What to Expect When Buying a New Home
Designing the home of your dreams.
The term “dream home” is used a lot in the home building market. Of course, we all know what we mean when we say it! However, you need to know what the home builder means when they talk about your dream home.
For starters, you’ll want to know about the builder’s capabilities regarding customization
(hint: not all home builders are custom home builders!).
Or, if you don’t want to get too deep into the nitty-gritty of customization, you can explore quick possession options from the builder. If you have chosen the custom build approach, it’s helpful to understand and be involved in the process – as it happens! In the end, you want to utilize the home builder that has your back and whose heart is in the project as much as yours.
We can’t speak for other custom home builders, but we can give you some insight into Victory Homes! So, let’s take it from the top.
CHOOSING A HOME BUILDER
You’ve made the decision to buy a new home… now what?
It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway): choosing who you allow to build your home is a huge decision. Generally speaking, there are two types of “custom” in home building:
- Customization of finishes.
- Customization of the whole home.
For the former category, custom finishing, you are generally allowed to make certain determinations on the aesthetics (paint, tile, lighting, etc.) but not to the structure of the home. The “bones” of the house are non-negotiable, though there is some freedom on deciding how to present the finished product.
For customization of the whole home, we’re talking about a truly custom build! As a true custom home builder, Victory Homes designers and builders provide you with the inspiration and the basic requirements for your dream home (structure and stability are important factors, after all), and then the sky’s the limit! Want to move a wall? Expand your garage? Build a custom spice kitchen? We can bring your dreams to life!
A custom build with Victory Homes isn’t just an investment in your home – it’s an investment in your life because your life is lived, at least in part, at home.
When you invest in the right home builder, you’re investing in yourself. With that in mind, here are some basic questions that you need solid answers to:
How long does it take to go from initial meeting to moving day?
For a frame of reference, on average: 8-12 months. While you may not get a “guaranteed” move in date, you absolutely need a loose timeline so you can prepare yourself for the future move.
What types of loans are required for this building project?
While your home builder may be excited to get to work for you, they also need to know how they’re getting paid. Ask about completion versus construction loans.
Do you have the freedom to locate and source fixture and appliance providers, or does your builder have providers at the ready?
Your home builder should have good insight about this topic, and maybe their own provider has everything you want and need.
QUICK POSSESSION HOMES
If you’re not too keen on working out the minutiae and options regarding a fully custom build, then maybe a quick possession home is the option for you. There are several advantages to purchasing a quick possession home – let’s see if any of these appeal to you!
Do you need a new home, ASAP? Job transfer? Or maybe an ever-expanding family? Quick possession homes are already built and finished – all that’s missing is you! This is a good option if you’re on a tight time frame and need your new home now. There’s a reason we call these “QUICK possession homes.”
Something that also gets people excited is the recognition that no one else has ever lived in your home before you. If your builder has a custom home already made that seems perfect to you, ask about a quick possession of it!
And to sweeten the deal, many quick possession homes on the market were once show homes that often come with valuable “upgrades” that were used to showcase for potential buyers. These often include upgraded finishes like built in sound systems or in-floor heating. And, sometimes, you can even buy them with the show home furniture that was hand-picked to emphasize the home’s features!
Victory Homes can supply you with a quick possession home if any of these circumstances are on your mind.
A CUSTOM BUILD APPROACH
Are you excited about the prospect of building a custom home? You should be! It’s a very exciting time – especially once your custom home builder starts explaining the whole process to you. Speaking of consultations, drawings, and paperwork, here’s a sneak peek at how a typical pre-build process unfolds (though this isn’t exhaustive):
- contract negotiations and securing your financing.
- choosing your lot.
- choosing your base home design (these are the “bones” we talked about earlier).
- working with the designers to modify the floorplan (as/if necessary).
- drawings and permits submitted to the city for approval.
- finish selections – paints, tiles, lighting, bathroom fixtures, and appliances. This is often the most exciting phase of this stage of the build. Your builder can assign you an interior designer to help you make the best choices (and your best budget).
And when that is all said and done…
Start watching your build! What starts with a hole in the dirt quickly turns into foundation footings, poured basements, house framing and windows, siding, roofing… and that’s before the incredible transformation inside! One side-benefit of knowing about the build process is that you’re able to watch it unfold over time. And you should drive by the build site once the builders break ground because you’ll be able to observe how consultations, drawings, and paperwork come to life!
POSSESSION DAY
Finally, after the paperwork, after the initial big, noticeable changes comes the long-awaited possession day! You meet your builder to walk through your new home, take your keys and enjoy that new home smell! However, don’t forget that there may still need to be some tweaking as you move in and start utilizing the house. We’ll call that tweaking process trade days. “Trade” as in someone who works in the trades, not as in “you’re trading your house for something else” lol!
As with all projects of this size, there maybe be final adjustments required once you start actually living in your new home. This is a very normal part of your build process and your builder will arrange trade days – scheduling times that work for you – when trades people return to make any final, necessary adjustments.
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THE JOB DONE
If you’re making the leap to own a home that you deeply appreciate, in which to invest years of life in making memories, your custom home builder needs to be on your level.
That’s why we’d LOVE to speak to you about your new home! We have your back, and we believe that our hearts need to be in the project as much as yours. Victory Homes invites you, and walks with you, into and through the entire process, because you’re inviting us into your process of owning your dream home.
Don’t choose a home builder that only sees dollar signs and checkmarks when they meet with you. Being kept at arm’s length from your builder can leave you feeling bitter – even if they do technically deliver on your dream home. Victory Homes strives to leave you feeling satisfied, content, appreciated, and pleased from first to final handshakes.
If you’d like to learn more about why you should consider Victory Homes as your custom home builder, if you’re interested in checking out any of your quick possession homes, or if you’re ready to get started working with us, please contact us today. Also, you can whet your appetite by checking out our new and improved website where you can look at Victory Homes communities, show homes, and much more!