Most customers that are commencing the new home building process are not aware of all of the intricacies involved in selecting a homesite. After setting aside the important issue of price, forethought needs to be made for what city to build in, where to build within the city, and noteworthy building restrictions, such as minimum square feet. While site costs, grade of lot, location of lot in subdivision, and the location of the home on the lot are very important issues, I'm going to outline some of the more broad issues in determining your new homesite.
One of the first questions that I ask my customers is what geographic area, and more specifically, what city that the family wants to live in. Examination of the school system and demographics of the community, such as median age, median household size, and median household income are important to scrutinize. The local Chamber of Commerce is typically the best source to obtain accurate and up-to-date information on these items.
After the city is chosen, it is important to determine where you want to live within the city. Proximity to immediate family, distance to work, and access to highways, trains, or bus depot typically set some of the parameters for the subdivision of choice. If you are an empty nester, perhaps location to the grocery store, restaurants, and the shopping mall is important. If you represent a family with three children, proximity to school, retail, and the local YMCA might be imperative. If you are single, being close to the local healthclub, the movie theater, or your favorite pub can be significant. Where these businesses, your church, or the majority of your close friends are located can have an important influence on the subdivsion of choice.
Once the subdivision is selected, secure a copy of the restrictive covenants so that you can determine what building requirements are necessary. In addition to simply asking the subdivision developer, you can go to the County Recorder's Office and obtain a copy of the recorded covenants for a nomimal fee. The recorded covenants can be anywhere from four to forty+ pages in length. Review the minimum square feet for the type of residence that interests you - ranch, 1.5 story, Bi Level, Tri Level, Quad Level or 2 story home. Typically, the basement and areas such as porches, breezeways, and garages will not be included in the minimum square feet requirements. Make sure that the size of the home that you want to build can be built in that subdivision.
In closing, the best case scenario for securing the homesite of your dreams is to have your new home builder involved in the process, from the start. Your builder will already have an idea of your budget and the type of home that you want to build. They will also have first-hand knowledge of local subdivisions and where the majority of home building is taking place. Look for more blog posts on Selecting Your Homesite at Northwest Indiana Homesites m.
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