Like most people my age right now, I'm ready to own my own home. But, like most people looking to own a house.. I've learned this is no easy task. In today's crazy housing market, it's a dog-eat-dog world. My husband and I decided to make the crazy decision to instead of battle the bidding wars, we are building a house. Yep, I know, it sounds very outrageous to buy a brand new build as our very first home, but I'm here to tell you it's really not all that crazy. For our situation, it ended up being the best option and I'll explain why. I'll also go over where you should start if you are thinking to build as well.
It was December of 2020 when we seriously were thinking about buying a home instead of continuing the rent. This is because we got married in September and our next step was to buy a home before we wanted to start having kids. Unless you've been sleeping under a rock, you know that December 2020 was in the very heat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, here in Utah, the housing market has been absolutely crazy. Multiple offers are being made on homes way over the asking prices. Because of this, the medium housing prices have dramatically increased. It's been like this basically all of 2021. It's just now starting to settle just a little bit as the kiddos are getting back into school and priorities have changed.
Well, lucky for us, since we decided back in December we wanted to build, we were able to lock in our house price. We couldn't actually move into a new house until our rent contract ended, which wasn't until the Fall of 2021. So we decided to instead build! Now here we are 9 months later and we've already made a good amount of profit on our new home via the home value increase. We aren't planning to sell anytime soon, so this is all just imaginary money, but regardless we are grateful we don't have to pay more for the same home when our rental contract expires.
If you are planning to buy a home while in a crazy market, or if you need to wait a while for a current contract to end like we had, building a home might be a better option for you too! I encourage you to do some research and see what is available in your area.
Now unless you've built a home before or know someone who has, I bet you have a million questions like we did. Here's what I've learned so far and what you can also expect if you decide to build a house like us.
You'll start by finding an area and a builder you want to work with. Most builders like to make entire communities at a time, and usually have a few different communities available at one time. If the area you are interested in isn't available, ask them about future "phases", they usually have a good idea of when you can expect certain areas to start and where other future areas might be. It's super important to have a good point of contract. If it's a popular community like ours was, you might have to get on a "waitlist" before being able to sign a contract, so it's important you stay on top of all information.
There are two ways to get a good point of contact with a certain builder. The first is online. There is usually an assigned agent per community. Their information should be online for you to reach out to them and schedule times to meet. The second option is the home builder's model homes. These are usually open houses that the agent works at. Personally, I think it's better to reach out online first so they know you are coming and make you a priority. While we were meeting with our agent, multiple people walked in but had to be turned away because we had the scheduled appointment. But, if you consider yourself a lucky person, or live close by, then I do recommend just popping in. You never know if they are busy or not. If it's a popular area, timing is everything. Acting fast will get you the area, house, and price you want most.
One thing to note, a lot of builders will have "Spec" homes. These are homes that the company has already picked all the custom options for you. So sad news for you... with these, you won't get the fun of picking everything yourself. They are however usually finished a little faster than a full new build. These Spec homes could already be being built or at least already have the permits. So if you would like to have the home ready earlier than later, a Spec home may be a good option for you.
In our case, we couldn't afford the Spec homes and we had to keep everything very basic for us to stay on budget. But if you have more money, then I feel like it's a very good option. Less stress and waiting for sure!
Every builder and community will be different. It is important to shop around to find what you really want. Usually, each community will have a few different floor plans you can pick from. And then also each floor plan will have a few different exterior looks you can pick from. In our case, the neighborhood had 5 different floor plans, and each floor plan had three different exterior designs to pick from. This was nice because we know not everyone on our street will have the exact same-looking house with 15 different options to pick from.
It's important to have a good idea of how many bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage you want. It's very easy to get overwhelmed with all the different options. During this selection phase, you'll also get to pick a few structural these you can have as upgrades. In our case, we added the vaulted ceilings, stand-up shower, and double vanity sinks to the main bedroom.
You will also get to pick which lot you want. Some of these will be bigger or maybe closer to a busy road. These will also vary in price, so don't forget to add them to your overall budget!
After you have all the first choices made, you're ready to sign a contract! (You'll also need to get prequalified.) I have another blog with all lender information. Go to my "Real Estate" tab, it'll have all the information I've learned while in this home buying process.
PRO TIP: Get a real estate agent. You won't need to pay them or anything. They get a commission on the overall house price. But the builder won't give you any sort of discount for not using an outside agent. So you might as well use one since you're paying for it!
After you fully read through the contract, you are ready to sign your life away! Lock in that rate and watch your home take shape. Watch for more future real estate blogs where I'll go over the next steps including the selection day, timelines, and what else to expect. Trust me... it's a lot...
Thanks for reading and I hope you get to find your dream house soon too!!
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