Folsom, CA - I spent this afternoon looking at John Laing Home Communities in the Folsom area and am so impressed. There are currently three new home communites: Outlook and Hideaway at Treehouse, and Marbella at the Parkway.

The story goes that in 1848, John Laing's father built his first home in the English Countryside and not too long after that John Laing Homes began. Customer satisfaction is important to them and, they believe, key to their longevity. They were recently ranked at the top in this category by J.D. Power and Associates. They were also named America's Best Builder by the National Association of Home Builders.

In all three communities there is a common theme of very workable floor plans and great use of space. Something almost all the homes have is the laundry room located on the same floor as the bedrooms. The communites are all conveniently located, reasonably priced, and have great curb appeal.

Both Outlook and Hideaway are at Treehouse where the idea was to make you feel like a kid again yet have all the amenities a grown-up could want. They are located in a naturally wooded area that gives them a very quiet secluded feel even though they are close to the Folsom Outlets and the new shopping centers and eateries on East Bidwell. There are pockets of open space and treed areas in and around the community and a cross country trail nearby where you can go for a run or take a quiet walk.

Outlook at Treehouse are condominium units with 7 floor plans modeled all named after birds. They range in size from 1115 to 1377 square feet. There are two and three bedroom units with one and two car garages attached. There is one single level model and the rest have the bedrooms upstairs.

Hideaway at Treehouse are two story homes with three and four bedrooms and two car garages. There are three models, named after trees, that range in size from 1686 to 1930 square feet. There is one model that has a bedroom downstairs with the other two upstairs and the rest have all the bedrooms up along with the laundry rooms.They are quite unique in that the garages are on the back side of the house and the homes open to a court-yard like common area.

There are 4 models to choose from at Marbella ranging in size from 1712 to 2143 square feet, with three and four bedrooms. They are all two story with the laundry room and bedrooms upstairs. Built with the same idea as Hideaway the two car garages are all at the back of the homes leaving the front for the home's charming design.

There are some really great deals now in new home construction especially as we near the end of the year. Some things to keep in mind when shopping for new homes: Though there are agents on site, those agents are working for the builder so it is still a good idea to have an agent represent you as a buyer. Most of the builders require you to have your agent with you when you first register with them. Please call or email me if you aren't currently working with an agent as I would love to represent you, help you negotiate your purchase, and be there with you throughout your home buying process.