Home buying/building

[NatalieC 1]

Yey all, long time since ive been here but ive been a long time browser since my 2 year AOS was granted, an still speak to some vjers via email and messengers.

i was updating my time lines and figured id post a question.

we have been toying with the idea of buying a home, a new one. or building to suit.

we looked at many builders available to us and found one we actually were impressed with. i had asked for help in other forums and done lots of research for our area on line and got mixed emotions on them ( the builders ) . some loved them some hated them etc, thats not really what im wondering about.

im wondering how many of you have recently bought a new home or built, and im asking any wisdom youd like to throw along to us.

i have a nice list of "to dos" like getting a good inspector, making sure to ask the right questions, realtor vs. no realtor etc but im just asking for any wise words from your experiences you may have.

this would be mine and brian's first home and we actually intended to live in it for a good 30 years

we are sort of skipping the typical "starter" home and jumping right into our permanent one. we are both tired of moving ( i moved 4 times in 3 months when still in toronto then the move to the states, and then the move a year later to our current apartment: nuts to this! ) and we would like our big jump from apartment to home to be pretty much permanent (of course work may change that /promotions or job changes)

ideally this would be our home through having kids and getting older

the one we are looking at getting (or building) is just great, a lot of house for the money it costs. we found one model we really loved but it was a bit too far away, so we looked at different subdivisions and found many willing to build the model we are fond of elsewhere.

so again any words of wisdom things you wish you considered, about buying a home, how you went about it, designing it (mostly things you hate or the bad side to certain features like plant shelves aka dust shelves... ), about the closing, ANYTHING you think will help, im willing to come and take into consideration and jot down.

so thanks for any response thrown out. ill appreciate all of them!

[Jasman0717 8]

Try to find a good contractor that does custom homes. Check references!

[NatalieC 1]

Try to find a good contractor that does custom homes. Check references!

Thanks

[Ban Hammer 12,886]

don't skimp on the foundation either. a thicker foundation, deeper footings, thicker retaining walls will be well worth the cost in the long run. start checking out windows and doors, the differences between them. i recommend fiberglass window frames as they last quite a long time and are energy efficient. good brand names are jeldwin and pella. mixed reviews on anderson though. insulate insulate insulate. if you are going to be in the house for 30 years, do leave yourself an access panel to get to the bathtub or shower mixing valve. check out the differences in shingles too. the cost difference between ordinary composition shingles and impact resistant rubber shingles is well worth it if you get hail in your area.

[archie07 0]

There's one problem with building a custom home. When you deviate from the original plan the subs make alot of mistakes since they aren't used to building that home, hence, taking longer. If you can find a model you like that would be the way to go. Decide which direction you want your kitchen to face. It's nice having morning light from the east. Keep in mind the south and west are the warmest areas. If you go with high ceilings you will use more electricity. Since you plan to have children you may want to insulate thier bedrooms walls. Another thing is the cabinets,,, don't get pressboard, go for real wood. Try to find a house plan that utilizes all the space, you don't want to pay insurance and taxes on wasted space just because it looks good. As far as that dust collecting shelf in the living room, I have one, but I put two sets of florescent black lights and an eagle against the back that lights up at night. Once a year I dust it, no big deal. Alot of builders are going under these days, so be careful, watch the builder prior to building the house, see if he personally inspects the home every day. A good builder will be there after work every night checking for any screw ups. Many builders are hiring foreigners to save money, no offence meant here, most cannot read blueprints, so check out his crews also. I had one block crew actually put the window opening in the shower instead of the bedroom. Good Luck

[bgreed 0]

If your going to build find a builder who is familiar with SIPS panels for construction (Structural insulated panel) They form a stronger and more energy efficient house as well the overall construction time is cut signifigantly. For me the best is a timber framed home with a SIPS skin now you have superior strength and energy efficency. Also you get the best square fot usage from a timber frame.

[JenT 0]

I have both bought (3 times) and built (once). Have done a lot of remodeling as well. It would take me all day to write a post with the advice I could give, so feel free to PM if you have specific questions.

Generally, you can get more house if you buy instead of build. If you have time, you can wait for 'the right one'.... the one that has 90% of the features you want and few (ideally no) compromises on the aspects of a home that are most important to you. Develop a wish list if you don't already have one and note the things you absolutely will not compromise on, like having a kitchen big enough for an island, a basement large enough to finish (if one isn't already), fireplace, hot tub, Jacuzzi tub, # of bedrooms, master br on the first floor, whether you need an extra bedroom for visiting relatives, # of bathrooms, ranch vs. 2-story or other, etc.. . Consider your needs as your family grows... for example, in my first home, I wanted the master BR to be on the same floor as the kids' rooms so I could be nearby, esp when they were sick or if there ever were an emergency like a fire or tornado in the middle of the night. But... my third home had a MBR on the main floor, which was more convenient for me, and gave the kids their 'own' space. I didn't have to walk down the hall passed messy bedrooms - out of sight, out of mind ;-) The home I'm in now is a very large ranch, and it's nice to be in the same area as the kids. They do their homework in their rooms and to be able to be nearby to answer questions is helpful. I see more of my 16-yr old that way. She drives now and is developing her own life outside of family, so it's nice to have the proximity when she is home. (Also helpful to keep an eye on computer use, etc.)

Think about where your kids will play (main floor, or in an eventually finished basement, or both)… where they will entertain friend as teenagers (my house is the gathering spot, which is what I wanted, so having separate space for them where they felt comfortable and relatively private was critical) . Think about how much storage you need…, how much garage space you’ll need…. Do you want to store things in an attic, shed, basement, garage… where will you keep your holiday decorations…(sounds silly, but you can run out of storage space pretty quickly). Do you need an area for crafts or exercising?

You say you want to be in this home for 30 years-ish... that's good to have in mind. But, you should keep resale value in mind as well… one never knows where their career will take them. Where’s the location? Near businesses? On a quiet court? Near a highway? On a corner lot? You’ve heard “location, location, location”…. That’s very true. The lot can make all the difference. Do you want acreage and the potential maintenance that does with it? Do you want a garden? Is there fenced yard for a dog? Fence for the kids? Space for a swing set? Which direction is the house facing? Near a school or park? On a busy road? Are you in a historical district where you’ll need approval for any modifications you make to your home? What’s your easement? Access to cable, high speed network for computer use? City water vs. well? Sewer vs. septic? Wells can require maintenance… septics need to be emptied… sometimes drain fields need to be replaced. How wet is the property? Is there a sump pump? Need for one? Foundation, block or poured? What are your taxes going to be like? Attached garage? What will the property be like in all seasons? Will you have to rake a lot of leaves? Is there a pond or pool that you’ll need extra safety precautions around when you have kids? What about in the neighbors’ yards? Who are your neighbors? Check the sex offender registry list (seriously).

Consider than an established home probably already has landscaping (granted, you might want to change it)... and if it's had a few owners, it's prob had some updating along the way. It's already 'settled', so you shouldn't have problems like nail pops and cracks that need to be repaired (as a new home usually will in about a year's time). It's a buyer's market now, in most areas, so you can likely negotiate a price that will allow you to do some remodeling if necessary. Finding a reputable inspector is absolutely critical.... be there during the inspection and ask TONS of questions... that's what you're paying them for.

If you build, I would suggest building the absolute max sq ft you can afford... you'll need every bit of it for a growing family. An architect can take existing floor plans and modify them according to your needs. When we moved to MI, we found a home with a floor plan we liked but we hated the location. So we walked through it with an architect and had him draw it up, with our own changes included. Changes after the drawing are complete, and/or once you’re into construction can be very costly, so think things through very well. Live with it in your head for a while. Try to picture yourself moving through the house? Are the doors swinging in the right direction? Are the hallways wide enough? Pace yourself and don’t try to do it all at once. Basement remodeling can wait a while. So can most of the landscaping and finishing your driveway. You can put lower-end fixtures in with the intent of replacing them eventually. What will the outside of your home be made of? Siding, brick, stone, cedar, log, or combination? Use neutral colors for paint/carpet so you have flexibility with decorating over time. Will you tile, use wood flooring? Quality touches like 4-in molding, panel doors, ornate banisters/stairways do make a statement. DON’T compromise on your kitchen…. It’s where you’ll spend most of your time, and where your guests will hover when you have a party…. Think about you entertaining needs. Do you cook with gas or electric? What type of dryer will you have – gas or electric? Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive remodeling jobs, so try to get that right from the start. I HATE spending $$ on windows, but they do make a difference as far as you energy bills go.

I could go on, but those are my highlights.

[Fandango 1,439]

You should check out more communities with their inventory homes already avail....because the mkt has slowed down considerably, they're discounting the ones they still have in inventory.

And many are giving LOADS of perks. I'm a REALTOR®, and I see it everyday....all the builders keep a very close relationship with us, and we are always being notified of this that or the other....many times, a brand new inventory home will cost less than building, or buying a resale.

If you consult a good REALTOR® , (s)he will know all the communities everywhere around where you want to be, who's giving what perks, etc. (S)he will most likely have floorplans for you to look as well. You could save a lot of time and energy by utilizing his/her skill!

Good luck!

Edited November 28, 2007 by LisaD

[JenT 0]

You should check out more communities with their inventory homes already avail....because the mkt has slowed down considerably, they're discounting the ones they still have in inventory.

And many are giving LOADS of perks. I'm a REALTOR®, and I see it everyday....all the builders keep a very close relationship with us, and we are always being notified of this that or the other....many times, a brand new inventory home will cost less than building, or buying a resale.

If you consult a good REALTOR® , (s)he will know all the communities everywhere around where you want to be, who's giving what perks, etc. (S)he will most likely have floorplans for you to look as well. You could save a lot of time and energy by utilizing his/her skill!

Good luck!

And you'd be paying the realtor commission, so consider that in your purchase price.

Also, if you build and act as your own general contractor, you can save approx 20% overall.... that's what I plan to do on my next move. I'm looking for acreage/horse property at the moment.

[Fandango 1,439]

You should check out more communities with their inventory homes already avail....because the mkt has slowed down considerably, they're discounting the ones they still have in inventory.

And many are giving LOADS of perks. I'm a REALTOR®, and I see it everyday....all the builders keep a very close relationship with us, and we are always being notified of this that or the other....many times, a brand new inventory home will cost less than building, or buying a resale.

If you consult a good REALTOR® , (s)he will know all the communities everywhere around where you want to be, who's giving what perks, etc. (S)he will most likely have floorplans for you to look as well. You could save a lot of time and energy by utilizing his/her skill!

Good luck!

And you'd be paying the realtor commission, so consider that in your purchase price.

Also, if you build and act as your own general contractor, you can save approx 20% overall.... that's what I plan to do on my next move. I'm looking for acreage/horse property at the moment.

Where would buyer pay comm? Where?

[JenT 0]

You should check out more communities with their inventory homes already avail....because the mkt has slowed down considerably, they're discounting the ones they still have in inventory.

And many are giving LOADS of perks. I'm a REALTOR®, and I see it everyday....all the builders keep a very close relationship with us, and we are always being notified of this that or the other....many times, a brand new inventory home will cost less than building, or buying a resale.

If you consult a good REALTOR® , (s)he will know all the communities everywhere around where you want to be, who's giving what perks, etc. (S)he will most likely have floorplans for you to look as well. You could save a lot of time and energy by utilizing his/her skill!

Good luck!

And you'd be paying the realtor commission, so consider that in your purchase price.

Also, if you build and act as your own general contractor, you can save approx 20% overall.... that's what I plan to do on my next move. I'm looking for acreage/horse property at the moment.

Where would buyer pay comm? Where?

Oh duh... sorry.. I'm thinking of mortgage points.... thanks for correcting!!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I have visited a few home forums, and one comment many make when building, is that be around when the house is being built! Many times the owner goes back, and sees that mistakes have been made, (wall wasnt suppose to be there, wrong cabinets, etc) So its a good thing to check out the progress.

[Fandango 1,439]

You should check out more communities with their inventory homes already avail....because the mkt has slowed down considerably, they're discounting the ones they still have in inventory.

And many are giving LOADS of perks. I'm a REALTOR®, and I see it everyday....all the builders keep a very close relationship with us, and we are always being notified of this that or the other....many times, a brand new inventory home will cost less than building, or buying a resale.

If you consult a good REALTOR® , (s)he will know all the communities everywhere around where you want to be, who's giving what perks, etc. (S)he will most likely have floorplans for you to look as well. You could save a lot of time and energy by utilizing his/her skill!

Good luck!

And you'd be paying the realtor commission, so consider that in your purchase price.

Also, if you build and act as your own general contractor, you can save approx 20% overall.... that's what I plan to do on my next move. I'm looking for acreage/horse property at the moment.

Where would buyer pay comm? Where?

Oh duh... sorry.. I'm thinking of mortgage points.... thanks for correcting!!!

Heh, sok

The people who work for the builders are also REALTORS® btw...someone's gettin paid regardless of whether one uses an outside agent or not. The beneficial thing to a buyer, though, is the fact that the builders who offer a co-broke (work with outside agents) keep a very close relationship with them. I am in the loop of what every community around me is offering, what extra incentives they're giving, etc. You can drive from community to community, but Susie from XYZ builders is not really going to tell you that ABC builders are offering $30k worth of upgrades for free. So a buyer can spend his/her time and energy combing thru each one, or go into an outside firm and speak to someone like me, who will have all the info for every builder. You sit down, see who's offering what, check the floor plans, then go look at the ones which interest you. Not spend every weekend in builders' offices speaking to multiple single reps.

And the thing about buying in new communities is that if it's a fairly large builder, they have relationships with certain lenders, and sometimes the deals they can offer to a buyer for working with their preferred lenders are unbelievable. Not these interest only ARMs dodgy ones either. And let's not also forget the builder's warranty either.

Edited November 28, 2007 by LisaD

[NatalieC 1]

thanks for all the great replies

i read the first 3, im heading out now to figure out what we will do with our lease that is up in a month with the landlord, and will come back and read all the long ones..

just to clarify, we arent intending to build from scratch or deviate the actual model( since yes that drags it out alot and a few of the builders we have spoken to refuse to deviate from the actual structure of the model. we are just thinking of the"upgrade" options the house can have. most of them are structural or decorative, not many have function. ill have to go look at the list i have available to list a few examples.

like i said ill be back soon to read all the great info more clearly.

the one we are most interested in is a 3 bd +loft (instead of 4th bed) , 3 car, finished basement home.

the model the have as a 4 bd + loft had larger bed rooms but much smaller living areas, and the basement was divided too much for our liking. i WILL admit, it is a much more young child friendly home( which we have none of but do intend to have) brian has no real desires with the home other than is having a finished basement. a room int he basement with no or very few windows (he intends to black it out and make an AV room) and that it have a 3 car garage.

the larger home didnt have his "dream" av room as a possibility, so it crossed off that one. we have been told 6 months to build, which im thinking is more 9months to a year.

any how thats just a few more bits of info

[bgreed 0]

Being as I am in the construction end of things there's lots of other things I could add as far as interior finish goes. Or what might be the best direction to have your house face. By the way if you want a deck make sure that you put it on the East side of the house as the afternoon sun makes a west facing deck unbearable.

Different heating and cooling systems, most builders don't think beyond standard forced air systems.

I will have to agree that there are a lot of bargins on the market right now. Some of the best could be Repos. Since a fairly large number of folks over the last five years bought houses over their heads and couldn't manage their credit now their houses are sometimes available at very good prices. You can check with your local Register of Deeds office for the houses in your area under foreclosure. Bought the house my ex now has as a foreclosure. SHe has over $50,000 equity and a house payment less than you would pay for a one room apartment in some areas.

PM me if you have any questions