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Best Time to Make the Expensive Purchases for Your New Home

When you build a new custom Florida home with ICI Homes, it comes equipped with Energy Star appliances and a hybrid electric water heater.

Those are important parts of our EQ Factor building promise, which prioritizes energy-efficient and environmentally friendly construction materials, techniques and a commitment to quality. Rest assured you’ll have top-notch stuff.

But if you’re bringing your own appliances, prefer an imported British stove, or want to add, say, a wine cooler, then you’ll need to go shopping. And appliances aren’t the only big-ticket goodies you might need to outfit your new home, or to upgrade your existing inventory.

Here […]

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Worried About Interest Rates? Consider an Extended Rate Lock

Wanting to build a new home but worried about rising interest rates? An extended rate lock may be the answer for you. Extended rate locks provide an option to lock in your loan at a set interest rate for up to 270 days. This provides protection against future interest rate increases in a rising rate environment.

Extended rate locks work by charging a fee to guarantee a rate in the future. The longer the period of time for the lock is needed, the higher the interest rate and fees may be. For example, a 270-day lock will be more expensive […]

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When Do I Sell My Home? Tips to Consider

NEWS FLASH: there’s no perfect time of the year to put your current home on the market.

There are seasons when going to market can be easier, depending on your geographical region, but the truth is there are no blanket absolutes. It all depends on the home you’re selling, where it is, the real estate trends in your area and your pricing.

The larger truth is the best time of year to sell your home is…when you need to sell it. And that may be the time of year generally cited as the worst time.

Doesn’t matter. You may have to move […]

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What is the Difference Between Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved?

These words sound so similar, but in the mortgage business, they mean two very different things.

A prequalification letter and a preapproval letter are similar. Both are free and provide you with the maximum amount of money the bank is willing to lend you, based on certain financial assumptions you provided the lender. Neither letter represents a guaranteed loan offer. This means you can receive prequalification and/or preapproval from multiple lenders at the same time. However, that is where the similarities end.
Prequalification
You can handle the prequalification process over the phone in a matter of minutes. You provide all of your information to the […]

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Help Fido Feel a Part of the Moving Process

Most of us know our pets are sensitive beyond our human realization.

Their hearing and sense of smell can seem otherworldly, so it should be no surprise that cats and dogs, in particular, pick up on vibes their owners don’t realize are being telegraphed.

Throw in a huge upheavel such as moving to a new custom Florida home, and Fido and Fluffy can freak out just like humans. All the clatter, banging and raised voices tell them something’s going on. And if this has been the norm for several days or weeks before the moving van arrives, you might find yourself […]

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Tips for Buying Your New Florida Home From a Distance

Not everyone who moves to Florida comes from somewhere close enough to check out prospective communities in person, on the weekends.

If you live in Vancouver, British Columbia and are Sunshine State-bound, buying a new home on the opposite side of North America can be intimidating — doubly so if you’re not familiar with where you’re moving in Florida.

Friends and family who already live there, or prospective new co-workers willing to pass along house-hunting tips, can allay some of that where-do-I-start inertia.

But perhaps the best tactic is to formulate a game plan that takes you from clueless, to clued-in.

Read on […]

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Planning a Move? Our Suggestions for What Not to Take With You

Out with the old. In with the new.

That’s good inspiration when you’re planning a move to a new custom Florida home.

If you’re a typical adult, you have odds, ends and assorted junk stashed in your current home. You know it’s there, even though it’s squashed in drawers, closets, attics or on garage shelves.

And chances are it’s not only your non-essentials. Every household member either collects something, can’t bear throwing out certain items, or hides what they don’t want to deal with.

But guess what? You don’t want to clutter your new home by hauling all that extraneous stuff from your […]

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Why an Inventory Home Might Be Right for You

On the hunt for a new Florida custom home, but dreading the process?

The struggle is real! We at ICI Homes hear it frequently from prospective customers and visitors who must (or want to) move, yet view the home-buying process as a chore.

Some people simply don’t enjoy selling a home, buying a new one, then enduring the move. Even when it’s to their dream destination or a long-awaited event like retirement.

We got your back, though.

If you’re not up for a custom build or want to short-circuit some moving hassles, consider buying a new home that’s already built.

Here’s why an inventory […]

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Tips for Designing Spacious, Cohesive Bathrooms

No matter what size bathrooms you’re planning for your new custom Florida home, you’d like them to look appealing.

We’ll assume the cleanliness part of the equation! Instead, let’s talk about design.

We spend a lot of time in bathrooms. We also ask them to work hard. Bathrooms must accommodate multitasking and storage, and sometimes, several users at the same time.

It might not be instinctive to think of bathrooms as “attractive,” but you should when you sit down with your ICI Homes design consultant and pick out materials, colors and other interior-design components for your new custom Florida home.

Our pros are […]

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Outdoor-Living Wish List for Your New Florida Home

Are you Florida-bound or thinking about making that move?

Our sunny climate and year-round warmth are major reasons many people head south. Being able to go to the beach (comfortably) almost any day of the year is a big draw, along with amazing recreation options, world-class attractions, booming industries and no state income tax.

Perhaps the biggest draw is being able to truly live outdoors. No more covering the pool for winter. No more shuttering and sealing the back porch in plastic for six months.

You might need a light jacket or sweater on our cooler winter days, but that’s also why […]

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