A Welcoming Neighborhood
In addition to being a new Standard Pacific homeowner, you'll also be part of a wonderful new neighborhood. A place where long-lasting friendships will be formed. Where you'll enjoy the comforts of home and the satisfaction of beautiful surroundings. As you select the Standard Pacific neighborhood that appeals to you most, you'll want to consider the benefits of location. For many homeowners, a great location is:
- Convenient to your workplace
- Close to desirable schools
- A short drive to favorite shopping and dining destinations
- Minutes to local parks and recreation
- Around the corner from friends and extended family
See a neighborhood you like? At standardpacifichomes.com you can save your favorite neighborhoods in Your Notebook for reference later.
The Importance of Home Design
Every homeowner's needs are different, so it's important to consider what you want most in a new home. You could be seeking a bigger space or simply want the most modern conveniences and features available. An experienced Standard Pacific Homes sales representative can assist you in prioritizing your new home needs, including key considerations like:
- One or two story design
- Number of bedrooms and baths
- Openness and flow of the living spaces
- Kitchen layout including counterspace and cabinets
- Master bedroom and bath design
- Home office space availability
- Home network wiring options
- Size of front and rear yards
These are just some of the items to consider as you dream about the ideal Standard Pacific home. Take a look at the list and think about your own situation. What jumps out at you in terms of importance?
Your Favorite Features
A new home is a fresh start. It's a tremendous opportunity to improve the way you live and the quality of your life. Incorporating your favorite features and conveniences into a home will only increase your satisfaction and enjoyment. With Standard Pacific Homes you'll have the opportunity to personalize your home with fine details and unique features that convey your personality while also providing comfort and style.
Those First Steps
Finding neighborhoods that interest you and homes that match your needs is a great start. At the same time, financing is another important part of the experience. As you take the first steps toward owning a Standard Pacific home, you'll want to sit down with a mortgage expert. Standard Pacific Homes has its own financing team and you can learn more about loan calculations and programs in our financing section.
Lifestyle
Think about all of the aspects of your daily life: work, school, entertaining, recreation and hobbies. As you search for a new home, you'll want to consider how a home fits your life.
- Does the home give you room to grow?
- Is there plenty of space to host holidays and parties?
- Do you have room for overnight guests and family?
- Is there enough storage for household items and sports equipment?
- Will you need a home office or craft area?
- Are outdoor living features available?
The key is to picture your daily life in any home you consider. Some will definitely fit better than others. Use the interactive floor plan viewer when you visit a neighborhood page on the website. You'll see there are plenty of new home options to explore.
Location
When you're buying a home, location is more than just a good neighborhood, although that should certainly be at the top of your list. And it’s not entirely about your home being close to work. It’s about quality of life – the way you feel when you’re home. A great location also makes every day life easier. For example, it means you're conveniently close to grocery shopping, recreation, friends and family, schools and all of those other things you want nearby. To help with your decision-making about your new home, all of our neighborhood pages on this site include amenity information, schools and school district listings, and even distance from business hubs and airports.
Budget
It's the first question every homebuyer asks themselves; "How much home can I afford?" More than that, you want to consider what your comfort level is in terms of a monthly payment. While you can certainly seek advice from outside lenders, Standard Pacific Homes has loan specialists that can guide you through the loan process every step of the way. From pre-approval to closing, our loan specialists are ready to help.
A good first step in determining your home purchase budget is to use one of our quick and convenient finance calculators. Your payments will be greatly affected by your approved loan program, taxes and interest rate, so be sure to talk to a loan specialist in addition to using the calculators as a guide.
Your Must-Haves
Make a detailed list of your must-have features. The types of appliances you want. The desired storage space of your cabinets and pantries. Your favorite flooring including hardwood, carpet and tile. Outdoor living spaces.
Choosing the must-have features is about more than just appearance. You'll want to consider functionality and convenience as well. This is your new home and you want the living spaces and all of the features to suit you and your lifestyle.
The Special Touches
Beyond those must-have features, you'll want to treat yourself to items on your wishlist. These are selections that will make your home truly special and add to the overall enjoyment of your new residence. If you love to cook, gourmet kitchen choices are in order. For those times you want to relax, a spa tub feature in the master bath is the perfect solution. If you love to entertain, having a spacious great room or outdoor living area will make you a wonderful host. With so many great choices, you can have a home that makes your life easier, more relaxing and more efficient.
Find A Mortgage That Fits Your Budget
There are many kinds of home mortgages; your loan specialist can help you decide which is best for you. Once you’ve chosen, you’ll complete a loan package and provide documentation. Once again, your Standard Pacific loan specialist can help you get organized and stay on track.
Down Payment
When you decide to purchase your home, your sales representative will open an escrow account for your down payment. Down payment amounts can vary greatly depending on the type of loan you secure and the total price of your home. Your Standard Pacific loan specialist will help determine the necessary down payment amount. During this time, your loan specialist will also give you a loan-application kit to begin the loan approval process.
Mortgage Approval
Once your mortgage is approved, you'll have a final amount which you can spend in creating your new Standard Pacific home. This allows you to move forward with choosing final design elements and finishes. If you happen to choose features that exceed your approved amount, you may have the opportunity to adjust your mortgage for a new approved amount. This adjustment should be discussed directly with your loan specialist.
Who Will Participate at Closing
Now that the day has arrived to close the purchase of your home, just a few more items need to be completed. The only parties needed for this final step include:
- The home buyer (you and any co-signers on your mortgage)
- The seller (a Standard Pacific Homes representative)
- The closing/escrow agent (a neutral third- party who’s there to help with the paperwork)
- The real estate attorneys (optional in some locations)
What You Can Expect
There are certain procedures that need to be completed and documents that need to be finalized to take complete ownership of your new home. Here is an overview of the final process:
- You’ll show proof of your homeowner’s insurance
- All parties will make sure the HUD-1 settlement statement has the correct dollar amounts; then, the home buyer and seller sign the document
- If there are any closing costs, you’ll present a certified check to pay them
- All parties will look over and sign the rest of the documents (which ones are required often varies by location)
- You’ll sign the mortgage documents, then present the Standard Pacific Homes representative with the mortgage check
- We’ll give you the title (or warranty deed) to your new home
- You get the keys and you're the owner of a new home