What Are Ranch Style Homes?

Ranch Homes are a very popular style of home found throughout the United States. These homes are typically built on a slab of concrete and are a single-story home. They are highly desired for their ability to have your whole house on one story. They offer an open floor plan which focuses on indoor-outdoor living. And while being a single-story home, you have the ability to add onto these homes fairly easily.

History

Ranch Homes were first built in California right at the beginning of the Great Depression. Homeowners began looking for less formal home layouts and invested at more informal, relaxed home blueprints. Soldiers were returning from the war, and homes needed to be built quickly and affordably. These homes offered a more open floor plan, allowing smaller homes to feel more spacious than traditional-sized homes. This informal living focused on single-story homes with easy access to the outdoors. By the end of the Great Depression, nearly 90% of every house was built as a Ranch and began spreading east throughout the United States.

Ranch Blueprints

Ranches are built as single floor homes directly on the slab. They have a walk-up porch, which offers a more indoor-outdoor style living. Typically, Ranches will have an attached garage, large windows on all sides of the home, and a low-pitch roof. There are several types of Ranches available, all with slightly different variables. California, Suburban, Split-Level, French, and Storybook Ranches all have slightly different details to market to different homeowners.

Ranch Homes Today

Ranch Homes are once again becoming very popular! We are noticing more and more being built every day since open layouts have become the new standard of homes. We are expecting to see Ranch Style Homes to increase by nearly 160% in the next couple of years. From their accessibility to affordability, these homes are great for many potential home buyers.

Did you know that Fulton Homes features an array of Ranch Homes? To learn about our communities as well as our properties, please visit us at Fulton Homes and feel free to contact us with any additional questions.

What to Consider When Home Shopping 

Evangeline from Fulton Homes

Buying a home is arguably one of the most significant investments you can make in your life. Such a colossal decision requires a lot of thought, and ultimately, a good investment should be capable of maintaining or increasing a resell value. You should also consider other essential factors like the economy of the area, school systems, and crime rate. While all these can play an important role in your decision, we believe there are three key elements every investor should prioritize. Here are our top picks of what everyone should consider when home shopping:

Location 

Location is everything. Being close to work, food, activities, and freeway entrances can be critical factors we do not always consider. At Fulton Homes, we always strive to place our homing developments in prime locations strategically. Your time is important to us, and we want you to be able to commute and travel as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

Quality 

You have probably heard the quality versus quantity debate. The quality of a product is always more important than how many of the products you have. At Fulton Homes, we use top-grade flooring, superior HVAC systems, and premium building materials. Feel at peace of mind, knowing your home was built to last.  

Aesthetics 

While you cannot judge a book by its cover, it is essential to love the way your home looks. Your home is your refuge of relaxation and where you can escape from the world. Making this fortress genuinely feel like an expression of you is ideal. The home’s aesthetics play a direct correlation on how we interpret the atmosphere. At Fulton Homes, we pride ourselves in giving a selection of options that can best help tailor your home to you. Unlike other cookie-cutter homes, having a variety of options to choose from can allow you to customize your home to your specific wants and needs. 

So, when considering homes to buy, remember: location, quality, and aesthetics. These will help you make the right investment and love your home for years and years to come. For more information on Fulton Homes, please visit our website here.

Fulton Home’s Air Quality

Fulton Home makes it our responsibility to provide you with the best home and services. There are many features we incorporate into the homes we build. We want our consumers to live a happy and healthy life after purchase. This is one of the reasons we chose to partner with Indoor airPLUS when constructing each home. This system goes beyond the general standards the government regulates on homes. AirPLUS has many quality benefits to help purify your air. For more information, be sure to keep on reading!

Government Regulations

The government created the Clean Air Act in 1970. This federal law was put in place to regulate air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. From automobiles to the construction of homes, a standard has been set that limits air pollutants. When building a house, many air contaminants can make it into HVAC systems and be dangerous to the health of the home buyers; therefore, the government put in the Clean Air Act to help protect the health of individuals and families.

Above and Beyond

Fulton Home does not only believe in meeting these codes but going above and beyond. Our comprehensive health protection includes practices and technology to prove the purest air is in your new home. We use moisture control systems to prevent unwanted molding in the houses, radon-resistant constructs, builders seal to prevent pest from infiltrating your home, and much more.

What to Expect

We have also included premium ENERGY STAR HVAC systems, which will help with the air quality. Reducing the pollutants in your home can prevent you from getting sick. This high-quality HVAC system will also regulate fewer chemicals from making it inside of your home. It is essential to keep proper maintenance on your Indoor airPLUS system in your home.

Have peace of mind with the assurance that your air quality is premium in your new home. While this may not be your first concern, clean air leads to a healthier you and your home. We believe in going above and beyond in everything in our homes to assure you the best. From premium materials to clean air, we got you covered.

The Fun of the Fulton Design Center

fulton-design-centerWhen you’re choosing your home builder, the model homes are only a starting point. It’s important to see what a builder provides to allow you to make your home your own. A rich selection of options makes the difference between a stock home and a home that feels fully customized. With the Fulton Design Center, you have 13,000 square feet of choices.

Take the time to review the kitchen vignettes. They give you a wide selection of styles and moods, providing a good conceptual overview of what different kitchens will look like when finished. Not sure what you want in a bathroom? Just wander through the bath section to get ideas.

The most recently updated area is the smart home section, where you can learn about the latest in security systems, whole-house sound and home theater choices. The Fulton Design Center is regularly updated so you have a chance to see and select the latest in home options.

A range of kitchen appliances are on display, giving you the opportunity to explore which type of refrigerator or oven you would prefer. Be sure to check out the awesome Bertolini Gas ranges – they quickly become the focal point in any chef’s kitchen!

We all dream of creating the perfect home. Thanks to the Fulton Design Center, that dream can really happen. Visit during one of the browse nights and see for yourself. The Design Center is open the first and third Thursdays of every month from 5 to 8 p.m.

What Makes a Neighborhood Special?

icscoccer12When you move into a new home, you choose it first because of budget, then location and layout. You may consider the reputation of the home builder. If you’re smart, you wander through other neighborhoods the builder created in the past to see how well the houses have held up over time.

You might want to see how close you are to grocery stores and restaurants and look up the quality of the school district if you have school-age children. It also pays to check out property taxes because those can vary from city to city.

But take the time also to walk through the neighborhood you’re considering. Check to see if there are any common areas. Will you have access to any parks or playgrounds in easy walking distance? How about places for kids’ sports like this soccer field? Does the community share a pool?

Remember that part of what makes a neighborhood a real community is the opportunity to meet other neighbors in common areas like these. And builders like Fulton Homes that include amenities like this are thinking about their home buyers’ lives long after the homes are sold and their profits are spent building other homes and other communities.

So when you buy a home, you’re not just buying what happens when you drive into your garage or walk in your front door. You’re also buying a community, the neighborhood your children will grow up playing in, the streets where they will ride their bikes, the sidewalks where you will push their strollers in the evenings. And the neighbors who will become your friends over the years as your new house becomes your home over the years.

Fulton Homes Homebuyers are 10,000th SRP ENERGY STAR Customer in Metropolitan Phoenix

Energy-Star-Merkley-FamilyA new resident at Fulton Homes’ Mendocino at Ashcreek community in Queen Creek now holds the distinction of being the 10,000 SRP ENERGY STAR customer in the entire Phoenix Valley.

Fulton Homes’ representatives and Salt River Project officials were on hand to celebrate the moment with the Robert Merkley Family, who purchased the spacious Fulton home recently.

“Fulton Homes is committed to building the most energy-efficient homes for our customers,” said Fulton Homes CEO Doug Fulton. “By building ENERGY STAR certified homes, we are helping more families have the American dream of owning a home that offers improved comfort, saves money on utility bills, and is kinder to the environment. We are proud to stand with SRP in creating more energy-saving homes.”

2016 is the second consecutive year Fulton Homes has been named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to bring more energy-saving homes to the market. Fulton Homes has built more than 3,000 ENERGY STAR homes since joining the program in 2009. The EPA has recognized Fulton Homes alongside some of the top companies in the country, including Pepsi, General Motors and Samsung, for being ENERGY STAR certified.

“After buying this Fulton ENERGY STAR home, I would not have another that has not been constructed to save energy,” Robert Merkley said. “We admire Fulton Homes for being conscientious and having the forethought to build with the environment in mind, and at the same time help homeowners save on utility bills.”

ENERGY STAR certified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling and water heating. Americans living in ENERGY STAR homes have saved an estimated $4.7 billion on their energy bills since 1995. Nearly two million American families now live in ENERGY STAR certified homes.

Fulton Homes is proud to be an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for the second year in a row.

Fulton Hosts Annual “Stuff the Bus” Event

stuff-the-bus-2016Once again this summer Fulton Homes partnered with KEZ 99.9 for the annual Fulton Homes “Stuff the Bus” campaign. This event aids deserving families by helping to collecting school supplies for for kids who could use help getting the things they need for the upcoming school year. This year’s donation drive ran from June 6 to July 10 at Chandler Fashion Center.

“Donations to our Stuff the Bus campaign make a positive difference in the lives of these children,” said Fulton Homes CEO Doug Fulton. “We’re making sure these kids get off to a good start in the first few days of the school year.”

A full-size school bus was parked inside the Macy’s Courtyard with painted paper handprints and the name of each child in need. The handprints contain a list of items each child requires for a successful school year. Supporters donated to a specific child or made a general contribution of requested items, such as pencils, pens, notebooks, backpacks, school uniforms and shoes. Shoppers also had the option to return the handprint with school supplies to the mall’s guest services area.

The campaign benefited the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley Compadre Branch in Chandler. At the end of the campaign thousands of backpacks and tons of supplies were handed out at a July event.

For more details about Fulton Homes Stuff the Bus, visit www.kez999.com.

Fulton Homes a National Leader in Indoor airPLUS

iap_leader_banner2Fulton Homes has a sincere commitment to building homes that are safe for its customers, and indoor air quality is an important part of that goal. That’s why Fulton Homes is proud to announce that it has received the Indoor airPLUS Leader Award for its dedication to offering safer and healthier homes through participating in the EPA’s Indoor airPLUS Program.

Fulton Homes is the only homebuilder in the U.S. to win both the Indoor airPLUS Leader award and Energy Star’s Partner of the Year award over the past two years. Homes was recognized for the second year in a row as an Indoor airPLUS Leader for their strong commitment to building homes with improved indoor air quality.

The Indoor airPLUS program improves the quality of indoor air in new homes by requiring construction practices and product specifications that minimize exposure to airborne pollutants and contaminants. The EPA created Indoor airPLUS to help builders meet the growing consumer preference for homes with improved indoor air quality. Construction specifications include the selection and installation of:

  • moisture control systems
  • heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems
  • combustion-venting systems
  • radon resistant construction

“Receiving the EPA’s Indoor airPLUS award for the second year in a row proves that Fulton Homes remains steadfast in building the most energy-efficient homes for our customers,” said Fulton Homes CEO Doug Fulton. “It is acknowledgments like this that uniquely set us apart from other homebuilders not just here in Arizona, but across the U.S. as well.”

Fulton Homes is committed to building 100% of their homes to Indoor airPLUS. Fulton Homes is one of only a handful of homebuilders around the country to be recognized as an Indoor airPLUS leader, and to be recognized two years in a row highlights the depth of their commitment. At Fulton Homes, we’re proud of this commitment to building homes that are safe for our customers and their families.

 

 

Be a Fulton Homes Energy Star

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Everyone dreads getting their utility bills in the Summer in Arizona when your energy bill is at its peak. Fulton Homes helps every new Fulton Home buyer save money every month by building only Energy Star homes, and now they are offering you a chance to get a break on your energy bill. Fulton Homes has teamed up with 93.3 ALT AZ to pay one month of your summer energy bill!

Become a Fulton Homes Energy Star! Just fill out the form at this link and enter to win!
One lucky winner each month will get their energy bill paid, up to $500, compliments of Fulton Homes.Fulton Homes Energy

Fulton homeowners are smart because they live in energy-efficient homes and save tons of money on their bills. Let’s beat your energy bill this summer.

Also, don’t forget to listen live Thursdays around 5:30pm to hear Dennis Webb of Fulton Homes share valuable tips and other energy-saving information.

Be the Fulton Homes Energy Star this month! Offer applies through the summer of 2016.

Fulton Homes a 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year

energy-star-2016Fulton Homes is proud to receive a 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – New Home Builder Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fulton Homes received this award for its continuing outstanding efforts to build energy-efficient homes.

This is the second consecutive year that Fulton Homes has received this recognition, and our accomplishment will be recognized, along with all other ENERGY STAR Partners, on April 13th in Washington D.C.

This award comes in recognition of Fulton Homes:

  • Building more than 300 ENERGY STAR certified homes, with a total of over 3,000 since joining the program in 2009.
  • Launching an educational Energy Center in one of our model homes in a 600 home-site community. Visitors can learn about ENERGY STAR and EPA’s Indoor airPlus programs.
  • Offering training for all employees through the Fulton Homes Learning Center with courses covering more than 30 construction topics, with four sections focused on ENERGY STAR.
  • Leveraging social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and producing a 60-second radio spot featuring ENERGY STAR that was heard on all major radio stations in Phoenix.
  • Committing to building all homes as EPA Indoor airPlus qualified homes, and providing additional comprehensive health protections to homeowners while emphasizing quality control, field reviews, and interest in ENERGY STAR certified products.

“Demonstrating a strong commitment to building energy-efficient homes, Fulton Homes has reaffirmed its reputation as a company that saves the American homebuyer energy and money,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “This award recognizes Fulton Homes as a leader in building ENERGY STAR certified homes while reducing our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.”