NEW CONSTRUCTION

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The checklists are for informational purposes only & is not a substitute for legal, tax or other professional assistance.

• Keys To Choosing Your Site For New Construction

• 5 Things You Will Avoid If You Buy New Construction

• Selecting A Winning Team To Build Your New Home... Questions You Need To Ask Yourself

• Should I Be My Own Contractor? 10 Critical Questions To Ask Yourself

• Location ...location, location, location. Nothing will impact your enjoyment of the new home and its value more than location. Please refer to the checklist "22 Things To Consider When Shopping For A Neighborhood" .

• Site Improvements ...what costs will you have to bear to get the site "user friendly"? Please refer to items 3 through 14 of "19 Bits Of Data That Will Help You Objectively Evaluate The Building Site" .

• Topography ...Does the lay of the land lend itself to the type of dwelling you'd most like to build? Is the grade acceptable to your lifestyle and conducive to adequate water drainage?

• Soil... Is the soil good for building or will you be faced with extra expenses to secure a good foundation?

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5 Things You Will Avoid If You Buy New Construction

• You will avoid... An outdated look both inside and out.

• You will avoid... Questionable mechanical systems (water, heating, cooling systems)

• You will avoid... Poor floor plans or small, choppy rooms.

• You will avoid... Paying high costs for inefficient mechanical systems and poor insulation.

• You will avoid... Compromising on color, style and layout or paying to have things remodeled to fit your lifestyle.

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1. Who will design your new home?

• Architect

• Design / Drafting Service

• Builder that you hire

• Plans that you have purchased from a book, magazines, etc.

• Do-it yourself

2. Who will serve as the on-site building inspector to make sure things are done right?

• Will you hire someone?

• Do your local laws require spot inspections?

3. How will you select a builder?

• Referrals

• Yellow pages

• Do-it yourself

4. Are you really ready to be a part of your home building team?

• Attitude

• Knowledge

• Time

• Energy

• Patience

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• Do I know all of the hoops I need to jump through?

• Can I find a lender for the construction loan?

• Can I find a lender for the permanent financing?

• Do I know how to get the building permits needed?

• Do I know how to get my plans and specifications approved by the governing bodies?

• Do I know where to check the details and specifications for the water, sewage and utilities?

• Find my own sub-contractors, schedule and coordinate the sub-contractors?

• Know the proper materials to order and schedule the delivery of the materials?

• Oversee everyone’s work including all required inspections by the lender and/or the municipality?

• Am I financially, emotionally and psychologically ready to tackle "O’ Toole’s Law"? (O’ Toole’s Law is ... Murphy was an optimist!) It’s going to take more time, energy, effort and money than you originally projected to be your own contractor... are you prepared?

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The above checklist is for informational purposes only & is not a substitute for legal, tax or other professional assistance.

The lists were reproduced with permission of "Your Home Coach"