Spec Construction Loans: A Spec Line of Credit Is Worth the Paperwork

If you regularly build new construction homes on a Spec or Pre-Sale basis, it’s likely that you’ve worked with different lenders. While there are many kinds of loans available for new construction,..

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Topics: Spec Homes

Spec Homes and Pre-Sale Homes: The Relative Benefits for a Spec Builder

In the world of new home construction, there are important differences between home types, and knowing those differences (and what they entail) is important when traversing new home building..

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How a Lender Sees Spec Construction Success: Insights for the Investor Builder

Spec construction is speculative – it’s a property built without a buyer already lined up. There is risk and potential reward. A spec property probably isn’t a long-term investment; many projects are..

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How Is a Spec House Different From Other Kinds of House Construction?

When it comes to new construction, there are several kinds of residential builds that builders may consider. One of those, the spec house, provides interesting opportunities and challenges. What is a..

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Topics: Spec Homes

How a Private Lender Compares to a Bank Lender for a Spec House Construction Loan

Builders looking for ways to fund new construction projects, like spec or pre-sale home building, may consider financing using a private lender. While it is one way to get a spec house construction..

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Construction Loan Terminology: What It Means and Why It's Important

If you’re thinking of applying for a construction loan, there is a lot to consider, and while doing your research, you may run into some unfamiliar terms. Below is an explanation of some construction..

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6 Tips to Prepare for Your Spec Construction Loan Application

Most builders constructing spec houses want to optimize their own capital . So they seek funding with a spec construction loan. Most or all of the money to build a house can come from a lender. A..

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Common New Construction Appraisal Problems and How to Handle Them

Most lenders financing new construction require an appraisal to determine your project’s value. Unlike appraisals for existing structures, a new construction appraisal is essentially a third-party..

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Topics: Construction

How Do Spec Home Builders Make a Profit?

A “spec house” is a new home built on a speculative basis, created with the intention of selling but with no buyer lined up in advance. Known also as “move-in-ready” or “inventory” homes, these..

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Topics:

Mold Prevention Tips & Best Practices

Mold is a fungus that produces spores which are spread by floating around in the air. It is present in indoor environments, thriving in areas that are moist and warm. When a spore lands on a damp..

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Tenant Retention Best Practices

When you build a property that is designed for renters, whether it’s a multi-unit apartment or a single-family home, tenant retention is a big consideration. Especially if the tenants are good..

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How to Be Successful in Residential Building

Residential building can be a lucrative business if you know what you are doing. There are the different types of builds to consider with custom, semi-custom and production building as options. Do..

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Types of Insulation Used in Residential Building

Insulation is an important piece of every building and residential property constructed. It keeps buildings warm during cold months and cool during warm months and is a key part of how energy..

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Green Building Certifications to Seek

Construction is rapidly making adjustments to be more eco-friendly, leading to the development of green building certifications. These certifications give customers an idea of how their home reduces..

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Online Ratings for Leasing Matter

In today’s world of advancing technology, online reviews have become increasingly important. When tenants are looking for a specific product, they will research brands to compare. They compare price..

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Design Elements to Keep on Hand

Often, when people think of construction, they think of the building process. But there’s also design elements in construction, especially with new builds and renovations. It’s not just about the..

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Structural Materials to Keep On Hand

As someone who runs a construction business, or someone who is looking to break into the construction business, you may decide to keep certain materials on hand on a regular basis. Structural..

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Smart Building Skills to Learn and Employ

Technology is integrated into everything we do today. In the construction industry, signs of having people employed who have technical acumen are emerging. From smart cities and smart buildings down..

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Pros and Cons of Using a Model Home as Office Space

Almost every new development that is build has a model home on-site. The purpose of the model home is simple, it allows the prospective buyer to visualize their home before purchasing a lot. It’s..

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How to Properly Conduct a Virtual Model Home Tour

Conducting an in-person model home tour is one thing, but doing it virtually is another. The ultimate goal of a model home tour is to create a connection between the buyer and the home. When the..

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How to Properly Conduct an In-Person Model Home Tour

As stated in previous articles, your model home allows potential buyers to test drive the home, kind of like test driving a car, before buying. You typically test drive the exact car you plan to..

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Model Home Staging Tips

If you’ve got a model home as part of your new development, staging it is imperative. You may think that a shiny, newly built home could easily sell itself with nothing in it, but this isn't always..

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The Importance of a Model Home

When a developer decides to embark on a new subdivision of homes, they often choose to build a model home. The purpose of this home is to give prospective buyers an idea of what their home will look..

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Weatherization Techniques for Any Home

As a builder or investor, you can ensure your properties are weatherized properly by paying attention to a few key areas, particularly if your builds are in cold climates or places with changeable..

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Landscaping Tips for New Developments

As a builder or investor, if you’ve just built a new home or a whole new development, one important thing not to overlook is landscaping. Even if a buyer is purchasing a home in a brand new..

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Exterior Materials Series: Decking

When building decking for your investment property, there is a lot to consider. Different materials create different looks and some are more durable than others. Cost is, of course, also a factor...

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Swimming Pools Can Add Value to Projects

If you’ve thought of incorporating a swimming pool into your investment property, whether it’s a single family home or a multi-unit residence, there is a lot to consider. We’ve all heard that pools..

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Managing Multi-Unit Properties

If you’ve recently built a multi-unit rental investment property, one of the first things to consider is hiring a property manager or property management company. Hiring a third party to help with..

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The Benefits of Wearable Technology in Construction

Technology has made a multitude of advancements in the last decade, especially in the last few years. The trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down, either, as humans look for ways to make their lives..

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Visual Wearable Technology Enhances Safety

Wearable technology is gaining ground in the construction industry. Companies are adapting with the ever-changing technology landscape and learning how to employ specific technologies to their..

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Tactile Wearable Technology to Limit Injuries

As technology advances and more innovations come to light, the construction industry is finding unique ways to make these advancements work. Wearable technology is one of the newest forms of..

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Sensing Wearable Technology in Construction

There are three categories of wearable technology in construction: Tactile, visual and sensing. Tactile and visual wearable technology are both great ways to reduce injuries and accidents, as well as..

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Successful Implementation of Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is an up and coming innovation in the construction industry. It can be broken down into three categories: Tactile wearables, visual wearables and sensing wearables. As the final..

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How Green Building Impacts Homeowner's Insurance

As a builder, developer or investor, you already know the importance of having the proper insurance coverage on a project. You may even already know the ins and outs of how to insure green..

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The Benefits of Using Prefabrication Techniques

Prefabrication techniques have been used in commercial construction for a long time and are becoming increasingly more common in residential construction as well. Technology has also made..

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Top 5 Building Information Modeling Software Solutions

Building information modeling software is an up and coming technology trend in the world of construction. Although it’s likely to be more than a trend going forward, it’s something we should see..

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Semi-Custom and Production Building: A Comparison

Previously, we discussed custom vs. semi-custom building. Some of it seems self-explanatory, some not as much. Now we focus on semi-custom and production building. These two types of builds are very..

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Online Marketing Strategies in Real Estate

Marketing your investment properties, new builds, developments and other projects plays a key role in your ability to sell or rent these properties. People can’t buy or rent them if they don’t know..

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Offline Marketing Strategies in Real Estate

While the vast majority of the world uses the internet on a consistent basis, there are still those who choose not to use it or to use it on a limited basis. Marketing tactics for real estate..

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The Construction Industry is a Great Career Path

In the last several years, residential construction has been booming, with gleaming condos springing up in cities across North America and single family homes cropping up in subdivisions throughout..

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Marketing 101: Attracting Buyers to New Developments

Marketing and selling a new development is a little different from selling an older home, and typically attracts a different buyer as well. Marketing an older home already comes with the advantages..

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Pros & Cons of Purchasing Undeveloped Land

When it comes to real estate investing, many investors choose to purchase existing properties as income generators, be they single family homes or multi-unit dwellings. Alternatively, they may..

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Breaking Into Residential Real Estate Investment

If you’re thinking about getting into real estate investment but don’t know where to begin, or aren’t sure how risky it could be, there are some basic tenets to follow that many seasoned investors..

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Real Estate Professionals: Know the Difference

Real estate investors spend a lot of their time liaising with real estate agents, brokers, and Realtors. While these professions have a lot of similarities regarding education, skills, and day to day..

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Energy Efficiency Best Practices in Construction

Many builders, investors and construction firms are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact with green construction. This process not only saves money (once implemented) but may also..

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Exterior Materials Series: Windows

Windows not only add to the aesthetics of a home, they play a critical role in insulation, ventilation, the amount of light a home gets, as well as protecting a home from all types of weather. As an..

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Exterior Materials Series: Exterior Doors

Exterior doors come in many different styles and materials whether they’re used as front doors, side doors, or rear doors. Different types also offer different levels of durability and maintenance..

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Getting the Most Out of an Urban Build-to-Rent

If you’re planning on building a build-to-rent property in a city or large metropolitan area, there are some things to consider to help you get the most out of your investment. Investing in cities is..

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Getting an Equipment Loan

If you’re a builder or investor, you may already be familiar with construction loans, but another type of loan you may need is a heavy equipment loan. Depending on the type of construction project..

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Construction Loan Application Preparation

As a builder, developer or investor, at some point you have to apply for your first commercial construction loan. Even if you’ve been in the business as part of another team, you may not know..

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HERS Rating: What It Is and Why It Matters

HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System. It is the measure of how energy efficient any given home is and gives homebuyers an idea of how much they will spend on utility costs. This is a nationally..

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Sustainability Growth in Construction Best Practices

Sustainability growth in construction is a hot button topic worldwide. Home buyers, governments and other public sector organizations are pushing for more sustainable and socially responsible..

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Water Efficiency Best Practices in Residential Construction

The way construction is done is changing in many ways. Builders, developers and investors are migrating from traditional building methods to green building. Green building involves several things,..

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Luxury Rentals: What Renters are Looking For

Luxury rentals are an excellent way for investors to target a wealthier tenant group and charge more than they could in a standard rental. Of course, this type of building project will also cost more..

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Interior Materials Series: Flooring

Flooring is an important consideration when building residential properties, if for no other reason than the sheer amount of square footage it occupies. As a builder or investor, you know that there..

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Interior Materials Series: Kitchen Counters

Today, there are many different options for kitchen counters when building new homes or flipping older homes. Everything from natural stone to engineered stone to steel, wood, and even concrete have..

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Interior Materials Series: Bathrooms

It’s been said that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. As a builder or investor, it is important to pay attention to these rooms and use quality finishes that are practical, durable, neutral,..

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Exterior Materials Series: Roofing

Whether you’re building one home, or an entire subdivision of homes, roofing is a very important consideration. Since a roof protects a home from excessive moisture, heat, all types of weather, and..

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Exterior Materials Series: Facades

When building a home from the ground up, choosing the exterior material is a crucial step. Facades not only serve to protect a home from the elements, they also determine the home’s aesthetic. As an..

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What is Smart Construction?

Smart construction is not the same thing as SMART Technology, although it would be easy to confuse the two. SMART is an acronym that stands for Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology...

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What is a General Contractor?

The construction industry is full of moving parts. There are investors, brokers, realtors, laborers, developers, builders, various pieces of technology, different types of builds, different styles of..

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What is a Production Builder?

There are several types of builders and builds available on the market today. Understanding the differences between them will clue you in to what type of builder you need on a specific project. This..

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Smart Construction Series: Cabling

Smart construction is gaining traction in the construction industry with the innovations and advancements of SMART Technology. Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology isn’t all that new,..

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Custom and Semi-Custom Builds: Know the Difference

As a builder, you likely have a pretty good idea of the type of build your business is good at completing. You have a process that works and understand how to market to the customers you want to..

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Smart Construction Series: Heating & Cooling

Out of all of the many areas of home construction in which smart technology can be implemented, heating and cooling is arguably one of the easiest, and has the most benefits from a smart..

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Smart Construction Series: Roofing

When it comes to smart roofing, there is much more available in today’s market beyond solar panel roof technology. While solar roofs have obvious environmental benefits, there are other options out..

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Smart Construction Series: Windows

Smart technology in windows has come a long way from just double glazing, noise reduction, soundproofing, and energy efficiency. Today, many aspects of smart window technology that have already been..

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Getting the Most Out of a Rural Build-to-Rent Property

When most people think of real estate investment, they probably picture urban areas and large multi-unit buildings. As a builder or investor, you know that the world of real estate investment is more..

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Using 3D Printing in Construction

3D printing is nothing new, and while this technology has been implemented in numerous industries including aerospace, tool making, and medicine, does it have a promising future in the construction..

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Combating Rising Costs & Labor Shortages

If you’re not familiar with the construction industry, you might look at it and think that it’s one of the more stable areas of business. Unless tehre is a financial downturn, there are plenty of..

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Construction Safety: Situational Use Equipment

Construction equipment is necessary for certain tasks on a job site to be completed. In this installment of a four-part series, we will cover a few miscellaneous pieces of equipment - this is not an..

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Construction Safety: Appropriate Weather Wear

There are many forms of construction equipment on the market today, all of which serve a specific purpose. In this installment of a four-part series, the topic is weather wear. Winter and summer each..

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Construction Safety: Head Protection

Construction equipment plays an integral role in job completion without delays. In this installment of a four-part series, safety of laborers is the topic. Understanding what head gear to wear,..

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Construction Safety: Reflective, Hand & Foot Protection

Proper use of construction equipment is key to the success and safety of every project. In this installment of a four-part series, we will cover reflective gear, hand protection and foot protection...

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5 Ways to Reduce Waste

Construction waste and debris are inevitable aspects of the building process but the amount of waste can be regulated and reduced. According to construction panel manufacturer Norbord,"the average..

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5 Ways to Reduce Toxins

Historically, both residential and commercial construction projects have resulted in the release of toxins from building materials. We’ve all heard of older homes containing things like lead paint..

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Drainage: Everything You Need to Know

One of the most important things to keep an eye on during construction is drainage. That’s because having proper drainage can affect a home both during the building process and long after a home has..

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What is Indoor Air Quality and Why is it Important?

Regardless of the size of your building project, indoor air quality is something that needs to be considered both during the construction phase as well as after the project is completed. The..

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The Top 5 Most Energy Efficient Building Materials

These days, the construction market is becoming saturated with various green materials, with many also promising greater efficiency and cost cutting over time. But with so much out there, which ones..

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Considerations When Building Multi-Unit Properties

Building multi-unit properties can be a very lucrative investment, but there are many important differences between these types of builds compared with single family homes. Furthermore, there are..

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Building on a Sloped Lot: What You Need to Know

Building a home on a sloped lot has its share of challenges and potential added costs. However, it also offers the ability to implement beautiful and practical architectural features that wouldn’t be..

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Green Construction in Homes vs. Multi Unit Dwellings

Green building is not only a growing trend, it can also have numerous benefits for the builder or investor. However, there are some key differences in green construction in single family homes versus..

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Selecting a Building Lot, Tips for Getting it Right

When building a home from the ground up, one of the most important decisions you need to make happens before the foundation is even laid, and that is selecting a building lot. Regardless of what part..

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5 Considerations for Fix-Flip Homes

A fix-flip has many moving parts, but the most important part to you, the investor, is getting the biggest return on investment. In order to make sure that happens, being in tune with what potential..

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5 Mistakes to Avoid With a Fix-Flip

If you’re a first-time investor embarking on a fix-flip option, the whole process may seem fairly self-explanatory; buy low, sell high, make it look good, and turn a profit. However, the fix-fip..

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Adopting Smart Technology in Green Building

Major corporations, IBM for example, are creating plans for smart cities. Smart cities will include smart buildings. Someone needs to design and build these buildings, which will range from office..

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Sustainable Construction For Eco-Friendly Building

As the Earth’s population grows and people use its finite resources, the push for eco-friendly processes and procedures has come to the forefront of everyone’s minds. Business leaders, governments..

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Using Alternative Materials to Cut Costs

With green building becoming not only more popular, but more preferred by municipalities, companies are looking for additional ways to cut costs. Sometimes the initial cost of going green can’t be..

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Prefabrication and Modular Construction Defined

Prefabrication and modular construction have been gaining popularity, but there is sometimes an assumption among consumers that these terms are interchangeable. Not only do the two terms refer to..

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Technology & Efficiency: Augmented Reality & Robotics

Using technology to improve efficiency in construction is something every developer and builder should be doing or moving toward. The construction industry has lagged behind in it’s technological..

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Technology & Efficiency: Building Information Modeling

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is changing the way buildings and developments are designed. A collaborative piece of technology, BIM allows architects, engineers, designers and builders to work..

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The Challenges of Green Building

Green building has obvious benefits for consumers as well as builders and investors - namely energy efficiency, recycled materials, and environmentally friendly processes and technologies - but there..

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The Legal Constraints of Off-Grid Building

As the cost of living increases, off-grid building is becoming more appealing as is a desire to live in a more environmentally conscious way. There has also been a growing trend toward escaping urban..

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Construction Management Software - The Ins and Outs

As technological advancements affect nearly every aspect of our lives, it’s worth noting that the construction industry is no exception. When it comes to efficiency, scalability, and cost saving in..

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Consistent Trends in Green Building

Green building is becoming more and more ubiquitous, as various aspects of the building process from raw materials to heating and cooling systems and beyond become more environmentally conscious in..

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Harnessing the Sun - Solar Energy & Construction

With green building technology becoming more and more ubiquitous, solar energy is one of its most common features. This article will break down the benefits and challenges of solar panels in new home..

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The LEED Rating System Explained

When it comes to green design, there is one internationally recognized benchmark that you’ll come across time and time again - The LEED Rating System. An abbreviation of Leadership in Energy and..

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Technology & Efficiency: Mobile Tech & Drones

The construction industry is beginning to learn how to utilize today's technology to improve efficiency in the industry. From augmented reality and robotics to green tech and smart contracts,..

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The Seven Components of Green Building

Green building is on the rise and builders, developers, investors, brokers and architects are learning the ins and outs of the process. Green building encompasses several things and can be applied to..

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Technology & Efficiency: Green Tech & Smart Contracts

The world of technology is rapidly evolving and the construction industry is starting to catch up. With these technological advances, it can be difficult to know which technologies are right for your..

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Incorporating Green Material in Construction

Green building, or green construction, has been around for decades but wasn't truly formalized until the 1990s. The LEED rating system's pilot program was launched in 1998, but the US government..

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Non-Traditional Construction Loan Types

There are several types of typical construction loans, but there are also a few lesser known loan-types that may be of interest to builders, brokers and investors: Model loans, land loans and..

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Construction Loans - Know the Basics

As any builder or investor knows, construction loans differ from traditional mortgages in a few ways, but knowing all of the different aspects and terms particular to construction loans is important..

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What is Green Building? Make it Work for You

As humans use of man-made resources increased over the years, we learned that our carbon footprint was destroying our planet. In the 1960s, people started to realize that if we wanted to keep our..

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Integrating Green Tech with Green Construction

The goal of green technology is the same as anything else that is green: To provide sustainable solutions with minimal impact on the environment. When integrating green tech with green construction,..

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Do I Qualify for a Construction Loan?

Whether you are a novice builder or investor just starting out, or someone with years of construction experience under your belt, a construction loan is a vital aspect to the success of your project...

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Seven Common Construction Hurdles in Home Building

When it comes to construction, things don't always go according to plan. Veteran builders know which challenges come up time and time again, and they know to plan accordingly. But if you're new to..

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Builder Finance Inc. Now lends in Arizona

Builder Finance Inc. is happy to announce that we are officially in business in Arizona. Our same great rates and terms apply. Builder Finance Inc. is the growing construction lender for builders,..

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Topics: Events/News

Construction Loan 101

This question & answer covers a topic we know well: Construction Loans. Answers are not meant to be exhaustive, but merely to touch on typical residential construction loans made to professional..

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Infographic: Celebrate Fourth of July with Builder Finance Inc.

Builder Finance Inc. is proud to help builders grow their business with bank-like funding and common sense underwriting. Fireworks are a popular tradition to celebrate the Fourth of July in the..

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Topics: Events/News

5 Ways to Reduce Waste Expenses for Builders

Each time a builder takes a trash barrel or dumpster to the dump, they absorb landfill tipping fees. Disposing of this construction waste can be a large expense, costing builders on average $50.30..

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