Q: “Why should I upgrade now when I can do it on my own after closing?”

A: With us, you will experience one stop shopping during your own personal appointment with a trained consultant to guide you in the overall design of your home. After moving in, you will have so many more things to occupy your budget and your time, that searching for the right products and reliable installers will be a burden, when it could have been fun. In some cases, you may even be able to roll the cost of the options into your loan. While financing over many years may not seem cost effective at first glance, consider that you may be selling your home only a third of the way into the mortgage term, meaning you only paid a fraction of the value of your upgrades while you owned them. The attached charts will show you the value in financing options at today’s low mortgage rates. Remember, too, that credit card debt is not tax deductible, while mortgage debt is.

Q: “Why should I decide now when I could think about it some more and do it after I’ve lived there a while?”

A: Now is the time to install options without disrupting your home. If you wait until after you move in, you will experience the inconvenience and additional cost, not to mention waste, of pulling out and replacing existing products. There is also the risk of damage being done to your home or furnishings in the process. Your builder’s contractors have been carefully selected and have the proper insurance, licensing, quality assurance practices, and warranty commitments that provide you with the peace of mind that you will receive products that are of first quality, expertly installed.

Q: “I’m concerned about resale value; how do I know what to select?”

A: If you plan on selling your home in the near future, the options you select now can have a significant impact on the resale value of your home. In general, choosing products that are neutral in color (beige, taupe, golden sand, etc.) will make your home more desirable to potential homebuyers as they view it and try to imagine their possessions in your home. Focus on timeless finishes, rather than the latest fads. For example, hardwood floors will not only add beauty, but will also add value to any home. Research has shown that upgraded kitchens and baths--including flooring, countertops, plumbing fixtures, and cabinetry--are a good way to protect and improve the resale value of your home.

Q: “Is it all about color and style? What about quality?”

A: The quality of products that you select can also affect the resale value. Products that are not intended for high traffic areas may exhibit signs of wear and tear more quickly and necessitate replacement before you can even show your home. Ceramic tile might be the perfect replacement for standard vinyl. On the other hand, a rare, exotic stone floor throughout a moderately priced home may be an investment you wouldn’t be able to recover fully in resale of the home. When shopping for a resale home, people expect to see interior finishes that are appropriate for the value of the home as compared to similar resale properties in the area.

Q: “Why do I have to make these decisions so early?”

A: As a new homebuyer, you have a responsibility to make decisions on options in a timely manner. To help facilitate the construction process, many builders establish selection cut-off dates. These dates are often staggered in an effort to meet installation and inspection deadlines during the different stages of construction. For example, structural decisions, such as the addition of a bonus room or bay window, must be made before the foundation is poured; even soft water systems must be decided before the pour, as the plumbing layout is impacted. Electrical options and built-in vacuums must be decided by the framing stage or earlier. Typically, more time is allotted for you to select your interior options, such as flooring and countertops, but many buyers wish to see all options selected prior to construction. Lenders may also need to know what options are selected to ascertain your loan-to-value ratio is maintained. Please be aware that you may incur additional costs if you change your selections after the cut-off date. The builder may even disallow late changes altogether, and may reserve the right to install the included products if selections are not made within the given time frame.

Q: “Shouldn’t this be a fun process?”

A: Yes, absolutely! It should be fun, and it will be, with the creativity and guidance your Arizona Wholesale Supply design and appliance consultants offer, and with some preliminary thought and planning on the part of you, the homebuyer! So start having fun now: grab your scissors and go through the latest design magazines to gather up clippings of spaces that appeal to you. Bring paint chips, fabric swatches, and photos of your favorite furnishings. Ask advice from those you trust, but remember: your appointment time and the resulting decisions are yours and yours alone, as the caretaker of that very special space you refer to as “home.” We hope you’ll arrive at your design appointment fresh, ready and eager to devote your attention to the many decisions to be made…decisions that will personalize your new home to insure it looks, feels and performs the way you dreamed it would.