The Judd Difference and the Most Frequently Asked Question

John Judd Sr, Co-owner of Judd Builders, an Asheville NC home builder, speaks about what makes Judd Builders different and what he gets asked most often by people wanting to move and build a home in Asheville. Watch our get to know us video and find out more about building a home in Asheville.

Judd Builders Marketing Director Quoted on Realtor.com

Our Director of Marketing Lauren McKinney was recently interviewed for a Realtor.com article on why the cold weather months are a good time to buy a home in Asheville.

6 Reasons Why Winter Is Actually the Most Chill Time to Buy a Home

When the weather outside is frightful, trudging door to door to look at houses might seem like a fool’s errand. Everybody knows spring and summer are the home-buying seasons, and winter is the time when you—and sellers—cool it for a bit and take a break, right?

While it’s true that things do slow down in the winter, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, it’s cold. Yes, fewer homes are for sale. Yes, moving in a snowstorm is a pain no one should experience. But there are quite a few darned smart reasons to buy a home in the winter. In fact, we’d argue that this might even be the best time to buy a home—if you can. Here’s why.

Most likely, sellers listing their home in the depths of winter seriously want to sell. That gives buyers the upper hand.

“Many people place their homes on the market at this time of the year because they need to,” says Lauren McKinney, a Realtor® in Asheville, NC. “Many sellers are looking to get out fast and will be more willing to work with you.”

You’ll also want to keep an eye on each home’s “cumulative days on market,” which you’ll find on the home’s listing details page. It’s possible that the house has been lingering on the market—giving you more leverage to land a fantastic home for a fraction of the price you would have paid six months earlier.

“If you are buying in the winter, you may want to target houses that have been on the market for a few months, because you might just find a seller who is more motivated to accept a lower offer,” Sztanyo says.

But remember: Just because a seller’s eager doesn’t necessarily mean you should dramatically lowball or make unreasonable demands—you can sabotage yourself if you get cocky. Instead, work with your agent to determine an appropriate negotiation strategy.

You can read the full article “6 Reasons Why Winter Is Actually the Most Chill Time to Buy a Home” on Realtor.com.

After you purchase your home in Asheville during the winter months, don’t wait to remodel. Now is a great time to find an Asheville remodeling contractor to start a kitchen remodel, bath remodel, home addition or whole house remodel. Read our blog “3 Things to Renovate Before You Move Into Your New House” to figure out what areas of your home should be a priority and if you should delay moving in until the remodeling projects are completed.

Judd Builders is an experienced Asheville remodeler with years of experience remodeling kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor living space, basements and building home additions. We are known for the custom homes we build in Western North Carolina, but we love seeing the transformation during a home remodel almost as much as a new construction build. Our knowledgeable project managers can help guide you through the process so that the Asheville home remodel becomes everything you want it to be and more.

Finishing Your Basement in Asheville, NC

Judd Builders Joins Green Built Alliance

When John Judd Sr. and John Judd Jr. formed Judd Builders in 2007 they had a vision to build quality custom homes with sustainable and environmentally friendly materials and building practices. Becoming a member of the Green Built Alliance is another step toward our commitment to be good stewards of the environment. No two homes are exactly alike so we look at each home like it has its own ecosystem and we adjust our green building approach accordingly in order to match our clients’ wants and needs.

According to Green Built Alliance “Green building, or sustainable design, is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, and of reducing impacts on human health and the environment for the entire lifecycle of a building. Green-building concepts extend beyond the walls of buildings and include site planning, community and land-use planning issues as well.”

As a green home builder in Asheville, NC where the home building industry is booming and many builders are taking shortcuts to build more homes faster, quality has always been at the forefront for us and utilizing green building techniques and materials is a no-brainer for our clients.

“Joining the Green Built Alliance is a continuation of our commitment to the environment as a company and stewards of the environment. We have worked to be as environmentally friendly as possible and always want to improve and hold ourselves to a higher standard. Asheville building clients are asking us to build efficient green homes and they rely on us to educate them on which products and green building techniques can work for their custom home,” said John Judd Jr.

 

Judd Builders Mentioned on HuffPost

Judd Builders, an Asheville NC custom home builder, was recently mentioned in a HuffPost article “Bad Real Estate Lessons You’ve Learned From Watching HGTV.” Our Director of Marketing, Lauren McKinney, was interviewed for the article and spoke about her experience working with clients wanting to remodel existing homes and their lack of knowledge about the cost to remodel due in part to budgets on HGTV shows that aren’t realistic in the Asheville market. She said “the biggest misconception I see as a result of people watching HGTV shows is that it skews their idea of what things should cost. Whether it’s an existing home that needs to be remodeled or they’re buying a lot to build a new home, they think they can pay prices similar to Waco, Texas, where ‘Fixer Upper’ is filmed and where the market is completely different and building and labor costs are much lower.”

Read more of the article at HuffPost.

Asheville US News and World Report Ranking

Asheville, NC was ranked #24 in the recent US News and World Reports list of 125 Best Places to Live in America. To determine their rankings, U.S. News analyzed 125 metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people’s desire to live there.

This latest ranking comes as no surprise considering how many accolades Asheville has recently received. Asheville is well-loved by tourists and natives alike. Many of our clients come as tourists and fall in love with our city and make plans to revisit and eventually make the move. As a custom home builder in Asheville, we have clients that move here from all regions of the country. The natural beauty of the mountains is alluring and the quality restaurants, breweries, and cultural activities are an added bonus.

Asheville’s neighborhoods have very different vibes and it’s not hard to find one that makes you feel at home. Judd Builders builds custom homes in all areas in and around Asheville and Black Mountain. We are currently building and remodeling in the Farm at Mills River in Mills River, Champion Hills in Hendersonville, Biltmore Park, Fletcher, Haw Creek, Black Mountain, Swannanoa, and Fairview.

If you are interested in moving to Asheville and building a new home, please call us at 828-274-4448.

Cost vs. Value When Choosing Home Builders in Asheville NC

When interviewing custom home builders in Asheville NC, consider cost vs. value

There’s an old saying that goes something like “Fast, good or cheap. Pick two.” At Judd Builders we know many custom home builders in Asheville NC think this when meeting with potential clients. Without asking, they can usually figure it out after the initial meeting. If you are looking for a custom builder to give you unparalleled quality and value, get the “fast, good or cheap” saying out of your head. We operate a lot differently. We don’t do cheap and depending on the home, it can be nearly impossible to build a custom home faster than 9-12 months. Some homes take closer to 18 months. We do better than good, but it takes time, quality materials and employing the most talented craftsmen and craftswomen in our area.

Benjamin Franklin wrote, “the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” This statement is very indicative of building anything, let alone a custom home that you’ve worked hard to build. One of the most asked questions from potential clients is regarding the cost per square foot. There are so many factors that go into this number and it’s hard to give an average not knowing all that their project will entail. We are very honest from the beginning in letting potential clients know that we’re most likely not going to be your lowest priced option and we give the advice that you may want to be a little cautious of a builder that comes in much lower than their competitors.

We’ve seen it before. Clients who have chosen the lowest price option have quality or performance issues with their new home and come to us for remodels and repairs to correct the issues. We understand their frustration. Our commitment to quality craftsmanship, attention to details, uniqueness, streamlined building processes, and superior customer service are all factors that go into our pricing. Value stands the test of time and protects your investment. Choosing an Asheville custom home builder should be like an interviewing process. Talk to as many as you want, but always ask if you can walk through homes that they’ve built and talk to past clients. They can talk all day about how great their quality is, but ask to see it for yourself and you be the judge. Quality means different things to different people.

 

Now Hiring Framers for Asheville Construction Jobs

Judd Builders is hiring full-time framers for upcoming commercial and custom home building projects in and around Asheville, NC. Our framers are a valuable part of our construction crew at our family-owned building company and our benefits and pay reflect that. Our Asheville construction jobs offer 4-day work weeks and weekly pay. Many home builders in Asheville can offer you similar benefits, but our company culture of building quality custom homes and treating clients and employees with respect is what makes us stand out. Watch the video below to get to know us better.

“I interviewed with multiple home builders in Asheville before I moved here and something was different about Judd Builders. The owners felt genuine and everyone in the office was very warm and welcoming. After working in construction for 15 years, I could tell they had a reputation for quality  and were a respected Asheville, NC home builder. Their employees and subs are very loyal to them and it creates an environment where good things are happening.” Joseph Mojica, Superintendent

If you are an experienced framer with home building and commercial construction experience, please complete our online employment application, call (828) 274-4448 or email parkerv@juddbuilders.net.

 

 

 

Judd Builders’s Jerry Banks on realtor.com

Jerry Banks, project manager and home remodeling expert at Judd Builders, was recently interviewed for an article about the cost of building a garage on realtor.com.

With more than 25 years of experience with 10 years at Judd Builders, Jerry is an expert when it comes to all things construction and remodeling. His understanding of construction processes and estimating projects is invaluable. Keep up the good work, Jerry!

 

Asheville home remodel_garage

 

 

3 Things to Renovate Before You Move into Your New House