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Homes and Land in Sunny Sequim, Washington

Homes and Land in Sunny Sequim, Washington

Sequim's No.1 Buyer's Agent Where Knowledge & Experience Count.

(360) 775-5424
Email: ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

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125 Olympic Ranch Ln, Sequim, WA 98382

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New Homes in Sequim

by Chuck Marunde / Monday, 18 February 2008 / Published in New Homes in Sequim
You’re looking at new homes in Sequim, and you’re trying to decide whether you should buy an existing home or build a new home. That’s no small decision. This is one of several articles you will see on this blog on this subject, because it is a big subject. The answers you get are only as good as the questions, so what questions are you asking?

Today let’s look at one aspect of having a new home or a custom home built on a lot of your choice. One of the early decisions you will need to make is which home builder do you hire? How do you know among the many builders out there which one will build the home of your dreams and do it within the budget and contract you sign?

Perhaps a true story will help flush out the relevant issues on this question. I talked with a client about an experience they had with a local builder. They saw an ad by this builder, and they met with him to discuss what they wanted to do. In their words, “He seemed like such a nice person.” They trusted him with a large down payment of $30,000, and they signed a contract with him to build their retirement home. They had been planning this for seven years, and they were excited that they had a contractor who was the lowest bidder.

These wonderful people began to recognize that there were some communication issues early on and that there were some disagreements on some seemingly minor but important construction plans. They put these things behind them as quirks or just unusual little things, but during construction there were between a dozen and two dozen “little things” of concern.

The front entrance to the house wasn’t being built the way they thought it would be, and when they asked the carpenter about it, he gruffly told them that he’s just a carpenter and that they should talk to the builder. They did, but he told them that’s the way it is being built. End of discussion. The clients were shocked to be treated that way, but they didn’t do anything to force the issue.

The hallway appeared to have 2×4’s with some bows in them, and they brought that to the contractor’s attention, and he impatiently told them it would be taken care of.

The bathroom fixtures were not what they had expected, and the builder told them those are the fixtures he uses. End of discussion.

The kitchen cabinets were not the kind shown on “Exhibit A” attached to the contract, and the builder agreed to change them after he made is displeasure very clear. This was all emotionally exhausting to the clients. They felt they had to constantly supervise the construction of their home, because if they didn’t it definitely would not be built correctly.

There were a number of other items, which the clients brought to the contractor’s attention, and he agreed to change some entirely, some partially, and refused to change others.

I would point out that my perception of these clients was that they were NOT high maintenance clients who were just a pain in the royal behind. Their concerns were legitimate and reasonable. They were actually very polite and perhaps even timid people, so I sensed that they did not make unreasonable demands on the builder, nor were they the kind of people who would be inconsiderate.

When the house was about 90% complete, the builder demanded the clients sign off on the next bank draw to the builder, although the builder had not completed a number of items he promised to take care of. He also informed the clients that there would be an additional $56,000 tacked onto the contract, because of “extras” they had demanded. The clients were completely shocked, because the builder had not asked them to sign any change orders, nor had he discussed any “extras” with them at any point before or during construction.

The clients refused to release the next draw, the builder walked off the job, and both parties retained real estate attorneys. You don’t want to know how much the clients spent on attorney’s fees, but their home was delayed and they had many more expenses before they were able to move into a completed home. So much for a pleasant experience and a dream home for retirement. They told me it wasn’t so much the money, although they couldn’t afford all the extra costs and attorney’s fees. The real cost was the emotional stress and the strain on their 26 year marriage.

If you are going to have a new home or a custom home built in Sequim or in Port Angeles, may I suggest you do some due diligence to identify and hire the best builder for you. If you need a good referral, you are welcome to call me to chat and ask questions. If I can save you a ton of money and a lot of stress, it would be my pleasure. You can Email ChuckMarunde@gmail.com any time.

Read more on finding a great home builder in Sequim or Port Angeles
Read Elderly Couple Ripped Off by Contractor
Read Hiring a General Contractor in Sequim and in Port Angeles

Possibly Related Posts:

  • Should I Buy a Brand New Home or a Used Home?
  • Is It Time To Build a Home?

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About Chuck Marunde

After practicing real estate law for 20 years in Washington, Chuck opened iRealty Virtual Brokers covering the Sequim and the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Chuck is the author of numerous magazine and Internet articles with a primary focus on real estate. He is also the author of over a dozen books, mostly about Sequim real estate. Chuck is a photographer, videographer, and Registered FAA Drone Pilot. Chuck has combined his love for real estate and technology to create a growing Internet presence in his market, and enjoys building his websites and blogs, including SequimBlog.com and Sequim4Sale.com and LuxuryWaterViewHomes.com. Chuck has degrees in Economics, Law, and Education.

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Chuck E. Marunde, J.D.

Sequim Buyer's Agent
(Atty Ret.)
Founder and Broker of
Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate dba iRealty Virtual Brokers
125 Olympic Ranch Ln,
Sequim, WA 98382
(360) 775-5424
ChuckMarunde@gmail.com

Blog Articles by Date

From Los Angeles

It's rare, but once in awhile life provides the perfect collaborator for an important endeavor such as buying your new home. For me that person was Chuck Marunde. His two decade background as a Real Estate Attorney, his prolific career as an author of articles and books on Real Estate and his forthright and moral character made choosing Chuck a no-brainer. Chuck is dedicated, thorough, incredible at the negotiating table, knowledgeable about all local laws & regs but, most importantly, Chuck loves what he does. And what he does is find his client the perfect property. Chuck isn't about making the sale, he's about making the sale that is OPTIMUM for his CLIENT and this makes Chuck a rare bird indeed. I love my new home in Sequim and I am indebted to Chuck for making it happen. Kevin E.

From Seattle

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chuck over the past three years in selling my parent's estate. It was a tough time to sell during the housing recession, but Chuck always kept things on the positive side. With his real estate law background, he offers sound, practical advice. He helps you along with the process using discussions and reason, rather than opinions and speculations. If Chuck doesn’t know the answers, he will get them for you. In several instances, Chuck took the initiative to meet with county officials to get up-to-date facts about zoning and regulations. I was always impressed with his company’s tech savvy communi-cations and internet presence: weekly email updates, blogs, videos, links, Linked-in networking, etc. He is truly pioneering the future of buying & selling real estate. Brian M.

From California

"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 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" Andy R.

Intro by Chuck Marunde

From Florida

We do our homework for the task at hand and we look for and expect to enlist partners that do the same. It was our good fortune to select Chuck Marunde of Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate to represent us as a buyer's broker in our search for a home in the Sequim/Port Angeles area. Chuck's site is all encompassing and super fast compared to many others, he knows the market at every conceivable level and his guidance through the process of selecting and purchasing a home is priceless - above and beyond that of anyone with whom we have ever worked. Add to all this his 20 year background in real estate law and you have discovered a superb asset in the adventure of purchasing a home. Greg and Marilyn

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