10 Easy Steps to Your Dream House

Step #1   Decide the family needs a new home.

You Deserve Something New
Ten Good Reasons to Buy a New Home

Step #2   Determine the approximate total $ investment for your new home.
Step #3   Determine the issues most important to your new home's location.

Find Your Perfect Homesite

Step #4  Visit a few of the new home neighborhoods then call the Cooreman Real Estate Group for more info on our communities.

Step #5  Meet with the developer at your desired neighborhood & discuss the particulars of your favorite lots.

Choosing a Cooreman Real Estate Group Preferred Builder Partner
Why Choose a Cooreman Real Estate Group Preferred Builder Partner
Benefits of Choosing A Cooreman Real Estate Group Preferred Builder Partner
Top Ten Mistakes When Buying A Homesite
Fill out a Home and Land Survey
Which Setting Do You Prefer (wooded or non-wooded lot)

Step #6  Decide on a lot and enter into a purchase agreement with the developer. 

Why do I need title insurance?

Step #7  After interviewing area builders & their offerings, choose a builder & house plan.

Just What is a Construction Loan - And Do I Need One?
Do You Know the Problems Encountered When Building a Home Yourself
Beware of the Pitfalls Trying to Build Your Own Home
Better to buy small than not buy a home

Step #8  Submit house plans & receive approval from Architectural Design Committee to start building.

Step #9  Meet with Builder & select customized details & discuss construction schedule.

Cost Spreadsheet for General Contractors
Home Design Checklist
Scope of Work
Healthy Homes
Your Home
Progress Report
Timing Issues
Final Walk Through
Closing Process: Lot Hold Policy [download file]
Closing Process: Sample of HUD statement [download file]

Step #10 In as little as 4 - 8 months (depending on the size and customization) after step #1, celebrate the move into your new home!

Click here to see house schematics

Additional Tips:

Think about your lifestyle. This is your chance to design a home that totally fits with your lifestyle, both now and in the future. Do you like to entertain? Do you have kids who will be growing up and eventually moving out? Would you like to have a separate room for a hobby such as woodworking, sewing or bodybuilding? Spend a lot of time touring model homes, watching the home-and-garden channels on TV, and reading and magazines about home design. Jot down your ideas and keep them in a folder so you won't forget them when the time comes to pull everything together.

Build with an eye for resale. You may think you'll be staying there the rest of your life, but who knows? If there's even a chance you'll be selling it someday, don't make the house too weird. You may like a bedroom with no windows...

Hire carefully. You'll be forming an intimate relationship with contractors and/or architects who hold great power over what will eventually be your dream house. Make sure they're reputable professionals and that you get along with them. Ask for references.

Watch out for cost overruns. An upgrade here, an upgrade there - pretty soon you're talking real money. If your budget is tight, keep a close rein on expenses. Even if you have a little extra room in the budget, watch expenses carefully because they can get out of control fast.

Building your own house takes more time, money and effort than buying one "off the rack." Does it make sense to you? One way to find out is to start your own house building research project. You'll quickly find out whether this is something you enjoy - or can afford. Even if it's not, the effort won't be wasted. You'll find out a lot about what you really want in any place can call home.