There is a couple getting married this year. The groom-to-be has a nice house, but it only has a one car garage and not much storage space. The wife-to-be has a nice house, too, but it’s located in a very rural area, far from things like grocery stores, theaters, and church. Oh, and it doesn’t even have a garage or a paved driveway or trash pick-up! When the couple officially ties the knot, where will they live? Should they just settle for putting all of their stuff into one house? Alternatively, should they consider having a dream home custom built for them to move into sooner than later?
How do people turn their dream custom built home into reality? Well, it takes time, energy, planning, and the help of other people
Tired of Looking For the Right Home
For starters, you’ve got to be unsatisfied with what’s available “out there” in the area you want to live. For example, say you want a ranch but it seems like all the houses currently for sale in your ideal neighborhood have two or more floors. Or, perhaps, you don’t want to be “on top” of neighbors. You’ve had enough of seeing neighbors around you every single time you go outside to get the mail or paper. You want to escape to a more remote area where there are so many trees and bushes that you can’t even see neighbors. Maybe you’re at a certain age where you’ve saved up some money and want to “finally” have a house made to your specifications, rather than settling for a house designed and built for someone else and/or cookie-cutter like “all the others.” There’s something very fulfilling about having the power to call the shots on what your dream home will look and feel like– so a custom home has potential. Are you at the point where options are few and you’re saying to yourself, “I think it’s time to start fresh.” Now what, then?
Financing for a Custom Home
First, you’ll want to get your financing in order. Can you afford a construction loan? Will you need to buy land? How will you finance that purchase? How will you pay for the actual construction of the home on that land? Don’t forget hidden costs and things like “settlement fees.” If you’ve got excellent credit and can afford a down payment of 25% right now, then “go for it.” Talk to lenders and set the wheels in motion.
Selecting the Right Home Builder
Next, you’ll want to do your research about custom home builders in your area. Who does what and how well do they do it? Read online reviews. Talk to former customers. Personally interview prospective people you might want to hire, asking them all sorts of questions. Oftentimes, you’ll end up “going with your gut feeling” coupled with “how others thought of them.” Of course, costs are always an issue. Do the prices seem fair for what they offer (compared to others in the market) or are they weirdly too low or absurdly too high?
After that, put the phrase “land and a plan” into your daily conversations. You’ll want to meet with those who can help you make your dream house a reality and go over details about making it all happen in real life. Most likely, there’ll be a lot of paperwork, emails, phone calls, and face-to-face talks to determine the course of action. Things like where to place utilities and a driveway should be discussed and debated. Are there city or county rules that have to be followed? For some, this fun; for others, it isn’t. Either way, it’s part of the process.
Picking the Right Location
Ideally, you’ll want to pick a location that makes sense to you for however long you plan to be there. You might want to consider resale value, too, when determining what the house will ultimately look like and where it will be located. Now one other important thought is this: planning ahead is so paramount. You want to have “all your ducks in a row” before construction starts. Anytime you decide to change stuff around while construction is happening you’re going to get delays and cost overruns. So, once you have your plan, stick with it best you can ‘til it’s completed to save time and money.
In the Tallahassee area, Reynolds Home Builders can be your go-to firm to get your dream home built. Want to know more about custom home options? Please contact them at 850-508-5076 or email reynoldshomebuilders@hotmail.com today.