We’ll be the first to admit that buying a new home on a budget isn’t easy. And building a new home on a budget? Almost impossible – until now.

That’s because Excel Homes is very proud to announce the launch of our Starting Line Up series of homes. The five designs in our Starting Line Up were created with first-time homeowners in mind, with each home costing less than $100,000 (some as low as $60,000, depending on the region). Of course, this doesn’t include the cost of land, but even after that purchase, a Starting Lineup home still costs less than most other options.

And you don’t have to sacrifice style or quality either. The one- and two-story Starting Line Up designs feature smaller dwellings (less than 1,000 square feet), but with all of the style typically found in a larger floor plan. The homes are also energy conscious, arriving ENERGY STAR ready and green ready.

For us, the Starting Line Up offers a change to prove what we’ve known all along: that durability and quality can be had for less than $100,000. Specific design elements in some Starting Line Up homes include hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, and sunken living rooms. It’s important to note, however, that unlike most other Excel modular designs, the Starting Line Up designs are sold as is, with no modifications or customization options. This helps to keep the cost of each home low, which is central component of the Starting Line Up Series.

In addition to lower cost with all of the style of other homes, the Starting Line Up offers these benefits:

• VERSATILITY – Some designs, like our 556 square foot “Trailblazer,” can be used as guest houses, pool houses or a backyard office.
• EASE OF COMPLETION – Starting Line Up homes require less work by the builder and finishing team, with some homes shipping 95 percent complete from an Excel Homes manufacturing facility, with only minimal work required to finish the unit on-site.
• SPEED – The smaller size of the Starting Line Up options also means a quicker turnaround for builders and anxious homeowners. With the modular construction process, homes can be built, delivered and set in under six weeks.
• ONE TRUCK – The Starting Line Up homes can be shipped on a single carrier and, in most cases, can be finished by the set crew.
• NO CRANE – Some designs, like the smaller Trailblazer, can be roll set on a foundation, eliminating the need for a crane, and come complete with the exception of a small portion of the roof and the final utility connections.

Each of the five Starting Line Up homes will be featured over the next several months on Excel’s Drawing Board blog, along with floor plans and interior and exterior renderings (check out the first design here). To give you a taste of what’s to come, below is a rendering of the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired 945 square foot Prairie View home.

Last month we announced here on Modular Musings our plan to stay one step ahead of legislation that will require all new single-family homes built in Pennsylvania after January 1, 2011 to be built with fire suppressing sprinkler systems. (We’re actually staying one year ahead of the legislation, because starting immediately, sprinkler systems will be an option in all new single family homes Excel builds.)

Last week, Central Pennsylvania’s local CBS affiliate paid a visit to Excel’s manufacturing facility in Liverpool, PA to get an up-close-and-personal look at the sprinkler systems and to chat with Excel President Steve Scharnhorst. Feel free to check out CBS’s coverage on their website (the video is on the right).

Like we said in last week’s look at male home buying preferences, the following was posted previously here on Modular Musings, but we thought it was worth a second look.

Last week, we took a look at some of the features of a new home that men are more likely to focus on. That includes home offices (40% of men versus 33% of women), recreational spaces and, of course, a garage. But what do women look for in a home?

According to the same 2008 study by ZipReality that we referenced last month, women were more focused on practical spaces and dining related spaces, including:

• Women placed more emphasis on dining spaces like a gourmet kitchen (61% to 55%) and a dining room (33% to 30%).

• Storage space was important to women, with large closets or walk-in closets as the number one home feature for women versus men (73% to 64%).

• While men were more likely to prefer a home with a view (32% to 27%), more women demanded a larger yard (49% to 45%).

The ZipReality study was based on a survey of 2,620 active home buyers and is proof that while we may not differ much on what we want out of a home, men and women do have their own opinions about what matters most – and that’s not likely to change any time soon.

The following was posted here on Modular Musings about a year ago, but as the New Year kicks off and would-be homeowners begin shopping for a new home, we thought it was worth a second look. Coming up next: A look at what women want in a new home.

Let’s face it, when it comes to buying a home, men and women are often on two different blueprint pages when it comes to features they want. Sure, some features are important no matter who you are, but what do men typically want when it comes to choosing and customizing their modular home?

According to a 2008 study by ZipReality, men and women don’t differ much on certain features, but some differences are worth pointing out:

• Men preferred a home office more than women did (40% to 33%)
• Men placed greater emphasis on recreational spaces, like a home theater (12% to 6%), exercise room (13% to 9%), a swimming pool (22% to 20%), and an outdoor entertainment area (57% to 55%).
• On a surprising aesthetic note, more men than women demanded a home with a view (32% to 27%).
• As expected, men need their garage more than women, with 74% of men saying they wouldn’t purchase a house without a garage, versus 71% of women who made the same claim.

We’ll cover what women want in a future Modular Musings blog entry. Until then, let’s try to find some common ground when it comes to deciding what to do with that new addition off the living room.