Paragon Homes Blog

Pittsburgh housing market improves for seventh month in a row

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The National Association of Home Builders just released the latest edition of their Improving Housing Markets Index and anyone who is considering new homes in Pittsburgh got more good news. For the 7th month in a row Pittsburgh has been on the list, tied for the longest tenure of any new home market.

You can read the full article on the Home Builders Association website. http://www.nahb.org/news_details.aspx?sectionID=2223&newsID=15104

 

Paragon Homes has been building new homes in the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years. In that time they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in Western Pa. In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations. Communities are currently available in Robinson, Collier, South Fayette and Peters as well as offsite or your lot.

Fast-selling Walker’s Ridge community site of the best new homes in Collier

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One of the finest custom home builders in Pittsburgh, Paragon Homes, has done it again.  The beautiful Walker’s Ridge community in Collier Township is half sold out after only being paved late last year. After the extraordinary response to initial community, Walker’s Ridge II was developed which features just 9 new cul-de-sac lots with large back yards in an unbeatable location minutes to I-79, Washington Pike and the Mall at Robinson.

Walker's Ridge lot mapWhy is this cul-de-sac so popular? You just have not been able to find lots like this from custom builders in Collier, Robinson or South Fayette for several years says Steve Fink of Paragon. A short little cul-de-sac where people can build something unique has really been in demand for this price range.

The homes themselves in the Walker’s Ridge community are not your typical development where every home looks identical to the next, the cul-de-sac features unique brick homes that are each built the to the unique specifications of their new owners both outside and in.

Building a luxury home with Paragon Homes is designed to be an easy and enjoyable experience.  They put a lot of thought into creating a client friendly building process that provides a true custom home building experience while still being uncomplicated and cost effective.

Walker's Ridge community - BaymontSituated in over 25 acres of scenic property in Collier Township the Walker’s Ridge community is also in the perfect location.  Located next to Nevillewood, you are only a short drive from Pittsburgh via I-79 and the Parkway just minutes away. Having a new home in Collier gives you the best of both worlds – privacy at your home and the ability to be downtown in “The Most Livable City” in just 15 minutes.

If you are interested in learning more we invite you to contact Paragon Homes, the premiere builder of new home communities in Pittsburgh. The sky is truly the limit when it comes to what they can do with homes, so get in touch to find out how quickly you can start on the home of your dreams. Visit the Walker’s Ridge community website, everyone at Paragon looks forward to speaking with you soon!

Paragon Homes has been building new homes in the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years. In that time they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in Western Pa. In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations. Communities are currently available in Robinson, Collier, South Fayette and Peters as well as offsite or your lot.

Mild winter has Pittsburgh homeowners looking to synthetic ice

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With area ski resorts closing early and Spring clearly here, many homeowners are considering synthetic ice to enjoy their winter activities year-round, especially in the Pittsburgh area. Paragon Homes checks out the hottest new thing in home sales, without melting the ice.

Synthetic Ice

In over 25 years as one of Pittsburgh’s best new home builders we have put some wild custom features in our luxury homes. There were 20 seat movie theaters complete with concessions stands and ticket booths, in Peters Township, homes overlooking the fairways of Nevillewood in Collier and multi story hot tub decks in Robinson but even in our homes that housed future Penguin coaches we never had the opportunity to install a skating rink.

Although synthetic ice has been in existence for 50 years, recent breakthroughs have now made it mimic natural ice better than ever before, up to 90% the glide factor of regular ice! Imagine lacing up the skates to get some extra stick work or sure up your form in goal regardless of the temperature outside.

So how does it work? Synthetic ice is made in individual panels made of a plastic polymer that link together to make a court. This way, an arena can be placed in a backyard or basement to suit any size. Now your son or daughter can practice their moves all year without time consuming and expensive trips to the ice rink.

Synthetic ice recently made headlines at the 31st Annual Duquesne Light Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show where a 2,000 square foot display was set up to show off the non-melting wonder. It created the most buzz out of the entire show and is clearly something this burgeoning hockey town is interested in bringing to their homes.

Custom homes as extravagant as these might not be for everyone and you don’t need to spend like a millionaire to afford a Paragon Home. Our new homes are designed to meet the needs of each and every home buyer that comes to one of our communities whether they are looking for the height of luxury or simply a well built energy efficient home at a great price. Each home buyer has the chance to meet with us and custom design their dream home be it modeled after a home from our vast library, a sketch of their own or an idea they saw in a new home magazine. You can have a new Paragon home starting as low as $300,000 in one of our communities or on you lot.

Whether you’re contacting us about synthetic ice rinks or just the best custom homes in Pittsburgh, the only place to go is Paragon Homes.

Paragon Homes has been building new homes in the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years. In that time they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in Western Pa. In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations. Communities are currently available in Robinson, Collier, South Fayette and Peters as well as offsite or your lot.

 

New statistics show Pittsburgh home sales on the rise

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2012 could be the rebound year for Pittsburgh home sales as they rose 4.6% so far this year, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

This news comes as a stark contrast to the decline in Pittsburgh home salesfor the past seven years, and these new figures show that the fall may be flat-lining and even reversing in some areas.

Pittsburgh home sales

Pittsburgh home sales are up 4.6% in 2012

Are you a potential home buyer worried about a change in price due to these statistics? Worry not as the median home price for Pittsburgh home sales has remained unchanged at $115,000.

Are you looking to buy a new home? Why not check out Walkers Ridge, Paragon Place or  Deerfield Ridge on their website?

To see the full article on Pittsburgh home sales, click here.

“Greening” Your Custom Built Pittsburgh Home!

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We are a builder who focuses on details. We make sure that your home is as efficient as it is marketed to be. At Paragon Homes, we only build a few homes per year and have a thorough system in place to ensure that your home is constructed as it is supposed to be, providing a level of supervision and customer service you just can’t find at a big builder. So if you’ve purchased one of our custom built homes, no worries – you’re already on your way to saving money and helping to green your home and the environment.

So, you’ve settled into your new custom built house in Pittsburgh.  You’ve decorated each room with your personal style, customized your outdoor living space, and even put up some seasonal décor. You and your family are settled in to your lovely new place of residence, and you start thinking: what else can you do to help make your home a “green” one?

No, we’re not talking about a paint job already! We are talking about simple tips to make your household an eco-friendly one!

  • Save water! Don’t waste water – monitor showers and other water-guzzling activities.
  • Recycle!  Many communities offer recycling pick-up, and if not, you can always gather recyclable goods to take to your local recycling facility on your own.
  • Clean green! Many cleaning product lines now carry “green” product selections – Green Works, Simple Green, Bio Green Clean, and  Martha Stewart Clean are just some examples of eco-friendly brands.
  • Try Upcycling! Pennsylvania native Danny Seo is a green living expert who comes up with crafty ideas for everyday living, including up-cycling, which involves restoring old products into chic new home accessories and housewares instead of throwing them away.
  • Watch the temperature! How high do you really need the heat? How low does that AC have to go? Not only will it save you on utility bills, but it is also a plus for the environment! In fact, Paragon Homes is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR partner. In fact, our most recent ENERGYSTAR home was rated as 15% more efficient than ENERGYSTAR standards, making it more that 30% more efficient than other homes.
  • Buy recycled paper and other recycled goods when possible.
  • Buy produce from local farmers and aim for all organic when possible.
  • Consider utilizing reusable shopping bags for your grocery runs.
  • Plant a tree! Or a few!

“Going green” doesn’t have to be an extreme lifestyle makeover. But, with a few tweaks, any home can be eco-friendly!

Energy efficient and green building technologies have progressed so significantly in recent years that our typical new homes can be 30 to 50 percent more efficient than homes built even a few years ago. Even better? Today, a net-zero home (one where your home literally makes as much or more energy than it consumes where you could actually have no utility bills) are a real – and affordable – possibility.

So, with Paragon, not only will you be doing the environment some good by “living green,” but you’ll also have the potential to save money on heating as the winter months grow cooler, with our energy-efficient homes.

 ~~ Ashley Boynes-Shuck

 

Paragon Homes has been building custom homes in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 25 years.  In that time they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in Western Pa.  In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations.



Ashley Boynes-Shuck is a blogger, aspiring author, and social media pro from Pittsburgh, PA. She was voted Best Blogger in Pittsburgh, Who to Follow on Twitter 2010, and one of Pittsburgh’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2011. She lives happily with her husband, pug, frogs, and kitten!  In her free time she focuses on advocacy and volunteer work, as well as rooting on the Pittsburgh Steelers!

Pittsburgh Housing Market Stays Strong and is Set to Improve

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We at Paragon Homes know that a nice house is nothing without 2 things: the people who inhabit it, and the community that surrounds it.

That’s why we’re pleased to read this recent study regarding the housing market. It’s great news for those looking to purchase one of our custom built homes in the coming year.

Veros Real Estate Solutions (Veros), an “industry leader in enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services”, has announced the real estate market forecast for the 12-month period ending September 1, 2012…and Pittsburgh, PA placed in the Top 5 Projected Strongest Markets at 1.9% appreciation. You can read the original study, here. According to the VERO Forecast, “Pittsburgh, Washington D.C. and Boston remain as the strongest big city markets, with visible strength being seen returning to the Denver housing market.”

This positive news show that, particularly in the Pittsburgh area, if there ever were a perfect time to buy, the time is now!

Paragon Homes has been building custom homes in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 25 years. Founded on the basis of outstanding customer service before during and most importantly after construction they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in the region. In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations.



Ashley Boynes-Shuck is a blogger, aspiring author, and social media pro from Pittsburgh, PA. She was voted Best Blogger in Pittsburgh and Who to Follow on Twitter 2010 and happily lives with her husband, pug, frogs, and kitten!  In her free time she focuses on advocacy and volunteer work, as well as rooting on the Pittsburgh Steelers! Ashley was recently honored as one of Pittsburgh’s Top 40 Under 40.

 

Invest in the Luxury of a Custom-Built Pittsburgh Area Home

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Luxury.

By definition, luxury is

  1. Something inessential but conducive to pleasure and comfort, 
  2. Something expensive or hard to obtain, or 
  3. Sumptuous living or surroundings.

But luxury is more than that. It doesn’t have to be expensive or hard to obtain. It’s more than a dollar sign or a price tag – luxury is about living your best life, living your dream, being comfortable and content, and doing it YOUR way.

You can achieve all of this with Paragon Homes! We offer customizable choices – so whether your taste is high-end or a little more subdued, we have the home, and the options, for you.

Is your idea of “luxury” a walk-in closet? A granite countertop? A lush garden? Modern light fixtures? A winding staircase, a steam bath, or a bay window? Is your concept of luxury 1,500 square feet, or 8,000 square feet? Is it traditional and classic, chic and modern, or nostalgic and homey with a touch of whimsy? Whatever it is, luxury is what you want it to be. What makes you feel your best?

Comfort is luxury. Being true to yourself and your vision is luxury. Defining your own personal tastes in a cooperative fashion that allows you to be yourself and have the home of your dreams – now THAT is luxury….and that is something that Paragon is prepared to offer you.

Why choose Paragon Homes? It’s simple. Paragon gives you choices. We have a reputation to uphold and are proud of that fact. As Pittsburgh’s premier custom home builders, we can promise you that you’ll be getting unparalleled levels of craftsmanship, quality materials, great customer service, and outstanding attention to detail. We’ll work with you to achieve YOUR idea of luxury….no matter what it is!

Contact Paragon today, and let us help you obtain your dream home!

 

Paragon Homes has been building custom homes in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 25 years. Founded on the basis of outstanding customer service before, during and most importantly after construction they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in the region. In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations.

 



Ashley Boynes-Shuck is a blogger, aspiring author, and social media pro from Pittsburgh, PA. She was voted Best Blogger in Pittsburgh and Who to Follow on Twitter 2010 and happily lives with her husband, pug, frogs, and kitten!  In her free time she focuses on advocacy and volunteer work, as well as rooting on the Pittsburgh Steelers! Ashley was recently honored as one of Pittsburgh’s Top 40 Under 40.

Tips from a Pittsburgh Luxury Home Builder: Make Your Outdoors Great!

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One great thing – among many! – about living in Pittsburgh is that we get to experience the beauty of all four seasons. While many homeowners put a lot of thought into the interior of their houses, many people fail to consider the outdoor space that is also a part of their “home sweet home.” Enjoy the Pittsburgh environment and weather by making sure the outside is as fabulous as the inside!

Paragon offers luxurious custom homes to suit your tastes and help make your dreams a reality! So how can your “outdoor living space” complement your gorgeous new home?

Here are some simple tips on how to make sure that the outside of your home reflects the beauty that is housed within.

  1. Choose plants and flowers that are appropriate for the climate and make sure that you are aware of whether they need shade or sunshine, are annual or perennial, how much water they need, etc.
  2. Consider “hardscaping” if you aren’t into landscaping. Hardscaping is a new trend to enhance your outdoor space via bricks and stones instead of grasses and plants. It will lend a more expensive look to your home, and can be just as pretty as a lush garden.
  3. Think about an option with a nice deck or porch. These “outdoor living spaces” can be virtual extra rooms to your home – adding to the entertaining space of your house and enhancing both looks and comfort.
  4. Add a pool or a private-bathing space for summer. A chic, fast-growing design trend is integrating a spa-like experience into one’s back yard via a cedar soaking tub or a small outdoor shower. Of course, a traditional swimming pool or hot tub works, too!
  5. Waterfalls and fountains can be luxe additions to your landscape
  6. Outdoor lighting can set the mood and add to the ambiance of your abode. Rope lights, twinkle lights, lamp posts, paper lanterns, tiki torches, fire pits, solar lights, and other outdoor lighting are excellent sources.
  7. Personalize your home exterior by adding fun and unique outdoor furniture that suits your taste and personality. It can complement your Paragon home in ways you’d never imagine!

It is important to accentuate your home when you have such a beautiful house! Paragon homes are gorgeous, quality houses that deserve these appealing outdoor spaces.

~~ Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Paragon Homes has been building custom homes in the Pittsburgh area for nearly 25 years.  In that time they have come to be recognized as one of the premier custom home builders in Western Pa.  In fact they have been honored to receive over 25 Housing Excellence Awards from the Builders and Realtors Associations of Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association including several for New Custom Home of the Year designations.

Ashley Boynes-Shuck is a blogger, aspiring author, and social media pro from Pittsburgh, PA. She was voted Best Blogger in Pittsburgh and Who to Follow on Twitter 2010 and happily lives with her husband, pug, frogs, and kitten!  In her free time she focuses on advocacy and volunteer work, as well as rooting on the Pittsburgh Steelers!

Picky Pittsburgh Home Buyers LOVE Paragon Homes

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No matter the budget – whether it be $300,000 or $2,000,000 – people are very specific about how they want their new home to look and feel. Paragon’s philosophy is quite simple: build the home of customer’s dreams so that they can walk away happy, regardless of how much they are spending. Homes are built to the unique tastes of each individual customer.

Details such as counter space, storage space, building materials and finishes (such as faucets) can be all be customized based on the customer’s requests. Most importantly, the quality of the materials used will be extremely high and incomparable what the competition has to offer. Our motto is “custom homes of unparalleled excellence” after all!

A great place to build a new custom home is in the Walker’s Ridge new home community.  We have only 9 cul-de-sac lots left. Situated on over 25 acres adjacent to Nevillewood in Collier Township, Walker’s Ridge offers scenic views, large wooded backyards and private home sites. Located in Chartiers Valley School District and minutes from I-79 this community is convenient to Downtown Pittsburgh, restaurants and shopping.

 

Why Is New Home Building Increasing in Pittsburgh?

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People are coming to Pittsburgh, amazed at how much further their dollars go here. If you’re looking to build a custom home (or move into a new home community) Pittsburgh may be your best bet.  If you’re looking for reasons to stay in Pittsburgh, they’re growing by the day!

According to The Economist‘s list of most livable cities in the world, Pittsburgh is the highest ranked U.S city coming in a 29th.  This is the latest in a long line of accolades the city has received, which include the same title from Forbes in 2010 and 2009.

From storied sports franchises to a growing arts and entertainment community, Pittsburgh is full of things to enjoy on your free time.  Growing cutting-edge industries also ensure plenty of opportunities for you and your family in the future.

You can check out our current list of new homes for sale, or look into our new home communities, Pittsburgh metro area.  Don’t forget, as always, you can contact us to schedule an appoint to plan your own custom dream home today if you don’t want the pre-built treatment.  We are Pittsburgh’s premier luxury home builders.

Pittsburgh is through its mid-life crisis and its best years are ahead of it.  Enjoy the greatest city in the world by living in the highest quality homes it has to offer.  Call us today!