As mentioned in part one, selecting a builder is one of the most important aspects when building a custom home because he/she can also act as your consultant. So, if you have your builder lined up you are at a distinct advantage but if not, we can help guide you through the maze of purchasing your homesite.

Everything starts with the land so be cautious when hunting for your homesite. The biggest mistake buyers make is purchasing a homesite on emotion before checking out all the technical aspects. What do I mean by this? You need to verify a number of things first and be sure to make your contract contingent upon satisfactorily getting all the answers you need before closing!

Probably the most important information is utility availability for the site. Does it have municipal water and sewer or will it require a well and septic tank? If it’s the latter, there are an additional series of questions you need to ask about the soils for the septic tank, the placement of the tank and past history of well depths and water pressure. Don’t assume that all lots can accommodate septic and well. The test to determine the ability of a lot to accommodate a septic tank is different than the tests performed to determine if the soils can accommodate a driveway and home. It is always best to dig several soil samples during because they will reveal if you could potentially be faced with extraordinary costs to put in your foundation. Dollars spent during due diligence are well worth it, especially if some unusual conditions are discovered that could run into huge over runs!

Don’t forget to get copies of all covenants, conditions and restrictions (known as CCR’s) that hinder the property. You may find out that there are size requirements, architectural or completion time frames that are incompatible with your plans. Also find out if you will need architectural approval to start construction. If so, I would suggest that you make your sale contingent upon that approval so that you don’t purchase the lot only to find that you cannot build the style of home you desire.

Be sure to check out the HOA and its financial condition. Remember if you are buying a homesite in planned community you need to check out the Developer even if you are buying the lot from a builder in that development.

In closing I would say that caution is the word when selecting your homesite…verify, verify and verify before you close on that lot. You can save yourself much time, money and anguish doing your homework upfront when selecting your “dream” homesite!