It's that time again; every Fall in the Wenatchee area, builders scramble to get their foundations poured before it freezes, giving them a chance to get their homes framed in so they can work inside during the Winter.  Some years have been mild, where you could excavate and pour concrete all Winter long.  But more typically, we see someone get a late start and be delayed for 2 months and finally pour in February.

Good news this year for people planning a custom home, many good builders are holding off on their spec building to see where the market goes. This means these top builders are available for your custom project.  If you have a piece of land and have been waiting to build that house, this is a great time.

I spoke recently with three top architects in our area, and they say they are all very busy with custom home designs; so if you still need plans, I would be getting your appointment set.

Also, construction is sort of immune from the recent mortgage woes as the lot loans and custom construction loans are generally funded directly by the bank, and/or they are backed by one of the large agencies like Fannie Mae.  The problems in the mortgage market are primarily related to "Secondary Financing" from hedge funds and mortgage bonds.

If you have never had a construction loan before, fear not! , 90% of people who come looking to get a construction loan are also first-timers, so we will walk you through the whole process. Here is a brief overview of how construction loans work.

If you need a recommendation for sub-contractors or builder, I'd be happy to help. For the Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Chelan, Okanogan areas, you can also contact the Homebuilders Association for referrals.