Month: June 2023

Categories
Home Maintenance

Should You Test Your Home’s Water Quality?

Some of our homeowners have asked if they should test their home’s water quality. While it may sound like a step you can skip, it is actually a very good idea. Ensuring good water quality, can help guarantee the longevity of your appliances, and the overall health of your family. Let’s look into a few of the most important reasons to test your water quality:

Health Benefits

Water can vary in its level of healthy minerals and unhealthy contaminants. Some water may contain bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, or other chemicals. By testing your water quality, you can prevent contaminants that can cause illness, skin problems, or other health issues with a filtering system. Having the cleanest drinking water possible helps keep your family happy and healthy, for many years to come.

Protecting Your Plumbing and Appliances

Hard water, chlorine, and iron are some of the minerals and chemicals that can damage your plumbing and appliances over time. By testing your water, it allows you to be informed of any risks and gives you the chance to install the filtration system that best meets your needs.

Water Taste and Odor

If you are planning to drink tap water, you should definitely test your water quality. Beyond health concerns, certain bacteria or chemicals being present will lead to poor-tasting water. Sometimes water can be discolored or have an odor. Testing your water will help you identify the source of the poor taste or smell so you can nip the issue in the bud before you move in.

When the time comes to test your water, there are a couple of options to choose from. You can find a DIY test, available online or at most hardware stores, or you can call a local professional to get the most thorough and accurate testing.

It’s important to remember that periodic testing and maintenance of your home’s water quality is essential for the well-being of your entire household. By completing routine tests, you can easily address any concerns, enhance the taste and cleanliness of your water, and protect your plumbing and appliances from potential damage.

Categories
Horizons East

Choosing Kitchen Cabinets

When choosing kitchen cabinets, there are several key factors to consider. You want to make the best selection for your space and your family. Here’s a checklist of key features to consider while choosing cabinets for your dream kitchen.

Style

Shaker, flat, raised, made with glass panels… the style of cabinet doors can make a statement by being simple or very ornate. Consider timelessness, ease of cleaning, and, in the case of glass, your level of organization.

Color and Material

Cabinets come in every color of the rainbow and can come in a variety of woods with different stains and textures. There are a variety of materials to choose from, like classic wood, sleek laminate, and even shiny stainless steel — each of which comes with its own set of colors. Remember to choose your color and material with the bigger picture in mind. Don’t forget to pair your cabinet finish with your backsplash and countertops.

Hardware

While hardware is certainly a style choice, it’s also a functional choice! Think about how easy it would be for a belt loop to snag on drawer cabinet pulls or for your baby to grab onto them. Choose a shape and finish keeping in mind how they will complement the cabinet color, overall kitchen design, and traffic flow for your family in the space.

Organization

Don’t forget to consider adjustable shelves, drawers, pull-out trays, and specialized storage solutions for pots, pans, spices, and utensils. You may opt for a trash can drawer or big drawers sturdy enough to hold your counter top appliances when not in use. These solutions can make your kitchen much more functional for everyday use.

Aside from choosing the style and features of the cabinets themselves, you’ll also keep durability and affordability in mind. Cabinets and hardware come in a wide range of colors, materials, finishes, styles and price points. You’ll be happy you spent the time selecting just the right cabinets for your dream home.

Categories
Home Building

Benefits of Being a Homeowner

Happy National Homeowners Month and congratulations to every homeowner living in a Horizons East home! June is dedicated to celebrating the joys, benefits, and advantages of homeownership. It’s a chance to recognize the value that owning a home brings to individuals, families, and communities. In this article, we will explore a few of the many benefits of home ownership.

1. Stability

Rent prices, can be changed at will if neighborhoods become more popular or if the market shifts. Your mortgage will be more stable, varying slowly over time as insurance rates or property taxes change. You don’t have to worry about your landlord selling the building or a noisy upstairs neighbor. Your home is yours, and living in your own home is a great way to protect yourself financially over time.

2. Personalization

Owning your house gives you the freedom to do whatever you’d like, to make it feel like home for you and your family. Your decor, fixtures, and features can all be tailored to your personal style! From paint colors to appliance choices, you call the shots instead of a landlord. You and your family can truly make it your dream home.

3. Investment and Equity

Owning a home is a long-term investment. Over time, as you pay down your mortgage and build equity, you are putting money into an asset that typically gains value. This can provide financial stability and serve as a source of wealth accumulation across the years.

4. Community

Owning a home fosters a sense of community and pride. When you own a home, you become part of a neighborhood, and part of your town or city. This sense of community provides stability for families, offering children an opportunity to grow up in a consistent environment, participate in local events, and get to know families who live nearby. If you’re taking the leap to become a homeowner, consider Horizons East to help you build your dream home. Here’s what some of our homeowners have to say about us:

Jacksonville, NC Homeowner: 

“Custom built by Jennifer Morton at Horizons East and her great team, our vision of a home was brought to life by the skill of some great people after many years of dreaming and planning. It is not the materials we posses but the people that call this home that are the most valuable. It sure does feel good to have a place for our loved ones to gather together.”

Maysville, NC Homeowner:

“The house is AWESOME… All I want to do is stay home!!”

Stella, NC Homeowner:

“After walking through the same home you built in another location and after hearing our agent’s affirmation of your family and your skill as a builder, we were pretty confident. Upon our first meeting with you, we both knew you were our builder… We endorse you every chance we get and everyone that sees our home love it and asks who the builder is.. We tell people what we liked best about working with you was your very relaxed demeanor. If we suggested a change it was never a big deal and you would even expand on what we were going for. Would we do it again with you at the helm? Absolutely!”

Hubert, NC Homeowner:

“I currently have the Brookstone and I can’t speak highly enough about how much I love it!! I am always telling people what a great quality company you are and how you include all the additional personal touches that make it not just a house but a home… Thank you!!”