– Can we afford a mortgage?
– Is it worth draining our savings to pay closing fees?
– Is there help somewhere for first time buyers to help assist with a down payment?
– What if there is nothing out there that offers everything I want in a home?

LGI Homes is familiar with such questions, and has gone to great strides to simplify the homebuying process and put potential homeowners’ fears to rest. In fact, they’ve made the process a whole lot easier through the construction of beautiful, high-quality and affordable homes in communities such as Mallard Crossing in Northwest Houston.

If the fear of an outstanding monthly mortgage is on the top of your worry list then you can cross it off. The homes featured in this new community are priced so low that the monthly mortgage for many is actually less than an average monthly rent. Starting at just $629 a month, our homebuyers are finding affordability at all-time highs, and are moving into the home of their dreams without sacrificing sleep to financial anxiety. And assistance with a down payment will not be needed; with LGI Homes’ No Money Down program, LGI Homes buyers are buying their houses with little or no money out of pocket!

Of course, all of this amazing affordability wouldn’t mean much if LGI Homes had failed to build a community that offered the amenities, floorplans and convenient location that homebuyers demand. Mallard Crossing, however, fits the bill, with gorgeous new homes that include thousands of dollars’ worth of designer upgrades at no additional cost, as well as a community that includes fabulous amenities like landscaped walking trails, and a neighborhood park with playground. Mallard Crossing homes sit on oversized lots, giving owners plenty of room to relax and play, and Mallard Crossing’s ideal location allows residents to take easy advantage of local shopping, dining, and entertainment, without arduous commutes and drives.

Buying a home today is, as it always has been, fraught with questions and worry. LGI Homes, with years of experience building beautiful communities throughout Texas and Arizona, has managed to wrangle the mess of worry and doubt into one simple question: which home in Mallard Crossing is right for me? Find out with a visit to Mallard Crossing, where one of our New Home Consultants can help answer your question and get you on the path to owning your own brand-new home.

It is estimated that one out of every two people added to the United States population each year is a Latino, meaning that by each year the pool of potential new home buyers grows increasingly more Hispanic, which is good news for new home builders. That’s because a significant portion of young Hispanics—those aged 26 to 46—are most often involved in home sales. Also, traditionally Latinos are more likely to have families with children—as well as to have multiple generations living together—all of which prompts the need and desire for homeownership. And, as both homebuilders and homebuyers are finding out, many of these Latino families are opting for homeownership in new home communities such as Mallard Crossing.

Mark Calabria, director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute, concludes from researching mortgages issued in the United States that the Latino share of the housing market is growing. Moreover, a large percentage of first-time homeowners in the near future will be Latino buyers. This evolving demographic change has been predicted for over a decade, but is now finally becoming a reality.

Because of the group’s cultural embrace of multi-generational living, new homes communities with established amenities that enhance social connections are likely to appeal to Hispanic families. These family-friendly environments, along with exceptional affordability and award-winning quality, are to be found in all LGI Homes new home communities, including Mallard Crossing.

For those who have a separate guest house, spare guest bedroom, or room above a garage, finding the space for a home office can be relatively easy. But if your living quarters are limited, it will take a bit of ingenuity.

The truth is that a home office can be set up almost anywhere—underneath stairs, in the corner of a kitchen or dining room, in an atrium, on a covered patio (if you live in a year-round temperate climate), or your bedroom—although there are many marriage counselors who would strongly advise against the latter option.

Whatever area you choose should be off the beaten path of foot traffic so that there’s some semblance of privacy. Ideally, there will be plenty of natural light, as well as good ventilation, either a window, air conditioning vent, or fan. Dark, hot spaces will prove distracting and also tend to make you feel tired.

If you convert a room to a home office, paint it a nice bold color, such as orange. While you will ideally be able to put a desk by a window so you can look outside, don’t put your computer in direct sunlight. Besides not wanting the unit to overheat, having sun to a monitor’s back increases glare, and your eyes will quickly tire, leading to possible headaches and loss of productivity.

What’s your budget? Budget constraints can mean the difference between a multi-level, built-in gas grill, and a small, portable charcoal grill. Believe it or not, one isn’t necessarily better than the other; more expensive grills offer more nuanced temperature controls, more workspace, more grill space and often more power. But if you’re just looking to slap a steak down for dinner, a small charcoal grill is great at what it does, at a fraction of the cost. It all depends upon your needs, and, most importantly, what you can afford.

What will you be cooking? High-end cuts of meat are the stuff of grilling dreams. High and direct heat are a necessity when cooking these foods, in order to form a good crust while keeping the meat tender and moist; nothing destroys a great steak like low heat! Just about any grill can handle this type of cooking, since high direct heat is easy to accomplish on both larger and smaller grills. If you’re looking to do real barbecue—slow and low—the ability to closely monitor and control temperature that is available on gas and electric grills may serve both your grilling and barbecuing needs.

Who will you be serving? Again, this comes down to a matter of need. If you’re likely to be grilling or barbecuing for yourself or one other person, you won’t need much capacity in your grill; you may get the most bang for your buck out of smaller, portable units. Families and those who like entertain will only be frustrated by the lack of cooking surface on a smaller grill, so should opt for a larger grilling unit with greater capacity. The larger cooking surface allows chefs to prepare a larger number of meals at one time, and these units sometimes have room on the sides of the grill where cooks can keep foods warm when cooking in batches.

What’s your style? Grills come in a slew of sizes and styles, from big, brassy and bold to small, quick and simple. Glossy stationary units can be the glowing centerpiece of an outdoor grilling center, flanked by tables, lounges and tables. These units take an outdoor grill or bbq to new heights of style and professional appeal. Smaller and more portable units, such as the traditional free-standing charcoal grill, have a homey and comfortable appeal that works well for more casual get-togethers and impromptu evening cookouts.

Whichever kind of grill you end up choosing, you are bound to build around it some memories that will last a lifetime. Enjoy your space, your home, your family, your friends, and, of course, your food. Happy grilling!

A thorough cleaning generally takes more than a day, so plan accordingly. Make a list of projects and spread them out over two or three weeks. While every home has its own layout and requires its own cleaning plan, there are a few universal spring cleaning tasks that are necessary in every home.

One of the most important is deep dusting. This type of dusting goes beyond just brushing a feather duster over the book case. Instead, deep dusting means clearing off all of your shelves and bookcases, dusting both the furniture and the individual items.

Next, move furniture to vacuum or sweep away the accumulated dust build-up underneath, and remove couch cushions and vacuum inside the upholstery. Wipe the top of each door jamb with a damp cloth to remove dust accumulation on the frame, and don’t forget ceiling fans, who are major dust aggregators. Dust also accumulates in pantries and kitchen cabinets so remove everything to thoroughly clean those areas. Remove items from the floor of your closet and vacuum or sweep there, as dust and dust mice have a tendency to swirl into closets when they are opened and closed.

Next, get the carpets and upholstery steam cleaned, to renew and freshen them after months of steady usage. As you go through your home cleaning, be sure to clear any clutter and either donate it to a local thrift shop, recycle it, or throw it away.

Kitchen appliances are also dust magnets, and need to have the counters behind and underneath them cleaned. Remember to unplug any appliances before vacuuming their condenser coils, particularly the refrigerator. Clean out the inside of the refrigerator using baking soda, and clean the inside of the stove; don’t forget the exhaust hood and filter.

Outside of the house, wash all windows and clean any screens. Clean and repair gutters, and, if you have a wood burning fireplace, get your chimney inspected and professionally cleaned. Also address any grout cracks or re-caulking that needs to be done. When finished, your house will have that “new house” look, and a sense of freshness worthy of spring itself.