Choosing a Site for Your New House Plans

Selecting a plot of land for your home is a pivotal decision. Not only are the physical attributes of your land important to consider when designing your house plans, but location plays a large role in one’s lifestyle. Read on to learn tips for choosing the right property for your new home, as well as a few pointers on finding land and choosing the best floor plans for your site.

Considerations for Choosing Your Site

Would you rather live in a town or out in the country? Do you need to be near certain amenities for your work? Are you looking for a community that offers a school or a grocery store within walking distance? Would you prefer a sunny locale or a place that enjoys four distinct seasons?

Before hopping online to search for available properties and choose your home plans, take some time to think about these questions and others, such as what type of political and religious atmosphere you would prefer. Use your answers to figure out what location would suit you best.

Once you have a few ideal characteristics in mind, begin homing in on communities that match your criteria. A spreadsheet comparing how each town or location stacks up will help you keep track of the entire process. It’s also smart to check out websites such as bestplaces.net, which can help you think more deeply about what you want as well as suggest settings that meet your needs. Most planners recommend waiting to choose floor plans until after you have an idea of where you’d like to live, since designers often charge fees to change blueprints once they’ve been finalized. Your budget is another variable to keep in mind.

Topographical, climactic and utility concerns. Low-lying land is more likely to flood. Certain locations are more likely to see earthquakes, while others see tornadoes or hurricanes. Think about the geography and climactic patterns of each lot you review, with the understanding that topography and soil quality affects everything from sewage to foundation design and may require you to modify your house plans. Research common natural disasters in the area, and consider how each lot might fare in a disaster. Have a perk test completed to see where the water table lies. Finally, research which utilities are available for each lot. If the price on a certain lot seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Consistency with the neighborhood. If you plan to live in a subdivision or other neighborhood, aim to find one where your home will blend in seamlessly. Selling your home will be more difficult down the road if your home plans do not match the rest of the area. Ideally, even the style of your dream home should match nearby houses.

Legal details in the property survey.A registered surveyor must be called in to survey each property that is put on the market. As you narrow down your choices, ask each seller to show you the survey for the property you’re considering. Easements, setback requirements, potential wetlands, elevations and more are included in property surveys. All of these details are important construction considerations when finalizing your home plans.

How to Find Land

Despite the fact that we’re living in the Information Age, it isn’t always easy to find the right property on which to make your house plans a reality. Here are a few places to scour for available properties:

• Local town halls or county courthouses. Look here for plats that may have been involved in a legal dispute; oftentimes such properties are available at a lower cost.
• Online real estate networks.
• Newspapers, real estate fliers and other print sources.
• The properties themselves. If you have a certain area in mind, it makes sense to drive around and look for sale signs on lots.
• Real estate agents. This is a wonderful option if you don’t want to spend much time finding your property.

What to Do once You’ve Found Your Property

If you are planning to build in a subdivision, you’ll need to make sure the neighborhood’s builder is willing to build to your home plans. If this is the route you take, the builder will probably take out the required construction loans and ask you to cash him or her out once the home is completed.

Outside of subdivisions, you will need to find a builder who is willing to build to your home plans. This option is a little trickier because you will need to secure a construction loan through your local bank. Once you have the requisite funding, check that the contractor is registered, licensed, insured and has plenty of positive references.

Choosing House Plans for Your Site

There are many things to consider when choosing house plans. How will natural light move across your property? How will nearby sounds impact the placement of rooms? Is the land on a slope, or is it flat? These questions just scratch the surface of the options that will factor into your choice of house plans.

Overall, it’s much easier to select house plans once you have a property in mind, so it makes sense to settle on the location of your dream home before drawing up floor plans.

Note: The home shown above is The Tasseler House Plan 1411.