BY: JANN SWANSON How Homeownership Affects Household Wealth Mar 26 2018, 10:45AM It is conventional wisdom that homeownership is key to household wealth, and the National Association of Home Builders makes a …
Hurricane Irma – Why Sarasota Was Spared…Again.
Those fortunate to live through a hurricane in a fortified house got an opportunity to experience the benefit of their investment this week. Many of us who live in Sarasota …
Beware These 9 Real Estate Code Words – from Trulia
By Meaghan Agnew from Trulia.com Before you get your hopes up about that home-viewing appointment, study up on these key listing phrases so you’ll have a better idea of what to …
The Latest Residents of Granada Park
A warm welcome to the newest residents of one of our Classic Collection homes in the exclusive gated community of Granada Park. These Classic homes are built on smaller lots …
Designing Your Kitchen: How to Choose a Sink Size
Bigger isn’t always better. Here’s how to pick the right size sink for your kitchen, needs and budget by Jennifer Ott (Original Post on Houzz) San Francisco-based interior designer, architectural color …
10 Tips on Buying Waterfront Property
by Liz Moore For many people, buying waterfront property is the ultimate real estate experience. Perhaps more than any other type of purchase, buying a waterfront home or home site …
On Building A Strong Foundation
Reinforced concrete construction? Impact-resistant doors and windows? In Florida, as anywhere, what goes into storm-proofing a home—whether new home construction or a painstaking renovation— is the deciding factor about what …
What to Look for in Energy-Efficient Wine Storage
A luxury home isn’t truly complete without luxury gadgets and amenities. One of the amenities that are most sought after by our clients is top-of-the-line wine storage, and one of …
Considering a Water Feature in Your Home? Here’s What You Need to Know
If there’s one thing we love about our location here in Florida, it is being surrounded by all of this breathtaking scenery (particularly, the beautiful blue water). So, when thinking …
Features We Love in Coastal Craftsman Style Homes
Here at MGB, we build and design custom homes with you in mind. We take great pride and care in what we do, because at the end of the day, when …
Building a Guest House Your Friends and Family Will Love
When it comes to building your home away from home, within your home, design is key. Our philosophy at MGB is that a guest house is an extension of your …
An Overview of the LEED Accreditation System
In today’s growing, Green-minded society, buildings are designed to maximize energy efficiency, making the most of renewable and sustainable resources – all key elements that MGB is proud to incorporate …
Must-Have Features for Luxury Homes in 2016
The personification of a truly luxurious home is not just a well furnished home. When imagining your luxury home, the obvious conveniences may come to mind, such as the picturesque, …
Photovoltaic Solar Panels: Then and Now
When it comes to solar technology, in the industry, we’ve seen a lot of change, or shall we say improvement, in the past several years. Today, the demand for solar …
What We Can Learn From the Design Practices of Carl Abbott
When it comes to architectural design, Sarasota native (and Sarasota School of Architecture graduate), Carl Abbott has definitely made his mark in the modernist world. Abbott, who has been designing …
Principles to Keep in Mind When Planning Your Green Building Project
Key factors to consider for green building projects According to a report by the EPA, “Green building continues to gain momentum as it demonstrates numerous opportunities to improve the impacts …
Green Buildings Equal Greater Workplace Productivity
A Harvard study shows that green building practices enhance workplace productivity. For decades, experts have been brainstorming for ways to boost productivity in the workplace. There is an overall consensus that a healthy, cheerful employee …
Your Green Home Renovation: Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating is just one of those luxuries that everyone should experience at least once. This method of warming a home is considered to be environmentally friendly, and as …
MGB Homes Takes Best of Houzz 2016 Award for Customer Service
Each year, The Best of Houzz is awarded to the top to the top home design and remodeling businesses in three categories: design, customer service and photography. In the design and photography categories, …
On Giving Thanks in a Painting
As earnest as we are at this time of year about giving thanks, there’s always the self-imposed pressure to climb inside a Norman Rockwell painting and do it from there. But the danger in accepting nothing shy of poetic standards for ourselves comes from the age-old cliché about perfectionism. In short, without the sparkling white tablecloth, perfectly browned bird, ultra-crisp…
The Importance of Continuity
In 1972, my father, a Boston-based developer and contractor, got to renovate Boston’s historic Chickering & Sons Piano factory. Among the most prolific piano manufacturers of the 19th century, Chickering was the company responsible for the piano PT Barnum used for world-renowned Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind’s 1850, 93-city concert tour. Transforming the Tremont Street structure into one of Boston’s …
Pilots, Sailors and the Building Process
My business partner, Grant Castilow, is an avid pilot. I am a lifelong sailor. Sailing and Flying both rely on the principle of lift — which has to do with airspeed, angle of attack and many other technical factors. Without careful attention to lift, and flexible, strategic decisions made to facilitate and maintain it, goals will not be met. Additionally, …