Category Archives: building a home

Building your own home can seem like an excellent way to get exactly what you want, and save a little money too. But it isn’t always the easiest route to home ownership to choose. In fact, there are a lot of things that you need to be aware of before you embark on a major project like this. Read on to find out more.

Land
The first thing that you need to be aware of when aiming to build your own property is that you must secure the land to build it on.
This is a lot easier in some states than it is in others. It also used to be the case that the federal government would give away free land to encourage people to build on it. But that no longer happens now as they sell it instead.

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However, there are still some states that will do this independently. Although you will have to meet their individual criteria. For example, you may have to have been a US citizen for a certain amount of time. Or be willing to build a property that is worth over $100000. You can find out some more information about this here.

Plans
Next, when you are aiming to build a home, you need a plan to work from. Some folks think that they can whip out a pencil and draw up their own plans, and expect to have no problems. But this is really asking for trouble. There is a reason architects go to school for so long, and that is because designing home isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to do!
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Now, I get that if you are going for basic design or a smaller building, it might be a lot easier and cheaper to design your own home or buy a pre-drawn design from the internet. But you need to think carefully about how much experience you and your team gave in building and how much customization you want before you do this.

Finances
Of course, houses can’t be conjured out of thin air, so that means they take a fair bit of money to build. You will need to pay for all sort of things such as land surveys, design fees, materials, and labor. But getting financing for building your own home can be difficult.

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To improve your changes make sure that you have at least 25% of the overall house cost saved before you go to the bank for a loan. You should also make sure that your current debts and credit score are in good condition too. Click the link for an interesting read on how your credit works and what you can do to boost it.

Permissions
Now when building your own home, you definitely need to make sure that you have the right permissions before you start construction.
This means talking to your local building permit office or zoning construction center. Remember You will need their permission, as well as permission from any relevant homeowners association to go ahead before you begin work on you home.

Keys and lock the door on the background of solar garden

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When preparing to sell your home, it’s important to look at it from a buyer’s point of view. Those little quirks that you have come to love may not appeal to everyone. And not everyone will share your taste in color and style.

A professional Realtor such as Elizabeth Russo will provide you with invaluable advice about the current market and changes you should make to present your home at its best. The following tips will also help and ensure your home doesn’t linger on the property lists.

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1. Scruffy Garden And Exterior

If you walk or drive past a house with an unkempt garden and peeling paintwork, what is your first impression? Scruffy? Badly maintained? Poor condition? Before buyers make an appointment to view your home, they’re likely to drive past to check it out. If you don’t capture their attention at this point, the appoint is not likely to happen.

It doesn’t take a lot to spruce up your home’s exterior. A simple garden tidy up and a lick of paint is all it really takes. Take the following into consideration:

• Remove any rubbish or garden debris off the property
• Clear all drives and paths from overgrowing plants and bushes
• Ensure everything is neatly cut back and pruned
• Pull up grass and weeds that are growing through paving cracks
• Mend broken fences, gates, and walls
• If paintwork is chipped or peeling, give it a fresh coat
• Provide adequate outdoor lighting for dark evenings

2. Lapsed Maintenance

All those small maintenance tasks you haven’t got round to completing and hardly notice anymore will be evident to potential buyers. For example, squeaky floorboards, doors that don’t fit properly, cracks in the plaster, etc. If they notice prominent issues, they may assume the house has been neglected and wonder what else is going on behind the scenes.

Walk through each room of your home and look at it with fresh eyes. Make a note of all those outstanding tasks and work your way through them.

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3. Storage And Clutter

A cluttered home provides the following impression:

• Small rooms
• Inadequate storage
• Your home is not cared for
• Not enough space to relax, function, live
• Claustrophobic
• Etc.

To avoid providing this impression to your potential buyers, have a good clear out before you put your home on the market. Get rid of anything that is no longer useful to you. If you still have items that you wish to keep and take to your next home, consider renting temporary storage space.

4. Your Personality

Interiors magazines and design blogs will instruct you on ways to add personality to your home. It’s good to put your own stamp on the place. But when you’re selling up, the opposite is true. If you have a strong, pervasive style, this may not appeal to everyone. Remember that you’re trying to sell someone else’s dream. In order to do this, provide them with a blank canvas and enable them to picture themselves living there. Therefore, if you have used strong colors and quirky touches, think about how to neutralize them a little.

Giving some thought to what potential buyers are looking for, will help you reduce the time your home is on the market, and ensure you sell in super fast time.