On the other hand, a fully custom builder offers you these pros:
• The ability to customize every little detail – there is no existing floor plan until you create one. • The chance to be highly involved in the building and designing of your home. • The opportunity to build your home on whatever lot or site you choose, including waterfront, woods and other “less traveled” areas.
THE HOME SITE SEARCH
While finding existing homes for sale is primarily done online with larger sites such as Zillow and Trulia, finding a lot on which to build your dream home isn’t always so easy. Experts suggest reaching out to absolutely everyone in your network (including a trusted real estate agent!) to narrow down where you want to live. Think about your office, any organizations you might be a part of, your place of worship and, of course, friends and family. Expired and withdrawn listings are another thing to look for — houses aren’t the only listings that expire. And vacant/abandoned properties are another possibility. Once you’ve figured out the piece of land, make sure it’s a good fit in terms of zoning and proximity to local utilities such as trash pickup and water/sewer. If utilities aren’t available, you’ll need to plan for alternative solutions. Your future home site will also need some prep or cleanup — trees removed, ground prepared for building and more. Factor in the cost of buying the lot and preparing the lot as part of your new home budget. Experts suggest to plan for about one third being the cost of the lot alone — in other words, if you plan to spend $500,000 total on a new home, you should expect to spend
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