Tracewater Homes Podcast

In this episode of the Tracewater Homes podcast, hosts Brent and Matt are joined by Kiara Proctor of the Abbott Martin Group to discuss the booming real estate market in Florida's "West Market," specifically Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The conversation explores the advantages of semi-custom home building, innovative investment strategies, and the unique lifestyle offered by the Pensacola area.Key topics covered in the episode include:  * **The Semi-Custom Advantage**: Kiara highlights Tracewater's ability to offer a streamlined, transparent building process that allows clients to customize their homes from the comfort of their couch using digital design tools.  * **Real Estate Investing and "House Hacking"**: The group discusses Tracewater's upcoming duplex plan, designed for both investors and those looking to build generational wealth through "house hacking"—living in one unit while renting out the other to cover mortgage costs.  * **Financing and Market Trends**: Discussion on current interest rate trends and the benefits of construction-to-permanent loans, which allow buyers to lock in today’s pricing while potentially benefiting from lower future interest rates.  * **Pensacola Market Growth**: Kiara details the rapid growth of the Pensacola area, driven by major attractions like the Blue Angels and NAS Pensacola, and the diverse landscape ranging from coastal beaches to spacious inland ranch properties in areas like Milton and Pace.  * **Agent Partnerships and Marketing**: Exploration of how Tracewater supports the real estate community through broker presentations, referral commission programs, and a unique "sign program" that helps agents market vacant lots by showcasing pre-approved floor plans.  * **Navigating Challenging Sites**: Reassurance for buyers interested in coastal or complex lots, noting that Tracewater is experienced in building in flood zones and on sites requiring pilings or specialized site prep.

In this episode of the Tracewater Homes podcast, hosts Matt and Brent are joined by Clay Phillips from the Abbott Martin Group. Phillips, a sales agent with over 20 years of experience in professional operations and management, discusses the unique opportunities and challenges in the Eastern Florida market, specifically covering areas from Bay County and Panama City Beach up to the Alabama line.The discussion highlights the benefits of building with Tracewater Homes, focusing on:The Shift in Market Trends: A movement toward tear-downs of older beach cottages and single-story homes on individual lots in Panama City Beach, as large tracts of land for traditional development become scarce.Choice and Control for Buyers: How Tracewater Homes fills the gap between rigid production builders and expensive fully custom builds by offering a semi-custom process where buyers can choose their own colors, pallets, and floor plans on their own land.Expert Guidance: The team's commitment to acting as advisers and confidants, helping clients navigate site challenges like utility hookups, septic systems, and building on difficult or wetland-heavy lots.Streamlined Financing: The advantages of the construction-to-permanent loan program, which allows buyers to roll land costs into their financing and lock in interest rates early.Agent Partnerships: Tracewater’s agent-friendly approach, including a commission structure that pays agents early in the process—at the close of the construction-to-perm loan.For more information or to find a dream lot in the Panama City area, viewers are encouraged to visit tracewaterhomesfl.com and reach out to Clay Phillips.

In this episode, the team at Trace Water Homes breaks down their streamlined five-step process for building a custom home. Designed to remove the typical stress and uncertainty of construction, these steps provide homeowners with transparency and clarity from the first contact to the final walk-through.Key highlights from the episode include:  * **Lot Selection & Evaluation:** How the sales team uses specialized tools to provide "apple-to-apple" cost comparisons between potential lots.  * **One-Time Close Financing:** The benefits of construction-to-permanent loans that wrap land, site costs, and build costs into a single package.  * **Upfront Insurance Clarity:** Why obtaining insurance quotes early in the process prevents costly surprises at closing.  * **Interactive Selection Process:** Using digital portals to choose structural options and finishes at your own convenience.  * **The Construction Phase:** What to expect during weekly app updates and special opportunities for personalization, like placing handprints in the foundation.  * **Welcome Home Orientation:** Ensuring your home is 100% complete and move-in ready before the final orientation.Whether you already own a lot or are just starting to dream, this episode explains how Trace Water Homes handles the heavy lifting to make building your home a simple, enjoyable experience.

Discover how easy it is to become a homeowner and generate income with the Trace Water Homes duplex plan. Many young people believe homeownership is out of reach, but this episode explains why that isn't true.This plan, called "House Hacking," allows you to live in one side of a brand-new duplex and rent out the other side. Learn about the four-step process, which includes finding an R2 zoned lot, securing financing with conventional, FHA, or 100% VA loans, and the design and build process.Key takeaways include:  * **Financing:** Conventional loans require 5% down, FHA is 3.5%, and VA is 100% financing for a primary residence duplex.  * **Buying Power:** Lenders can use 75% of the projected rental income from the second unit to help you qualify for a higher loan amount.  * **New Construction:** The duplexes are brand new, which minimizes maintenance headaches and leads to lower insurance costs. They are built with high-quality, durable materials, including steel framing and specialized siding/roofing.  * **Versatility:** The duplex can be used for long-term rentals, short-term rentals, a second home, or for multi-generational living with family next door.Brent, who currently lives in the Tracewater Homes duplex plan, shares his personal experience and how this opportunity can be a great first step into real estate investing, helping you build long-term wealth.

Trace Water Homes Podcast Episode 10 focuses on the newest plan in the Trace Water portfolio: the duplex, and the benefits of owning one in the Florida Panhandle market. Host Brent is joined by TJ of Avid Martin Group, Tammy from the finance team (the Fritz), and other team members to discuss the simple, turnkey process for investors.Key takeaways from the discussion include:Simplicity and Team Trace Water Homes offers a simple investment process where the team assists with identifying the lot, ensuring proper zoning (like R2 zoning in the west end of Panama City Beach), financing, design, and connecting with property management and insurance.Financing Financing for investment property is easy today, with options like full documentation loans that use 75% of the rental analysis to offset the payment, or the DSCR (Debt Service Covered Ratio) loan. The DSCR loan only verifies rental income, credit score, and assets, and can close in as little as six or seven days.Duplex Versatility The duplex plan, featuring two three-bedroom sides for a total of six bedrooms, offers unique marketability. It can be marketed as two separate units or a single six-bedroom home, appealing to large groups. The versatility allows for combinations like long-term renting one side and short-term renting the other.Construction Quality and Savings The homes use steel framing, which offers better windload ratings, fire resistance, and termite resistance than wood framing. Other features like impact windows, impact doors, and LP SmartSide siding contribute to asset protection and better insurance rates. This high quality can significantly lower operating expenses (opex) and repair costs, potentially reducing the opex percentage from 20% down to 5%.Investment Opportunity For approximately $500,000 in build cost, an investor gets a well-appointed six-bedroom duplex. This price point makes it easier for new investors to enter the market. Additionally, the new construction and high-quality materials often lead to insurance rates being rated as masonry construction, which is a better rating. The investment can also be used as a tax shelter for bonus depreciation and write-offs.

This episode of the Tracewater Homes podcast features Leslie Dion of Abbott Martin Group EXP Realty, the sales agent for the Walton and Okaloosa County area, who discusses the value, quality, and convenience of building a new home with Tracewater Homes.The key points of the discussion include:Convenience and the Building Process: Leslie highlights that her favorite aspect of Tracewater Homes is the convenience of their simple 12-step process, which helps alleviate the stress and nervousness buyers often have about new construction. Tracewater Homes manages the entire process, including lot clearing and utility coordination, to provide a complete "turnkey product," taking the burden off buyers who may only build one or two homes in their lifetime.Affordability and Market Growth: Leslie, who lives and works in the area, discusses the increasing value and affordability of homes north of the bay, in areas like Niceville and Freeport, compared to locations closer to the coast like Santa Rosa Beach. She notes that the lack of developable land near the coast is driving growth north, creating a lot of opportunity in places like Freeport and DeFuniak. Tracewater Homes offers a lower price per square foot by providing options like second-story additions.Value and Quality: The team emphasizes Tracewater Homes' commitment to quality, including standard features such as 9-foot ceilings and hooded kitchen vents, which are typically considered upgrades by other builders.Benefits to Buyers and Agents:Customization and Design: The Builder Trend app allows clients to be as hands-on or hands-off as they prefer, even designing their home from the comfort of their couch. The app allows clients to preview and see the financial impact of their selections, and all selections and pricing are finalized upfront.Financial Stability: Pre-pricing all selections before construction allows clients to secure financing for the full cost before closing on their construction loan, limiting the chances of them having to pay out-of-pocket for change orders later.Insurance and Longevity: New construction with Tracewater Homes helps solve the problem of high insurance costs in Florida. The use of materials like steel framing and LP Smart Side results in lower insurance rates and also eliminates the risk of termite damage, a "silent killer of homes". The goal is to build homes that will be good for 20, 30, or 40 years.Communication: For agents, Tracewater Homes provides convenience by taking over weekly client communication and job site updates with photos via the Builder Trend app.Timeframe: The typical construction window is about eight months from the time the building permit is secured.The hosts and Leslie conclude by emphasizing the company's focus on being a family-owned business that provides a good product, customer service, and customer experience for everyone involved.

In this episode of the Trace Water Homes podcast, host Matt speaks with TJ Martin, President of Abbott Martin Group, about the current state of the real estate market in the Florida Panhandle. TJ Martin, whose group represents Trace Water Homes across the entire Panhandle from Pensacola to Panama City, shares insights into new construction.Key discussion points include:The current market is showing "new synergy" with downward pressure on interest rates.An economist, Zel Charles (who is one of the top economists in the country in regards to real estate and is driven heavily in the new construction world), provided insight that the Panhandle is significantly underserved in new construction and lots being developed.New construction sales are expected to "continue to tick up".They discuss why now is the ideal time to buy, noting that if buyers "lock in on a contract now," they are paying 2025 prices for their home and getting 2026 rates when the home is completed.Matt mentions that their preferred lender, Chevlin Lachler of Acushure Mortgage, has construction perm programs with a current interest-only rate of 6.99% during the construction period.Trace Water Homes' product offerings, such as metal studs and specific finishes, help mitigate high insurance costs, lower utility bills, and address pain points like storms, hurricanes, and termites for homeowners in Florida.They explain the seamless process for engaging with the Trace Water Home sales team and the advantages of utilizing Trace Water's pre-designed plans over a full custom build, which saves time, money, and "brain damage".The hosts encourage listeners to be curious and reach out to the sales team. For pre-approval information, visit Chevlin Lachler's website at lockwithler.com. To connect with the Trace Water Homes sales team, visit tracewwaterhomes.com.

This episode of the Tracewater Homes podcast features a discussion with Jeannie, the VP of design, about design and structural options available for home buyers. The conversation, hosted by Brent, moves beyond technical specifications and building products to focus on the aesthetic and customizable aspects of a home, such as tiles, flooring, and countertops.Key topics include:Design Trends for the New Year: Discussion of 2026 trends, including warmer colors, moody tones, accent walls, and the shift from gray and white neutrals to cream and beige.Cabinetry and Wood Tones: A look at the timelessness of shaker cabinets, the popularity of painted white cabinets on the coast, and the option for stained or different-colored island cabinets.Selections Process: Jeanne explains how Tracewater Homes simplifies the overwhelming process of selecting finishes by creating curated collections, such as tile collections with pre-paired grouts.Transparency and Technology: The speakers highlight the use of the "Builder Trend" online portal, which provides transparent pricing and allows clients to make and track selections.Structural Options: The conversation shifts to customization beyond finishes, covering options like the third car garage, insulation, epoxy flooring, and a pre-wire for an electric car charger.Outdoor Living: Options discussed include rear porch extensions, covered and screened patios, and a full outdoor kitchen, with a focus on materials like HDPE and granite suitable for Florida's climate.Multigenerational and Family-Focused Design: The speakers emphasize that the homes are designed with families in mind, discussing features like two-story options and the "Personal Touch Selection," which allows families to leave their mark on the home during construction.

This episode is a full-circle moment for Tracewater Homes. Jeanne and Matt share the story of one of the very first homes they ever renovated—an 1880s farmhouse that was moved 13 miles and rebuilt from the inside out while they were young parents starting their journey in construction and real estate.Fast forward nearly three decades: the family who bought that home—Dan and Tammy—join the podcast for the very first time. They reveal the chapters written inside those walls over 28 years: renovations, additions, yard transformations, family milestones, foster care, adoption, and the memories that made the house far more than just a structure.And the moment that reconnects everyone? A hidden time capsule discovered during a 2020 home project—complete with photos, renovation notes, and 1996 prices—sparked a message that eventually brought these two families together. It’s a conversation about legacy, craftsmanship, family, and the unexpected ways a home can keep people connected across generations.If you’ve ever believed a home holds a story—this one proves it.If you want, tell me the episode number and whether you want the guest names in the title (like we’ve been doing), and I’ll lock in the final “official” title format for your channel.

Brent and Matt sit down with TJ Prime of King’s Roofing to explore GAF Timberline HDZ shingles, Galvalume metal roofing, wind resistance, warranty coverage, and the installation practices that make Tracewater roofs storm-ready and built to last.

Matt is joined by Garrett Fuller and Chris Jane of Fuller Insurance to discuss how construction choices—steel framing, roof types, impact windows, and more—directly influence insurance rates in Florida. They break down market challenges, recent legislative changes, underwriting trends, and why Tracewater’s building approach creates long-term savings and lower risk for homeowners.

Brent and Matt are joined by Brett Pearce from LP Building Solutions to break down why Tracewater uses LP SmartSide, WeatherLogic, and TopNotch structural products in every home. They compare LP to fiber cement, explain the impact resistance and termite protection, discuss warranties, and highlight LP’s sustainable manufacturing. A clear and insightful look at how these materials make Tracewater homes stronger and longer-lasting.

Jeanne, Matt, and guest lender Shevlin Lockler discuss how Tracewater Homes simplifies the construction process through one-time close loans, transparent pricing, steel framing, and better insurance rates. Learn how the right financing and materials can make building faster, easier, and more affordable — plus hear big news about Tracewater’s expansion across the Emerald Coast.

Get to know Tracewater Homes and the family that built it. In this episode, Matt, Jeanne, and Brent share what makes their homes stand apart — from steel framing and storm-ready construction to thoughtful design, better insurance rates, and a fully customizable selection experience. A must-listen for anyone curious about building smarter, safer, and better.