One of the best ways to ensure that you get your dream home is to work with an architect. Hiring an architect is a significant investment, but if you understand the process and follow a few simple tips, you can get the most out of this important partnership. Finding an architect. Architects are responsible for… Read more »
A certificate of occupancy, or CO as it’s oftentimes called, is an essential document that no property owner should be without. The certificate describes the type of property and its intended use. It specifies the property as residential, commercial, business or multi-dwelling. In addition, the CO confirms that the building has passed all necessary final… Read more »
When shopping for a new home, one of the options you may encounter is a builder’s spec home. Builders construct “spec” homes, short for speculative, hoping to interest a buyer who needs a home as soon as possible. Typically, all that is left to be done in a spec home are the finishing touches, such… Read more »
When building a new home, don’t forget to put serious thought into how the house will be positioned on the lot or acreage. It might seem like a technical detail but the position of the house can have a big affect on day-to-day living. Let’s look at the crucial elements that go into the decision…. Read more »
The foundation of your home is arguably its most important structural component, since every part of the home depends on it remaining firm and level. Different foundations are available and each is made for certain types of soil and other environmental conditions. Let’s look at the four categories of foundations along with the pros and… Read more »
When you are thinking about building a new house you may face a dilemma: Should I build the biggest home in the subdivision? Or, what about the smallest? Once you’ve decided how much space you need and can afford, if the house you are considering would be the smallest or the largest in a neighborhood,… Read more »
When purchasing a new home from a builder, prospective buyers need to know that contract negotiations are a bit different from the typical resale process. First, and foremost, the on-site real estate agent works exclusively for the builder, meaning buyers need their own agent who puts their interests first, particularly through the sales contract negotiation… Read more »
One of the first choices homeowners face when building from the ground up is choosing the location of their new house. How exactly do you go about picking a lot on which to build? Let’s examine the process of lot selection, whether you’re building a custom home or a tract home. Tract homes. When you… Read more »
Brick, stone, stucco, vinyl — the choices can be overwhelming when building a home from the ground up. What type of look are you trying to achieve? And does that aesthetic appeal meet your budget and hold up to the weather conditions in your neck of the woods? Here are some things to consider before… Read more »
When building a new home, you must first decide if you want to hire a custom builder or a tract home builder. There are a lot of variables to consider, so let’s dig in. Tract builder. The tract home builder, also known as a production builder, is often a regional or national company that builds… Read more »
While the majority of homeowners in America live in subdivisions, some prospective homeowners dream of wide open spaces and a quiet natural setting. So what does it take to build in a rural area as compared to a subdivision? Here are some key differences. Buying the land. In many small towns and rural communities, real… Read more »
