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Testimonial: The Hawkins Family

Home is where life happens.

It’s the backdrop for so many of life’s most important memories. All of us at Pratt Home Builders love helping people make their dream home a reality. “Teamwork makes the dream work” is one of our favorite mantras. We’re dedicated to finding the best balance of location, price point, style and timing for your goals.

The Hawkins family recently contacted us online from where they were based with the military in Hawaii and after numerous phone calls and emails, now they’re well on their way to building a home where they can enjoy life for many years to come!

They began with a call to Brittany, our Online Sales and Digital Marketing Coordinator. After several late-night calls (they began the process from Hawaii!) discussing the goals related to their timeline, price point, and home plan desires, they narrowed down their favorite styles and selected a community. With the guidance of New Home Consultant, Charlene, and several more calls, e-emails and the assistance of online tools, the Hawkins family selected the home they could see their family making memories in. Then, they worked with the help of a relative and Pratt’s Director of Design, Sharon, to choose the exteriors and interiors of their new construction home — all site unseen. They even had part of their design sessions via FaceTime! Isn’t it amazing what we can accomplish between technology and teamwork?

Check out what they had to say about their experience working with Pratt Home Builders as first time buyers purchasing remotely!

“Pratt’s team has gone above and beyond our expectation so far. As an active duty United States Sailor and family we appreciate the amount of support they have given us based on our circumstances. Their effort really shows they care about our service members.” -LT Steve Hawkins, USS John Paul Jones

Pratt Home Builders is always proud to serve members of our military, and a significant number of our homeowners are Veterans. Whether you’re near or far, we have many tools to help you feel right at home during the home building process.

Testimonial: The Hawkins Familygmwebservices2025-07-31T17:07:19+00:00

Stop Thinking Trendy and Start Thinking Timeless

Timeless design has staying power- it was not meant to be temporary.

When designing a space that’s geared toward trends, odds are it will already be outdated once the project is finished. My job is to share a few tips and tricks that will save you from hating your trendy home in 3 years.

Think “Classic.”

When designing your home, the best route to go is “classic.” Have you ever entered a space and just thought, “Wow, this is beautiful”? Most of the time that occurs when the space is classic and elegant, rather than decorated from the trend of the year. To achieve this classic style, you may want to draw inspiration from Greek Architecture: Moldings, columns, stripes or bold solid colors.

Your timeless home will play upon these details. Also, incorporate natural resources and fibers such as woods, stones, brick. Mixing materials and colors is what brings interest in.

Think Color.

Neutrals are key to a timeless design. They set a perfect backdrop for art and furniture, without overdoing it. Beiges, grays, and soft blues have a strong presence in timeless homes, often accented by crisp, bright whites of moldings in ceilings, arches, and doorways. But not all timeless homes are painted in neutrals. You can try classic colors such as black, navy blues, and dark greens that are often complemented by these neutrals. My word of advice: When in doubt, aim for simplicity, maturity, and elegance.

Think Accents.

If you can’t get over a particular trendy accent, however, use it! After all, this is your home and you’re going to have to love it. But with that being said, trendy patterned furniture may be a risky move. Accents are much more suitable to design with, for they are easily replaceable as trends change. It’s all about balance.

Stop Thinking Trendy and Start Thinking Timelessgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:07:42+00:00

Design Spotlight: Sharon Chase, Director of Design

Sharon Chase is the Director of Design at Pratt Home Builders! Our design team is growing as the company expands to more residential communities and into commercial real estate. In 2018, we will be sharing design trends and tips from our design team, so we wanted to get started by introducing the woman who oversees the many details of designing hundreds of homes per year with ease, grace and high-level organization skills! (Maybe we will do a separate post to see what we can glean from her organizational skills in the future!) Today, we’re getting to know the designer behind step two of the Pratt Process: personalize!

BN: Sharon, what initially inspired you to get into the design world?

SC: I knew when I was 5 years old that I wanted to design houses. I was sketching out my dream house on graph paper and wanted to build models of my dream home. I have always loved architecture (all styles!) and interiors so interior design was a perfect fit for me.

BN: How long have you been with the team at Pratt Home Builders?

SC: I have been with the Pratt family for 8 years.

BN: How have the styles changed since you first joined the Pratt brand?

SC: I’ve seen so many trends over the years and have been lucky enough to design homes from contemporary to traditional and everything in between! I’ve seen the trends go from formal to now more informal and from warmer pallets to cooler pallets. But the rule book has been thrown out the window, so now anything goes and it’s so much fun!

BN: What do you see as the biggest design trends for 2018?

SC: The biggest trend I see coming would be pops of vibrant color and lots of texture. I expect to see more fun colorful cabinets, front doors and furniture gaining popularity. We have seen some of this trend coming on line over the past couple of years, but I expect that to get really popular in the upcoming year. I expect to see these colors mixed in with those traditional colors we are used to seeing so the accent color really stands out. I also expect to see more millwork trim details on walls (this is where texture steps in). The shiplap trend has really kicked this off in the past couple of years, but now I see people getting more creative with those types of details. I think the worn / rustic trend will continue in lighting and furniture as well as in flooring. The surfaces that really get used are more forgiving when they are distressed and adds great texture and softness to a home, so I see that trend to continuing through 2018.

BN: When customers purchase with Pratt, what do they receive in terms of design services?

SC: When a client purchases a Pratt home, they will meet with a professional interior designer that can guide them through the entire home to make sure it functions well for them as well as reflects their personal style. All of the Pratt designers hold degrees in interior design and are well versed in not just the fun pretty side of design but the nuts and bolts of a home like electrical and structural options. A well designed home should marry form and function for each individual family; our goal is to do just that.

BN: What’s a snapshot of your life outside of your work at Pratt?

SC: In one word “crazy”; but in such a beautiful way. Luckily I have a very supportive husband to help me! We have a 10 year old son who is very active in sports, so much of our time is spent in a gym or on a ball field. We also have 3 sweet fur babies that are like family to us. I am also extremely involved in my church as a member of our administrative council over education as well as volunteer with our youth ministry. So, there is just never a dull moment in my life!

BN: Just for fun – what is a structure or feature in Chattanooga that you consider your favorite or most inspirational design?

SC: My very favorite place to go is on lookout mountain. I love the architecture there and my husband and I love to just go riding around and looking at all the houses in that area. Architecture is just my thing, no matter where I go, I love to ride around in the car with the top down and just look at homes and soak in the sun and all the details of those beautiful homes!

Design Spotlight: Sharon Chase, Director of Designgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:19:10+00:00

Positioning Yourself for the Best-Possible Home-Buying Process

In real estate, one of most frequently used and important terms in the business is “time is of the essence.” Often, we think of this adage as it pertains to the exchange of contracts, but starting the clock ahead of time for your entire process will generally pay off substantially, both in regards to your sanity, finances and overall satisfaction with the process. Timeliness is one of the most important aspects of the new home purchase for many customers is when and how to optimize the sale of your current home, make maximum profit, and minimize the stress of how to time the process for less time between the sale of your old home and the purchase of your new construction home. Even if you don’t plan to purchase for a year or more, planning and preparing to address the following items will help create the best possible scenario for your new home purchase.

– First, check with your lender for a more up-to-date financial snapshot as it pertains to the purchase of the home, especially if your financial situation has changed since the purchase of your current home. Pratt Home Builders will require your current home be under contract to move forward on a new build. If you’re building from the ground up, consider how to best prepare for the 10% deposit – whether that’s starting to save more, transferring funds, or selling your home sooner rather than later.

– Next, research comps in your area to see how quickly homes are selling. If your home is in similar condition and in a similar price point to other homes selling in, for example, a 45 day window, you can in most cases plan on similar results. If your home is unique in style, needs updates, or has a layout that limits the potential customer base, be mindful that it could take longer to sell.

– Lastly, the more you can make updates to make your old home look like new construction home, the more easily you’re likely to sell it – and for more potential profit. Use lighter paint colors like whites and grays, pale blues or greens in bathrooms. Update hardware on cabinets to trend-friendly finishes and styles. Take down most personal photos and belongings so your prospective buyers can envision their family in your home. If your budget allows for it, consider hiring a stager or stylist to bring furniture and décor that looks updated and fresh! You may be surprised at just how much of an extra profit you’ll be able to yield on your old home – which is more to spend on that new construction home of your dreams!
If you have any other questions, never hesitate to ask us!

Positioning Yourself for the Best-Possible Home-Buying Processgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:12:27+00:00

Design Trends: Light Fixtures

One of our customers’ most common questions is in regards to lighting! Sometimes it is something so simple and common that can really make a statement in design. Working for a home builder, I constantly have to try to find ways to easily incorporate new features that create an impact in a home. I have gotten stuck so many times trying to come up with something unique and bold to help set my designs apart, but sometimes I am making it too difficult. Sometimes the answer is just in a small detail. Lately, my favorite way to add character is through light fixtures – more specifically, wall mount light fixtures! Lighting plays such an important role in setting the style of your home!

What I love about wall mounts is their flexibility. They can be used in any room of your home, any outdoor area of your home, for general lighting, or for accent lighting. Sometimes they are just used to wash a wall and sometimes they are used to light a space for a specific task. What I love even more is that the light fixtures chosen for your project can add interest to your space through the color, shape, style, etc. Light fixtures are pieces of art so having them on the wall only makes sense.

Photo by Insidesign – Browse kitchen ideas

These gooseneck light fixtures are awesome! They serve a function and add something special to this kitchen. I love how they come out over the top of the cabinets and apply more general lighting to the workspace. For a vaulted ceiling, layers of lighting are very important. These wall sconces help fill the gap between the highest point of the kitchen where the recessed lighting is located and the workspace. They are also so unique and interesting which helps to round out the style of this kitchen.

Photo by Flooring Connections – Browse kitchen photos

Love, love, love the simplicity in the photo above. The neutral colors are brought to life through a great mix of textures. Three light fixtures sitting atop three windows adds the perfect amount of jewelry to ensure that this space is anything but boring. Sometimes simple is better. I am typically a fan of oversized light fixtures, but in this case, the small dainty fixtures are the best solution. They add just enough character without stealing the show.

bright covered porch area with natural light

Photo by Magnolia Market – Search home design pictures

The directional gooseneck lights in the photo above are so unexpected and fun! The large scale makes this space quirky. One of my favorite things about oversized fixtures is that they create a focal point and allow you to keep the décor simple elsewhere.

Photo by Tommy Daspit Photographer – Browse kitchen photos

Thin brick and goose neck lighting? This is my dream kitchen! Obviously the photographed space has enough going on that the wall mounts are not the first or only things you notice. However, they still add that last little spark to really tie this room together. I could go on and on about how much I love this kitchen. It strangely looks like it could have been the inspiration for one of my own projects that I plan to share with you soon (stay tuned)!

I think I have made my point so I am going to let the rest of the photos below speak for themselves!

Design Trends: Light Fixturesgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:14:07+00:00

Money Matters: Why It’s Important to be Pre-qualified Before Starting Your Home Search

*This blog is part of a series about financing as it pertains to purchasing new construction homes. Check back monthly to learn great tips for improving credit, choosing financing options, and to meet our preferred lenders as they explore these topics.

Have you ever watched an episode of one those HGTV shows where the agent takes his or her hopeful buyers on a tour of a stunning home where the location is perfect, the floor plan is exactly what they had in mind, and every single detail seems too good to be true? Then, the agent reveals the asking price, which is twice what they can afford. It’s a cruel real estate reality check, but makes a good point. Getting pre-qualified prior to beginning a home search, especially in today’s rapidly-changing market, is vital.

Fortunately, a great residential lender can help make your home-buying dreams achievable. As the adage goes, “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” Beginning the process of obtaining a pre-qualification letter will help set realistic expectations for your home-buying goals, not only in terms of price, but down payment, interest rate, and timeline. Even if you aren’t able to get pre-qualified immediately, most lenders will act as a financial coach, and provide tips on how to improve your credit and make your home buying dreams a reality.

Check out this interview with Smart Bank Vice President and Residential Lender, Karen Flores, to learn more about pre-qualification.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: Why is it important to get pre-qualified before you begin your home search?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Many borrowers have little or no idea of how the mortgage process works. Getting a pre-qualification review of their credit profile lets borrowers know if now is the right time for them to look for a home or if there are items they need to address, such as erroneous items on their credit report. Pre-qualifications also give them information about how much of a house they can or want to afford based on their current salaries and their available down payment funds. There is no sense in looking at a home that is beyond the income limit or that requires more money than what is currently available.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: With the Chattanooga market and the intense competition, especially in obtaining a new home, why would you encourage customers to talk to a lender first?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: We are all aware that today’s market is seller driven–low inventories mean buyers have to act quickly when acceptable homes become available. Even if the borrower has not identified a specific property, having a pre-qualification letter will allow them to act more quickly in submitting an offer. If the initial offer is presented with a pre-qualification letter, the seller has more assurance that they are signing a valid contract, and that the buyers’ credit has been reviewed and is acceptable. Knowing the level of affordability also tells the buyer whether or not they can increase the price if the seller gets a higher offer.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: What insights can a lending professional offer?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Many times buyers come into my office thinking they want one loan program when there are many times better options available to them. A lender’s job is to provide information to help the borrower decide the loan program that is best for them.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: Many people speculate on what they think they can afford based on coworkers or other people? Why is it not just about your salary?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Loan rates can differ depending on the program. Government loan rates are many times a little lower than conforming rates, but can have higher fees. A borrower’s credit score also plays a heavy part in determining the mortgage interest rate. The higher the score, usually the lower the interest rate. But the amount of down payment can also affect the rate as well as what action has taken place in the stock market the day the rate is locked in. Borrowers will talk amongst themselves about loan rates, but will not necessarily tell each other the whole story.

Brittany, Pratt Home Builders: What other factors can influence pre-qualification?

Karen Flores, Smart Bank: Applicants sometimes do not understand their income source or their true debt obligations per underwriting guidelines. Many self-employed borrowers only remember their gross earnings and not the net income after their accountant made allowable deductions. Also, the Ability to Repay rule requires that lenders count all possible responsibilities in a borrower’s debt load when making a credit decision. If a borrower owns real estate property with another person, we must usually count the taxes and insurance due in their debt ratio, even if the other person pays these annual amounts. When meeting with a lender, it is best to have as much information and documentation as possible for a valid pre-qualification.

*Please note: Karen says she refers to this letter as a “pre-qualification” letter. A pre-approval letter is a stronger assurance that the lender will provide financing for the loan request. Until a complete credit package and appraisal package is presented, lenders will usually not provide pre-approval letters. A pre-qualification letter usually just provides assurance that the borrower’s credit has been reviewed and is satisfactory.

Do you have other questions for Karen? Get in touch with her at 423-385-3069 or at
karen.flores@smartbank.com

Money Matters: Why It’s Important to be Pre-qualified Before Starting Your Home Searchgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:16:38+00:00

Design Trends: Mixing Metals

Hi, I’m Shelby Pratt, and I love being part of the Interior Design Team at Pratt Home Builders. I’ll be sharing design insight once a month on this blog, so I hope you’ll check back often for inspiration. I’ve been a full-time designer for just two years now so I am definitely still finding my style and learning what my likes and dislikes are. When I first started working in the field, I listened to what those around me said: “never mix your metals.” Basically, if you use stainless in one room, you must use it throughout that space and/ or throughout the whole house; if you use bronze, you must do the same everywhere else. I stood by this rule for my first year or so until recently.

I started to realize that I actually love the look of mixed metals! I will say that my style is very eclectic so far. I seem to like aspects of all different types of designs so I think this is why I love the mixed metal look so much. I don’t like to be locked into just one color, texture, or theme. I love how the photo below mixes chrome with gold. I especially like how the gold brings some warmth to this overall cool space. What makes this work for me is that the gold is repeated on the mirrors, cabinet hardware, and light fixtures while the chrome is only seen on the plumbing fixtures.

Photo by Sophie Burke Design – Search bathroom pictures

It creates a nice balance. I think the key to mixing metals is doing it tastefully (one of my go-to sayings – anything can be done if done with taste!). You must choose wisely where you are going to change it up! I certainly think all of the plumbing in a room should match, but they don’t necessarily need to match the furnishing, lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware, or interior door hardware.

Photo by KitchenLab Design | Rebekah Zaveloff Interiors – Browse kitchen photos

Above is another kitchen that mixes metals with class! I love how there is a direct pattern here – although I don’t necessarily think that there should always be this specific of a pattern. I am really loving black fixtures lately – whether it be plumbing, light fixtures, cabinet hardware – I love it all!! This photo has chrome on all of the plumbing and black on all of the light fixtures, but the cabinet hardware flip-flops; the black cabinets feature chrome pulls while the white perimeter shows off a contrasting black pull. You will also notice that the cabinetry on the back wall switches back to chrome for the pulls and hinges. I think this was genius for the designer to do because black on those exposed hinges would have been very overwhelming. Even further, the stools at the island are a silver finish and the desk to the left has a black metal seat. This kitchen incorporates different metals at every turn and I actually love it. I digress – aside from the metals, I love the mix of black with deep brown and love how the subway tiles have a darker grout to help the backsplash to tie in with black accents as well!! *Click the photo and access more photos of this space.

Photo by – Search bathroom pictures

Black and yellow, black and yellow… I have seen this bathroom I think 100 times on Houzz or Pinterest, but every single time, I fall in love with it again. I love the eclectic mix of literally everything in this space! I love that the designer brought in wood tones with black (again) and that the subway tile has a dark grout (again) and, of course, that the plumbing is brass and every other metal in the room is black! But wait – there are three different metals used on light fixtures in this washroom, but it looks so great. The sconces on the wall are black and you can see a tiny sliver of a brass chandelier on the ceiling that repeats the plumbing color.

Photo by Joey Leicht Design Inc. – Discover kitchen design ideas

I love that this kitchen mixes three metals. The light fixture is black with gold accents while the plumbing is a stainless/ brushed nickel base. Brass is repeated on the island hardware while the perimeter switches back to nickel. The black accent door leading to the outside rounds this space out. See below for a few more examples of how mixing metals can offer an interesting twist to your space!

Photo by Elizabeth Reich – Discover kitchen design ideas

Photo by KitchenLab Design | Rebekah Zaveloff Interiors – Search kitchen design ideas

Photo by Servigon Construction Group – More bathroom photos

Photo by Robert Elliott Custom Homes – More kitchen ideas

Photo by Built Custom Homes, LLC – Browse kitchen ideas

I could say so many things about all of the images above, but this post would be far too long. I love all of these so I am voting “Yay” on the mixing of metals topic! I want to hear what you all think! Yay or Nay? Thank you for reading!

Design Trends: Mixing Metalsgmwebservices2025-07-31T17:20:59+00:00

New Developments at Pratt Living

At Pratt Home Builders, new developments are our business. With over 1,200 homes built in 19 different communities around the greater Chattanooga area, our locally-owned business continues to grow. Not only do we have five new communities planned for 2018, but we also have some exciting new internal developments that have been under construction that we are excited to share as well!

Online
We’d love to welcome you to explore our new home on the Web – prattliving.com.

Redesigned to make searching for your new home easier and more enjoyable, we invite you to check out everything from new home plans and financing options, to our blog and videos. We’ve also updated all of our social media to @prattliving on all of your favorite platforms.

At Pratt Home Builders, we don’t just build homes – we build lifestyles and communities. Now, we are excited to build a community of home-design enthusiasts online. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates about new and existing communities, helpful tips for buying and owning a home, and for fun things to do in this beautiful area we are blessed to call home. Check us out on Houzz and Pinterest, too, to see guest posts from our in-house designers and get inspiration for your new – or current – home, and see what’s inspiring our new designs!

Design Center
Speaking of design, we couldn’t be more excited about our remodeled design center off Dayton Boulevard! One of the most exhilarating things about building a new home is being able to select some of your favorite design elements to create a space that reflects you and your family!

Three design center meetings are included as part of The Pratt Process, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to have a newly updated space that showcases the latest trends in tile backsplashes, lighting designs, and flooring finishes. Whether you’re looking for inspiration that’s elegant and traditional, warm and rustic, or the clean and contemporary farmhouse look made popular by Chip and Johanna Gaines, our design center offers looks for a variety of style preferences. Drop by during our business hours to tour the center and to learn more about getting started on your dream home.

Communities
Our communities are the foundation of all that we do. Pratt Home Builders is honored to have the opportunity to build homes, dreams, and communities for Chattanooga-area residents. Nothing satisfies us more than happy home buyers! Our developments have evolved over time. From the pool and cabana at Creekside at Hampton Meadows in Ooltewah to the family camping area and hiking trails at GreyHawk Trails on Signal Mountain, to the baseball-inspired field and features at our up-and-coming Engel Park development in East Brainerd, we aspire to help our community residents “love where you live” in every regard. We hope you’ll follow our progress and stay in touch!

New for Late 2017 – 2018