Thinking about custom building your own home? If so, here is some information on how to go about building your home and how Sue can help you.
Is custom building for me?
If you've ever spoken with someone who has custom built their home, chances are they are not in a hurry to repeat the process. Custom Building is not for the faint of heart. It takes a great deal of time and patience from start to finish. Before deciding to custom build, first make every attempt to find a resale home that will meet your needs, especially if you are a first time homebuyer as oftentimes it is difficult to know what you would like in a custom built home without first living in your own home.
Another avenue to explore is buying a speculation home. These are homes that builders have built to sell and which have never been lived in. If you find one of these homes early enough in the building process, you can still customize things such as paint colors, carpet, tile, stain, etc. That way you get the benefits of customizing your home without the headache of starting from scratch.
If you just can't find what you want and decide custom building is the way to go, here are a few tips on how the process begins.
- The first thing you should do is find someone who will represent you - this most oftentimes is a broker. A broker is usually a real estate agent who has their broker's license and with whom you sign an Agency Agreement. This helps protect you and your interests in the building process.
- Once you have an agent, you should figure out what you can afford and set up your financing. You must know what you are going to be able to put down for a down payment, how large of a loan you qualify for and what your price range is.
- Next, decide in which area you want to live. Check out the schools if you have or will have children; do you want to live near the city; is it necessary that you live close to work, etc.
- Once you find an area that you like and which fits your needs best, you will need to decide on a subdivision or acreage and a floor plan. The best way to do this is to drive around different subdivisions and look at as many different floor plans as possible. Make note of what you like and don't like as well as any extra amenities that you want such as a formal dining room, a large kitchen, a laundry room on the same level as your bedrooms, etc.
- Once you've decided on a floor plan and area of town, it's time to find a builder. It's important when choosing a builder to make sure you look at past homes he's done and talk to past customers. Also, not all builders can build in all subdivisions and not all builders build all floor plans. For instance, some subdivisions are limited to certain builders. Interview any prospective builders.
- Once a builder has been chosen, you must find the lot you would like in the area you have chosen. Be aware that not all floor plans fit on all lots - some lots are better suited to some floor plans than others. Your builder should be able to tell you if the floor plan you have chosen will work for the lot.
- A contract must be drawn up for purchase of the lot.
- Once ownership of the lot has been guaranteed, your builder will have an architect draw up your floor plan, customizing it room-by-room to your specifications.
- Your builder will tell you the exact price it will cost to build your home and, once agreed upon, will start the building process.
If you're custom building your home you may wonder why you would need an agent such as Sue. The benefits of having Sue represent you while building your home are numerous. First, Sue is a licensed broker for the State of Missouri - that means if you sign an Agency Agreement with Sue, she is bound by law to protect your interests with the seller of the lot you choose and the builder. Sue has also been in this area selling homes for over twenty years. She can be invaluable in showing you areas and neighborhoods you might like based on the attributes for which you are looking. Sue will also show you homes with many different floor plan variations. What does this mean for you? It saves you time.
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