Taylor Morrison- Breaking Ground

breaking

ground YOUR HOME

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LIFESTYLE

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DREAMS

A DREAM COME TRUE

Mary E. Ortega is living her dream thanks to Taylor Morrison’s ARO program PAGE 4

Meet your neighbors

The inside dirt from our experts

Entertaining for March Madness

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community spotlight

desert

oasis Resident Todd Kennedy loves the Southern California vibe

Why I love Vistancia

n The Mountain Vista Club in Vistancia Village

| 02 | Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison

The Mountain Vista Club in Vistancia Village, an impressive 15,000-square-foot gathering place boasts three pool areas, water slides, a basketball gym, playgrounds and stadium tennis courts.

TODD KENNEDY

When Todd Kennedy and his family toured Vistancia in Peoria, it didn’t take long for them to imagine being a part of the gracious master-planned community set amidst the grandeur of the desert foothills in the northwest Valley.

“It reminded us of the area where we lived in Southern California,” says Kennedy, who, like his wife, Elizabeth, was born and raised in the Golden State. “It’s a bit away from the downtown and there’s beauty, peace and quiet and views.”

The couple, who moved to Arizona last year, was immediately drawn to the family-oriented Ironwood Ridge neighborhood, Taylor Morrison’s second enclave in Vistancia along with the semi-private Blackstone Country Club. They were further charmed by a Spanish-style, fivebedroom floorplan with a walled courtyard out front, a Jack-and-Jill bathroom for their daughters, Maressa, 9, and Isabella, 6, and cathedral ceilings in the living room where they can relax with the girls and son Lincoln, 1. And they loved that while Ironwood Ridge has its own pool and park, it also shares in Vistancia’s multitude of amenities, like great schools in the Peoria Unified School District, nearby shopping, walking trails, a community park and the Mountain Vista Club in Vistancia Village. “It’s a great area, especially for families,” says Kennedy, who closed on his Energy Star-rated home in February.

Truth be told, though, Kennedy was already very aware

n Nearby shopping, walking trails, a community park

of Taylor Morrison’s reputation for quality homes and welcoming communities. He’s a loan consultant in the company’s Scottsdale office and assists new home buyers like himself every day. And thanks to the recent opening of the Loop 303, he notes his commute to work is only 40 to 45 minutes, a breeze compared to Southern California traffic. In fact, the metro area’s freeways make Vistancia an ideal place to call home, no matter where one’s office is located in the Valley.

While the Kennedys found Ironwood Ridge to be perfectly suited to their lifestyle, other homebuyers are sure to think the same of Blackstone Country Club.

Taylor Morrison’s guard-gated neighborhood on nearly 600 acres with sweeping, mountain-studded vistas is named for the volcanic rock found in the area and offers luxury homesites as well as generously proportioned custom ones. Adding to the natural beauty of the surroundings is a private, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jim Engh, the first “Architect of the Year” to be honored by Golf Digest. As if that weren’t enough, Blackstone is also home to the Hacienda, a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse that serves as the heart of the community, complete with pools, tennis courts and plenty of open space.

Now is a great time to visit Vistancia and see Taylor Morrison’s impressive collection of homes – just ask Todd Kennedy! “We are so excited to live here.”

n Ironwood Ridge has its own pool and park

n Great schools in the Peoria Unified School District

blueprint

North

north valley

luxury

Looking for the good life in the sumptuous high desert environs of Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree? Then you’ll be delighted to learn about two of Taylor Morrison’s beautiful new upscale communities, Lone Mountain and Mirabel Village.

Bob Thompson, vice president of sales and marketing for the Scottsdale-based homebuilder’s Phoenix division, says the success of Trovita Estates in Mesa – an elegant, gated neighborhood featuring larger lot sizes and private tree-lined streets that hearkens back to the land’s former life as a citrus farm – inspired the homebuilder to bring that same sense of luxury to Phoenix’s northern reaches.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to get into this part of the Valley, and it opens up a whole new range of floorplans and designs for homebuyers,” he says.

Lone Mountain, which will feature 67 homes nestled in a peaceful Cave Creek setting with Black Mountain as a backdrop, debuted in December and is the company’s first community in the northeast Valley. Homebuyers can choose from four, single-story floorplans that start in the low $400s and are situated on ample, one-quarter acre sites. Like other Taylor Morrison neighborhoods, Lone Mountain offers a bevy of bonuses: a 10-acre park and adjacent playground, walking trails, nearby shopping, Cave Creek Unified School District schools and a gated entry.

At the newly opened Mirabel Village, Taylor Morrison’s first community in Scottsdale, just 35 homes on approximately oneacre sites will make up this prestigious, gated neighborhood. The northerly location, about 3,000 feet above the Valley, will afford homeowners outstanding panoramic views of the city below not to mention slightly cooler temperatures, which are sure to be appreciated in the summer months. And, of course, Mirabel Village’s Scottsdale address means that exceptional dining, shopping, cultural and recreational opportunities are all close at hand.

Be sure to come see what’s new up north!

Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison | 03 |

cover

Don’t give up on your

DREAMS

Resident Todd Kennedy loves the Southern California vibe

D e a n n d r a Avlos

ARO program helps creditchallenged homebuyers to own a new home

divorce and subsequent credit issues led Mary E. Ortega to believe a home of her own was beyond her reach, but Taylor Morrison’s ARO (Able.Ready.Own.) credit-improvement program helped make her wish come true.

Today, the single mother of three boys is the extremely proud owner of a four-bedroom, Spanish-style home in Goodyear that she’s decorating with an ocean-inspired theme, starting with “Aruba Aqua” paint on the entryway walls.

“I didn’t think I was going to get this home, but I moved in on August 21 of last year,” she says, adding how grateful she is to the ARO program that taught her how to bump up her credit score some 60 to 70 points and allowed her to qualify for the home of her dreams.

P.J. Saturno, assistant vice president and regional manager for Taylor Morrison’s Phoenix division, says the ARO (pronounced "arrow") program got underway in Arizona around October 2011 after the homebuilder saw so many people in the Valley struggling with short sales, foreclosures and the challenging economy. And although he points out that ARO is not a credit-repair program, Saturno says ARO team members can assist potential homebuyers who are unable to qualify for mortgages by analyzing their credit reports and credit profiles and educating them as to how certain strategies can improve their credit scores.

Testimonials from ARO graduates

A R O M a n ag e r

Thank you for your assistance.

Your guidance was the key element in my score increasing in a short period of time.

| 04 | Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison

You have no idea what this means to me!

We have worked so hard to make our dream of being home owners come true!

Thank you for your patience with me :)

It’s been a pleasure working with you and yes my experience has been a positive one...

A Guide to the

ARO

(Able. Ready. Own.)

Mary E. Ortega

Program

“The average credit-score improvement is 43 points, and we’ve had some enrollees around the country exceed 100 points,” he says.

Often, Saturno notes, people who are trying to better their credit think they’re doing the “right” thing by, for example, closing a credit card account. While it seems counterintuitive, opening a credit card account is often what they should be doing instead, he adds.

That’s just one tip Ortega learned – and followed through on – while she was in the program. She was also surprised to learn she had been negatively impacting her credit score by paying with cash as much as possible. She said she’d paid off debt after her divorce and had been avoiding using her cards, but the absence of credit-related transactions hurts one’s credit scores because there’s no spending history to track, the ARO team told her.

“I learned a lot from the program, and I can’t even explain how good the ARO people were,” she says. “They took me through the process every step of the way.”

The ARO program is free and enrollees are under no obligation whatsoever to purchase a home, Saturno says. The only requirement is that potential homebuyers actively participate in the program and comply with the ARO team’s recommendations.

Deanndra Avalos, ARO manager, says the program graduated 191 enrollees across the country last year and has already graduated 39 this year. She says it’s satisfying to help others achieve their dreams, and their appreciation is evident by all the cards and thank-you notes from former program participants that flow into the ARO offices, especially around the holidays.

“A lot of them are extremely grateful for something that they didn't think was possible,” she says.

Thank you very much for your help!

You have been responsive and so easy to work with; I’ve also learned a lot in the process about credit scoring, which I greatly appreciate.

Thank you again for your kindness while striving to complete program, greatly appreciated.

WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!

Thanks for your help. You have made my day!

Who can participate in the ARO program? Anyone who’s had credit issues or wants to improve a credit score before taking the steps to qualify for a Taylor Morrison home. The program is not a credit-repair program, but the recommendations that ARO counselors make have proven to boost credit scores by an average of 43 points. And while we hope that you do purchase a home with us, there is no commitment on your part to do so.

What’s the cost? Absolutely nothing! This free program is offered by Taylor Morrison as a complementary service to potential homebuyers.

What am I obligated to do while enrolled in the program?

Taylor Morrison asks only that each enrollee actively participate and comply with the suggestions made by the ARO team. These suggestions typically include opening one or more new credit card accounts and making timely payments.

How long do I stay in the program? The duration varies from enrollee to enrollee, but most people average just over two months.

That is great news! Thank you for getting back with me so quickly and it has been a pleasure working with you as well.

Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison | 05 |

inside

P.J. Saturno

Assistant Vice President and Regional Manager of Taylor Morrison Home Funding

field

Dave Chesley explains how new home owners get to know their home from the very beginning The process of constructing a Taylor Morrison home — or any home, for that matter — isn’t a simple thing, but General Superintendent Dave Chesley and his team of 20 superintendents and customer service representatives have it down to a science.

After the home buyers complete their transaction with the sales office, Chesley says, they visit the design center and select the options they’d like in their home. About three to four weeks later, the home building superintendent, the sales team and the trade contractors (plumbers and electricians, for instance) are sent a “start letter” that details the homeowner’s unique design choices.

When the home is started the home building superintendent and sales person contact the new homeowner, creating a personal connection with them. “We want our home buyers to be involved and have access to the professional staff who are responsible for building their home.”

And, then, work gets underway. Around 45 days into construction, it’s time for the “frame walk.” At this point, sheetrock hasn’t gone up yet, so buyers can tour their home with the building superintendent and literally see the working structure and what’s behind their walls. | 06 | Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison

“The frame walk makes buyers more aware of how well built their home is, and what the building process is all about,” Chesley says. “We’ve been told, ‘Build that home as if it was your own, and we do just that.”

At roughly 120 to 140 days, it’s time for the homeowner’s orientation. Buyers are given an orientation on their finished home telling them how their home works and given an opportunity to note any items that might be of concern. Thanks to thorough and painstaking attention to detail, cosmetic changes and repairs at this stage are minimal. Five days after their orientation the homeowner takes possession of their new home!

Chesley also says, “I think what sets us apart is that our superintendents are enabled and held accountable for their own work. They are all highly professional builders. They don’t have to rely on computers and they don’t have e-mails.

They are using their phones, notepads and their eyes. It is highly important that the field superintendent is outside his office 85% of the time. If not, he’s missing what’s going on in their homes. Being in the office reading e-mails and surfing websites doesn’t build us a quality home.”

P J saturno

a view from the

Due in large part to the struggling economy the past few years, many folks have faced financial challenges in one way or another.

The good news for wishful homebuyers, according to P.J. Saturno, Taylor Morrison’s Assistant Vice President and Regional Manager for the Phoenix division, is that there are several steps you can take to clean up your credit and get on the path to home ownership. He took time recently to talk about that and other credit-related issues of concern to interested homebuyers.

Q | P.J., how long does it take for someone to recover from a bankruptcy, a short sale or a foreclosure?

A | It depends on the type of loan, but generally it takes two to four years for a bankruptcy and three to seven years for someone who’s gone through a short sale or foreclosure. VA loans require two years and FHA loans require three years before you can qualify for a home again.

Conventional loans, however, can be different. For example, if a homeowner put 20 percent down or more using conventional financing, he could potentially buy a home again after only two years. One caveat, but I rarely see it, is if you had a short sale and didn’t make any late payments, you can buy a home right away.

Entertaining for

March Madness It’s time

Eddie’s Mo-Rockin’ Shrimp

again for

For Sauce:

calls for!

½ cup olive oil 1 onion, chopped 6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 bunch cilantro, chopped Mint, chopped 1 Tbsp. coriander 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes 1 tsp. cayenne pepper Juice of three limes

A tricked-

Instructions:

E ddie matney

March Madness and you know what that

out man cave (although we know the ladies enjoy these relaxing havens and basketball just as

For Shrimp:

1 Tbsp. butter 1 shallot (chopped) 1 clove garlic (chopped) 16 large shrimp, 16/20 count 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 6 oz. beer 1 Tbsp. cold butter Instructions:

Over medium-high heat, sauté shrimp, shallot and garlic in a pan with butter for 3 minutes. Add shrimp, Worcestershire sauce and beer and reduce by one-half, remove from the heat then add 4 oz. of sauce. Add 1 Tbsp. cold butter and swirl until butter is fully incorporated.

Combine olive oil, onion, garlic, cilantro, mint, coriander, mustard, chili flakes, pepper and lime juice in a blender.

Blend well to make sauce.

much as the guys) and tasty bites to nosh on while watching the games! So we asked Valley chef

Mo’ Rockin Beef Kabobs

and restaurateur Eddie Matney of Eddie’s House restaurant to delve into his recipe files and come up with some buzzerbeating, toally delish appetizers.

Here’s what he delivered – a slam dunk, if you will!

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. cubed beef 1 tsp. Mo’ Rockin Spice 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp. chopped garlic ¼ cup olive oil 1 tsp. coffee grounds Salt and pepper to taste

To make Mo’ Rockin Spice (Chef Eddie’s house-blended recipe):

1 ½ cups each: granulated garlic, onion powder and paprika 1 ¼ cups each: salt and coriander ¾ cup dry mint 2/3 cup cayenne pepper ½ cup each: oregano, cumin, thyme, basil and sage Instructions:

Mix above ingredients in a small bowl, refrigerate for 2 hours prior to grilling Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison | 07 |

inspired Grab your walking shoes! Taylor Morrison is sponsoring a water station at the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s “Phoenix 2013 Muscle Walk” on March 23 at Tempe Beach Park in downtown Tempe, and we’d love you to get involved either by taking part or helping raise donations. For more information, visit http://www. musclewalkmda.org/phoenix2013. We also sponsor the Greater Arizona Chapter of MDA’s “Taste of the Town” annual fundraiser, proceeds from which benefit families around the state affected by neuromuscular disease.

For the past five years, Taylor Morrison’s Phoenix division has taken a day in the fall to close its offices and rally around a homeowner who’s been selected to receive assistance from Save the Family, Thompson says. Taylor Morrison employees do landscaping, painting and other chores to help spiff up a home that could use a little TLC. “We really enjoy being able to do this for others in need,” he says.

At Taylor Morrison, we believe in giving back to the community, and one way we show that is by supporting charity outreach programs and events. Here are a few examples of what we’re talking about: During this past holiday season, Taylor Morrison purchased a large number of holiday cards from Phoenix Children’s Hospital and distributed the cards at various events throughout November and December. We also contributed radio and digital advertising to the cause, encouraging shoppers to visit Safeway grocery stores to purchase the cards, the signature fundraiser for the hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

During the “Deck Your Halls” promotion in November and December, we pledged to donate five percent of what our homebuyers spent at our design studio to Phoenix Children's Hospital. The more our homebuyers spent on their dream homes, the more we could give to PCH! And, wow, did our customers come through! “They loved knowing that what they were doing was going to help a great charity,” says Bob Thompson, vice president of sales and marketing for the Phoenix division. On top of our promised flat donation of $10,000, our homebuyers’ efforts tacked on an additional $15,000, making Taylor Morrison’s total donation to PCH more than $25,000! Wonderful teamwork, everyone!

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For more details: TaylorMorrison.com/phoenix Breaking Ground Taylor Morrison | 07 |