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With the Penguins moving one game closer to the Stanley Cup, it is a good time to talk hockey. Weaver Homes is a local new home builder who takes pride in building community- one way they do this is by sponsoring youth hockey for both Allegheny and Butler County families. The Baierl Iceplex located in Warrendale, PA has a solid youth program. Just north of the Iceplex is the Penguins training ice rink that is open to the public for leagues, lessons, and open skates. The Penguins moved their training facility to Butler County two years ago with a multi-million dollar investment in the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in the primary practice and training facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins as well as a comprehensive outpatient facility for UPMC Sports Medicine. This first of its kind facility in the Pittsburgh region.  Many pro hockey players live in the area and skate with their kids. Some of our areas’ best businesses such as Dick Sporting Goods, PPG Paints, and Weaver Homes sponsor youth leagues and programs.

Youth hockey continues to boom in our region. It’s a great way to bring families together. Not only is it fun but it’s a great workout. Hockey is one of the best cardiovascular games you can play. Alternating between skating and rest (what is known as interval training in the fitness world) improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system, allowing it to bring oxygen to the muscles more quickly. It also helps to prevent injuries that often come with other sports that engage in repetitive movements. Playing hockey burns a ton of calories. Many children are facing problems with weight and diabetes as a result of eating foods that are high on taste, but low on nutrition. Playing hockey one or two times a week can offset those foods kids enjoy so much and give them the energy and desire to go outside instead of laying on the couch. Hockey requires a high level of coordination; regularly playing can develop a child’s gross motor skills, which leads to improvement of the more difficult fine motor skills, and improves eye-hand coordination, which can translate to a better understanding of spatial relationships. It also requires strength, something that can benefit a child in whatever activity he or she pursues. Stronger muscles improve endurance and create stronger bones.

Along with great exercise is learning teamwork, making friends and being coached. We have great coaching in our area, often the coaches are dads, and sometimes these dads are pros.  Last month ESPN featured some Western PA families when discussing zealous hockey parents. Here is an excerpt from the April article.

“But it’s an example of what many youth coaches — even former pros — sometimes deal with when they leave the game and step behind the bench of minor or youth hockey teams.” One dad was even trying to question Mario Lemieux’s coaching. “If someone is willing to tell Mario Lemieux, who is in the top five players to ever play in the National Hockey League — how to run a power play, then anyone is open to criticism,” said former NHL goalie Brian Boucher, who coaches his son Ty’s bantam team. “Parents are unbelievable.”

Hockey means gear. The average player has 35 to 40 lbs in the duffle. A smelly equipment bag is the bane of every hockey parent’s existence. The key to a sweet-smelling season lies in the airing out of gear after each use.  Good advice is to have a clothes tree and make sure the bags are emptied so everything can dry out.

A new home can be designed to have vents and air where you need it most and sports lockers large enough to hold all the gear. Think about a making your new home a hockey home and working with a builder who understands your needs- featuring an extra large garage with the equipment and laundry room at the ready right off the garage to keep hauling equipment and clothes easy. 

Weaver Homes has two perfect move-in ready hockey homes located in Vista Ridge only 15 minutes to the rink and around the corner from Mars schools.

From the beginning as a specialist in high-end fashion, Megan Prazer learned the ins and outs of working to help clients make the right style choices to fit their personality. It is not that far off from choosing luxury home materials with new homebuyers to personalize their home. The details define the difference, and Weaver Homes is all about the details, especially with Megan Prazer, Design Studio Coordinator.  Megan loves working with clients and gets excited to help new homeowners make short work of choosing finishes that match their needs, style and design appeal to create their dream home. The First Impressions Design Studio is a homebuilder’s dream showroom that sets Weaver Homes apart from other area builders. Here you can put all of the pieces to your design puzzle together and for an interactive view of what your home will become.

Megan is responsible for selecting finishes and staging all of Weaver Homes’ models in addition to working with every single buyer to make personal choices for their future home.  Megan likes that her job allows her to use her extensive product knowledge and friendly people skills to help clients make choices that reflect their personality. Her love of creativity and shopping are added bonuses: “Working with homeowners is truly the perfect fit for me. Together we make it happen. Over the years, I have met and worked with the most amazing, interesting people. I listen, I am patient, I am interested in what the customers have to say. I want everyone that walks through our doors at Weaver Homes to feel welcome and fully appreciated for trusting us to build their dream home.”

Weaver Homes is grounded in the beliefs of Quality*Local*Tradition and Megan Prazer exemplifies all of these characteristics.  Being a native of Southern Butler area, she currently lives in Mars with her three children and two Weimaraner’s.  Megan volunteers in the local Mars community, and it is important for her customers to have a great experience as most likely she will bump into them at the grocery store, at church or even Cross Fit. Her approachable style mixed with a thorough understanding of current design trends, helps her to guide every new homeowner through making choices that are right for their families. Megan makes the process seamless, fun and clear every step of the way and loves every minute of the job she does!

Experience what Weaver Homes quality looks like with Megan Prazer at the First Impressions Design Studio located at 361 Mars-Valencia Road Mars, PA 16046.  Visit our open houses every weekend. 

How do I prepare for Moving Day?

A representative of the moving company should contact you at least 24 hours prior to Moving Day to let you know time of arrival. Be sure to share any changes that have taken place that may affect them. (E.g. The street in front of your home is under construction, preventing a large moving truck from getting near the house. Or a family emergency took you away from packing and you haven’t been able to finish. Your mover can send professional packers to complete the job for you.)

By Moving Day, remove anything from the porch and walkways that may obstruct movement of your belongings. Take doors off the hinges if you know certain items will not fit through. Remove throw rugs from traffic areas that could cause someone to trip or slip. Have water, juice or soda on hand, especially on a hot day. Your crew will be grateful for your thoughtfulness.

What should I wear on Moving Day?

Moving Day will be long and busy, so dress for comfort. Professional movers wear clothing that’s roomy but not baggy. They also wear tough fabrics that stand up to abrasion and other rough treatment.

Jeans are ideal, but pick ones with extra room for freedom of movement. Stretchy fabrics are also comfortable, and pockets are good for keeping small, valuable items safe. If your ID/wallet is in your pocket, you know where it is at all times and don’t need to worry.

Moving can be dusty and dirty. Choose darker shades and less expensive clothes. If you’re handling your own move, take a change of clothes with you. That way you won’t have to spend the whole day sweaty and dusty.

If you have heavy boots, wear them. Boxes get dropped and thick boots will protect your toes from injury. Avoid sandals and anything with an open toe.

While warmer clothing may make you sweaty if you’re going to be packing things and moving boxes and furniture, remember to leave a sweater or jacket unpacked. After a long and exhausting day, being cold is the last thing you want. (No matter how organized you are, you’ll never be able to find the box with your warm clothing in it.)

Can I just leave things in the drawers of my dresser or desk?

No. All items should be packed in boxes to prevent loss or damage.

What should I do with jewelry and other valuable items?

Items of extraordinary value (jewelry, money, antiques, collections) can be included in your move, but you need to notify your moving company about them BEFORE Moving Day. Each mover has a slightly different procedure for handling high value items. Make sure that you clearly understand the procedure prior to Moving Day. You may feel more comfortable taking irreplaceable and expensive articles with you or making other arrangements for their transport.

How do I prepare appliances for moving?

Appliances such as washers, dryers and refrigerators must be disconnected, and the washer must have a stabilizer installed. You or your moving company will have to contact the local service providers that handle these services.

How much should I tip the movers?

Most movers will not pressure you for a tip, but if you’re happy with the service you received, a $5 tip per worker/per hour is a reasonable sum. Usually, you’ll see that movers work extremely hard, and it’s a nice gesture to acknowledge the efforts that they have made to ensure your move is a success.

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. It may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The best way to keep on top of everything? Get organized. Develop a system and stick to it! Many financial institutions have apps, checklists and guides you can download to create a smooth home buying experience.

Here are some tips to stay organized as you search for and/or buy a home:

• Keep track of where you’ve been—and what homes you like

As you search various homes, it’s easy to forget what features stood out to you. Did it have walk-in closets? A finished basement? Does it have enough bathrooms? To help you remember the amenities of each house, use a homebuyer’s checklist with detailed information about each property you see, including:

• The location and style of home
• Type of construction
• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Features, such as fireplace, fenced-in yard and laundry room

There are also many smartphone apps, such as the My New Home^SM app, that can help you keep track of these items and allow you to rate homes and store photos.

• Have your paperwork together, so you’re ready to apply for a mortgage

You’ll need to collect several documents when you apply for a mortgage. Gathering those now will save you time later. Mortgage lenders usually need:

• All pay stubs for the past month
• W-2 tax statements from the past two years (If you’re self-employed, you need two years personal and business taxes.)
• Bank or investment statements for the past three months
• The home purchase contract between you and the seller

You should also think about how to best store your documents, such as in an envelope or tabbed binder that fits legal-sized papers, for easy access.

• Stay on top of contact names, phone numbers, emails.

Your new home search may take months, and involve dozens of people – realtors, salespeople, contractors, appraisers, inspectors, mortgage professionals, consultants, etc.  Making yourself a chart or spreadsheet of contacts with all of their pertinent info will help you keep track of everything – and is easier to maintain than an unwieldy stack of business cards.

• Get ready to move into your new home

It’ll take some time and organization to prepare for the big move, especially since you’ll likely be closing on your new home at the same time. Even though it will seem as though there aren’t enough hours to get it all done, don’t rush it. Make sure you plan properly, so you have time to do it right and don’t miss, lose or break anything along the way.

Try using a moving timeline to organize your move. It has hints for what to start packing from six weeks out right up to moving day. Plus, there are handy reminders for things you may have not considered, such as filling out a change of address form, notifying your children’s old and new schools, and transferring prescriptions to a new pharmacy.

The bottom line: Buying a new home doesn’t have to make you a ball of stress. By getting organized, you can make the whole process as stress-free as possible.

Weaver Homes is a Pittsburgh and Mars area new homebuilder featuring single family homes patio homes and custom homes. Visit www.weaverhomelive.wpengine.com for more information.

Saturday, May 13, 2017, one of Weaver Homes’ communities, Vista Ridge, held it’s first annual yard sale. Along with the yard sale, to help celebrate Mother’s Day, Weaver Homes distributed mums to all the mom’s that stopped in. Students from Mars Elementary School raised money for Food Network’s campaign “No Kid Hungry” by selling baked goods. We hope your Mother’s Day was just as fun as ours here at Weaver Homes. Vista Ridge is a great community for families who want a private, but connected neighborhood. Weaver Homes doesn’t just build homes, they build communities.