A Guide to Moving to Fort Myers
M/I Homes: Is this your first M/I Home? And what convinced you to choose M/I Homes over another builder?
Allison Gillies: Yes, this is our first M/I Home, and it's actually our first time owning a new home. We originally weren’t considering new build homes, but went with a M/I Home because we liked the community and the home had the design, features, look, and details that we wanted. We started to look at other home builders, but they didn’t have the layout and features that we were looking for.
M/I: Are you happy with how your home turned out?
AG: Yes, we are very happy. We keep discovering new things we love about it. We love that the yard is the right size for our family. Initially we weren’t sure we wanted carpet on the stairs, but with young children and dogs we’ve realized it’s better for us to have carpeting on the stairs and upstairs!
M/I: What is the name of your floorplan, and what features of your home do you especially love?
AG: This is the Wilson floorplan. I love that there is a guest bedroom and a full bathroom on the first floor. It’s nice that when family comes to visit they have their own space. I also love our large kitchen. I cook a lot, so having these appliances and a large island is perfect for me. The loft area is great with two young kids, too. It’s nice for them to have a dedicated play area that isn’t right next to the kitchen or family room; they have their own bonus space. Another feature we love is the tandem garage—I didn’t even know it was a thing! We were concerned that we would need a home with a lot of storage space or have to get a shed for outdoor/yard tools, but the tandem garage gives us plenty of room for these items.
M/I: Overall, how was your experience with M/I Homes?
AG: It was easy! We had a great Construction Manager and New Home Consultant. They were both very thorough and quick, and they responded to all of our questions. We put our contract in, but we still had questions and they were still very responsive throughout the process. We also went through M/I Financial and that made everything so much easier. It was nice not going through a third party, and it made everything quick and easy.
M/I: Was there something about your home that made you immediately know you wanted to move in?
AG: We loved the open floorplan and the fact that it is on a cul-de-sac! We also just love this development and the area it’s in. Even though it’s such an open floorplan, every space is being used.
M/I: What did you like about your community?
AG: I love the location. I work very close so my commute is easy. It’s right up the street from Downtown Fort Mill and close to Charlotte, but it doesn’t feel like a big city. We are close to everything we need, but on the more quiet side of town so we are away from the congested areas. There are places for our family to have fun nearby, and there are plenty of fun events throughout the year. The YMCA and Anne Springs Close Greenway are right here, which is great.
M/I: What would you recommend to someone looking for a new home?
AG: Know what your priorities are. New ones will come up when you tour a house, but weighing what your priorities are is important. We kept touring resale homes, but we would walk in and immediately think about what we would have to update and how much it would cost. With a new build, we didn’t have to worry about those concerns; we just had to plan out how to arrange our furniture and not have to worry about replacing floors or anything big.
M/I: What is your favorite memory in your new home so far?
AG: I loved the first night as a family together in our new home. I was here by myself for two weeks starting to get things moved in, and they came during the day while I was at work. When I got home they were all here, and I was like “this is it, we are in our new home together!” Brett even set up new toys for the kids for when we arrived. We all stood around the kitchen island eating pizza together, it was a great first memory in our new home.
M/I: What else would you like to share about your M/I home buying experience?
AG: Find the floorplan that fits your needs. You can create any entertainment spaces or change the look/décor in your home, but it’s important to find a floorplan that fits exactly what you need.
Find out more about available home plans in Charlotte. Find your dream home with M/I Homes and become our next Happy Homeowner!
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