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Home Building ABC’s

Agreement of Purchase and Sale:

This legal document resembles an itemized sales receipt and outlines every aspect of your purchase, including the terms to which the customer and the builder have agreed. An Agreement of Purchase and Sale contains a number of different schedules that explain a certain area of the agreement. For example, Schedule C in our Agreement of Purchase and Sale outlines how the agreed price of the home was arrived at. To see how the overall homebuilding process takes place go to our homepage and click on the “Buying Process” tab near the top of the page.

Amendments to Agreement:

An amendment to an agreement means the customer and the homebuilder agree to change a part of the original Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

Amortization Period:

This is the number of years it will take to repay your mortgage. For example, if you borrow $100,000 you may choose an amortization period of 25 years. This means you will have 25 years to pay back the $100,000 you borrowed.

Arranging Financing:

Financing is arranged when you approach your bank or a mortgage company and determine the amount your banker or mortgage specialist will lend you to build a new home.

Artist’s Concept:

These are the drawings you see on the front of our brochures. An artist has drawn these images to help give customers an idea of what their completed house will look like.

Building Envelope:

This is the area on your lot within which your house must fit. Because the area is particular to each lot, not all homes fit on all lots.

Building Location Survey:

This is a document your lawyer will give to you at the time of closing. The survey documents the exact location of your new home on the lot. Doug Tarry Homes Ltd pays the fee associated with obtaining a building location survey.

Building Time:

Under normal conditions, Doug Tarry Homes Ltd can build a home in 120 to 150 days.

Closing Costs:

These are costs that will be incurred by you at the time your new home is complete. An example is land transfer tax, which is 1% of the purchase price of the new home less $275 (for purchases under $350,000). Doug Tarry Homes Ltd recommends that you budget $2,500 for closing costs.

Closing Date:

This is the date by which Doug Tarry Homes Ltd will have your new home completed. Depending on the volume of sales, Doug Tarry Homes Ltd can complete your new home between 90 and 120 days.

Conditions to an Agreement of Purchase and Sale (also known as a conditional offer)

A customer agrees to purchase a new home from Doug Tarry Homes Ltd if certain conditions are met. For example, an Agreement of Purchase and Sale can be conditional upon the customer securing proper financing for the new home.

Conventional Walkout Lot:

The lot is graded so you are able to walk directly out of your lower level and into your back yard. It makes a two-storey home feel like a three-storey home.

Developer:

The person or group that purchased the entire parcel of land where the subdivision is located. The developer pays for servicing this parcel of land and, in turn, sells lots to homebuilders. Doug Tarry Homes Ltd is both a developer and a new homebuilder.

Easements:

An easement is a right of access to a property. A drainage easement, for instance, gives the city or the county the ability to create a drainage ditch or a culvert on the edge of your property. A utility easement allows the electric utility company the right to access your property for upkeep of phone and electrical wires. Most easements run along rear and side yards.

Firm Offer:

A firm offer occurs when the customer and the builder enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale and there are no conditions listed in the agreement. To see how the overall homebuilding process takes place go to our homepage and click on the “Buying Process” tab near the top of the page.

Frontage:

The linear footage at the front of your property line. Common lot frontages in the city are 40, 45, 50, and 60 feet.

GST Rebate:

The federal government charges only 1.32% GST on a new home instead of the full 5% GST.

Homebuilder:

The company that is responsible for hiring all of the necessary trades people to complete a new home.

Interest Rates:

This is the amount of money, stated as a percentage, that you will be charged on your mortgage. For example, a 6.25% mortgage rate means you will have to pay the bank 6.25% of the amount you borrow from it.

Lot:

The lot refers to the entire property or parcel where the home will be built, including city utility easements. The lot size is typically expressed in terms of square feet, linear feet, or acreage.

Lot Reservation:

To reserve a lot for a short period of time (usually a few weeks), the customer can provide Doug Tarry Homes Ltd with a deposit. In exchange, Doug Tarry Homes Ltd will hold the lot for the customer and will notify the customer if another party expresses an interest in it.

Mortgage:

This is a loan, provided by a bank or mortgage company, that helps you build a home. Like all loans, you pay it off by making payments over a period of time. Your payments go toward paying off the principal (the amount of money you borrowed) and the interest (the cost of borrowing the money).

Municipal Requirements and Building and Zoning By-laws:

These are laws and restrictions, passed by the city, to which every homebuilder must adhere. They differ from “restrictive covenants” in that by-laws are passed by the city, while restrictive covenants are established by the developer of the subdivision.

Outstanding Items:

After your pre- delivery inspection, there will be a list of items that Doug Tarry Homes Ltd will complete over the next few days. These items are called “outstanding items” and will be completed before closing.

Phase:

Developments are typically created in phases, or large portions of an entire community. Phase one opens first followed by the second and third phases. The number of phases in each community depends upon how large the community is and what time frame the developer uses to create the community.

Pre-approved Mortgage:

This helps you in your search for a new home by giving you a clear idea of what you can afford. This includes the amount of money you can realistically borrow to buy a home and the amount of your payments.

Presentation Centre and Spec Home:

A presentation centre is a model home that is built for public viewing. A spec home is a home that is built before a buyer of the home is found. One advantage of a spec home is the fact the customer does not have to wait 120 days for a home to be built.

Property Tax:

Property tax is calculated on the assessed value of your land. As of May 2004, the tax rate in St. Thomas is approximately 1.6% of the assessed value of your home.

Raised Ranch:

When you enter a raised ranch, you step into a foyer landing area and then go up a half flight of stairs or down a half flight of stairs. The main floor of this style of home is raised about four feet higher than a bungalow, and the lowest level is not set as far down into the ground as the basement of a bungalow or a two-storey home.

Removal of Conditions:

A removal of conditions occurs when the time arrives to make a conditional Agreement of Purchase and Sale firm. Conditions may include the customer’s ability to secure financing or sell an existing home.

Restrictive Covenants:

A list of items to which all homeowners must adhere when they move into a subdivision. The height of fences, for example, and the placement of gazebos and swimming pools, may have restrictions. Not all subdivisions have restrictive covenants. If your subdivision does, a copy of the restrictive covenants will be attached to your Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Your builder’s sales representative will explain these covenants at the time of sale.

Split-level Walkout Lot:

This type of lot allows a homeowner to walk out from the lower level of a home onto ground level. The grade is less steep than a conventional walkout lot.

Standard Specifications:

This term refers to all of the regular items that comprise a new home. Doug Tarry Home’s standard specifications exceed those of many other builders.

Walk Through:

A walk through is an inspection of your new home prior to completion. During the walk through, a Doug Tarry Homes Ltd service co- ordinator will answer your questions, make note of deficiencies, and explain warranty information to you.

Working Drawing Review:

At this meeting, the customer and the sales representative review the blueprints for the home.

Testimonials

Our expectations of a new is exceeded by Doug Tarry (design-quality construction and workmanship) and an exceptional support staff

Happy Home Owner

As a family purchasing a new home, quality, comfort, energy efficiency & price were important to us. Doug Tarry Ltd. met and exceeded these needs.

Wayne, Angela & family

I know that corners will not be cut, and the home will be built to last a lifetime

A Happy Home Owner

I love my new semi home!  The transition from selling my family home to 3 Benjamin has been very pleasant and I owe that to the people I have come in contact with, especially Michele, Jason, Daryl, Lori and Elaine.  Your CoConstruct programme is very helpful and efficient.  Anything that needed to be addressed has had followup. 

Michele

I’m now living in my second Doug Tarry built home. When I bought my first home, I wasn’t thinking about resale, but being able to advertise a “Doug Tarry built home” really gave me a selling advantage.

This current home is actually my fifth new home I’ve lived in. I wouldn’t hesitate to build again with Doug Tarry. The standards for the home – insulation, framing, kitchen, plumbing, etc – are very high compared with other builders. This allowed me to put some additional funds into some extras, such as recessed lighting and hardwood flooring. The Doug Tarry group work very much as a team, from the home plan design, interior selections to sod. You are very much supported in the entire building process, and the follow-up for any issues after you move in is excellent.

Joan

Overall the home purchase went exceptionally well. We are pleased with the home and do not have any complaints. If there were any small things that we were unhappy with the staff at Doug Tarry (both office and tradesfolks) were always polite, quick at getting back to us and very knowledgeable.

Gord and Karen

We chose Doug Tarry Limited as the builder for our custom home because of their reputation for quality workmanship. Having our new home built at the same location as our current home we were able to witness first-hand the skill, quality, and pride of workmanship that each tradesman working on our home put into their work. We have had so many positive comments on the design and layout of our home, as well as the quality of the products used within the complete design. We cannot be happier with the finished product, and we highly recommend Doug Tarry Limited to anyone thinking of building a home.

Lisa and David

My husband and I are retired seniors with very specific needs in mind for our retirement home. We found these and more in a Doug Tarry home in St. Thomas. From a well-designed floor plan to an exceptionally well-built house, we couldn’t be more pleased with our decision. Before, during and after the construction phase, the Tarry staff were extremely efficient and always ready to help with advice and recommendations. We’re very happy and comfortable in our new house. Well done Doug Tarry Homes!

Don & Kathy

We loved the quality and building experience that we had with Doug Tarry Homes so much that we did it twice! From the quality of the construction, to the personalized help in making selections, we couldn’t have asked for more. Even after we took possession the follow up and communication to ensure that we were happy with our new home was thorough. We would definitely build with Doug Tarry homes again!

Ryan and Tara

Great experience through every stage of the process. Very knowledgeable and organized. Confident we are receiving a very high-quality home. Thanks DT Homes.

Happy Doug Tarry Home Owner

This was our first time building a home. Doug Tarry Ltd made the experience enjoyable and so easy. Each member of the company was very approachable and easy to talk to. They took us step-by-step through the process of building a home and making our dreams come true. Thank you to the Doug Tarry group.

Jinder and Amy

Our experience dealing with Doug Tarry Homes, from the moment we were greeted at the model home, to our closing date when we picked up our keys was a positive one! The decision to build with Tarry’s was easy because of their long standing reputation for quality, and a commitment to the environment. What was a bonus was the service orientation of all their staff. Questions and concerns were addressed quickly, the designer thoughtfully guided us through all our decorating selections, and all staff were courteous, friendly and genuinely cared. Without hesitation we would recommend building with DTL!

Rebecca and Gary

After purchasing many new builders homes, the Doug Tarry experience was by far the most enjoyable. With the team’s recommendations, ideas and perfectionism, we ended up with a home that far surpasses any of our expectations. When we woke up after the first night in our new home, we both looked at each other and said “this feels like home”. We have never had that feeling after the first night in any of our previous homes. After 6 months we still at times say to each other ” Man I love this house”. Great work Doug and crew.

Borot & Petra

We were into our new house yesterday! What a wonderful surprise to see the welcome gift basket!! We have been so impressed all along with Doug Tarry homes, from the people (you!), the quality of the house, the design, the materials, the basement, the air and temperature of the house, everything!! Liam used to build houses and he has been blown away by everything we’ve seen and experienced with Doug Tarry homes. He’s not easily impressed either and has a keen critical eye and he is over the top happy with everything, as am I. So a big thank you Michele, for everything. You’ve been so patient with us right from the beginning, when we first showed up over a year ago when we first started looking at the area in St Thomas.

Trish and Liam

Confidence in a Doug Tarry home knowing him, and his commitment-I don’t have to do much, he’s thought of it all!!

Another Happy Home Owner

This home is everything we dreamed it would be. Fits our family’s needs perfectly.

Satisfied Doug Tarry Home Owner

Patty and I have purchased 4-new homes over the course of our evolving status; from raising two children to being empty-nesters. Without a doubt, Doug Tarry Homes has been ‘far and a way’ the most professional builder that we have had the pleasure to deal with. We’ve been very impressed with the quality and the attention to details with our home. The most obvious difference has been the professionalism of the Doug Tarry personnel. Their help and assistance through the various stages of the construction to the final delivery and accommodation with our move-in requirements was outstanding. The differences with Doug Tarry Homes continued throughout the immediate 12-month period after our move-in date by completing the scheduled follow-up items on a timely basis. I only wish that the customer satisfaction formula used by Doug Tarry Homes was utilized by other business enterprises.

Don and Pat

We just wanted to let Mr. Tarry know that our experience with every single member of his team has been nothing but amazing.  We started looking for a new home 2 years ago and spoke to Amanda Joiner here in Strathroy at the open house.  We left her office that day 2 years ago and we knew DTH was a perfect company for us to trust with our future. Amanda made us feel  comfortable and she was very helpful in every step of the way.  We can’t say enough good things about her.  We bought one of your quick possession homes on Rushby St and could not be happier.  Jason took us through the house for our final inspection, and again he was amazing.  So friendly and informative.  Took his time going over everything and explaining it all and answering questions.  We also met Joe, I believe he is the site supervisor.  Joe, again so friendly and goes out of his way to make sure we where happy. Daryl and Laurie in your customer care centre are phenomenal.  They have been nothing short of amazing.  I’m sure you probably realize that you have an amazing team working for you but sometimes when you hear it from an outsider it means a little more.  So we applaud you Mr. Tarry for assembling such a great group of people to represent DTH.  They are doing an amazing job for you and treating all of your customers like they are family and we appreciate it.  Thank you to all at DTH for making our experience nothing but AMAZING.

Jason

Living in Nashville TN for just shy of 3 decades I decided to return to my hometown of St Thomas to semi retire.  I had never considered building a home especially with living at such a distance during a build.  Upon meeting Michelle at the showhouse in Miller’s Pond, visiting the décor centre with amazing choices and learning more about the quality and energy efficiency of Doug Tarry homes I jumped in with both feet during a week visit.  I purchased the lot, set my design choices in motion and left to wrap things up in Nashville leaving my build in the capable hands of Doug and his teams.  I opted for the Glenwood and from the day I moved in I haven’t had one moment of regret.  I’m so happy with every aspect of my home, the quality of the build and fabulous customer service. I love my new neighbourhood and have made some great friends.  Thank you for making my move a much smoother transition than I could hope for. 

Caroline

I knew our new house was energy efficient but not that much! At the time of construction, we decided to insulate the basement floor instead of me getting a cold storage cellar. We have a very efficient furnace with an ERV unit. It wasn’t that cold in December, but even with all the kids home for 2-3 weeks over Christmas, our gas bill was just under $40! Love it.

Shout out to Doug Tarry Homes for being a leader in the new home industry for wonderful construction and environmental consciousness.

Satisfied Customer

We have finally moved in over the weekend and are still settling in. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to Doug Tarry Homes and especially you for helping us out and guiding us throughout the entire process.

We greatly appreciate all your sincere efforts in helping us build our dream home. On behalf of our family, thank you once again and I look forward to seeing you around!

Kevin

Thank you Doug Tarry Homes for our wonderful home. Throughout the planning and building stages we found everyone we dealt with to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Any concerns or issues were promptly dealt with in a professional manner. The quality of our home, both inside and outside, is exceptional. (Even after one year we haven’t found a nail pop!) You go the extra mile and it shows. We would not hesitate to recommend Doug Tarry Homes to anyone.

Heather and Gary