Buying a Lennar Home Designed with AutoCAD

image source: lennar.com

After 9 wonderful years at Crown Harbor in Alameda, it’s time from my wife, Sheryl, and I to relocate. Our plan was to select a lot and have a new home built with an in-law unit so we can live with Sheryl's mom in the Houston, Texas area. We are excited at the prospect of being among family. Even after the new house is ready, I will continue to work at Autodesk San Francisco and work remotely as my work schedule allows. Until then, Sheryl and I are residing at Extended Stay America hotel in Alameda, right next to the Oakland Raiders practice facility.

Lennar is a leading builder of quality new homes in the desirable real estate markets across the nation. Their home plans demonstrate their commitment to their customers by showcasing outstanding new home construction and a dedication to excellence in homebuilding. Every new home for sale offers the simplicity of included options featured in their model homes and inventory homes. Lennar is also a long time user of AutoCAD.

Given our plan, when Sheryl did recognizance for house buying last weekend in Cypress (northern part of Houston), she learned that it would take Lennar seven months to build a new house at a minimum. We thought it was supposed to be four months, possibly six months if there was a lot of rain that prevented the construction crew from making progress. Sheryl was not very comfortable waiting that long. While shopping for lots and models, she learned that an existing deal fell through because the potential buyers could not sell their current home. Suddenly an in-progress Lennar home was available. This week, we modified our plan and entered into a purchase contract to buy that house.

We did so because:

• It was the same model that Sheryl had picked out. It has an in-law unit downstairs. There's a guest bedroom, bathroom, and game room upstairs.
• It had many of the same design choices that Sheryl would have selected. We have to take it as specified by the original buyers without making any changes.
• It was on a desirable lot. In fact, the original buyer was second in the lottery to get this location. The backyard looks out on a small body of water with a fountain. There is room for a pool.
• As this house was considered "in inventory," the Lennar Homes reduced the price.

So right after Autodesk University, I will fly to Houston and have my first walkthrough of a house I have not seen yet (other than pictures from Sheryl). The walkthrough is where we will create a punch list of what needs to be fixed. Sheryl and I will fly back later that day. Sheryl and I will fly back to Houston for the closing at the end of the month where we'll do another walkthrough to see that the punch list items are resolved, execute the closing, and the house will be ours. I'll work remotely for a few days and return back to the San Francisco office.

Once the home has been completed, we will be adding a pool/spa and solar panels to power our air conditioning, pool filter, heat the spa, and possibly charge an electric vehicle. Sustainability is not ingrained in just the Autodesk Foundation, it's also ingrained in Autodesk employees.

We'll have the movers deliver our belongings to the new house sometime after the closing; however, we are under lease at Extended Stay America through January 17, so I won’t be splitting my time between San Francisco and Houston until after that.

Change is alive in the lab.