Category Archives: About Us

We have taken everything we have learned building hundreds of quality homes all over New Brunswick, and now Martell Home Builders have now levelled up to become Martell Custom Homes – the final word in luxury. We made our mark as the most reliable, trustworthy, and accountable home builders in New Brunswick for semidetached and mid-sized homes, and are now focusing our talent on large-scale, luxury, custom builds.

What makes Martell Custom Homes different? We combine Atlantic Canadian honesty, customer service, and dependability with urban-level business savvy. We know what it takes to build your home to the highest standards, and we have the experience, drive, and desire to exceed your expectations. Your home is your statement to the world, and we create your sanctuary, your venue for entertaining, your niche for creating and storing memories that will last a lifetime.

Your style, your home, your place in the world.

As a testament to this experience, drive, and desire, Martell Custom Homes offers the GLASS PROMISE. We know that a promise made is as delicate and fragile as glass, and we strive to be transparent, crystal clear. Those in glass houses are on display, and we welcome the scrutiny. We do not cut corners, we do not break our word, and we are transparent about every aspect of your build.

Our clients become family as we build their place in this world.

Location: Just Off King George Highway, Miramichi, NB

Welcome to Gretna Green Subdivision. This executive neighbourhood boasts underground power, fully serviced lots, curbs,  and excellent location.

Schools:

Elementary: Gretna Green Elementary

 Middle: Harkins Middle School

High School: Miramichi Valley High School

 Amenities: shopping, schools, banking, medical centres

 Lot Prices:  starting at only $33,500.00

To book a Discovery Session and start planning your new home in Gretna Green, call Andrew today at 506-251-1681or by email adunn@themartellexperience.com.

Thanks to Luke Betts of Moncton for this fantastic photo of his house today!

Two weeks ago we shared our thoughts on why your home isn’t selling (read more here).  At the end of that post, I promised to follow up with some actionable steps that you can take to create more value and get your home sold.  While my original focus was on general steps to increase value, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the 5+ feet of snow staring at me through my front window (and my Facebook feed).  So, if you’re home is currently for sale, here is what you need to know….

1.  SHOW ME A SIGN

I’m willing to bet that your lawn sign is currently buried… First thing being first, get outside and see whether the sign can be dug out and made visible from the street.  If so, great!  Whether you dig it out or your Realtor does, well that’s up to you BUT at the very least make sure your Realtor knows that the sign is buried and whether it can be dug out.  If your sign has no chance of being dug out because of where the snow is being thrown, then you need to contact your Realtor right away and get a new sign.  I don’t generally recommend jamming a new sign into the top of a snowbank for safety reasons but, find a high visibility location to place it like ON the house/porch, etc.

2. SALT & SHOVEL 

Before you call me captain obvious, hear me out.  I don’t mean basic snow removal.  If your home is for sale, you have to take your snow removal to the next level.  If potential buyers have to walk sideways between their car and the banks to get up your driveway, they are automatically feeling discomfort and are associating that feeling with your home.  It is essential that you take the time to widen paths and walkways and, if possible, salt them down until they’re bare.  If buyers can plant their feet firmly on the ground, they will automatically feel more confident with the property.  If buyers are waddling, arms outstretched, on ice… well, they’re not looking at your house.  They’re actually just trying not to fall.

If buyers are trekking through this, they will be feeling emotional in all of the wrong ways.

3. FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT!

The temperature inside the home is such an important component of presenting the highest value for the property.  If buyers are cold inside your home, they are uncomfortable and, again, they associate that feeling with the home.  Further, consciously or subconsciously, they’re likely running through a list of all of the reasons that the home could be cold: Poor insulation? Defective/old heat system? Bad windows? And the list goes on… don’t put your home (or yourself) through the added scrutiny and turn the heat up a few hours prior to showing.  Remember, you may choose to wear slippers and sweaters inside a la Fred Rogers, but your buyers may not.

4. WINDOWS (and everything) CLEANER THAN CLEAN

Have you ever noticed just how bright the world is when it’s covered it snow?  The extra brightness reflected in the snow makes every spec of dust, dirt and grime show much more obviously that normal.  As such, Winter is the perfect time to get the cleaners in or throw in extra elbow grease and get your windows, floors and flat surfaces absolutely spotless.

5. CLEAR DECKS, PATIOS AND PORCHES COMPLETELY

This one isn’t so obvious.  A huge part of the living space that your home offers is the outdoor living space.  But if buyers can see it, you can’t sell it!  So, get out on your porch, deck and/or patio and shovel it completely so that potential buyers can visualize what the home will be like beyond winter.  And let’s face it, just about every New Brunswicker is currently longing for summer.  Show them that your home is going to give them the summer living spaces that they’re currently dreaming about!

6. SPEAKING OF SUMMER… UPDATE YOUR PHOTOS! 

If the online leading photo of your home shows a lush green lawn, replace it with a photo that shows the home in the snow.  WHY?  Because a photo of your home with a green lawn will stand out like a sore thumb and buyers will assume that the home has been sitting on the market forever… then they will ask why and likely assume the worst! Don’t risk it… the photo that you’re using to market your home should be a reflection of how it looks today… not 6 months ago.

What other winter selling challenges can you add to this list?

It’s been a whirlwind few months at Martell Home Builders and we couldn’t be happier.  Our founder Pierre Martell & his fiancee Jess Boudreau have been busy expanding the Martell Home Builders family, by 17 people!  Have a look at what they’ve been up to:

One of the best parts of the CHAT program, beyond the lives that they’re saving in Uganda, is the way that they’re impacting the lives of Canadian kids.  Literally, we are raising a generation of Canadian kids who are global activitists, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.  The future is BRIGHT for these kids!

Obviously, we’ve got a big job ahead of us in raising the finds required to DOUBLE the amount of children whose lives are saved by CHAT to the Future!

How you can help? Teachers/parents: is your school a CHAT school yet?  http://www.chattothefuture.org/teachers/

Everyone else: we can’t start construction until we’ve hit our funding goal….We need to raise some funds and we need everyone to see this video!

1. PLEASE SHARE this with your network and as many people as you can!

2. Please, please, please consider opening your heart (and wallet) to this amazing organization and help us impact that many more children: http://www.chattothefuture.org/invest/ (Click Build)

How are you giving back this Holiday Season?

Thanks to our friends at XL96 Country, the generosity of our vendors and tons of hard work and planning, the MHB team got to experience the thrill of a lifetime last Saturday.  This thrill? Giving away a Martell Home- free and clear- to John Baxter & his family, of Lower Coverdale, NB.  Not to mention also pulling off the largest radio giveaway ever, east of Calgary!

Months ago, the idea was born.  It all started with a bet between morning hosts Scotty Horsman & Tony Smith… could Tony quit bacon for a week?  They called it #bacation.  Tension ran deep and stakes were high… things seemed to be getting out of hand when Tony bet his new (under-construction) Martell Home.  Imagine his surprise when he lost the bet!  Some said he was set up but rules are rules and he did consume the bacon.

Construction continued and the MHB team could not believe what legs this contest had developed.  Everywhere we went, people were talking about the home giveaway… including the drive-thru girls at Tim’s.  People were ecstatic and the contest was the talk of the town…

Fast forward to Saturday, October 26, 2013.  Eligible contestants had been narrowed down to 46 people and they all stood patiently in line, waiting for their chance to insert their key into the door of 35 Holland and see if they had the only key that would open the lock.  They approached the door one-by-one and the suspense was ridiculous.

And finally, John Baxter and his granddaughter approached the house with Key #17.  And well, you should probably watch it for yourself:

To everyone who helped make this promotion a reality, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.  This was truly the highlight of our year (or more) and we are so grateful that we were able to be a part of this.  To the Baxters, we hope you enjoy the home as much as we loved building it!

WIN Tony’s New Home! XL 96.9 announced last week, the biggest radio contest EVER in Atlantic Canada! XL Country 96.9 and Martell Homes have teamed up give away a newly built home. In fact, its still being built now! Stop by 35 Holland Drive in Moncton, and see it for yourself!

 You don’t need to buy a ticket to win this home. This is a contest for XL Listeners ONLY!

 Weekdays at 7:10a, 8:10a, 9:10a, 1:10p, 3:10p, and 5:10p, call us to hide your key! There is only one catch: You have to remember where the LAST listener hid their key to win!

 Remember where the last key was hidden, and you could win a NEW Martell Home! Imagine, being MORTGAGE FREE for LIFE!

 This is a contest to write home about! So tune in to XL Country 96.9 all week, and your families dreams could come true.

 We are so excited to give away a house!!

We are so pleased to have been invited by Bernadette Kenny to speak at her upcoming Home Buyers Seminar.  A home buyers seminar is a great opportunity to sit down and let the experts walk you through the steps toward owning your dream home.

Who are the experts?  Bernadette Kenny of The Mortgage Center as well as our own Pierre Martell will walk you through everything from how to obtain a mortgage, to what you need to know when choosing a builder.  Finally, we will be joined by a local lawyer to address questions regarding the legal process of becoming a home owner.

If you’re considering building now, or even further down the road, please come out and join us on Sat, April 20 from 10am-noon at the Chocolate River Station.  RSVP to hold your spot today: 852-8424 or bernkenny@aol.com.

Thanks!! We can’t wait to see you there.

Last month, we announced our Buyer’s Market promotion.  Thanks to this, three of our inventory homes have found new families!

This month, we are sweetening the deal!  For any of the homes listed below, purchased before April 18th, we are including 4 appliances (Fridge, stove, dishwasher, range hood/microwave).

Check out the remaining inventory below and see whether any of these homes is of interest to you, or someone you know.  And feel free to give Natalie a call at 232-1276 with any questions at all.

$137,600.00: 1 Caspian Ct
Quick closing available, raised ranch semi boasting cathedral ceilings, dark hardwood floors and a prime North Moncton location.

$153,900.00: 15 Caspian Ct
Move-in ready on one of the best lots that we have (private & treed).  Dark hardwood floors, gorgeous kitchen. Must-see!  Court location.

$157,900.00: 52 Caspian Ct
Choose your interior! New front elevation with gorgeous porch & eave details. Massive pie shaped lot- large enough to add a detached garage!

$156,900.00: 59 Caspian Ct
Choose your interior! Large home boasts 1510sf of above-grade living space & cathedral ceilings in master. Private, treed yard.

Looks like it’s time to make room on our AHW Wall of Fame.

Last Saturday morning, each member of the MHB team was doing their respective happy dance as we received an email letting us know that we’ve won the Atlantic Home Warranty Customer Choice Award!  This is our third time receiving this honor- an achievement that we do not take lightly.

Atlantic Home Warranty is a third-party warranty organization providing protection for new homebuyers, as well as the confidence they need in home builders. The company is based in Halifax, with representatives in all four Atlantic provinces.

Each year, AHW surveys new homeowners in the following way:

The survey consists of 26 questions that deal with the homeowners’ experience with their Builder in all aspects of the purchase of their new home. This includes the Builders’ sales staff or their realtor, office and construction staff, as well as the Builders’ after sales service. The last question on the survey asks the homeowner if they will recommend their Builder to their family and friends who are thinking of purchasing a new home. (Source: http://ahwp.org/homeowners/customer-choice-awards/)

What really gets us about receiving this award? Our clients made this happen.  Obviously, we LOVE our clients… but it’s pretty cool to know just how much they love us back.

To our clients: THANK YOU!  Thank you for choosing us to build your home, for joining our family, for making every day AWESOME.  You’re why we do this.