EnergyStar Homes Begin at the Foundation

Most people who hear the name EnergyStar don't really understand what it means. The name turns up on electronic appliances like fridges, microwaves and ovens, but it also turns up on computers, TVs and video monitors.

EnergyStar denotes devices that use less energy to operate by using technological improvements to save energy and money.

EnergyStar also refers to high efficiency construction of homes and buildings. At Gold Medallion Homes, we're proud to be part of the EnergyStar program in constructing all of our houses.

What does an EnergyStar home mean to the owner?

1. The home has been designed from the ground up with energy savings in mind.

2. Framing and insulation are installed to exacting standards to create a tight thermal shell.

3. Proper HVAC components are used to match the house and provide a consistent temperature level instead of "blasts" that ebb and flow in traditional systems.

4. All ductwork and tubing is sealed to prevent leakage in crawlspaces, attics and basements.

5. Low-emittance windows are used to prevent warm air from going out in the winter and cold air from coming in. In the summer, the reverse is true. Low-E windows also protect the home's interior from sun damage.

6. All of this careful construction results in energy savings of 30-50% off a non-EnergyStar home, higher resale value and higher debt to income qualifications when using an FHA energy efficient mortgage.

EnergyStar homes also reduce energy drain on power grids which means less consumption and less pollution for the environment. With EnergyStar and a Gold Medallion home, you can be assured of lower energy costs and a better environment for future generations.

Find out more about EnergyStar and how it works with Utah's Rocky Mountain Power here.

The Right Kitchen Can Really Make a New Home

CNN Money had an interesting photo article about various types of kitchens being placed in new homes. The styles range from lofts with tight spaces to open, spacious kitchens.

At Gold Medallion Homes, we believe the kitchen is the cornerstone to a home. We engineer functionality into every kitchen we build.

By studying traffic patterns within a room, to eliminating wasted space, our kitchens stand out. Add high quality cabinetry where no detail is missed and we think you'll be as pleased with our kitchens as much as our new houses.

The photos used for this post are available at our Daybreak community. Come see them for yourself.

Daybreak Model Home:
4574 W. Kestrel Ridge Rd.
South Jordan, Utah
Call 801-302-0692 for a personal tour.

Gold Medallion Homes in the News

Gold Medallion Homes co-president Kristin Nilssen is filling two roles this year. In addition to her duties at Gold Medallion, she is also serving as President of the Salt Lake Home Builders Association.

Kristin was recently asked about the pricing of new homes in Salt Lake by KUTV News. Here are some excerpts.

According to a newly released report, just 21 percent of new homes sold in the region sold for under $200,000. In 2002, 70 percent sold for less.

“It's still a good market,” said Kristen Nilssen of the Salt Lake Home Builder’s Association. “Anything under 200, if it's decent at all, sometimes will be gone within hours.”

There are a few reasons the cost of housing has risen dramatically. The cost of building materials is more expensive now, along with labor expenses. But the biggest factor is the land along the Wasatch front.

There is only so much room to build new homes, with mountains on three sides of the Salt Lake Valley and the Great Salt Lake to the north. Because of the limited area, the cost of land is more valuable. Compare the amount of land available to home builders now compared to that of 15-years ago, when many current-day developments were nothing but empty lots.

“We predict a very strong housing market for our economy over the next 12 months,” Nilssen said.

Salt Lake Housing Market Doing Great

The Salt Lake housing market has one of the brightest outlooks in the country. A new report out today shows the Salt Lake metro area was number two in the nation for appreciation.

Median prices in Salt Lake surged at the end of 2006 to reach a new high of $223,600. This was a 22.7% increase over the previous year.

Gold Medallion homes can attest to the strength of the Salt Lake market since last year we built and sold more homes than ever before. We continue to be optimistic about the Salt Lake housing market because of plentiful jobs and enjoyable living.

We're excited about the prospects of 2007 as we start building in Centerville at Pineae Village. DayBreak in South Jordan continues to attract people who appreciate its self-contained lifestyle, mountain views and retro architecture.

Stay tuned to our website and blog to see what else Gold Medallion has in store this year. Better yet, come take a look at one of our model homes in the community closest to you.

SunCrest New Home - 1834 E. Longbranch Dr.

For Sale
SunCrest Builder Inventory

1834 East Longbranch Dr, Draper, UT

$340,900

Homesite: 236
Floor Plan: Lone Peak
Finished Square Ft: 1772
Unfinished Square Ft: 768
Details: Two stories, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with 2 car garage.

This is the second of three remaining houses still available at SunCrest.

Views
(Click to enlarge)

Floor Plans
(Click to enlarge)

Kitchen
(Click to enlarge)

Call Jen at 801-766-2015 for showing information and additional details.

SunCrest New Home - 1851 E. Longbranch Dr.

For Sale

SunCrest Builder Inventory

1851 East Longbranch Dr, Draper, UT

$299,000

Homesite: 356

Floor Plan: Redrock

Finished Square Ft: 1877

Unfinished Square Ft: 654

Details: Two stories, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with 2 car garage.

This is one of three remaining houses still available at SunCrest.

View
(Click to enlarge)

Floor Plans
(Click to enlarge)

Kitchen
(Click to enlarge)

Call Jen at 801-766-2015 to schedule a showing or for additional details.

South Mountain Homes - Searching Can Be Tricky

In the foothills of Draper are a number of communities that have been developed over the years. While there are many different subdivisions present, people generally consider this area to be South Mountain. At the top of these foothills are several new developments including SunCrest, EagleCrest and Eagle Summit.

This area of the valley is a crossroads. Driving from one side to the other will take you through two counties and three municipalities. This is causing havoc for our real estate listings! You see, at our SunCrest community, we have four homes for sale, but only one shows up on the consumer version of the Multiple Listing Service. We have three others for sale just a few blocks away. Even though they're in the same zip code, they're in different counties, so the online search doesn't show up.

The MLS real estate agents use gives a little more flexibility, but we still have similar problems getting all our houses to show up. Fortunately, we've realized this problem and can now get the news out in different ways. In the coming days, we'll be putting up all our South Mountain new homes for sale on this blog. Meanwhile, you can see what we have for sale on our main website.

Obviously our current offerings may not suit everyone's tastes. So, take a drive out to the South Mountain area and take a look at what's for sale. Take note of the property's address so you can ask your real estate agent for the details later. If you're not working with an agent, most houses for sale have contact information on them.

If you're looking for houses in the South Mountain area, you may want to keep going a bit and look at what Gold Medallion has available in Traverse Mountain and Thanksgiving Village.

New Homes in Utah - The Blog From Gold Medallion Homes

Welcome to the New Homes in Utah blog presented by Gold Medallion Homes. You’ll find a lot of different information about buying a new home in Utah including the buying process, how to secure financing, timelines, community profiles and special deals.

We've been building homes in Northern Utah for about fourteen years now. The communities we build in are innovative and rich in amenities, yet we offer competitive prices and high quality workmanship.

Our goals for this blog is to offer a peek into the communities we build in, explain the new home buying process and showcase our homes. Your questions and feedback are welcome. Be sure to visit the Gold Medallion Homes website to find out more.