Home Buying Terminology

Bruce Rieke has been involved in the building industry since a very young age. A third generation Kansas native, Bruce founded B.L. Rieke and Associates in 1989 with is wife, Toni. Since then the B.L. Rieke team has completed construction on more than 900 distinctive and innovative quality homes in the Johnson County area. Over the years, B.L. Rieke and Associates have worked hard to keep up with the growing and changing demands of the housing market, always striving to satisfy the individual needs of the modern home owner.

To help simplify the home-buying process, here are some common terms that you may need to know when looking to purchase a new home.

Easement

A right given to a third party to use a portion of property for certain purposes, such as power lines or water mains.

Elevation

The exterior face of a home, including the materials (like brick or stone) used on that face. At B.L. Rieke, you get to choose from 3 or 4 different elevations, or architectural styles, in addition to a selection of colors for each of our plans. So the house you buy will look like your house, not the one next door.

Framing

The construction of the skeleton structure, or framework, of a house.

Floor plan

An architectural drawing showing the overall layout of a home. The size and shape of each room, as well as any optional configurations of those rooms, are shown on the floor plan. At B.L. Rieke, most of our communities offer several plans from which to choose: single-story plans, two-story plans, etc.

HOA (Homeowners Association)

In many new communities, an association of homeowners is formed. The Homeowners Association is responsible for enforcing the rules and regulations of the community, and also for the maintenance and upkeep of any common areas, including community centers, swimming pools, health club facilities and landscaping.

Home site

See lot, below.

Lot Premium

A charge paid by the buyer of a special lot that is either larger or in a more desirable location than the other home sites in the community.

Lot

Each new community is divided into individual lots, or home sites. In most B.L. Rieke communities, a homebuyer gets to choose their home site and the home plan that suits them best, with some restrictions to ensure a varied neighborhood.

Master Plan Community

A large community, with homes built by several different builders, in a wide variety of prices. Master plan communities usually include community centers, pools and other recreational facilities. Often there are commercial districts with shopping and entertainment within the master plan.

Option

An item in a home that is not a standard feature. B.L. Rieke offers many items, for an additional charge, that help personalize your home to fit your lifestyle. Options can range from fireplaces and appliances to pre-wiring and room configurations. See upgrade.

Phase

A group of home sites within a community. Most homebuilders sell all the lots within the current phase before moving on to the next phase of the community. The benefit to the homebuyer is that construction activity is focused in one small area at a time. So when you move in to your new home, most of the construction for neighboring homes will already be complete. Builders "release" a new phase when the current phase is almost sold out. This means that there is now a completely new selection of lots, available for purchase.

Plan

See floor plan.

Punch list

A written list of items which need to be fixed repaired or replaced prior to the final walk-through.

Reservation

A non-binding agreement to purchase a home at a future date. Often, a reservation is taken for a specific lot in an upcoming phase, giving the buyer the first opportunity to purchase that lot when the phase is released. A reservation usually requires a deposit.

Standard feature

A specific item that is automatically included when you purchase a new home. Standard features may include a specific style of cabinets, or a specific type of countertops. B.L. Rieke homebuyers can personalize their home by choosing from a range of no-cost colors for their standard features.

Upgrade

Often a homebuyer can choose to upgrade to a higher level of material or style in several areas of their home (e.g., granite countertops instead of Formica, or hardwood floors instead of carpet) at an additional cost. At B.L. Rieke, homebuyers can choose from thousands of upgrades to truly personalize their home.

Walk-through

A buyer's final inspection of a newly built home prior to move-in. At B.L. Rieke, the walk-through includes an orientation with instructions on how to maintain certain items in the new home, as well as a review of the 10-year limited warranty coverage.

Warranty

A plan to fix or repair specific items of your home according to the warranty terms. At B.L. Rieke, we offer a 10-year limited warranty that includes a 10-year structural warranty; a two-year warranty on electrical components, heating or cooling systems, and plumbing; and a one-year warranty for all other components of the home. All elements of the warranty are reviewed with the homeowner at the time of the walk-through.