Update #2
Meeting at Midcentury Japandi
Anchor Team Members
- Barak Steenlage, Co-Owner / Leah Ramon, Operations & Marketing
- July 7, 2026
- Barak Steenlage, Co-Owner
- Leah Ramon, Operations & Marketing
- July 7, 2026
We have been building homes for over 20 years and in that time, clients have found us in all sorts of ways: referrals, realtors, internet searches,… We first met this client at our Midcentury Japandi home on the 2025 MSP Home Tour (one of our team’s all time favorite projects!). We didn’t know it at the time, but the couple had come to take a look at our work in person.
TIP: Home tours are a great way to learn more about a potential builder or remodeler.
It’s easy to get caught up with the physical features of the home. Be sure to check out the build quality, design decisions, and don’t forget to assess the builder’s personality. You will be working alongside this builder for the next 6–18 months.
Leah Ramon
Operations & Marketing Coordinator
After seeing our work in person, this couple reached out via our website to learn more and start the process. The first person you will talk to is likely our amazing office manager, Leah! She’ll learn more about your project and get you pointed in the right direction.
For a remodel or addition, the first step is normally a Feasibility Assessment. Barak Steenlage, Co-Owner of Anchor Builders, will come out to your property and help determine what’s possible. What are your options and the rough costs.
For new builds, like this project, the process is a little different. The location of your new home will have major impacts on the design of your new home. Is it on a slope, next to a lake, next to a wetland? Instead of a Feasibility Assessment, our first conversations focuses on your home vision and finding a lot to achieve that vision.
During the first phone call with Barak, the couple had the opportunity to ask all their home building questions. Eventually, the conversation turned to, “Do you have a lot in mind?” The couple did indeed have a location they had pre-scouted. The lot was in Apple Valley and next to a lake. The next step was to determine if it was the correct lot. What are the permitting restrictions? Will your home vision fit on this location? Are there slopes or environmental factors that need to be considered?
For new builds, like this project, the process is a little different. The location of your new home will have major impacts on the design of your new home. Is it on a slope, next to a lake, next to a wetland? Instead of a Feasibility Assessment, our first conversations focuses on your home vision and finding a lot to achieve that vision.
During the first phone call with Barak, the couple had the opportunity to ask all their home building questions. Eventually, the conversation turned to, “Do you have a lot in mind?” The couple did indeed have a location they had pre-scouted. The lot was in Apple Valley and next to a lake. The next step was to determine if it was the correct lot. What are the permitting restrictions? Will your home vision fit on this location? Are there slopes or environmental factors that need to be considered?
Barak Steenlage
Director of Sales / Co-Owner
Coming Up Next:
We’ll dive into the lot specifics and how purchasing a lot ties into the larger financing picture.