When we were looking to purchase a home three years ago one thought was to build. We were interested in doing this one time and only one time. With kids we were interested in finding a school district we loved, a large enough floor plan and a home on the water. Our criteria were specific so we really focused on property at first when our search began.
There was so much confusion in determining if a certain lot was buildable or not. Many references we looked at told us as long as the local government would issue a building permit the lot would be buildable. However true the above statement is it leaves out the facts that even though it is buildable the dream home you are thinking of building might not work on that lot. A buildable lot only means that if the criteria are met for a home can go on it not necessarily the home of your dreams.
A land surveyor will be brought in by the seller of the land. This will plot out all of the boundaries that exist. This should help you get a feel for the layout that homes on that lot could be placed. The seller should also provide a title insurance property which shows that the property has a clear title and can be sold free and clear. A soil analysis should also be provided by the seller. A clear soil analysis is needed for the lot to be buildable as well.
It is clear that you must decide which is most important to you the lot of land or the home. In many cases you can have both however if you fall in love with a lot of land and the location but the dream house does not work there determine if you are willing to settle for a different home. It is hard to find property to meet all dream requirements when looking at lots with acreage, water or access to certain points of interest. If you have specific demands for the location then you may have to give a bit when it comes to the type of house that can be built.
Some restrictions on property that is deemed buildable can be but are not limited to; size, color, direction of the garage door, driveway materials, style of the home, siding material or even that you must include a garage. This can be the trickiest part of all. To determine if the lot of land you are interested in will fit the home you like it will take more research than just finding out if the land is simply buildable. You will need to have a land surveyor, architect, contractor and local government officials out to inspect the property for any loop holes they might see in placing the home of your dreams on the property of your dreams.
My husband and I were way more focused on the location of the property than the home. In the end after surveying many different land plots we decided that in order to get the property acreage we desired with a water front in the school district we were aiming for we would have to purchase an existing home. The house was not in any way the dream home I had envisioned building however we made it work and now can’t imagine being anywhere else. We spend little time inside anyhow with the brilliant yard and water activities beckoning us in the spring, summer and fall we have little time to worry about the things inside that were not what we exactly desired.
I am sure the same is true for those homeowners who dream of a home and never envision the outside. If would work the same for them. Every day they would wake up in the room of their dreams, drink coffee in the nook they envisioned and eat around the dining room they pictured making memories in. They are outside so little that the yard has very little significance. When they are outside it is such an infrequent and insignificant matter that they barely look to see that it might not be everything they hoped it to be but it works and the sacrifice is worth it to them.