Imagine a house with no electric bill.

That’s the goal of a new type of house being built in Clovis. The so-called “zero net electric home” offered by local builder Wathen-Castanos Hybrid Homes Inc. combines energy-efficient designs with solar panels.

Energy-efficient housing is not new to the central San Joaquin Valley. For example, four Centex neighborhoods in Hanford and Visalia appear on a U.S. Department of Energy list of projects where such homes have been or are being built.

And builders such as DeYoung Properties, Wilson Homes, Alvin Projects and Lennar Homes are partners in the department’s “Builder’s Challenge” program, in which participants make a commitment to build energy-smart homes. More than 45,000 homes have been built nationwide that follow the programs guidelines.

But Pacific Gas & Electric Co. believes Wathen-Castanos is one of the first homebuilders to introduce the zero net electric homes in the Valley, said Bob Riding, community energy manager.

The homebuilder unveiled its zero net electric home Friday. It’s the third in a series of hybrid homes the builder offers in its neighborhoods at Harlan Ranch and at Loma Vista in Clovis.

The Jordan model, with the zero net electric features, is in the Ivy Gate at Loma Vista neighborhood in Clovis, a 39-lot subdivision with 15 homes already built.

“We’re trying to provide a buyer with a home that will last them a while and be energy responsible,” said Peter Castanos, sales manager.

The $20,000 zero net electric package is offered as an upgrade to any of the builder’s homes. The Jordan home is $257,900 without the package.

It builds on the company’s first two hybrid homes, which already include spider insulation, a material blown into the wall to fill gaps, reduce mold and hold in heat or cooling; solar-controlled glass blocking 90% of the ultraviolet energy; sealed ducts that eliminate air leakage; a tankless water heater; and Energy Star appliances.

“You can’t get to zero net energy without solar,” Riding said.

Some Wathen-Castanos homeowners already have seen energy-cost savings by buying hybrid homes. The average utility bill in the Las Casas at Viscaya neighborhood in Dinuba is $266.58, but people with hybrid homes are paying an average of $38 a month, according to surveys taken by Wathen-Castanos.

At Harlan Ranch, the savings are about the same with the average utility bill at $274.75 and a hybrid home at $44.11.

When solar panels are added, the electricity bill can drop to zero.

Home builders, slogging through the worst housing recession in decades, are retooling designs to find and target new and under-served customers.

“Everybody is attempting to find the sweet spot in the market — or the least sour spot,” said Kevin Castanos, a principal at Fresno-based Wathen-Castanos Inc.

Wathen-Castanos hopes it has found that sweet spot with Ivy Gate, a new line of homes at Harlan Ranch east of Clovis that targets young families, while attempting to keep prices affordable.

The houses have larger backyards and more bedrooms than those at Capri Court, the company’s small-lot project at Harlan Ranch that Ivy Gate is supplanting. Thirty-six Capri Court lots remain.

“We are trying to reach first-time home buyers with families, and we felt that segment had additional depth at Harlan Ranch,” Castanos said.

Surveys showed families want a backyard, more bedrooms (Ivy Gate has three to six bedrooms; Capri Court has two and three bedrooms) and prefer a single story, he said.

So far, the Ivy Gate has been successful. It is one of the most popular products in the region, so the developer applied to amend the master plan at Harlan Ranch to allow the new development standards.

The Planning Commission recommended approval, and it goes before the City Council on Oct. 19.

Wathen-Castanos isn’t alone in trying to find ways to thrive in this distressing new-home environment. “There’s a lot of innovation occurring in housing,” said Leo Wilson, who also builds houses at Harlan Ranch.

Wathen-Castanos went against the grain in some respects in that Ivy Gate models are more expensive than Capri Court — starting at $244,900, compared to $194,400 — but it was less about cutting costs and more about creating value, Castanos said.

Wilson, who has typically built houses for families moving up in price and size, has retooled downward. He has three new product lines debuting over the next seven months — and all will be on smaller lots, which helps cut costs.

“You can’t do move-up homes if there aren’t any move-up buyers,” Wilson said.

About 67% of all the existing houses sold in Fresno and Clovis in August were foreclosures sold by banks, and banks don’t use those proceeds to buy a new larger home.

Still, that means 33% of all the deals were typical transactions from one homeowner to another. Many of those sellers are buying a new house, either moving up in size or moving down.

“All of us are focused on the first-time home buyer,” said John Bonadelle, a Fresno-based developer.

By Sanford Nax / The Fresno Bee

Dinuba, Calif. (KFSN) — In 2007, there was uncertainty over whether some vacant lots in Dinuba would ever have homes. But two years after Dunmore Homes filed for bankruptcy, developer Wathan Castanos is aggressively selling the property.

In 2007, there was uncertainty over whether some vacant lots in Dinuba would ever have homes. But two years after Dunmore Homes filed for bankruptcy, developer Wathan Castanos is aggressively selling the property.

The new “Las Casas at Viscaya” subdivision office has only been open for two weeks and they’ve already sold 22 homes.

“We’re in a really nice area of Dinuba and I think a lot of it has to do with our hybrid technology,” said Gloria Banuelos with Wathan Castanos Homes.

Banuelos said the homes are energy efficient with 90-percent U.V. blocking windows, Energy Star appliances, heat-blocking roof barriers and more. The homes are also affordable. This 1,375-square foot home is selling for $149,000 dollars.

Banuelos said all types of buyers are purchasing the homes leading her to believe the South Valley housing market is looking up. “I would say the majority of them are from Dinuba we also have Cutler-Orosi and it’s unbelievable but we also have people coming in from Reedley.”

Loan officer Veronica Barragan said, “And even out here we have people coming in and they’re having to release lots to keep up with the demand so definitely there’s a demand to buy homes.”

If affordability and green technology aren’t enough to attract homebuyers, a special program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering buyers in rural areas a 30-year, fixed rate loan with no money down. “The income requirements are for a family of 1-4 as long as you make below $73,750 you’ll qualify. If you’re a family of 5 or more the income limit is $97,350 which those are very generous loan limits,” said Barragan.

Wathan Castanos will start building some of the newly-bought homes over the next few weeks. The company thinks it will have no problem filling all 191 lots in Dinuba.

“For Wathen-Castanos, Inc., building high-performance homes has been a core business model for the last 10 years,” said Rich Wathen. “We welcome this voluntary initiative for builders, and look forward to working with DOE to build consumer awareness of the benefits for buying highly energy efficient homes.”

The EnergySmart Home Scale, or E-Scale, serves as a tool for marketing energy-efficient homes. Consumer interest has been increasing in the top energy-performing homes, and now there is a tool that clearly allows builders to differentiate their products in the marketplace.

Wathen-Castanos, Inc. believes it is possible to build new homes that are more efficient than code by 30 percent or better at little or no net cost,” continued Rich Wathen. “Achieving these efficiencies does require sophisticated design and installation techniques that go beyond standard industry practice, but the competitive advantage of these homes with their high quality means faster sales. And, we believe this kind of high-performance building is the right thing for our nation, our natural environment, and our customers.”

The Builders Challenge encourages U.S. home builders to adopt the E-Scale on a voluntary basis, and also to utilize best practices for home design and construction. The initiative seeks to accelerate use of successful whole-house design and construction practices that have been developed and verified through DOE research in its Building America program.

About Wathen-Castanos, Inc.
“We at Wathen-Castanos, Inc. pride ourselves on providing a quality that performs for our buyers. This is why we put so much effort into choosing what manufacturers we partner with and what products we build into our homes. For decades, Wathen-Castanos, Inc. has only used brands that we can trust, products that we believe in and manufacturers that have proven themselves over time.” says Laura Mather, Director of Sales & Marketing
For more than 70 years, the Wathen name has represented excellence in home building in the Central San Joaquin Valley. But today, Wathen-Castanos, Inc. faces a whole new set of challenges. The cost of energy, in both economic and ecological terms, is on the rise. We’ve responded by reinventing the way we build.
Rather than simply tacking on a few “feel-good” features, we take a systemic approach in making our homes extremely efficient. Within this site, you’ll see just some of the features we incorporate into our homes, helping owners spend less by using fewer precious resources.

About the U.S. Department of Energy’s Builders Challenge
The U.S. Department of Energy has posed a challenge to the homebuilding industry – to build 220,000 high performance homes by 2012. Homes that qualify for the Builders Challenge must achieve a 70 or better on the EnergySmart Home Scale (E-Scale), meaning that they will use at least 30% less energy than a typical new home built to code. The E-Scale allows homebuyers to understand – at a glance – how the energy performance of a particular home compares with others. Through the Builders Challenge, participating homebuilders will have an easy way to differentiate their best energy-performing homes from other products in the marketplace, and to make the benefits clear to buyers.
Through industry partnerships and existing programs, the Builders Challenge will promote the use of market-tested and cost-effective energy efficiency strategies. The Challenge will support, recognize, and reward builders for achieving higher levels of energy efficiency. DOE’s goal is that, by 2030, new home buyers will have the option to buy a cost-effective Net-Zero Energy Home (NZEH) anywhere in the United States. Learn more at: www.buildingamerica.gov/challenge. Or visit a Wathen-Castanos, Inc. Sales Center, daily from 11am-5pm. www.wathen-castanos.com

“We want to make sure people have an easy way to research the homes and communities Wathen-Castanos, Inc. builds,” said Richard Wathen, of Wathen-Castanos, Inc. “We refreshed our Web site to include several additional features that will allow visitors to research more in-depth and help them determine which community and home best fits their lifestyle.”

Their Web site gives home buyers the opportunity to gather information about each of the four communities offered by Wathen-Castanos, Inc. in a clear and concise manner. Through the use of wathen-castanos.com, visitors can discover key features about the communities and homes as well as the surrounding areas with the simple click of a mouse.

To streamline the process, wathen-castanos.com allows you to search for your dream home by Collection, Location or other home specifications like bedroom count or square footage.

The Collections page is ideal for those who are interested in gathering information on a specific community such as Foxton Chase Hybrid Homes ™ at Harlan Ranch. It offers visitors a simple summary of what makes each collection special. Upon selecting one of the unique communities built by Wathen-Castanos, Inc. the visitor can then begin to navigate through the various models available in that particular community.

This Web site makes getting an overview of the available features, floor plans, elevations, price range and square footage of a desired home quick and easy. And you can also create and print your own custom brochure straight from the site. You’ll find information on a lot of the little things, things you may not typically think about otherwise like lighting fixtures, energy-saving kitchen appliances, plumbing fixtures, kitchen tile and more.

In addition to giving you an overview of key features and options for each home, the Wathen-Castanos, Inc Web site also gives you in-depth information on all of the energy efficient features that each home is equipped with. You’ll find all sorts of great information concerning the ways in which Wathen-Castanos, Inc. goes the extra mile, not only to conserve energy for our environment, but to save money for their homeowners on utility costs as well. All of this information, and more, can be found in the Hybrid Homes section of wathen-castanos.com.

Two features of the Web site, the “Search Homes” and the “Move-in Ready Homes” pages, allow visitors, who don’t have a particular community or location in mind, to find a home that meets their wants and needs. All you have to do is simply enter what you want in a home, such as price range, number of bedrooms and desired square footage and the Web site will do the rest. In seconds, all the homes that fit your criteria will be on your screen and ready for you to view.

Another extremely helpful area of the Web site is the area titled “Why Wathen-Castanos?” This section will allow you to read important information about Wathen-Castanos, Inc. and the quality that goes into each of the homes it builds.

In addition to supplying buyers with easy to find, useful information about the various homes available, the Web site also has a section, equipped with an interactive map, which shows visitors what is located in the areas surrounding each community such as shopping centers, schools, fitness centers and libraries. In addition to giving you an overview of locations surrounding the community you are interested in, Wathen-Castanos.com also supplies you with fun and interesting facts about the area.

Another useful tool that Wathen-Castanos, Inc. has worked into its Web site for buyers to use is a section called “My Neighborhood.” This section lets you save the homes that you are interested in to your own personal folder. Utilizing this feature means you never have to start your search over again. You can pick up right where you left off and glance at your dream home from your folder whenever you want.

“We know that buying a home goes beyond office hours and beyond the model centers so we wanted to make that experience available all hours of the day,” said Laura Mather, Director of Sales & Marketing. “We really want to make purchasing a home an enjoyable experience and the Web site is one more resource that they can use when searching for their ‘perfect’ home.”

The spacious Toscana features three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. The first story includes the gourmet kitchen with nook at the front of the home. Adjacent to the kitchen and within the path of the entry, the dining and living rooms are very open with several windows, vaulted ceilings and a sliding glass door that provides access to the backyard. The living room includes a fireplace and built-in media niche.

Completing the first story is a powder room, the master suite and laundry room. The master suite includes private access to the backyard, perfect for enjoying the breeze. It also boasts two closets, a wardrobe closet in the bedroom and a walk-in closet in the bathroom area.

Upon entering the second floor you have the choice of going into one of the three bedrooms, the spacious bathroom or you can enjoy the loft area. The loft is open to the living and dining rooms below. The loft can be converted to a bonus room increasing the square footage of the house to 2,091 square feet or into a fourth bedroom. This homes’ newest flexible feature is the 4th bedroom, bonus room option.

Like all of the homes at European Collection, the Toscana is perfect for easy living with a private, low-maintenance backyard. The Toscana model gives homeowners one idea of how this space can be efficiently used, making it the perfect extension to your home.

The Toscana is available in two architectural elevation styles, Italian and Country French with multiple color scheme options. It also comes with front yard landscaping with automatic sprinkler system and timer.

The gourmet kitchen features custom cabinets with concealed hinges, melamine interiors and adjustable shelves, General Electric energy-saving appliances and gas cooktop in black or white.

As with all homes built by Wathen-Castanos, Inc. the Toscana is no exception when it comes to energy-efficiency. In addition to the energy-saving appliances in the kitchen, the Toscana also includes dual-glazed low E windows, R-38 ceiling insulation, R-13 Johns Manville wall insulation, energy-efficient gas water heater and much more.

European Collection is located within Harlan Ranch, Clovis’ premier master-planned community featuring 11 parks, community recreation complex complete with junior Olympic-sized swimming pool and Clovis Unified’s newest elementary school in the center of the community. Located in northeast Clovis, Harlan Ranch is just miles from downtown Clovis and Fresno, the Sierras and Huntington and Shaver lakes. So whether your are going to watch a Grizzles baseball game in downtown Fresno, enjoy antique shopping in Old Town Clovis or take a quick trip to Sierra Summit, you can get there within minutes from Harlan Ranch.

If the Toscana at European Collection at Harlan Ranch sounds like you’re perfect home, come out and take a tour. Models are open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For questions, please call Donne at (559) 297-9116 or visit wathen-castanos.com.

The Pomerol is a one-of-a-kind model that features three bedrooms with two-and-a-half baths, a two-car garage and encompasses 1,433 square feet. The look and feel of this inviting floor plan is sure to sweep you off your feet.

The first superb attribute, an elegant turret entry, sets the stage for this innovative and stylish model. You feel like royalty as you pass through it and step into the cozy living room, complete with a built-in fireplace that gives the room an extra special touch. The living room features four fabulous windows providing ample natural light and a door opening to the secluded patio perfect for barbequing or simply taking in the sun.

To the left of the entry is the dining room that is sure to steal the heart of any host. Adjacent to the kitchen, this room also has magnificent windows that draw in the natural light from the scenic paseo. Connecting the dining room to an open kitchen is an island with an inviting breakfast bar, complete with the dishwasher, double-basin sink and ample counter space. Behind this extraordinary island is even more counter top area and counter space with a built in stove top, oven and microwave.

Adjacent to the kitchen is a hallway with a powder room on the left and laundry room on the right. The end of the hall provides easy access to the side-load garage.

You will be in awe after leaving the first story and entering the second. The openness of this floor invites you down a long, embracing hallway with access to the three bedrooms and two full-size bathrooms. It also has a convenient linen closet to the right of the stairs.

The first bedroom that immediately grabs your attention is the master bedroom suite. Encompassing nearly half of the second floor, two prominent windows draw in the natural light. A short hallway opens up to a marvelous bathroom any homeowner dreams of, complete with dual sinks, a large open shower, an enclosed toilet and a spectacular walk-in closet.

As you continue down the open hall, you will find the second and third bedrooms. At the end is a desk area, a perfect space to organize your mail or work on your laptop, and full size bathroom, complete with a sink, shower/tub and toilet.

If the first and second story isn’t enough, an optional third story can be added as a bonus room or loft. This room adds extra space and is perfect for an office or exercise room.

Located in Harlan Ranch, this premier master-planned community is one-of-a kind and perfectly designed for homeowners who love the outdoors. It features 11 parks, numerous walking/biking trails that wind through the community, a Community Recreation Complex complete with junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, amphitheatre, garden maze and a BBQ area.

Lot 2046 is priced at $253,200, the Pomerol is a home you won’t want to miss touring. Come out to Harlan Ranch today, located at Shepherd and Highway 168 in Clovis, to visit all four of the Capri Court models. For details, call Peter Castanos at (888) 732-3244 or visit www.capricourtliving.com. Models open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

The Azenda model, in particular, has been attracting a lot of attention from buyers. With its efficient and innovatively designed floor plan, encompassing 1,300 square feet, it includes two bedrooms with two-and-a-half baths and a two-car tandem garage. The efficient use of floor space has our visitors believing that the house feels much bigger than 1300 square feet.

The Azenda is the ideal home for buyers who seek a maintenance-free front yard but still desire their own private outdoor space for entertaining.

The entrance to the Azenda leads you to the dining room and adjacent gourmet kitchen complete with bar area. The dining room includes two to three windows to the front of the home which allow ample light to illuminate the area. The feature point of the kitchen is the exquisite island, complete with dishwasher, double-basin sink and breakfast bar. The kitchen provides a tremendous amount of usable counter space and features energy-efficient appliances.

To the right of the kitchen and dining room area, you pass through an arched wall to the den or optional office. Windows on two sides of the room provide natural light brightening the entire room and spilling over into the dining area. On the opposite side of the kitchen and dining room is the quaint living room.

Both the kitchen and living room open up to the private courtyard and loggia area through sliding glass doors. The covered loggia provides an outside haven that is perfect for reading a book or hosting a dinner party throughout the year.

As you head up the stairs, three long, narrow windows illuminate the hallway and desk area. A laundry area is located at the left end of the hall. You will find this unit positioned directly across from a counter top, conveniently placed for easy laundry folding. To the right end of the hall is the second bedroom. It is equipped with its own private full-size bathroom including a shower with tub, toilet and sink.

At the center of the hallway, occupying nearly half of the entire second floor, you’ll find a master bedroom that every home owner dreams of. This exquisite room is open and luxurious, and includes an expansive bathroom with dual sinks, a shower, toilet and spacious walk-in closet.

In addition to the first and second story, an optional third-story can be added as a bonus room or loft. This room adds extra space and is perfect for an office or exercise room with views of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains.

The side/rear loaded garage eliminates the protruding garage doors commonly seen on the front of most homes in the Fresno/Clovis area. This innovative detail allows for a unique, balanced look to the front of your home.

In addition to the previously mentioned unique and innovative features, the Azenda is priced at $215,000 which makes it just that much easier to fall in love with.

The Azenda comes standard with exterior window shutters and window trim accents all the way around the home, and the choice of two unique front elevation faces. These additional exterior touches create the look and charm of a Western European Village.

To tour the Azenda model and the three other contemporary models, please visit the Capri Court model complex, located Shepherd and Highway 168 in Clovis, between 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. For more information visit www.capricourtliving.com or call Peter Castanos at 888-732-3244.

Ranging in size from 1,300 square feet to 1,928 square feet, Caprí Court homes start from $179,900. With up to four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and a two-car garage Capri Court provides the perfect amount of living space inside and an exciting lifestyle outside. An optional third-story bonus room/ loft is also available on three of the models.

This community was designed for homeowners to be surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors. The fronts of the homes overlook the scenic linear park and include intimate courtyard/patio spaces. Garages for these homes are clustered within a garage court, while entryways to the homes are centered around a garden court with a shared paseo adorned with beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers.

Located in Harlan Ranch, this premier master-planned community is one-of-a kind and perfectly designed for homeowners who love the outdoors. It features 11 parks, numerous trails that wind through the community, a Community Recreation Complex complete with junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, amphitheatre, garden maze and a BBQ area. Clovis Unified’s newest elementary school is also in the center of the community. In addition to the many trails, the Linear Park will feature an eight-foot wide trail and includes a canopy of shade trees, a rest stop with benches, formal gardens with seating areas, fountains and decorative paving through crosswalks and intersections.

To tour the four Capri Court models, please visit the model complex, located Shepherd and Highway 168 in Clovis, between 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. For more information visit www.capricourtliving.com or call Peter Castanos at 888-732-3244.