Build favorable to the area. So what exactly does this mean? First off, it is just an opinion. What do you think when you are driving through a neighborhood and you see a house with a flat roof painted purple and all the other homes are hill country style in neutral colors and stone?

Summer time is here. Time to do some things around the house if you have not already. There are maintenance items and always that list of “I Want.” For maintenance, you should have scheduled a check up for the A/C. Get it checked out, coolant added, system cleaned, etc. You might need to reverse those ceiling fans too.

There is a lot of planning in a new home. First, need to draw or find your plans for your home, and settle on a builder. Once we get that established there are other major steps to complete. Let’s break down some of those steps needed prior to starting the actual construction. Drawings have been completed and you have a builder lined up.

If you don’t want a concrete slab foundation, you might be considering a Pier and Beam foundation. What is a Pier and Beam Foundation? Pier and beam foundations incorporate a crawl space (usually at least 18 inches) beneath the home and footings filled with concrete or cinder blocks to support the slab.

So many times when we sit down with potential customers that want to build, I can’t emphasize enough to think not only about now, but the future. Whether you are a young couple just starting off to retirees, there are many things to think about. Let’s start with a young couple just planning to build their first home.

Funny how time repeats it’s self. Construction falls into this as well. The more I look at older homes, the more I see things being brought back. So many homes are using designs, materials, ideas from the 1950-1980’s, some even older. Here are a few of the latest trends. Reclaimed wood is very popular.

Does my house need gutters? Right now, you probably think this is a stupid question, since we have been in a drought. But, it actually is important. When we get rain, it can come down hard and can make a difference. Gutters prevent water from seeping into your foundation by channeling it away from the house.

The ongoing question…Do you do the project yourself or hire a qualified contractor? When I put my real estate hat on, I can’t tell you how many times I see homes that had a non-experienced person perform the work. How can I tell? Let’s start with a basic remodel and then go to building a house. How can I tell when a person did not know what they were doing or following code, etc?

Just recently during a real estate inspection, my client asked me why the house had a aerobic system versus a conventional, so thought this might be something to talk about. Some subdivisions require an aerobic system, whereas in rural areas conventionals are more common. Since I was a city person initially, I knew nothing about septic systems.

With the first day of spring (March 20) upon us, it’s time for Spring cleaning. A lot of people just wait until they are ready to sell their home to really spruce them up. However, a home is just like a car. If you maintain them, they last longer. Let’s talk about a few things that can help your home last longer.

Don’t be overwhelmed by just starting your real estate, construction, and lending search. It’s like the chicken and egg story, which comes first? If you talk to any one of the companies, they should be able to walk you through the process. Really, the best place to start is with a lender to know what you can qualify for.

Why are you contacting a custom builder? Are you looking for quality? Shopping local? Based on a referral? Whatever the reason might be, you might want to know some things up front. Most custom builders are smaller than a tract builder. Therefore they operate a bit differently and the cost could vary.

So many times, we get a call and the first thing we are asked “How much per square foot to build a 2000 SF home?” If people only knew, this is a loaded question. As a custom builder, we have a standard rate, but it varies. As a tract builder, they too, normally have standard rates.

Big homes are out and small homes are in. Yes, more people are opting to build smaller homes these days. There are people building large too, but the majority of people want to downsize or build a guest house. When I say smaller homes, these are roughly 2,400 square feet and below.

Everyone wants to be a General Contractor. Why? Well, there are several reasons for this. They think they can save money, lost their job and need work, have worked in one aspect of the field, or been watching too much TV and think they can do it. We are in some tough times and everyone is looking for work.