What Do You Need To Know Before Building and Owning Your First Home?
Having your first home built should be an exciting and thrilling experience. Sometimes that is not always the case, so we are here with some tips and ideas on what you should know before you build and what every first-time homeowner should know.
Welcome to the Architecture Plus Blog! If you've found yourself here, we are guessing you are looking to build your first home, an office building, remodel parts of your home, love architecture, or you're looking for tips and suggestions on the how to's of the homeowning world. You're in luck! You've found yourself in the right place. At Architecture Plus, we help make your dreams become realities in both the world of commercial architecture and residential architecture. Before we begin today's blog if you want to learn more about what commercial and residential architecture is, we encourage you to read our last two blog series' that discusses just that!
Our company is very well rounded in what we offer to our customers. We are a full-service architectural design firm that specializes in renovations, residential new construction, commercial building design, and the adaptive reuse of older buildings. We believe that architecture must be durable, functional, culture-based, and be responsive to each individual character and to the desire of each individual client. Our goal is to provide quality architectural services and to harmoniously improve our built environment one structure at a time. We will be just as passionate about your build as you will be, and we want to make sure that it is the best experience possible when working with us. That being said, we understand that being a first-time homeowner or having your first home built can be overwhelming. Thankfully, both experiences don't have to be difficult or overwhelming. Inspired by this we wanted to offer some tips and suggestions for every first-time home builder and first-time homeowner.
What Should I Know When I'm Having My First Home Built?
You've finally made it to the point in your life when you want to work with us at Architecture Plus to design and build your first home, dream home, or vacation home. Where ever you are in this process, we wanted to share a few anecdotes to help make this process as smooth as possible.
Please know that the building schedule can change, and this will be due to many different elements both natural and man-made. Sometimes the weather can stand in the way while waiting on the proper permits and zoning paperwork to be finished can also back up your build schedule. Be prepared to be flexible and be prepared to work with your architect and contractor on this. We encourage you to keep the lines of communication as open as possible.
Think about your future when you're designing your home. Will you want rooms for future children or guests? Will you want space to possibly work from home in, a room to study in if you go back to school, or to help you start a new business? Think about how much time you will be spending at home, what is important in a home for you and your family, and what rooms you will spend the most time in. While you're building in the here and now, think about where you and your family will be in 10 or 15 years.
The process of having a home built can be stressful, and patience is a key tool in this process. We do know and can promise it will be worth the wait and it will be very rewarding to walk into the home you've been dreaming of for years.
Be prepared with your budget before you begin, know how much you plan on financing the project for, and make sure to have all of this planned out before you being building. Also, prepare for and have money set aside for out of pocket expenses, surprises, and the unexpected.
Invest in the small things! Investing in high-end fixtures, features, and other additions when building your home can help avoid replacing or repairing these parts of your home, helping to save you money. These kinds of investments can also help raise the value of your home in the future if you wish to sell it someday.
When working out your design with your architect, don't forget about storage. Keep this in mind if you are planning on growing your family or if you're wanting to downsize to a smaller home. While this won't be as exciting as planning out your kitchen or bathrooms, you'll thank yourself for it later. It can also help with the value of your home in the future. Plenty of storage space will always be appealing and will never go out of style on the market.
Please do your research! Research your architects and contractors before you begin working with them.
While you are building for the here and now, there may come a time when you want, need, or have to move. When you're building, think about the resale value. Consider your neighborhood, the uniqueness of what you're building, and if the additions and special touches you are choosing to add are timeless or a temporary fad.
Think about going green as much as you can. Being energy efficient can help you save money throughout the lifetime of living in your home and can help keep it in excellent shape.
While your dream home is your dream home, ask yourself if every room in the house you're designing has a purpose and optimize the space you are creating.
Don't forget about the details that come with building your home, like your landscaping and the land you've picked to build your home on. Think about the overall design as a whole, both inside and outside of your walls.
Consider lighting and if you want a lot of natural light or not. This will determine what kind and how many windows you'll have, and what kind of window treatments you'll need to invest in.
Consider ceiling heights, hallway widths, which way you want your doors to open, outlets and switches, safety features for the whole family, where and what size you want your appliances to be, how much open space you want, and how much you want to spend inside and out. The little details will make all the difference.
When it is time to start the process of building your home, make sure you've picked a lot that will support your home and could be attractive to future buyers. The better the lot, the better your situation will be. This can be one of the most difficult parts of the home building experience, as finding a lot is getting harder and harder with open land becoming a rarity, lots can be more expensive than your future home might be worth, or having to buy a property with a home already on it that needs to be removed before you begin building. Remember that a lot of factors go into a good lot; the location, the neighborhood it's in, its reputation, and what it's close to.
Communication is going to be very important between you and your architect. Be honest with your build team and be open to answering their questions and requests.
What Do You Need To Know As A First Time Home Owner?
It's no surprise that great responsibility and excitement comes with owning your first home. Some responsibilities will be very obvious, while some will always come as unexpected surprises. We wanted to take the element of shock and surprise out of being a first-time homeowner with these tips and ideas!
When you sign your name on the dotted line and have keys in hand, it's time to celebrate and time to buy homeowners insurance that fits your specific home and your family's needs. Your policy will change on where you live, the age of your home, and the natural elements that are close to your home.
Begin saving early, set a budget, and stick to it! While you can spend a little bit more or go and get a bigger loan, that can get in the way of enjoying your home and your life after purchasing.
Work on strengthening your credit and research where you want to get your mortgage from in advance.
Work towards paying off your debt before buying your home and invest in a home savings fund before moving in. This fund will be for any accidents, repairs, and unexpected issues that will arise as a homeowner.
Pick a home in a neighborhood suited to what your needs are and what will benefit your family.
Don't forget to prepare for and save for closing costs!
Understand the whole process of closing on a home. Once you buy a house, the closing can take up to an average of 43 days to complete, according to Dave Ramsey.
Recognize what your priorities are in a home before you go looking for one.
Don't commit to looking or going after owning a home until you're ready.
Read all of the HOA documents you can find on your possible future neighborhood before buying.
If you plan on buying a fixer-upper, realize and understand the work and dedication that goes into a purchase like that. Make sure that you don't overprice your neighborhood, and always consider the resale of the home when doing so.
After moving in, research and find a very good handyman, electrician, and plumper. This can help you save money, time, and sanity. It can also help your home's value stay where you want it, not every DIY project will help your home become popular on the market. If you do plan on doing any renovation projects, please take your time with them. Focus on improvements that will make you happy and will improve your home's worth.
Paint your home before you move in and change the locks before as well. Don't forget to replace your air filters regularly. Doing a deep clean before you move in can also make all the difference.
Please research all of the tax benefits you are eligible for now that you own your own home, and please be prepared to pay property taxes.
Never ignore important maintenance that needs to happen yearly, quarterly, or more frequently. Ignoring basic upkeep can lead to very expensive fixes or even lead to very dangerous problems in your home.
Before you spend a ton of money to personalize your home, spend some time with it as it is when you move in and get used to homeownership and the responsibilities that come with it.
There are many more, please do your research!
We hope these two little guides give you a big start and an even bigger idea on how to prepare for having your first home built and owning your first home. If you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to reach out. If there is a specific topic you'd like us to write about or you want to learn more about, please let us know about that too!