At Perry Hood Properties, all of our homes are full brick construction. Why did we make the decision to deal exclusively in brick houses? There are a number of benefits for our homeowners that other building materials don’t offer. Rebekah Richards of eHow offered a list of a few of these benefits. Here’s why we choose brick for our homes.

• Energy efficient

A home built with brick creates a comfortable, easily maintained environment. A brick exterior, combined with a layer of insulation, creates a barrier to both heat and cold to make your home easier to keep comfortable. This results in lower energy bills.

• Low maintenance 

Typical problems you encounter with siding aren’t a concern with brick. Brick never needs to be painted. Brick is immune to termites and other pests and won’t rot. Over time, the repairs you won’t have to make to your brick exterior add up to significant savings. Plus, your home retains its value longer.

• Discounted insurance

The safer and more durable your home is, the less you’ll be charged for insurance. That’s why most insurance companies will charge less to insure homes with brick construction. Not only does brick hold up to abuse and weather better than alternatives, it’s also fire resistant. In many cases, a brick exterior will keep you from filing a claim at all, and when you do, repairs are often cheaper.

• Noise barrier

You may not realize how important it is to have noise resistant walls in your home until you don’t have them. It’s hard to relax when noise from the outside walls is constantly intruding into your home. A brick exterior helps to cut down on outside noise by absorbing that noise much the same way it absorbs heat in the summer. The end result is a quieter indoor environment.

We use high quality building materials on our homes because we take pride in giving our customers an attractive and durable place to live. From brick to granite to energy efficient appliances, our homes our built to last. Browse through our currently available homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Bixby, or call us to start construction on a new home.

Adding a storm shelter to your home is a great way to stay safe during tornado season. There are a few options to consider before purchasing one, however. Here are a few things to consider to ensure that you choose the right shelter or safe room for your home and family.

• Above or below

The first option is to decide whether you’d like your shelter to be above ground or below ground. While below ground shelters and storm cellars offer great protection from winds and debris, they’re not advisable for those that live in flood-prone areas and there’s a risk of debris falling on top of them and trapping those inside. These below ground, or in-ground options could also be difficult to access for individuals with physical handicaps or the elderly. Above ground shelters and safe rooms also provide protection and are firmly anchored to the concrete slab and can typically withstand winds and force greater than an EF-5 tornado.

• Materials

If you decide on an above ground safe room, there are a few different materials to choose from. First, compare concrete constructed shelters to steel fabrication. While both will be tested to keep you safe during a tornado, concrete shelters crack more easily while steel safe rooms will flex. This means that a steel shelter will often be able to be used through multiple storms, while a concrete shelter will usually need repairs after withstanding high winds and force. There’s an additional option to purchase a safe room reinforced with Kevlar. While these may offer slightly more protection from extremely high powered storms, they also come at a significantly higher price. Kevlar also only lasts for 15 years.

• Type of slab

The type of slab your home was built on could help you make some of these decisions for you. For homes built on post tension slabs, like those constructed by Perry Hood Properties throughout Tulsa, Bixby and Broken Arrow, your in-ground shelter options are more limited. The advantage of post tension slabs, however, is that they are more resistant to cracking, better for construction on soft or expansive soils and provide a sturdier, more reliable base for your home. Above ground shelters and safe rooms are anchored to your slab in order to keep them in place, even under the most extreme conditions.

An added advantage to many above ground safe rooms is that they can be transported to your new home when you move.

If you’re looking for a new home in the Tulsa, Bixby or Broken Arrow areas, call us at Perry Hood Properties or look through our currently available homes online.

In the United States, a home is broken into once every 15-seconds. For many homes, there’s very little security keeping burglars out and away from your valuables and your family. Taking a critical eye to your home from the outside can help you spot potential weak spots where a criminal may be able to break in. Julia Layton at HowStuffWorks offered some tips for making your home more secure. Here are some basics.

• Install an alarm

An alarm system in your home deters many burglars from even attempting to break-in, and scares off others that do try. When that system is monitored, authorities will even be dispatched as soon as the alarm sounds. At Perry Hood Properties, all of our homes are build pre-wired for security systems, which makes it easy to install them.

• Keep plans private

If you’re planning to be away from your home for an extended period of time, be careful where you broadcast that. Don’t post on social media that your home will be empty. Don’t leave luggage in your driveway while you pack your car. Definitely don’t leave any type of note on your door. While you’re away, ask a neighbor to pick up mail and newspapers and leave lights on timers to make it harder to tell no one is home.

• Be careful with a spare key

Leaving a spare key anywhere on your property isn’t ideal, but it is sometimes necessary. If you must leave a key, be original in where you hide it. Common hiding places like under the doormat, on top of the door frame or in an obvious fake rock make the key easy to find for burglars. Ask a friend to try and find it after you hide it. If they can, then your hiding spot isn’t secret enough. A better option is to leave a key with a neighbor, or to switch out traditional locks for a keypad.

• Use plenty of lights

The most common time for a break-in is during the day when most people are at work or in school. But, a burglar will happily break into a home at night if it appears no one is home. That actually makes it easier for them to get into the home without someone seeing them. To protect against this possibility, be sure the outside of your home is well lit. Add motion sensor activated lighting and lights on timers or light sensors so there’s always lights on after dark even if you don’t flip a switch.

Regardless of where you live, there’s always a threat of a burglary if you don’t take the necessary precautions.

As mentioned, Perry Hood Homes come pre-wired for security systems so it’s easy to add one when you’re ready. To browse through our currently available homes in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Bixby, head to our catalog.

Whether you’re ready to sell your home, in the market for a new home, or just interested in improving your existing home, there are a few ideas that can help increase value without breaking the bank. At Realtor.com, Craig Donofrio offers his advice for small touches that make a big difference. If you’re looking for a new home, you’ll want to look for these areas and if you’re selling your home, you’ll want to ensure you’ve taken care of these.

• Paint

Of course the paint quality of a home will make an immediate impact on everyone who views it. Paint that’s scratched or chipped or just worn will make your home look dated and worn out, even if the rest of it is in great condition. The color also makes a big impact. You might think that a home painted differently from the rest of the neighborhood would stand out more and be easier to sell, but the opposite is actually true. Most homebuyers want a home with neutral paint on the outside and inside. This makes it easier for them to imagine putting their own touches on it.

• Front Door

Most likely, every potential buyer is going to walk up to and into your front door. That first impression is extremely important. If the buyer looks at your door and thinks it’s worn, dated, cheap or just uninviting, you’re already fighting a losing battle. A new door is worth the money and makes a huge difference in making your entire home look better.

• Landscaping

Again, we’re concentrating on the outside of the home because curb appeal is extremely important. By comparison, very few people will see the inside of your home while hundreds will see it from the street every day. You might be surprised how much a well-maintained lawn, beautiful flower beds and a clean walkway impacts the offers on a home.

• Bad Lighting

The lighting in your home can cast, literally, a bad light on it. Sometimes, a fix is simply to opt for light bulbs with a softer glow or to clean out light fixtures. In other cases, it might be worth the investment to install new fixtures or lighting. Particularly in the kitchen where under cabinet lighting can make a dim kitchen look more attractive.

• Kitchen

Speaking of the kitchen, many buyers will start their opinion of a home with how the kitchen looks. If it’s hopelessly outdated, many will immediately pass. Kitchen renovations can be extremely costly, but there are some simple ways to improve the look and feel. Switch out drawer pulls and cabinet knobs. Consider a fresh stain on cabinets and drawers and a fresh coat of paint on walls. You don’t have to overhaul your counters or tear up the tile to make your kitchen more inviting.

At Perry Hood Properties, we build houses with high quality features that are attractive and hold their value. That means you’ll not only be buying a comfortable, attractive home for you and your family, but you’ll also have a high-quality home to sell when it’s time.

Browse through our currently available home in Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Bixby or call us to start on a new home just for you.