New Home Finder

How to choose a home and location based on your hobbies appliances and well- designed window treat- ments will be taken care of for them. This move in gives buyers peace of mind and the ability to keep more of their cash." There are four floor plans at Revival, rang- ing in size from 1,447 to 1,924 square feet with as many as four bedrooms, three bath- rooms and two-car garages with private patio areas for outside entertaining. A large center paseo adds open space to the cen- ter of the community. Prices start in the mid- $500,000s. Cedar Creek in Galt features one- and two- story homes between 1,645 and 2,570 square feet with as many as five bedrooms and three bathrooms. The 112 homes at Cedar Creek are on larger homesites, priced from the $600,000s and are 35% sold out. Each home has an open floor plan to ease the flow in the home. The kitchens are ap- pointed with a variety of countertop options and feature stainless- steel appliances from respected manufactur- ers, including the re- frigerator that's part of the Turnkey Move-In Special. A popular feature in all Tim Lewis Commu- nities homes, includ- ing Revival and Cedar Creek, are solar energy roof systems that feed into a free Tesla electric vehicle charging post in the garages. "We look for ways to improve our buy- ers' lives long after the move in and we are proud to include systems to help save buyers money and the environment," Schwartz says. "Solar panels and energy stor- age solutions are just some of the fantastic amenities available to buyers in all of our homes. We think it just makes sense, and our customers are excited to have it working for them." Tim Lewis Com- munities also is offer- ing special financing options at Revival to further delineate the builder as the pre- eminent new-home company in the Sac- ramento region. Tim Lewis Communities picked Woodland for its proximity to the Sacramento In- ternational Airport, downtown Sacramento and the Capitol, UC Davis, and the Bay Area, which is about an hour's drive away. Galt was a great selection for Cedar Creek. Its location to Highway 99 and Interstate 5 makes commutes easier to Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto or the Bay Area. With more than 35 years of experi- ence in the new-home construction business, even in these difficult times of supply chain delays, Tim Lewis Communities is com- mitted to building strong relationships to create happy home- owners. For more informa- tion, details and direc- tions to Revival, call (916) 787-3490. For Cedar Creek, call (916) 787-3493. To find out more about any of Tim Lewis Communities' new-home neighbor- hoods, go online at www.timlewis.com. Content provided by Tim Lewis Communities Tim Lewis from page 1 By Erik J. Martin CTW FEATURES They say home is where the heart is — or at least it should be, especially if you have a hobby, pastime or recreational activity close to your heart and which you can't live without. Many homebuyers don't necessarily pon- der how amenable their next residence will be to a passion such as arts and crafts, making and recording music, collecting or engaging in an outdoor pursuit. But the experts agree that this factor should be strongly weighed before committing to a move and home pur- chase. "Homebuyers should carefully think about their hobbies and passions when purchasing a home, no matter what stage of life they are in," sug- gests Lauren McKin- ney, a Realtor with Beverly-Hanks & As- sociates in Asheville, North Carolina. "With more people work- ing from home than ever, they often have extra time for hob- bies. And those near retirement want to be close to what they enjoy. Whether walk- ing your dog to a dog park, enjoying boating with friends or host- ing an elaborate Hal- loween display on your property, keep these activities in mind when searching for a home." Robert Smith, bro- ker/owner of Knoxville, Tennessee-based Brick & Mortar Properties, echoes those thoughts. "It's becoming more common now that buy- ers have flexibility in their work schedules to purchase a home based on personal interests rather than proximity to their office. I feel that this will continue to be the case. I'm also seeing this in empty- nester buyers who don't need as much space and can focus more on hobbies and personal interests," he says. The money saved purchasing a home in a location that isn't conducive to a favor- ite hobby or activity may not be worth it, McKinney cautions. And even if you don't currently have a pre- ferred pastime, your next home may pres- ent more opportunities for hobbies nearby, so think carefully about future-proofing your next location for fun and recreational pur- suits. "Buyers may be more engaged in a particular community if there are activities that they may learn to enjoy and they can meet neighbors with the same common interests," she adds. "But consider the dis- tance to those activi- ties before purchasing a home. A bigger or newer home may not always be better in the long run if you aren't close to the places and pastimes you enjoy." Additionally, before choosing a property, determine if and how it can be modified and updated to fit your hobby, if necessary. "It is sometimes much easier to build the perfect garage or space than it is to find the perfect property that someone else designed. Location is almost the only thing you cannot change in a home, but everything else can be changed," Smith explains. If you are think- ing about purchasing within a homeowners association, check cov- enants and restrictions thoroughly to ensure your pursuit is allowed on or near the prem- ises. "If your passion is horses, but there are horse restrictions, you might find this out too late when reviewing homes on the market," Smith cautions. Think hard, too, about how devoted you will remain about your hobby in the coming years, especially if you plan to modify the resi- dence to accommodate your passion. "What may be a joy today could become a stressor later in life when a home or loca- tion is built around one specific thing. It could be difficult to sell due to the specific nature of the home or location," Smith adds. Shmuel Shayowitz, president/chief lending officer for River Edge, New Jersey-headquar- tered Approved Fund- ing, recommends first renting a home in the area where you will indulge in your passion or hobby. "By exploring the area without a sub- stantial financial com- mitment, you are not trapping yourself in a location that might not suit your long-term goals or objectives. Al- ternatively, if you can monetize your hobby or personal interest, that might be a compel- ling reason to invest in homeownership with- out the risk of anchor- ing yourself financially in a geographical area," Shayowitz advises. Remember to put a pastime into proper perspective and prior- ity, too. "Location should be goal No. 1 when pur- chasing a home, and price should rank No. 2. Safety and growth of an area can fluctu- ate, but picking a home based on these factors is usually next on the list," Smith continues. "Traditionally, choos- ing a home based around a hobby has been a very low priority in my experience, but I see that shifting to a higher priority now and expect the same in the future." H2 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP 001 Homes | Advertising Section

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