Cheldan Homes offers energy efficient homes that qualify for the ENERGY STAR label. In simple terms, energy efficient homes equal a lower electricity bill, which means more money in your pocket. After all, you have more important things to spend your money on than bills!
Keeping your home cool in the Texas heat can often cost a pretty penny, but combining your ENERGY STAR home with some of these simple tips could lower your next monthly bill fast!

In the kitchen: Keep your refrigerator filled to capacity, allow hot food to cool off before putting it in the refrigerator, & reduce your refrigeration electricity usage by 40 percent by replacing a 12-year-old or older unit with a new unit. An Energy Star® unit will lower usage even more.

Doing Laundry: Wash only full loads of clothing- but do not overload machine, clean the lint filter thoroughly after each use & avoid over-drying.

For a full list of energy saving tips click here

As the end of August approaches and summer draws to an end, there is no better way to enjoy the warm summer sunshine than hosting an outdoor party! Having over a great group of friends, eating delicious BBQ and sharing in some summer themed cocktails is a great way to toast to the end of summer and the beginning of a new season. Cheldan Homes’ covered patios and spacious backyards provide the perfect space for outdoor entertaining!

www.cheldanhomes.com

Below are some great tips from HGTV.com to consider before hosting your next outdoor party!

1. Get your yard clean and in order. Make sure the grass is mowed, raked and free of debris, tools and toys.
2. Don’t overlook spaces inside the house where guests may be, particularly the entryway, kitchen and bathrooms.
3. Decorate with cuttings from your yard. Arrange fresh flowers and greenery to add a pop of color and a natural fragrance.

4. Have plenty of seating for your guests. If you’re short on chairs, spread blankets on the grass.
5. Choose music that will be entertaining and pleasant, not too loud or overwhelming.
6. Think of your guests when choosing the menu. When extending invitations, you may want to ask whether anyone has food allergies or dietary preferences.
7. Be open to the idea of a potluck party. This will lighten your load, and it’s a fun way to try new dishes.
8. Ask a couple of guests whether they would arrive early to help with pre-party preparation. Make it fun by starting the music early and sampling some food.
9. Prepare as many foods in advance as possible. On the day of the party, you’ll be glad you got a head start, and flavors will be enhanced.
10. Have at least two large trash cans emptied and placed in convenient locations.
11. Create a special atmosphere with lights. Be creative by mixing up the sizes and shapes of candles, spreading them throughout your space. Also consider adding lanterns and strings of holiday lights.
12. If you are grilling, make sure the grill is clean and ready to fire up with enough charcoal or gas.
13. Have a working meat thermometer on hand so you don’t have to guess on grilling time.
14. Keep aluminum foil and plenty of clean plates handy grillside. When the meat is ready, place it on the plates and create a foil tent to keep it hot if you won’t be serving it immediately. Remember, the meat will continue to cook for a minute or two, so consider this when factoring in the grill time.
15. Consider grilled vegetables as a great side to accompany the main dish. Skewering is a ideal method. Rotate the veggies once using metal tongs. They should take only a few minutes to cook.
16. Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your party. Include decorative citronella candles with the rest of the lighting scheme. Also have mosquito repellent handy for your guests. Choose one with a light scent, such as aloe.
17. If you have electricity outside, plug in a portable oscillating fan or two to ensure your guests stay cool during hot summer days and nights.
18. Set out a couple of yard games to play, such as badminton and bocce.
19. Relax and allow your guests the same privilege.
20. Especially if alcohol has been served, make sure everyone is able to get home safely

Dallas was named #4 on Forbes “America’s Hippest City” list! Being Texans, we have always known how much Dallas has to offer; now Forbes agrees. High-end fashion boutiques, world famous museums and five star restaurants are just a few luxuries that can be found within the Dallas zip code. When deciding where to build your new home, DFW should be the clear winner. It offers the “hipness” of Dallas and the “coolness” of Fort Worth in one Metroplex.

 www.cheldanhomes.com

The ratings were based upon several factors. A synopsis from the Yahoo.com article is featured below:

 http://homes.yahoo.com/news/america-s-10-hippest-cities.html

 Behind the Numbers

“Cool” is defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as “very good; fashionable.”  Of course what, exactly, is good and fashionable is very much in the eye of the beholder. We sought to quantify it in terms of cities, ranking the 65 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Metropolitan Divisions (areas that include cities and their surrounding suburbs that are defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget) based on seven data points weighted evenly.

Sperling’s Best Places helped us calculate the number of entertainment options per capita in each metro area. We also ranked the cities based on other recreational opportunities, including the amount of green space, the cost and number of outdoor activities like golfing and skiing available, and the number of pro and college sports teams.

With the help of Sperling’s, we tallied restaurants and bars per capita, weeding out chain establishments – Applebee’s has less sizzle than a local chef’s bistro.

We also looked at each city’s cultural composition using Sperling’s Diversity Index. It measures the likelihood of meeting another person of a different race or ethnicity. Increased diversity tends to lead to a larger assortment of interesting shops, restaurants and events.

Using the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we factored in median age, favoring places with a large young adult population.

We ranked the cities based on net migration (the number of people who relocated there in 2011) and also on unemployment rates, since a city’s offerings are only as good as the amount of people who want and can to afford to enjoy them. (No one likes to hang out in an empty bar, right?) We culled this data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Moody’s Analytics.

Methodology

We attempted to quantify ‘coolness’ for the 65 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Metropolitan Divisions (areas that include cities and their surrounding suburbs as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget) based on seven data points we weighted evenly. Sperling’s Best Places helped us calculate the number of entertainment options per capita with an Arts & Culture Index (100 is the best score); recreational opportunities, including the amount of green space, quality of outdoor activities available, and the number of pro and college sports teams (again, (100 is the best score); and number of restaurants and bars per capita, with a focus on local eateries. We also looked at each city’s cultural composition using Sperling’s Diversity Index (100 is the best). We included median age, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, favoring places with a large young adult population. Lastly, we looked at net migration for 2011 and unemployment rates, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Moody’s Analytics. The following list is the 20 cities that ranked highest according to these criteria.

4. Dallas, TX
Metro Division: Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX
Arts & Culture Index: 95
Recreation Index: 86
Diversity Index: 73.7
Number of Local Eats: 7,689
Median Age: 33.5
Unemployment: 6.9%
2011 Net Migration: 45,870 people

Cheldan Homes takes great pride in providing the best possible service and customer care to all of our homeowners. As a company, we want to be known as the DFW homebuilders who care. We do everything within our power to take the stress that can come with building a home and put it squarely on our shoulders. Making the homebuilding experience enjoyable is our goal. Cheldan Homes’ motto is “One Family Building for Another” and we mean every word.

“Chad & Glenn have been amazing to work with. I can not say enough great things about the entire experience from start to finish. I would highly recommend Cheldan Homes to anyone and I love my new home!” – Jamie Voelcker, Creekwood Ranch

“We appreciate your courtesy and making this an easy process. We are excited to be apart of this neighborhood and community.” – The Williams, Westover Village

“Cheldan was great throughout the entire process and made a stressful time enjoyable.” – Derek Sumrall, Spring Creek

“We thought Trey & Steve did a fantastic job in taking care of all of our concerns during the building process and we enjoyed working with them.” – Jeff & Christine Marlow, Rendon Meadows

“Thank you all for making our first time buying experience so easy.” – Alex & Samantha Sanchez, Marine Creek Ranch

“The availability of Michelle, Sandy & Brian made a real difference. All three were always willing to help us. 1st experience in building a home and it couldn’t have been a better one! Thank you!” – Wayne T. Westover Jr., Park Trails

Cheldan Homes’ has officially launched our first Facebook Sweepstakes! The grand prize is a $100 gift card! To enter simply go to Cheldan Homes’ Facebook fan page, hit ‘Like’ and pick your favorite Cheldan kitchen!

ENTER HERE!

Let your friends and family in on this exciting news too! After all, who couldn’t use an extra $100? More sweepstakes are soon to follow!

The light at the end of the “housing market tunnel” grows brighter. Home builders’ confidence has risen to a new high, reports Housingwire.com. A new one-month record increase in the housing market index was recorded in July. The index measures home builders’ perception on how well they believe the industry is performing concerning US single-family homes. Home builders are optimistic about the positive direction the market seems to be headed. The Dallas/Fort Worth housing market is booming, and Cheldan Homes is excited to continue the upward climb in sales with the rest of the industry.

The full article from Housingwire.com featured below.

Homebuilder confidence experiences largest one-month gain in a decade

By Kerri Ann Panchuk
• July 17, 2012 • 9:11am
Homebuilder confidence rose six points in July, its steepest one-month increase in over a decade, according to a new report from the National Association of Home Builders.

NAHB released the Housing Market Index that it compiled in tandem with Wells Fargo ($34.34 0%) on Tuesday. The report shows the Home Price Index reaching its highest point since March of 2007.

The key housing market index gained six points in July, increasing to 35. This is the largest one-month gain recorded by the index in nearly a decade, and brings the HMI to its highest point since March of 2007.

The index evaluates builders’ perception of strength when it comes to single-family home sales in the United States.

The indices measuring current sales conditions and prospective homebuyer traffic rose six points to 37 and 29, respectively, on the index. In addition, the index measuring sales expectations for the next six months rose 11 points to a score of 44.

Any number over 50 suggests the majority of builders view conditions in a particular segment of the market as “good”.
“Builder confidence increased by solid margins in every region of the country in July as views of current sales conditions, prospects for future sales and traffic of prospective buyers all improved,” said Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “This is greater evidence that the housing market has turned the corner as more buyers perceive the benefits of purchasing a newly built home while interest rates and prices are so favorable.”

Fitch Ratings views the report as highly optimistic when it comes to the fate of homebuilders.

The ratings agency believes single-family housing starts will improve by at least 12% while new home sales will rise 10.5%.

“Housing growth should be slightly more robust next year,” Fitch said. “Single-family starts should expand 14%, while new home sales advance 12%.”

kpanchuk@housingwire.com

Building your own home can seem like a daunting task. There are so many decisions that must be made; it is hard for the average person to wrap their head around. The solution is to choose someone reliable to help make the home building process easy and enjoyable. Cheldan Homes prides itself on being one of the leading home builders in DFW. Check out these seven reason why choosing a home builder should be your first step to attaining your dream home.

1. Custom Home builders know which construction materials will suit your venture best. It will prevent that you buy the wrong supplies.

2. They know where to purchase quality flooring, windows, doors, and other materials you need. It will save you lots of research time to find competitive prices and rates.

3. Contractors have an understanding of how to negotiate with building material suppliers to get you the best possible price.

4. Established custom home builders work closely together with a proven team of professional architects, engineers, subcontractors and building material suppliers. Their reputation is at stake, so they will do their upmost best to help you efficiently reach your goals. They know the best person for the job.

5. Competent home builders are masters in communication. They will constantly keep you informed about your project. If changes need to be made, they can be completed early in the project, preventing unexpected expenses to get out of hand.

6. In case you are at a loss of solutions, custom home builders can suggest ideas that will suit your building plans.

7. A representative of a home building company can accompany you when meeting with home building professionals. This will prevent misunderstandings, helping you – the client – to realize your ideas and visions without snags. Before long, you will have a truly distinctive home, built to your specifications.

-“7 Advantages of Using a Custom Home Builder to Build Your Dream House”, EverythingSimple

You’ve just opened the front door to your first, brand new Cheldan Home in Dallas/Fort Worth! It is everything you’ve dreamed of and more. Now comes the really fun part… Decorating! Having a blank canvas can often be intimidating. Which sofa should go where? Which picture should I hang on which wall? Here are 7 interior design rules you may want to consider when making your new homeowner decisions.
http://www.zillow.com/blog/2012-07-27/the-7-rules-of-interior-design/