New Home Favorite Features: Dedicated Home Office

Here at Pratt Home Builders, we have a plethora of options in floor plans that meet your needs! Within the past few years, many jobs have been moved from office positions to work from home or you may work from home a certain number of days during the week. Did you know Pratt Home Builders offers home plans with a dedicated office?

Some of our plans that include a dedicated office include the Riverbirch, Shenandoah, Waterford, New Haven, Peyton, Quail Run, Emory, Meridian and many more to choose from!

When working from home, it is very important to create a space that keeps productivity a priority! There are many things that affect a dedicated office to ensure a high productivity rate. In the majority of our plans that have a dedicated office, you may see the offices being shown at the front of the house – this allows natural daylight to come into the space, security measures of the front of your house and being tucked away from the noisier parts of your home as well! Even though some plans allow for a dedicated office, you do not necessarily have to use it as an office! Dedicated spaces can be used as a game room, gym/ exercise room, playroom, craft room, home office, storage and so many more purposes that meet your family’s needs. Having that dedicated space within your home allows flexibility for you and your family to use it the way you want!

A dedicated office space allows individuals with the following:

Freedom to create and furnish your own workspace.
Ready for future emergencies.
Shorter commutes decrease air pollution for a healthier environment.
Flexibility.
Increase the value of your home.

At times, when working from home, it can be difficult to keep the work life balance a priority. Having a dedicated office that is enclosed by doors can allow you to mentally and physically shut the door to start and end your workday.

The main goal of having a home office is to ensure productivity is a priority. Color selections that you put into an office can help determine the level of productivity and what impact it can have on the individual utilizing the space. Some individuals prefer to have a room that is dark and moody while others like to have a bright and airy work zone. Pratt Home Builders offers multiple options to add such as wainscoting, Sherwin Williams paint deck to choose from, flooring options and ceiling details to make the room more personable to your aesthetic.

While in Design, the designers will work with you to create your perfect office space that meets your needs. Whether you need a dedicated office or a separate space within your home, Pratt Home Builders has exactly what you need to take priority in your life!

New Home Favorite Features: Dedicated Home Officegmwebservices2024-07-08T15:45:37+00:00

Financial Matchmaking: Find the Right Loan for Your New Home Goals

by Rusty Wienk, FirstBank Mortgage

The journey of a first time home buyer can be a harrowing one. It is a complex process and experiencing a variety of emotions along the way is completely normal. Thank the internet for that; allowing us to spend hours looking at homes and floorplans – escaping to the dream of homeownership before we approach the reality of home buying. While it isn’t universally true, there is no doubt the process has some nuances, and an unprepared buyer will feel overwhelmed. Luckily, some information, strategy and finding the right lending partner can go a long way in laying the foundation for making those dreams a reality. All of these contribute to confidence in your finances and therefore, other choices along the way. Consider this your guide to financial matchmaking and finding the right home for your new home goals.

Knowledge is power

Let’s start by addressing the acronyms, which find endless use in mortgage. Take a complex term and condense it to three or four letters and it makes it all simpler, right? Wrong!!! In this post, the following five acronyms will be used.

THB = First-Time Home Buyer, someone who has not owned a home in the past three-years

DPA = Down Payment Assistance, funds to help cover the downpayment and/or closing costs

AMI = Area Median Income, statistical middle income for a geographic area (not the same as average)

DTI = Debt-to-Income, how much debt a person has compared to their income

LTV = Loan to Value, the percentage of a loan compared to the value of the home

Planning ahead

One challenge FTHBs face in today’s market is saving up enough for a downpayment and closing costs. The minimum down payment for a FTHB is 3% on a conventional loan. This can be especially challenging, even with moderate income, given our recent inflation rates and home appreciation. A FTHB does not have the advantage of rolling equity from a previous home into their next purchase, so quickly accumulating $20,000 to purchase a home is not an easy task. Let’s face it, it is hard to save fast enough!

A second pain point for that FTHB with limited funds is finding a program. Many DPA programs have income limits that are set by AMI. Furthermore, many programs require your income to be 80% of AMI and since it varies by location, some less densely populated counties, can be prohibitively low. Examples include Whitfield or Murray County at $57,200! Fortunately, the closer to a metro area you get, the more reasonable they become with 80% AMI of Catoosa, Walker, or Hamilton being $72,560.

The good news is, that if you are in that 80% AMI range, there are some excellent programs available. Two offered by first bank are FirstStart, a conventional FTHB loan up to 105% LTV or BetterAffordable, a FTHB conventional loan up to 100% LTV. Both of these loan programs feature Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac programs that provide lower interest rates than standard mortgages.

But what happens when you work hard, climb the “ladder,” establish good credit, pay down debt, only to find out you make too much money? Thankfully, FirstBank was still thinking of you! We offer BetterFuture, one of the few, true no-income limit conventional FTHB loans! We spent over half a year working with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, those two big quasi-governmental agencies that setup the guidelines on conventional loans, to create a product that works for all incomes. The program requires a minimum investment of $1,000, but AMI is irrelevant.

Finding the right lending partner

The bottom line is this: A good loan officer will ask the right questions, collect the right documents, and identify the right program. But, it is helpful to be aware of the process and through the process. Ready to get started? Let’s talk!

Example: On a $300,000, 30-year loan with 0% down payment, the total monthly mortgage payment with a rate of 6.99%, 7.066% APR would be $1,976, taxes and insurance not included. The FirstStart Loan requires a borrower investment of $500. The BetterAffordable and BetterFuture Loan requires a borrower investment of $1,000. The borrower investment can be used towards any closing costs, including appraisal. Application is required and subject to underwriting. Not all applicants are approved. Full documentation and property insurance required. Loan secured by a lien against your property. Fees and charges apply and may vary by product and state. Terms, conditions and restrictions apply, so call for details. FirstBank Mortgage provides a variety of loan products with different rates, payments and fees. All loans are subject to credit approval. Products and services offered by FirstBank. FirstBank Mortgage is a division of FirstBank. FirstBank Institution NMLS ID 472433.

Get Started

Ultimately, the Pratt Home Builders team is the first start place. Once you have had a Discovery Call to get ideas on the best community for you, a Pratt New Home Consultant, who are all licensed Realtors, can offer more information on the various options whether a personalized build or a designer market home is right for you, and which of their vetted lending partners is the best fit for that goal.

Financial Matchmaking: Find the Right Loan for Your New Home Goalsgmwebservices2024-01-25T21:59:47+00:00

Pratt Home Stories: The Morgan Family

In 2018, Taylor and Marcus Morgan bundled up and selected their home site and landed on their home plan, The Wellesley, as some of the earliest buyers in Magnolia Farms in Apison, Tennessee. One of our all-time favorite photos here at Pratt is of their son, Atlas, overseeing our earth moving crews from his own bulldozer shortly after they moved in February 2019.

Little did they know the changes in store for their family in the coming years. In March of 2020, The Morgans launched Theba Handmade. They make a wide variety of personalized products from cutting boards, to tea towels, totes and more. Since they began, their business exploded. To date they’ve sold over 15,000 units on Etsy, with both Taylor and Marcus being able to work on their business full time.

The Morgans have made their home truly theirs – creating a unique space that allows their kids to be kids with a playground and home garden in the back yard, maximizing the storage space in their garage, as well transforming their bonus room into a dedicated play area for the boys.

Taylor says The Wellesley has been a perfect home plan for their family of five. “Our home’s open concept living area has been a wonderful asset to our family. It not only allows us to keep an eye on our three energetic boys as they play and explore, but it also encourages a sense of togetherness and connection.”

With a full schedule keeping up with all of life’s responsibilities and adventures, she says “this is especially important for us as we juggle homeschooling and running our own business, where the lines between work and family life often blur. Being able to oversee the activities while also tending to our business needs has been great!”

Magnolia Farms is a truly unique community that is perfect for the growing family; featuring 5k-wide sidewalks throughout, a community baseball and soccer field, as well as a resort-style pool and cabana. Starting a new chapter has never been easier at Magnolia Farms.

Pratt Home Stories: The Morgan Familygmwebservices2023-10-01T01:39:52+00:00

Featured Community Video: Engel Park

Our newest East Brainerd community is well underway in the first phase. As you can see in the video, it’s easy to go wherever you need to be! Minutes from the Interstate, whether you need to get to Nashville, Knoxville or Altanta, or simply go downtown or to Hixson from this new construction community.

Featured Community Video: Engel Parkgmwebservices2020-07-25T14:13:52+00:00

Why buying New is the “new normal”

These are unprecedented times, but that doesn’t mean your plans to become a homeowner, upgrade to a larger home, or downsize to a home that makes more sense for your lifestyle have to be put on hold. In the Chattanooga market, we’ve seen a drop in inventory across the board, but here at Pratt Home Builders, business is booming. Here are a few reasons why we think new construction is the new normal.

Apprehensive Sellers

The bottom has fallen out of area inventory, and it’s understandable! Sellers are choosing to protect themselves and their families during this uncertain time as experts continue to learn more about COVID-19, but this means there are fewer resale opportunities for hopeful buyers to choose from. Many sellers don’t want to invest in remodeling and updating their homes not knowing the future. Others do not feel comfortable allowing buyers and Realtors inside their homes for the sake of their health. Job uncertainly, for some, is also contributing to putting plans on hold.

New Homes

When you buy new construction, you don’t have to worry about the history of the home. It’s new, fresh and clean! Whether you purchase a market home or choose to build, it’s sanitized and ready for you.

Customer Warranty

Little expenses can add up quickly in a resale. Sometimes these make sense when they help increase the value of the home, but other times these expenses are needed to simply maintain and prevent deterioration. The great thing about buying new construction with Pratt Home Builders is that we provide a 10 year warranty. That’s 10 years of additional expenses you get to save. Not only do you save on the materials, but you save on the labor since our warranty department will handle any repairs. It’s great peace of mind in uncertain times.

Built-in equity

When you build, you put down your deposit but you get to lock in a purchase price months before you close! This means you basically lock in a home at a lower rate than it will be by the time you close! In this dynamic market, you can most likely expect the value to continue to rise – which means in all probability, your home will be worth more when you close than you actually paid for it.

Desirable locations

So, if you’re still confident about your work, want to take advantage of lower interest rates, less competition, and essentially make money when you buy in this dynamic market, it is still a great time to consider homeownership.

Why buying New is the “new normal”gmwebservices2020-05-30T20:58:16+00:00

Pratt Home Builders Fall Open House Weekend

We’re excited to kick off fall with an open house weekend at two of our communities! If you’re looking for a new home that’s move-in ready, look no further. These Market homes are designed by our in-house team and boast beautiful, modern finishes. Both of these homes happen to be our Lynden floor plan, which is a customer favorite, and with good reason. The Lynden offers a beautiful open concept kitchen and living room, a guest room and full bathroom on the main, a high impact entryway, and a second living area on the second floor.

Below, each community expert shares the special features about each of this weekend’s featured plans.

Our first featured home is in Boulder Pass at The Canyons in Falling Water, at 409 Stone Valley Lane.

The onsite agent, Chris, will be available this weekend to answer questions. Chris said “The Lynden home design is is situated on a larger cul-de-sac homesite with scenic views of Signal and Mowbry mountain. This traditional home is located in highly desirable Canyons neighborhood situated 15 minutes from downtown and 10 minutes from the heart of Hixson. The Lynden offers 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. Gorgeous quartz countertops and sleek grey and white tile backsplash highlight the kitchen which overlooks an airy great room featuring a wall of windows allowing a plethora of natural light. A bonus room, butlers pantry, garage storage nook and large drop zone also are popular features found in this home. Come see it Saturday or Sunday.”

The second home is convenient to downtown in the Ooltewah area, a little closer to Hamilton Place and between Chattanooga and Cleveland at 8217 River Birch Loop, Ooltewah.

The onsite expert Charlene, said “You have been looking at it online, dreaming about living in it and now you can! The stunning 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath Lynden model home at The Farm at Hampton Meadows is for sale! Don’t miss this great opportunity to see this one in person and make it your own. Our former model is rich with features including an oversized barnwood kitchen island, granite top butler’s pantry, tons of craftsman-style trim, coffered ceiling dining room, mudroom built-ins and sliding barn door, floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace and built-in home office with finely-crafted cabinetry and butcher block wood tops. Let this home wow you at only $373,900.”

If you have any other questions about the Open House Weekend, get in touch online at prattliving.com or call 423-757-7687.

Pratt Home Builders Fall Open House Weekendgmwebservices2025-07-31T16:48:24+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