How to pick a good lot to build your home

Congrats! You’ve committed to buying a new home! Even better, you’ve decided you want to build your new home from the ground up! It will be an anxious and fun process all throughout; however, it will come with some challenges. Most of the challenges come naturally when moving from one home to another, regardless of whether the home is brand new or already used. Though, building a brand-new home requires a bit more analysis. Here are the primary aspects you want to consider when deciding what lot to select to build your new house:

Choose a Neighborhood

You’ll want to choose the neighborhood before you choose the lot. Keep in mind you will likely be living in your selected neighborhood for quite some time, so you want to ensure your surroundings are ideal, or at least tolerable. Check the traffic throughout the neighborhood. You probably don’t want to live on a busy street, as cars can be very noisy. Plus, it’s safer to avoid busy streets if you have children.

Consider your daily routine and your usual errands. Of course, the commute to work is important, as is the commute to school. If the kids have to be at school at 8:30 in the morning and you have to be at work at 9:00, you’ll want a home location that can allow you and your kids to be on time. Additionally, it helps to have a grocery store nearby, and other customary places such as your church, gym, and preferred eateries.

Choose a Lot

Once the neighborhood gets a thumbs up then you can focus on finding a lot to build your home. Consider the direction in which your home will face. For example, a southbound home can benefit from the winter sun; however, the summer sun can contribute unwanted heat to your home. Moreover, the sun bearing down on a home can force the A/C system to be overworked, potentially causing problems to the A/C or costing you more money on energy. This is something you’ll definitely want to take into account when building a home in Texas.

Consider the land itself. Trees and large rocks can make home building more difficult. The flatter the land, the easier it will be to build your home. A sloped lot can result in increased developmental costs, as additional labor will be needed. It can also be annoying if your backyard is sloped. Installing add-ons such as a shed or a swimming pool will be slighted by sloped land. Kids and/or pets will have more fun if they have a flat backyard to roam.

Lastly, consider your neighborhood HOA (Home Owners Association). Most suburban neighborhoods have them. The HOA enforces certain restrictions on homes. For example, it may limit the number of trees you can grow on your lot or force you to use a specific type of fence. Ultimately, HOA’s are helpful in keeping homeowners in line and keeping neighborhoods uniform, however, it can also prevent you from making your lot look the way you want it.