Congratulations to Kimberly and Traton Homes

The 31st annual OBIE Awards were the icing on the cake of a great year for Traton Homes’ Marketing Manager Kelly Garwood. Garwood took home the honor of Marketing Director of the Year and a gold OBIE.

This year, Garwood developed a new blog for the premiere Atlanta home builder, www.TratonHomesBlog.com. The blog won the Best E-Marketing, Best Interactive Tool gold OBIE Award. In addition, Garwood also helped Traton tap into social networking as she established Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube accounts. In her spare time, she also helped facilitate the builder’s philanthropic efforts.

Above all, Garwood was instrumental in opening several new Traton Homes communities, and did so often on small budgets and tight deadlines.

Traton’s founder Bill Poston was especially impressed with Garwood’s ability to communicate Traton’s excellence through effective social media and public relations on a limited budget. Poston said, “Kimberly brings a special passion to every aspect of her work at Traton.”

Garwood’s colleagues at Traton Homes say she is a talented lady who is wonderful to work alongside. She possesses a unique ability to see the "big picture" and still keep up with managing daily tasks, and her advice is frequently sought by her colleagues. She has won Traton Homes’ Dunning Award, an award given annually to the employee who has a consistently positive attitude and plays a large role in making the company successful.

For more information on Traton Homes, see the Traton communities that took home OBIES and to get connected with the builder, visit www.tratonhomes.com.

Celebrate the Holiday Season in a Boone Homes No Maintenance Community

Maintenance Free Richmond New Homes Free Up Time

Boone Homes knows that the holidays are busy enough without having to worry about a home’s exterior maintenance. From decorating, baking and cooking to shopping for the perfect holiday gifts, there is little time left over for lawn care and home maintenance. To help alleviate some of the stress this holiday season, Boone Homes offers Richmond new homes in five no maintenance communities.

“The holidays are a wonderful time that should be spent enjoying family and friends, not raking leaves and shoveling snow,” said David Owen, president of Boone Homes. “Our no maintenance communities take care of all exterior maintenance so families are free to spend their holidays as they choose.”

Services provided by Boone Homes at its no maintenance communities include lime treatment, fertilizing, aerating, irrigation, mulching, trimming of the shrubs and trees, snow removal, leaf removal, annual gutter cleaning and exterior painting.

Each of the Richmond builder’s no maintenance communities are perfect for retirees and busy professionals. With amenity-filled homes and the luxury of a “Lock and Leave” lifestyle, these communities are designed for buyers who are looking for more out of life. Whether it is planning a holiday party, shopping for holiday gifts, wine tasting, football tailgating parties or winter travel, homeowners are free to enjoy each activity knowing that all outdoor maintenance will be completed.

Boone Homes Henrico County maintenance free neighborhoods include Bellingham in Twin Hickory, priced from the upper-$300,000s and Villas at Grey Oaks, priced from the mid-$400,000s. The homes at Bellingham in Twin Hickory span 1,800 to 3,500 square feet and feature hardwood flooring and Solaris kitchen countertops. The Villas at Grey Oaks homes boast floorplans that range from 2,600 to 3,800 square feet with luxurious crown modling detail and 42-inch kitchen cabinetry. Both communities offer luxurious amenities in addition to no maintenance services including swimming pools, tennis courts and sidewalks.

Coach Homes of Kinloch, Club Villas at Founders Bridge and Courtyard Homes in Tarrington on the James offer Richmond custom homes that range from 2,600 to 4,500 square feet. Priced from the $500,000s, all homes in these communities feature open living spaces, kitchens with granite countertops and hardwood flooring.

All homes are designed for single-level living with the master suite, study, living room, formal dining room and kitchen on the first floor and additional rooms and space on the second floor.

For more information about Boone Homes or the builder’s no maintenance communities, visit http://www.boonehomes.net or call 804-218-7760.

To stay up-to-date with the latest company news, subscribe to the blog at http://www.boonehomesblog.com, interact with the company on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/boonehomesva or follow the builder on Twitter @BooneHomes.

The Link Between Credit Cards and Mortgages

Do you currently have a mortgage on your home? If so, chances are good that credit card companies will be targeting you. According to an article by Janet Dedrick on the Equifax Finance Blog, consumers with mortgages are statistically better risks for credit card companies.

Her article, “Credit Trends: Mortgages and New Credit Cards” explains that consumers with mortgages are usually overall lower risks. She also observes other credit trends for 2011 that may surprise you.

• People with mortgages represent 42 percent of new cards issued.
  
• Almost 60 percent of new credit went to consumers with mortgages.

According to Dedrick, a majority of new credit card consumers have equity in their homes. Roughly half of them have property values estimated at $200,000 or below, with 35 percent falling in the $100,000 to $200,000 range. Even consumers who are underwater on their mortgages are still receiving new credit. Of the people with a credit score above 700, 30 percent have mortgages that are underwater. Credit card companies seem to understand that people can't control falling home values.

The number of people applying for and getting accepted for credit has increased slightly in 2011. Of course, credit limits are still tight and lenders remain cautious.

If you have applied for a new card this year, were you accepted? How do you compare with the statistics mentioned in the article?

To read Dedrick's full report, visit the Equifax Finance Blog.