If you’re considering building a home from scratch, there are a lot of things to consider. Here are five things to keep in mind during new construction.
1. Your attitude can determine your entire experience.
The building process can be a long, stressful, and tiring experience. If you approach the process with a positive outlook, you’ll be able to deal with unexpected frustrations with ease and optimism. But if you approach the process with a negative, pessimistic outlook, you’ll be easily aggravated when things go wrong. Perfection isn’t attainable. Trust us on that. Your construction crew will forget things, items will be damaged, the completion date will be pushed further and further back. With patience and compassion, you’ll be able to handle these circumstances like a champ. But if you don’t have the right attitude, the process could spiral into an extraordinarily stressful experience.
2. Visit the construction site as much as possible.
It’s not always possible to visit the home site on a regular basis, but you should check it out as often as you can. It’s important that the builder knows you’re keeping a close eye on the work being done and the progress being made. This will also keep them on their toes because you’re more likely to catch mistakes when you visit in-person.
3. When issues arise, go through your realtor.
You need a realtor on your side, even when you’re building a home from the ground up. They can help you invest your money wisely when you’re designing your home, as well as mediate any problems that come up while the home is being built.
4. Get ready to spend a lot of cash.
When you’re building a new home, you need a lot of money, plain and simple. You need your down payment, of course, but you also need cash set aside for appliances, flooring, ceiling fans, new lighting, shutters/blinds, and more. And don’t forget property taxes and home insurance.
5. Know that your closing date is going to change.
It’s possible that your closing date will move up and your home will be finished earlier than estimated, but the opposite will probably happen. It’s not uncommon for the closing date to be delayed several months. If you’re renting while your home is being built, be prepared to go month-to-month while you wait patiently for your new space to be move-in ready.
