gables at Vineyard Point. Several homes are available for immediate move-in at The Gables, including the Ascot plan on Homesite 134. This single-story home features approximately 1,268 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and is available for $195,826.

Additionally, The Gardens features a select number of homes also available for immediate move-in, including the Boracay, a popular one-story plan featuring approximately 1,794 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2-bay garage. Homesite 257 is ready for immediate occupancy and is priced at $270,286.

“‘America’s Greatest Home Sale Ever’ is the perfect time to buy a brand new Lennar home,” said Laura Stickelman, VP Sales Manager for Lennar Sacramento. “The move-in package is icing on the cake and only available for a limited time, so homebuyers are encouraged to act quickly for a chance to take advantage of these exciting money-saving opportunities.”

Homebuyers in these two communities can also enjoy the benefits of Lennar’s energy-efficient building with the introduction of features that are part of their new PowerSmart^SM Home. Lennar’s PowerSmart^SM homes provide buyers a lifetime of value by significantly reducing electricity costs, preserving the environment and creating energy independence. Lennar combines products, such as a solar electric system, lighting, appliances and improved insulation, to maximize the benefits of an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Vineyard Point’s Welcome Home Center is open this weekend from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is located at 9582 Blue Mountain Way, just west of Bradshaw off Gerber Road.  For a complete list of communities in Sacramento, call (866) 417-8471 or visit www.lennarsacramento.com.

With hundreds of Communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Lennar has been building solar homes in the Sacramento region since 2006 and has closed more than 1,800 solar homes throughout the Northern California area. With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has long distinguished itself by simply including everything as standard.  Everything You Want, Everything You Need, That’s the Logic of Lennar.

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Four Model Homes For Sale This Weekend At Walkabout In WestPark

SACRAMENTO, CA–August 2010—Buyer’s interested in the eco-friendliness and money-saving features of a solar Powersmart™ home are invited to purchase one of the four model homes at Walkabout in Roseville’s WestPark  this weekend. These well-appointed model homes have a variety of features, and homeshoppers can learn more about what it means to live PowerSmart™.

Keeping in line with Lennar’s commitment to exceptional value, homebuyers at Walkabout will enjoy energy-efficient features that are part of Lennar’s new PowerSmart™ Solar Home. These PowerSmart™ homes offer buyers a lifetime of value by significantly reducing electricity costs, preserving the environment and creating energy independence. The combination of products, such as a solar electric system, lighting, appliances and improved insulation, maximize the benefits of an eco-friendly lifestyle and is indicative of Lennar’s pledge to include everything as standard. Now is a perfect time to buy while there are still funds available to take advantage of California’s $10,000* tax credit (subject to eligibility requirements). But interested home buyers shouldn’t hesitate, as funds are quickly running out!

The Pisano at WestPark | New Homes by Lennar

All four of the Walkabout model homes are move-in ready and have mature extensive front and rear-yard landscaping, GE^® Profile stainless-steel appliances, Beechwood raised-panel cabinetry, and slab granite countertops. The Pisano model is approximately 2,396 square feet, with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 3-bay tandem garage. A covered brick courtyard is the perfect place for outdoor dining. The Pisano also features a great room, dining room and separate living room, dark-stain cabinets with New Venetian Gold granite, and 18 x 18 tile  flooring.

The Donatello at WestPark | New Homes by Lennar

The Donatello offers approximately 2,980 square feet with 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, and a 3-bay tandem garage. The covered courtyard houses a built-in barbecue, and is the perfect place to relax as summer winds down. In addition to the four bedrooms, an upstairs bonus room is a perfect haven for relaxation, and the dark-stain cabinets, wood flooring with Tropic Brown granite countertops means luxury is at every turn. The 5^th bedroom and full bath is conveniently located downstairs, perfect for visiting guests or relatives.

The Merlot at WestPark | New Homes by Lennar

The Merlot model provides approximately 2,768 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 3-bay tandem garage. The spacious open floorplan makes this home perfect for entertaining.  The master bedroom features a large walk-in closet, and the gourmet-inspired kitchen boasts dark-stain cabinets with Tropic Brown granite countertops. What’s more, the lucky owner of this home will have their own half-court basketball area in the backyard along with a waterfall and patio.

The Cabernet at WestPark | New Homes by Lennar

Lastly, The Cabernet features the largest expanse of space at approximately 3,491 square feet. This 5-bedroom home offers 4 baths, a 3-bay tandem garage, a downstairs bedroom with full bathroom, and an upstairs bonus room. The gourmet kitchen offers medium-stain cabinets with New Venetian Gold granite countertops, and extended 18 x18 tile flooring.

Welcome Home Centers are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information and pricing on Lennar’s Walkabout models in WestPark, call (916) 773-0685 or visit www.LENNAR.com.

With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.

*A California Tax Credit of $10,000 (or 5% of purchase price, which ever is less) is subject to 2-year ownership and other eligibility requirements. To be eligible for California tax credit, purchase

agreement must be entered by 12/31/10 and must close escrow on or after 5/1/10 and prior to 8/1/11. Lennar cannot provide guarantees of actual savings and does not guarantee the homebuyer’s qualification for the California tax credit or that funds will be available at close of escrow. Not tax advice; homebuyers should consult with their tax advisor. Tax laws are subject to change. For more information,

visit http://www.ftb.ca.gov. Lennar’s PowerSmart Solar Homes come equipped with a Solar Energy

System designed to save you money starting when you move into your new home. The Solar Energy

System is subject to a 10-year lease agreement. Please see a New Home Consultant for more information. Lennar Homes of California, Inc. License #728102. Lennar Sales Corp. – DRE License #01252753. Equal Housing Opportunity. Homebuyers should consult with their tax advisor. Tax laws are subject to change. For more information, visit http://www.ftb.ca.gov.