Building a custom home in the Poconos can be full of little surprises. Some of them are really good surprises, such as when the view from your family room windows is even better than you anticipated. Others are not quite as welcome, like when the material for your backsplash doesn’t look much like the sample you saw (and doesn’t go with your countertops the way you thought it would). Perhaps the most unwelcome surprise is when your home costs more than you planned. Here are tips for preparing yourself for the surprising place where your Poconos custom home could cost you more.

Mention the "perfect" get-away home and some people's thoughts immediately turn toward oceanfront property or a large, luxury home along a gorgeous golf course. Homes like that may be beautiful, but they tend to be expensive—and out of reach. But that doesn't mean you can't find the perfect get-away home. It's really a matter of finding a place that has everything you want—within your budget. Here’s a post that highlights the importance of having a realistic budget—and how to set your budget. Let’s look at how to find an affordable home in the Poconos.

When it’s time to build your Poconos home one big question is, “How big should your home be?” According to aei.org “New US homes today are 1,000 square feet larger than in 1973 and living space per person has nearly doubled.” While the trend over the last several decades has been toward larger homes, increasing numbers of prospective homeowners are asking if bigger is really better. Often the real issue is not more space, but space that is better designed and makes you feel comfortable.

One advantage of owning a vacation home in the Poconos is that it could easily become a place for you to retire when you no longer need to be so close to an urban area for work. Or perhaps you’ve visited the Poconos on occasion to escape the crush of city/suburban life and have thought you’d like to build a retirement home there. Whether you currently own a place in the Poconos or are thinking about building, there’s a bit more to consider than just peace and quiet. Let’s look at 6 essential features for the home you retire in.

When you've created the perfect kitchen in your Poconos home you may think you'll never go anywhere else for a meal. But there are times when there is just no substitute for having someone else do all of the preparation and serving. And of course, it's awfully nice to have someone else do all the clean up afterward! So let's take a look at the top 6 restaurants in the Poconos.

If you have a vacation home in the Poconos that hasn’t been in use for a while, there are probably a few things you’ll want to do to get it ready for use. And whether you plan to rent out your home to others—or occupy it yourself—here are 8 tips for preparing your Poconos home for the vacation season. By the way, if you’ve only thought about having a vacation home in the Poconos, here’s a look at some of the reasons it might make sense.

These days you can walk into 10 different departments stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or New York and swear you’ve been down the same aisles 10 times. It's not that there aren't nice quality items in some of these stores—but everything kind of looks the same. That's particularly troubling if you're looking for items to decorate your Poconos home. You want your home to reflect your unique personality. Don't settle for department store stuff—shop locally for your Poconos home!

Before we get into specifics, the key thing to remember is to create a space that reflects the way you use it—rather than mimicking some designer’s dream of what you should have. Build your space around the things that you enjoy doing and the things that make you comfortable.

You've probably heard the old adage that, "Clothes make the man." What a person wears tends to make a statement about that person and accentuates his or her personality and style. To some degree, your furniture does the same thing with your home. We’ve talked before about what gives a home a “Poconos style.” And while the architecture certainly plays a significant role, the furniture you choose for inside your home plays a big part in setting the style as well. Let's look at some furniture ideas for your new Poconos home.

Many of us grew up reciting the old rhyme: “April showers bring May flowers.” It was a gentle reminder that the leaden skies of early spring actually bring hidden benefits and make places such as the Poconos a beautiful place to explore and live. For instance, all that water makes the Poconos region a great place to enjoy water sports. But those rains can also bring other less desirable results for unsuspecting homeowners. Here are some tips for preparing your Poconos home for spring rain.