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5 Tips for First Time Custom Home Buyers

Posted on Jun 21, 2022 in Blog

Building a custom home should be the most exciting and fulfilling thing you do. It’s a long and sometimes confusing process; it’s worth the struggle when it’s done right.

There are some things to keep in mind before building a custom home. The journey to your dream home can be enjoyable with some planning and organization and these tips!

1.    Set Your Budget and Be Firm

Before you do anything else, you need to determine where you stand financially. Create a budget of your current expenses and income and create a mock-up budget for the expected costs of a new home.

Consider every factor and don’t underestimate the numbers or rely on the best-case scenario. Keep your budget somewhere comfortable. Overextending your finances will only stress you out and ruin the joy of custom home building.

2.    Figure Out What You Want and What You Need

Make a list of the requirements for your home. Whether you want a particular layout, design scheme, specific features, or garage style clearly outlining your desires will help your home builder tick every box.

It’s crucial to remain realistic to stay true to your budget. Indecisiveness, an extreme wish list and constant changes can cause delays and a rise in costs.

3.    Be Flexible – Because Things Go Wrong

Delays happen, even in the best conditions. Unfortunately, not everything is within your control. Mother nature can cause havoc on the schedule, shipping delays for materials can extend the timeline, and things can also progress faster than intended.

Have plans for having to push move-in dates and other significant milestones, just in case. Your home builder will give you a realistic timeline to account for unexpected circumstances, but it’s not always accurate.

Farmhouse Infill Staged Railing

4.    Understand Financing Options

Talk to every professional you can to navigate through the complex financing options available to you. The builder and mortgage brokers are among the top professionals to ask about financing.

Even if you think the question is silly, it’s best to get everything clarified before you commit to any terms.

5.    Do Research on Your Custom Home Builder

All home builders are different, so it’s important to research everything. Look into what communities the builder is working with, what layouts they offer, read testimonials, and ask questions.

The most fun part of choosing a builder is looking at show homes and seeing the results in person. By touring the show homes, you also have the opportunity to scope out the neighbourhood and evaluate the neighbourhood.

Are You Ready to Build Your Custom Home?

Having a home that’s perfectly fit for you and your family is a dream. A lot goes into building a custom home, but with a few simple steps, you can come into the builder’s show homes prepared and with tons of questions.

At San Rufo Homes, we build in several different communities with various layouts to fit your family’s needs. With unique features and additional extras, your custom-built home will be entirely your own. Contact us to explore our stunning models for yourself.