Archive for the ‘Custom Homes’ Category

Port Angeles Custom Home Quality

Author: Chuck Marunde

9 Aug

A Port Angeles or Sequim custom home might be built with the highest quality materials and workmanship . . . or NOT. Here’s the challenge. The average person does not have the trained eye to be able to distinguish the two.

I wish they could. I wish we all could. Take the room in the photo to the left. Was this home built with the highest quality materials and the skilled hands of framers, finish carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sheetrockers, and painters, none of whom took short cuts or skimped on materials and labor?

I realize it’s hard to tell anything from a two dimensional photograph, but if we were walking through this room could you tell? Few could.

What a difference it will make when you live in your home for many years, or the rest of your life. I hear this testimony again and again from many people. Perhaps a real life example will make the point best.

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Filed under: Custom Homes, Home Builders

Home Builders – The Lowest Bidder

Author: Chuck Marunde

7 Jul

Building a Sequim custom home or a Port Angeles Custom Home? Here’s a local attorney (ret.) and real estate broker’s diplomatic counsel on hiring a local builder.

There are builders who love their work, and who pour out their hearts to build a beautiful product. They take pride in their workmanship, and they are honest and men of integrity.

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Filed under: Custom Homes, Sequim Real Estate

Building a New Home – Free Service Offered

Author: Chuck Marunde

26 Mar

If you’re planning to build your new home or custom home in Sequim or Port Angeles, and you want to be sure you hire a very very good builder, I would be glad to help you. Here is what I’m willing to do for you at no cost:

Answer your questions about what to look for in a builder;
Share with you what to watch out for in your due diligence (these are traps that good, honest people get caught in all the time);
Having been a real estate attorney for 20 years and now a Realtor, I will share what 100′s of clients have told me they learned in the process you are now going through;
And I will personally drive you around key areas to look at completed homes built by a number of different builders, so you can compare, and
I will describe to you what we are looking at, issues of construction, quality, costs, and more.

Why would I do all of this for you at no cost? Because I enjoy doing this, making new friends, and in the long run, I believe this kind of good will in the community pays off with future referrals. It’s the way I ran my law office, and it’s the way I run my brokerage now. Who knows, you might purchase your property through me.

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Who is the Best Home Builder in Sequim and Port Angeles?

Author: Chuck Marunde

15 Mar

Who is the best home builder in Sequim? Who is the best home builder in Port Angeles? Who builds the best new homes or the best custom homes?

If you are planning to hire a home builder and have your dream home built, or maybe it’s to be your retirement home, what are the most important considerations? Here’s what the vast majority of people want.

First, most people want the highest quality home, and second, they want it for the least cost per square foot. Clearly, these two goals are in direct conflict.

Here’s what most people don’t know and may never know, and I share this as an insider who has practiced in real estate sales and law for almost 30 years, including as an adviser to builders and contractors:

There is a vast difference in the quality of homes built from contractor to contractor.
Advertisements of low construction costs based on the cost per square foot is a Trap for the Unwary homeowner.

As a real estate lawyer, I saw many clients who had been planning for years to build their dream homes or their retirement homes. These clients, who were good people, successful people, and intelligent people, hired their builders based primarily on one factor: cost per square foot. The reason these clients were seeing an attorney is because of two main problems: their homes were not being built with the quality materials and workmanship they expected, and there were so many surprise extras that the cost per square foot originally quoted in the advertisement that brought them to the builder was almost doubled.

How does this happen?

Initially the homeowner talks to the builder about his incredibly low cost per square foot advertisement, and as he goes over what they want, and as they have several more meetings, the homeowners come to accept the fact that they will have to pay probably $20 to $30 more per square foot than the advertised rate in order to get the home they want. So they sign a contract, and then what?

THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE IN THE
QUALITY OF HOME CONSTRUCTION

The above average couple who plans to have a new home built are simply not knowledgeable about construction standards, the difference in the quality of materials that a builder chooses at his discretion, the shortcuts that some builders take to make more profit at the expense of the homeowner, the “little” things that a builder can leave out of the contract discussion and then, as though they were unexpected later during construction, suddenly require $5,500 more for drainage permits and work, $3,200 for a couple of additional windows that should really have been in the original design, $4,750 for a change in the flooring materials, $7,200 for kitchen cabinet upgrades, $2,100 for appliance upgrades, and on and on. The homeowners did not think the builder was going to use the cheapest generic brand appliances, but he was. The homeowner thinks these are unexpected surprises for the builder, too, but the builder has “been there, done that.” There are few surprises for an experienced home builder. The only one who gets surprised is the homeowner, who has to somehow come up with a lot more money than they planned in their budget.

This is how the homeowner gets sucked into a contract, and ends up paying as much or more than what they would have paid another builder who gives honest quotes up front and builds a true quality custom home.

True story. Two homes were built adjacent to each other, one by a quality home builder and the other by the discounter. The quality home builder had the home completed in five months, and the homeowners moved in very pleased with the quality and the guaranteed contract price. The discounter next door did not complete that home for over a year, and those poor homeowners were kicking themselves for hiring the lowest bidder, because in the end it cost them more money, more time, and a lot of stress. What’s interesting is that they originally talked with the quality builder, but his bid was higher than the one they hired.

Who are you going to hire as a builder? The lowest bidder or the best builder in Sequim or Port Angeles? Realize that ultimately the best builder may actually be the lowest bidder per square foot, but it won’t sound that way when you are being sold by a discounter. I recommend getting some inside help on how to do your due diligence in selecting a builder. You will be very glad you did.

Who is the best home builder in Sequim or in Port Angeles? I know some good builders, some great builders, and . . . well, some who have had unhappy clients. Email or call me, and we can talk about what kind of home you want to build and what kind of builder you would like to work with. I’ll help match you up if I can.

Chuck Marunde, J.D.
chuckmarunde@gmail.com
360-775-5424

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From Southern CA to Sequim

My husband and I went to Sequim intending to interview several Realtors to find one to help us locate and buy a home in Sequim. We knew we wanted someone we could trust and who would have our best interests in mind. Since we would be handling the transaction from S. California this was very important to us. We met Chuck and looked no further. We felt a connection right away and spent some time looking at homes together so Chuck could get a feel for what we wanted. Well, we left Sequim having made an offer on a home which the owner accepted. Chuck has helped us through the purchase process. We are positive it would not have gone so smoothly without his help. We give him 4 thumbs up. Cathie and Wally

From Georgia to Sequim

My husband and I were interested in relocating from Georgia to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, and while we were staying at an Inn in Port Angeles, Washington, the Innkeepers gave us the name of Chuck Marunde as a contact for helping us with our real estate needs. Upon meeting Chuck we hit it off and immediately became friends and felt a real sense of trust in Chuck handling our wants and needs as far as real estate goes. We gave him, for lack of a better word, "unrealistic" demands in this unstable economy, and by the next morning Chuck had a list of properties that would fit those "demands". Chuck was able to help us not only find a home and property that suited our needs as a large family, but he went above and beyond what he needed to do to ensure that our offer was presented (and accepted) in a timely fashion. In the past 25 years of dealing in real estate, Chuck is, without a doubt, the most prompt, reliable, trustworthy, and friendly professional we have ever done business with! We will always use Chuck from here on out for all our real estate needs. Larry and April Leach Sequim, Washington

Why Chuck Marunde?

Andy Romano is a successful motion picture character actor with over 40 years in "the Biz." Mr. Romano has a home in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, but he chooses to live most of the time here in Sequim, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula in the great Pacific Northwest. Why? In his own words, "Because it's even more beautiful and surrounded by more beauty in this incredibly peaceful and quiet place. With respect to real estate agents or brokers, well my friend Chuck Marunde, owner of Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate, is hands down the best there is." Andy Romano

Client Testimony

"I’ve known Chuck Marunde for several years. My wife and I bought and sold one house through his services, and now have another listed through him for sale. Whether Chuck was representing us as the buyer or seller, I am confident he always had our best interests at heart. He helped us set or negotiate a reasonable price, and made sure there was a clear and open line of communication. He responded rapidly to email and phone calls and always knew the best person to contact for the various services involved in a transaction. I have worked with quite a few real estate agents and Chuck is right at the top of my list of good ones. Actually, Chuck is first and foremost just a good person, and he carries his personal honesty and integrity over into his profession. He has the greatest depth of experience in real estate of any agent or broker I have known. His years of practicing real estate law prior to becoming a broker are evident in the meticulous care he takes with the process and documentation. I am impressed by the way Chuck has integrated internet services into his real estate business. He probably knows more about this process than any other realtor in the country. In this tight market it is important to use every possible means to spread the word about available properties…to reach the few people who might be interested in a particular property." Steve L.

Buyer’s Agent

"We contacted Chuck to be our buyer’s agent for our purchase of a home in the Sequim area. Throughout the entire process he was enjoyable to work with, and we found him to be exceptionally knowledgeable, thorough and diligent on our behalf. He was in constant contact and always readily available and responsive by phone and email. We were buying from out of state and unable to cover the various steps in the process, so we really appreciated Chuck’s willingness to personally handle what we needed to have done. He coordinated and attended the various inspections, followed up on our numerous questions and requests relating to the sale (including measuring rooms and sending photos), and even conducted the final walk through of the property for us. We particularly valued his advice on a number of different issues that arose – and that he handled for us – during the transaction. In short, we were very impressed with Chuck and would recommend him highly to anyone who is considering purchasing (or selling) in the Sequim area." Ed and Sharlene

Enjoyable Experience

"Our experience in working with Chuck Marunde was very enjoyable, he is a knowledgeable, dedicated professional who knows the real estate market extremely well. The thing we like most about Chuck is that he is a realist, he is very well versed in what is going on in the current volatile market and he understands "true value" in the market. Chuck is a honest and loyal leader in his field who really goes the extra mile to please the customer at every level. Having the legal background is a real bonus when it comes to negotiating a real estate transaction, Chuck is the guy you want in your corner when you come to the buying table." Sara and Ken

From Arizona

"We are ex-Washington residents who currently live in Arizona. We had been searching the Puget Sound area four years for a waterfront property to build a retirement home when we first contacted Chuck Marunde through his website. We had made multiple trips to various areas but most of the Realtors we contacted simply sent us an email, provided no follow up and did next to nothing to help us locate a property. On our first trip to Port Angeles, after connecting with Chuck, we purchased our dream property. We now own a high bank waterfront lot overlooking the Straight of Jaun de Fuca, and are excited to become part of the Peninsula community." Paul and Linda

From New Mexico to Sequim

Over a year ago, during a visit to the Olympic Game Farm, we developed what we eventually called the “Sequim Syndrome.” We live in New Mexico and decided Sequim was where we wanted to live in retirement. On our second visit to Sequim, we met with Chuck and asked him to help us. Chuck's web site provides such amazing search capabilities. Chuck's site also contains a 1000 blog postings and a real estate video series detailing buying real estate in Sequim. We bought Chuck's book about Sequim real estate and set out to follow his advice carrying on an ongoing email and phone conversation with Chuck. Doing our due diligence “Marunde style” and using his MLS search site, we came up with about 50 homes that met our needs. We narrowed the list down to 15 properties that best met our needs. We came back to Sequim a third time with our list in hand, and Chuck spent two days with us showing us all the homes on our list. Not only did Chuck help us find that dream home, he spent time to educate us about the quality of construction, fair market values of various properties, home layouts, and the joys of Sequim living. We had a great time as we traveled from house to house. By mid afternoon of the second day, my wife said we had found “the house.” Chuck helped us draft our offer and sent our offer to the seller's agent. It turned out there was a second offer made on the property at the same time. Chuck's help to make a clean offer paid off. At breakfast two days later, we got a call from Chuck saying our offer had been accepted by the sellers. We are now back home in New Mexico. Chuck attends every inspection on our behalf, updating us at every turn by email and phone. Our dream home is becoming a reality because of Chuck and because we were smart enough to follow his advice. We absolutely would NOT have been able to do this without Chuck Marunde's expertise and enthusiasm. We recommend Chuck to everyone planning a move to Sequim, Port Angeles, or anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula. Chuck is a gold mine of information and expertise for home buyers everywhere, not just on the Olympic Peninsula. Larry and Shirley

From California

During the months of February and March 2012, Chuck showed my wife and I over two dozen homes from Port Angeles to Port Townsend. We found Chuck to be very helpful, friendly and courteous. With Chuck there is no pressure; It is all about finding the best home for the buyer. As a Buyer's Agent, Chuck will give you his honest opinion of a property, including a fair market price. In one instance Chuck wrote up an offer for us which was accepted. Chuck was very helpful arranging for home and well inspections which involved multiple trips to the property. Unfortunately, escrow failed to close when, during the home inspection process, it was determined that a septic system repair was needed which the seller was unwilling/unable to make. We will continue to work with Chuck as there is no better Buyer's Agent on the North Olympic Peninsula. Bert and Sally

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Sequim Real Estate in Sequim, Washington

Archive for the ‘Custom Homes’ Category

Port Angeles Custom Home Quality

Home Builders – The Lowest Bidder

Building a New Home – Free Service Offered

Who is the Best Home Builder in Sequim and Port Angeles?

Contact Chuck Marunde

Phone: 360-775-5424
Email: ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

Sequim Real Estate Market Reports

From Southern CA to Sequim

From Georgia to Sequim

From California to Sequim

Why Chuck Marunde?

Client Testimony

Glad for Atty Experience

Buyer’s Agent

Financial Planner Endorsement

Enjoyable Experience

From Arizona

I’m Coming to Sequim

From New Mexico to Sequim

From California

Sequim MLS Help

Sequim Real Estate in Sequim, Washington

Archive for the ‘Custom Homes’ Category

Port Angeles Custom Home Quality

Home Builders – The Lowest Bidder

Building a New Home – Free Service Offered

Who is the Best Home Builder in Sequim and Port Angeles?

Contact Chuck Marunde

Phone: 360-775-5424Email: ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

Sequim Real Estate Market Reports

From Southern CA to Sequim

From Georgia to Sequim

From California to Sequim

Why Chuck Marunde?

Client Testimony

Glad for Atty Experience

Buyer’s Agent

Financial Planner Endorsement

Enjoyable Experience

From Arizona

I’m Coming to Sequim

From New Mexico to Sequim

From California

Sequim MLS Help

Phone: 360-775-5424
Email: ChuckMarunde@gmail.com