When it comes to homeownership, many people often believe that the only path they have is to purchase one of those cookie-cutter, pre-fab, modular homes mass-produced for the sprawling suburban neighborhoods that dominate our residential landscape.
For future homeowners who truly want the freedom and autonomy to design, plan, and build a home that is uniquely their own, purchasing a plot of land and designing a home to fit that unique landscape may very well be your best option.
However, it’s important to note that building a house on your lot often entails more of a hands-on commitment throughout the planning, design, and building process. Finding a building team with the ability and willingness to listen to your plans and help you bring your dream house into creation is another challenge.
Here at Natale Builders, we have decades of experience helping homeowners like you create their dream homes on lands they have purchased or inherited.
Below, we briefly explain the top 3 things you should keep in mind when building a house on your land.
No matter how you came across a vacant piece of land, there are 3 things you need to take into consideration if you want to build a custom home.
Firstly, unless you have enough savings to purchase the land outright, it’s essential to know that most banks and financial institutions will determine the type and conditions of the loan based on the characteristics of the land. For example, a raw land loan is for entirely undeveloped land.
Because these types of land tend to have lower values and require significant investment to develop, banks may be hesitant to issue these types of loans. You may find higher interest levels and less favorable loan terms and conditions.
On the other hand, improved land loans may be available when building on a lot with full access to a road and all major utilities.
In this case, it may be easier to get a loan and more favorable rates and conditions.
When building on your land, one of the most significant advantages is that you should have the freedom to determine the best placement, layout, and orientation for your home. Before you begin the design or construction process, think about how to maximize solar gain via passive solar design. This includes orienting your home to best align with the orientation of the sun.
For larger acreages, you might also think about how your home can fit into the landscape to minimize energy demands while also becoming a regenerative part of the landscape.
The most critical part of building on your land or lot is finding the best custom home builder with proven experience in building truly customized homes on the owner’s land. The builder should take the time to sit down, hear your plan, dreams, and expectations for your custom home, and then help you think about other issues that you might not have considered.
The best custom home builder should also help you find ways to improve the energy efficiency, thermal performance, and other aspects of home sustainability so that you can lower utility costs and environmental impact once you finally move in.
Finally, your home builder must be insured. (We are!)
Before you can build a house on a piece of land, you need to make sure the lot is suitable for building. The best time to ask these questions is before buying the property.
Make sure your land:
-Is a buildable piece of land
-Has no floodplain or wetland issues
-Has the proper zoning for residential building
-Has utilities on site or nearby at the road
-Is large enough to accommodate the house you want to build
You’ll also want to find out in advance whether you’ll have a public sewer or septic system, as well as sitework costs, such as clearing, soil borings, permits, and determining setback (distance from public road to house).
Natale Builders is the leading custom home builder specializing in helping homeowners in western New York plan and build a home that will function for a lifetime. We have over 50 years of experience in building custom homes, and we’re proud to be an industry leader in Energy Star and Green Build designs for homes and neighborhoods in Western New York.
Contact us today to start planning a truly unique and customized home on your own land!
