Find Your Part in the American Dream with a New Home

By Robert H. Brown
President, Builders League of South Jersey

A home is more than just a structure where people take up residency. Owning a home means freedom, financial independence and security. For many, owning a home brings a feeling of success and the knowledge that they’ve obtained their own bit in the American dream. For most of us, there’s no place we’d rather be.

In addition to all the benefits of being a home owner, new homes offer safety, amenities, energy efficiency and a lifestyle like never before.

The advantages of today’s new homes are unparalleled. Breakthrough technology has brought safety and energy efficiency in homes to a new level, and for conveniences and amenities, it’s hard to beat a new home. Most new neighborhoods in South Jersey offer these features, making buying a new home today one of the best investments a family can make for its future.

Technology Brings Safety to the Forefront

Technological advances mean that today’s homes are safer, because new homes take advantage of breakthroughs in building science. For example, hard-wired and interconnected smoke alarms bring a new level of fire safety to new homes. If one alarm goes off in the garage, they will all go off, giving your family ample time to get to safety. New fire-resistant construction materials, such as better electrical wiring, mean less chance of a dangerous electrical fire. Tempered glass, now found in many patio doors and windows, means less chance of an injury should one break.

New Homes: Greener and More Energy Efficient

Many of New Jersey’s homebuilders participate in programs like ENERGY STAR®, promoting energy-efficient appliances, and WaterSense®, promoting water efficiency. You will easily find many ENGERY STAR features in new neighborhoods throughout South Jersey that are built by members of the Builders League of South Jersey.

As more and more consumers ask for green homes, builders also respond by returning to age-old practices, like placing a home on a lot to take the best advantage of sunlight and shade. Recent innovations like solar shingles (not just solar roof panels), tankless water heaters, light-conserving windows, and insulation made from recycled materials are also changing the market.

Earlier this year, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) launched the National Green Building Program so that any home buyer anywhere can have a green home. Your home builder can choose from an ever-expanding array of products and materials to make a house more energy-, water- and resource-efficient. Check out the resources at nahbgreen.org.

New Homes Offer Home Buyers Their Choice of Lifestyles

Today’s new homes offer more of what buyers want. Because of increased demands for larger socializing spaces in the home, larger kitchens are becoming more common. New homes also feature more bathrooms and more storage space. Consumers are seeking greater ceiling heights, walk-in showers with multiple heads, three-car garages and outdoor entertainment spaces with fireplaces and grills. And builders are responding with new homes that provide these features.

So why do Americans like new homes? The answer lies in choice. People want to be able to personalize their home with their own tile, flooring and appliance choices. In a new home, the consumer can select virtually everything down to the knobs on their kitchen cabinets. They want it customized to their lifestyle the day they move in.  It’s all part of the American Dream.

For information on why now is a great time to buy a new home or to view a list of new neighborhoods in South Jersey, visit   www.buynewitstime.com.

ABOUT THE BLSJ: The Builders League of South Jersey is a housing industry trade association of builders, developers, suppliers, subcontractors, lenders, consulting professionals and others involved in providing residents with places to live and work in South Jersey. The Builders League is committed to promoting balanced solutions for solving New Jersey’s housing needs while planning for preservation, environmental protection and economic growth.