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move-in-checklist-for-new-custom-homes

The Ultimate Move-In Checklist for New Custom Homes

You have successfully brought your vision of your luxuriously custom-crafted home to life, from envisioning the layout, choosing the custom features, and experiencing a virtual walkthrough. Now, it’s time to move in and enjoy the reward of all your hard work. Moving into a new custom home is an exciting time. It’s crucial to ensure everything is in order before you settle in. Below is a move-in checklist for your new custom home. Before Moving Day Final Walkthrough with Builder or Contractor Before move-in day, your custom home contractor will have a walkthrough of your new home with you to verify that everything is completed to your satisfaction. This is your time to ensure all items in your contract have been addressed and any punch list items are completed. Utilities Before you move into your new custom home, you’ll want to ensure that your utilities including water, electricity, gas, internet,

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February 23, 2024
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Property Taxes: The Ultimate Guide for Custom Built Homes

Working with a contractor to build a home that is customized for your unique needs and vision is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience. From choosing the features of your new kitchen to finding the perfect tile for your backsplash, you get to exercise your creativity and control. However, one element of moving into a new home that is not in your control, even if you’re custom building, is the need to pay property taxes. Estimating property taxes for a new custom home involves several steps. Here’s a general process to help you determine your potential tax liability and ways to potentially lower it.  How to Assess Property Taxes Determine Your New-Build Home’s Assessed Value Property taxes are usually based on the assessed value of your home. For new homes, this could be based on the value of the land plus the cost to build or the appraised value upon completion. Local

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February 16, 2024
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How to Childproof My Custom Home

The beauty of a newly built, customized home is that it can be designed with even the youngest members of your family in mind without sacrificing luxury or style. Designing a new custom home with child safety in mind is crucial for families with young children or those planning to have children in the future. Below are some child safety tips to consider. Open Floor Plans When planning the design of your custom home project, consider opting for an open floor plan. Open designs allow parents to keep an eye on their kids from various parts of the home. Open floor plans are also great for allowing natural light into your home, creating space for entertaining and embracing a modern feel. Sharp Corners When picking out furniture and countertops, look for rounded corners that pose less of a risk of injury to children. Rounded corners are also less prone to

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February 9, 2024
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Budgeting Tips for Building a Custom Home

Building a custom home is a significant investment, both financially and emotionally. Proper budgeting is crucial to ensuring that the project goes smoothly and that you end up with the home of your dreams without breaking the bank. Below are some tips to consider when budgeting for your custom home. Set a Clear Budget Upfront Before anything else, determine how much you’re willing to spend on your custom-built home. Take into consideration your savings, the loan amount you qualify for, and how much of a monthly payment you can comfortably afford. Prioritize Your Wants and Needs List out all the features and amenities you’d like in your new home. Next, prioritize them into “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves”. This will help you decide where to allocate funds and where to cut back if necessary. Factor in the Land Cost Remember that the cost of the land is a significant part of your

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February 2, 2024
Hidden-Costs-in-Custom-Homes

What Are Some “Hidden” Costs When Building a New Custom Home?

Bringing your custom dream home to life is a complex process, and many costs can arise, both expected and unexpected. Below is a list of potential hidden costs to be aware of. Land Preparation and Unforeseen Site Work Before construction on your new home can begin, your land must be cleared of trees and bushes, the soil must be tested to ensure it can support a home, and any gas, water, or electric lines must be discovered and relocated. Your contractor will ensure there will be proper water drainage away from your home, and any digging for a basement or filling in depressions will need to be done. Permit and Impact Fees While you might expect to pay for building permits to construct your new home, the cost can vary widely based on your municipality or region. Some neighborhoods might also charge for school, park, or road impact fees. Design

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January 26, 2024
Cut Costs For Custom Home

How to Cut Costs When Building Your Custom Home

How do you balance your idealistic vision of your dream home with real-world practicalities? Building a custom home can be an expensive endeavor, but there are several ways to reduce costs without compromising on quality. Below are some strategies to consider.  Plan & Design Simplify the Design: The more corners, angles, and intricate details a custom home design has, the more it will cost. Consider simpler shapes like rectangles and squares. Optimize House Orientation: Design your dream home to take advantage of natural sunlight, which can reduce heating and lighting costs. Learn More: Designing the Perfect Floor Plan: Unlocking Your Custom Layout Budget & Finance Set a Clear Budget: Know your maximum new build home budget and add a contingency fund (typically 10-20%) for unexpected expenses. Secure Favorable Financing: Shop around for the best construction loan terms with a reputable custom home builder. Learn More: 5 Cost-Saving Tips for Building

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January 19, 2024
Building-Custom-Home-Now

Navigating Today’s Real Estate Market: Why Building Now is a Wise Investment

In the ever-changing landscape of today’s economy, particularly within the real estate sector, prospective homeowners are faced with a crucial question: Is now the right time to build a home? Current market trends and financial analysis suggest that taking the leap into construction right now could be a highly beneficial financial move.  Understanding the Power of Refinancing Refinancing is a strategic tool that shouldn’t be overlooked in the current economic climate. Homebuyers who are apprehensive about the current high mortgage rates must consider the long-term picture. The ability to refinance later, when rates are lower, can secure a valuable property and significantly reduce the cost of borrowing in the future. Timing is Everything in Real Estate The real estate market is cyclical by nature. The Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors recently reported, “Yun forecasts that interest rates will drop to between 6-7% by the spring buying season and

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January 12, 2024
One or Two-Story Custom Home

Building a One-Story vs. a Two-Story Custom Home: Which Is More Cost Effective?

You have a vision in your mind of your future dream home and know that you want to invest in a modern, luxurious sanctuary for yourself and your family. Working with the right contractor will help you bring your ideal vision to life while balancing the important building cost considerations. Is it better to make your new home one or two stories? Whether it is more cost-effective to build a one-story or two-story custom home depends on a range of factors. Let’s explore some of the key considerations below. Cost of Land In areas where land is expensive, it might be more cost-effective to build upwards (two or more stories) to maximize the living space on a smaller footprint, thereby reducing the amount of land needed. Foundation & Roofing Costs Foundations and roofs are two of the more expensive components of home construction. A one-story home will generally have a

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January 5, 2024

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