Akel Homes Frequently Asked Questions
Builder FAQs
Akel Homes is an award winning, semi-custom homebuilder based in South Florida. Founded by Ramsey Akel and led by his son, Alex. The Akel family has built and sold over 4,000 residences over the past thirty years. Our success is deeply rooted in our desire to build direct relationships with our customers; At Akel Homes, you are not a number, you are a part of our family.
Akel Homes has been building communities where you want to live, in premier locations around South Florida. At this time, our upcoming communities are planned in Palm Beach County and St. Lucie County. Our communities are master-planned to bring out the best of Florida living – glistening lakes, palm lined streetscapes, vast open spaces, and world class resort-style amenities.
The Akel Advantage is our commitment to providing a concierge-style new home building experience fueled by our passion of delivering new homes with unmatched workmanship and quality building materials, forward-thinking architectural designs, personalization through the Akel Design Studio and amenity-rich Florida living.
Akel Homes partners with the most trusted brands in the industry. Trusted brands include:
- Mohawk
- Whirlpool
- Moen
- KitchenAid
- Wolf
- Kohler
- Silestone
- Leviton
- PPG
- Boral
- Closetmaid
- Mastercraft
- Daltile
- Cambria
- Emser Tile
- Tremron
- Kwikset
- Jennair
- & more!
Visit our Online Design Studio today to preview the selected brands available in your Akel Home. Note: We do not offer all brands in every community. Brands are subject to change based upon availability. Akel Homes reserves the right to change brands based upon manufacturer performance.
No. We primarily build homes in communities that we own and are the designated builder/developer.
No. We do not offer renovation services once your home is finished.
Community FAQs
Your Homeowner’s Association (HOA) collects fees from each resident to cover a variety of community services. These can range from landscaping to common area maintenance, amenity upkeep and more. HOA fees vary by community. Contact an Akel New Home Consultant in your community of interest for more information.
A Community Development District (CDD) is a legal entity that develops and maintains community infrastructure. CDD fees are passed through to homeowners as a part of your property tax. These fees will be included in your mortgage amount if you are financing your home. Not all communities and subdivisions have Community Development Districts. Please with your New Home Consultant for more information regarding CDD’s for the community you are interested in purchasing.
Active Adult communities offer residents ages 55+ the opportunity to live in desirable places and experience a carefree, low maintenance lifestyle. Our communities feature resort-style amenities and thoughtfully planned and programmed activities. In an Active Adult community, you are surrounded by like-minded peers who are at similar stages in life and have similar interests.
If you are interested in an upcoming Akel Homes community, visit the community page on this website and sign up to receive email updates. We begin marketing new communities well in advance, so keep an eye on your inbox for released floorplans, pricing, save-the-dates, and much more. You may need to check your spam, social and promotion tabs in your inbox to locate our update emails. Our website may not always reflect the most up to date pricing information. The pricing provided at the sales center will always be up to date and accurate.
We build new communities where you want to live, for a lifestyle you desire in premier locations close to fine dining, shopping, nightlife, recreation, education, and transportation. Our communities are master-planned to bring out the best of Florida living with glistening lakes, vast open spaces and resort-style amenities. Amenities vary by community, however, in an Akel community you are likely to find pools, cabanas, sports courts, event spaces, state-of-the-art fitness centers and much more. Contact an Akel New Home Consultant in your community of interest to see what amenities are planned.
Design Studio FAQs
Each community boasts its own Akel Homes Design Studio. All of the personalization upgrades and options available for selection in your preferred community are showcased there. A Design Consultant will assist you in creating a personalized home within your budget. Typical options include: flooring, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, electric and low-voltage options and so much more!
The answer is yes. At Akel Homes, our included features come with choices to choose from. With every home comes the ability to customize your cabinetry, flooring, countertops and so much more. Even if you do not spend any money on options or upgrades, you may personalize your home – room by room.
A Design Consultant will assist you in each step of the way in defining your ideal home and selecting finishes within your budget. The Design Center appointment(s) is engaging and fun.
The Design Process is broken down into three steps:
- Prior to or at the time of the contract signing, all permitted options and color schemes must be finalized. This is done early on to prevent delays in construction.
- After the Purchase Agreement is signed, the homebuyer will schedule and attend an Orientation Appointment to familiarize them with the selection offerings.
- A few days after the Orientation Appointment, the homebuyer will attend the Selection Appointment. All selections must be finalized within 15 days of the Orientation Appointment. Review your contact to understand the Design Deadlines!
Even before you purchase a home, you can come in and preview the selections during business hours. However, in order to receive personal attention, an appointment is necessary. The Design Process may require several appointments as outlined in your Purchase Agreement. The first appointment may last around 3 to 4 hours as you learn about your preferences and style. Subsequent appointments may be shorter if you are simply finalizing your selections.
Imagine how you and your family will utilize each room. List all of the details that will impact your lifestyle – location of outlets, pre-wiring, and lighting to list a few. Next, visit our decorated models and gather inspiration from the options showcased. We recommend you bring any photos or other design inspiration to the Design Studio appointment to assist your Design Consultant in understanding your style and preferences. Finally, Design Studio appointments can take a few hours. Arrange for a babysitter so that you can focus on the appointment.
The Discovery Period is your opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Selection Appointment. The Akel Design Studio is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM to explore without the assistance of an Options Coordinator. During the Discovery Period we encourage you to:
• Visit the Design Studio during the weekend hours
• Download the option price book via myAkel.com
• Explore the online design studio via myAkel.com
• Research and prepare any design inspiration (photos, magazines, websites, blogs) to assist the Options Coordinator
How much you spend is entirely up to you. Each and every Akel Home comes with premium and luxury included features. Every homebuyer has a different desired budget. Our Options Coordinator will work with you to stay within your desired budget.
The options selections vary by community. Typical selections include cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, appliances, and window coverings. Structural options such as floorplan modifications, smart pre-wiring and environmentally friendly upgrades may be available. Our homes are tailored to your lifestyle.
In most situations, the answer is yes. As long as you meet your lender’s criteria and are able to meet your monthly payments, you can roll your design options into your home. Although you may be financing your options and upgrades, a schedule of payments may still be required. Please refer to the Option and Deposit Schedule Addendum in your Purchase Agreement.
Akel Homes partners with a variety of reputable companies such as Cambria/Silestone/Ceasarstone countertops, Moen/Kohler plumbing fixtures, Whirlpool/KitchenAid/JennAir/Wolf appliances and Mohawk/Emser/Daltile/Shaw flooring to list a few. Each community may carry different brands than others.
Financing FAQs
You will find the base price for every available floorplan on the community page. Keep in mind that there are other costs associated with the purchase of your new home. These include but are not limited to: homesite premium, structural upgrades, design selections and closing costs. Contact an Akel New Home Consultant to learn more about price, included features, and upgrade options available at your community of interest. Our website may not always reflect the most up to date pricing information. The pricing provided at the sales center will always be the most up to date and accurate.
A homesite premium is a cost assigned to homesites that possess qualities which are deemed valuable (premium). Homesite premiums reflect a number of variables that may include homesite size or location; whether the homesite is situated on a corner lot, on a lake or on a cul-de-sac. Contact an Akel New Home Consultant to learn more about homesite premiums.
Contact an Akel New Home Consultant to discuss the estimated taxes on your new home, in addition to consulting your personal tax advisor.
We’re proud to partner with several third-party preferred mortgage lenders to assist in your financing needs. To start your loan application, please contact an Akel New Home Consultant.
Our preferred lenders can assist in the following: general mortgage questions, loan status information, interest rates and payment questions.
Homeownership FAQs
Once you become an Akel Homeowner, you will be given access to the myAkel.com Homeowner Portal. From there, you will be able to access your homes’ construction progress, preview your online studio selections, access your important documents, submit warranty requests, view home care tips and videos.
The home warranty is comprise of three warranties: the one year Akel limited warranty, ten-year third party structural warranty, and third-party manufacturer warranties on appliances.
The Akel limited warranty is a workmanship and distribution systems warranty. The workmanship component address the fit, finish, and materials used in the construction of the home and provides protection against defects throughout the warranty term. The distribution systems component provides protection against defects to the means by which electrical, plumbing, and mechanical functions are delivered throughout the home during the one-year warranty term.
The structural warranty provides protection during the ten-year warranty term against structural defects to the designated load-bearing elements of the home. The structural warranty is administered and provided by a third-party and not Akel Homes.
The appliances in the home are warranted directly by the appliance manufacturer and not Akel Homes. Akel Homes does not assume any of the obligations under any manufacturer’s warranty. As a courtesy to you, Akel Homes pre-registers all appliances and products with a third-party warranty in advance of the closing.
For a full copy of the home warranty, please contact an Akel New Home Consultant.
Warranty requests are to be submitted via myAkel.com during the warranty term. You must set forth the nature of the warranty request by providing information such as the location, the item, a brief description and images (if applicable).
Once a warranty request is submitted on myAkel.com, an Akel Homes representative will contact you to review the warranty request and coordinate any necessary repairs once the warrant request is approved.
Blueprints, plans, and construction documents are proprietary documentation owned by Akel Homes. Due to the variation of construction in each home and community, we are unable to provide these items to you after purchase. You will, however, receive a copy of your floorplan layout which includes approximate room dimensions, and these will also be available via this website.
