There are several things to consider before deciding to build vs. improve your existing home. Do you have the cash necessary to actually improve your current home to where it will serve your needs? What changes are necessary (some improvements can be very inexpensive, but perhaps you need more square footage. In this case, building a new home is often the best solution cost-wise)? Is there room to expand on the ground level or will the foundation of your present home support a second floor? Have you considered zoning issues and permits prior to making improvements? How much equity do you have in the property? Have you looked at the existing home market to determine if there is an existing home that would serve your needs?

Take a look at your neighborhood. It’s wise to improve before selling, but compare your home to the others…you never want to have the biggest and "best" home on the block and then continue to put put MORE money into it! Your decision should ultimately be based on your individual needs, the extent of the work involved and which features will add the most value. According to industry experts, buyers are always excited by state-of-the art kitchens and bathrooms.

If you ever want to discuss the pros and cons of building a new home in Lafayette or West Lafayette, we are available to you. We can work with you and a builder to make sure you get the best deal possible on a new home, and if after running the numbers it’s best to stay with your current home and make improvments, we can help you with referrals to top contractors, so you get the work done right! Call us anytime!

"Building a new home can be a pain! There are a lot of details, it’s expensive, and you have to wait a long time for the home to be finished. Very few people are candidates for surviving such an ordeal."

Ever heard someone say such a thing? Perhaps you have similar sentiments yourself! We used to feel the same way. As a matter of fact, we’ve been involved with some quite laborious projects in order to get a home built for a client. However, it doesn’t have to be that way anymore! As a matter of fact, Lafayette and West Lafayette are now home to builders who work on a completely different set of principles. In order to stay competitive builders have had to learn new ways of doing things, and we can proudly say that we help more clients build new homes than ever before!

There are still a lot of people who do not think that they have the time and energy to build a new home. The fact is that it may not be the best solution for you. Let’s sit down and discuss your options. You may be surprised! New homes offer new amenities…a lot of things you just aren’t going to find in older homes. New homes are often considerably more efficient, meaning they cost less to own than their older counterparts. Additionally, please allow us to show you some of your options in person, so you can at least get a look. You may fall in love! It happens over and over!

One of the builders we work with regularly has a team ready to go to work on building your home to your exact specifications. They will schedule your new home to be built in a short amount of time and after they start, they will be ready to close in less than 40 days!

Also, since we work with these builders all the time, we know about all their spec homes (homes that are finished and ready for immediate occupancy). If you’re truly in a hurry, we can help you find a beautiful brand new home with immediate occupancy. Call to meet with us, and we will make sure you learn everything you need!

 Did you know that, for no additional cost, you can be represented by a real estate broker in conjunction with purchasing a home from a builder? Lafayette homebuilders are accustomed to working with real estate brokers and often their commission is already covered in their marketing and promotion costs. A broker can provide objectivity and guidance in designing your home and help you select amenities that will lead to a more advantageous resale. He or she can help coordinate the sale of your present home and the closing of the new one. Many brokers offer guaranteed home sale programs so that when your new home is finished, the real estate company will buy your previous home at a pre-agreed price to prevent you from owning two homes at one time; and can usually arrange the occupancy agreeable to all parties. Take advantage of using your real estate broker in conjunction with building your new home at no additional cost. Especially in Lafayette, where an improperly marketed home can sit on the market for several months, this type of help can make or break your deal.

Are you planning to build your dream home? Once you are pre-approved for a loan and have found a professional real estate agent you trust, you are ready to start looking for the perfect lot. Lafayette and West Lafayette both have many sites available. As of this writing, we have over 100 lots listed for sale, and we can of course always help with anything on the market. Maybe you want something in a subdivision near your favorite school, or maybe you want several acres outside town. We have you covered!

Compare the qualities of several target neighborhoods by looking at schools, shopping, recreation and zoning. Make sure that the zoning regulations allow you to build the size and height of the home you want. Find out if there are use restrictions that would prevent you from developing your property as you intend. A visit to the local planning department will clarify your options for building.

Consider what type of home would best suit your lifestyle. Create a checklist to itemize the "must-have" interior and exterior features of a house that you feel are absolute requirements. Make notations about yard size, paint, roof and window conditions for the exterior, and floor plan, room quality and condition of the appliances for the interior. Bring your lists to your real estate agent. Together you can look over the currently available properties that correspond to your needs.

As most people have noticed, Lafayette and West Lafayette have both seen much new construction in recent years. When building a home, you should have the soil on the construction site tested for plasticity to determine how it will change under different moisture conditions. Your agent knows who to call and how to make your purchase contingent on this type of issue. This is important because some soil is so "plastic" that (if the condition is not corrected) it can actually break concrete floors, crack the walls and destroy the foundation of your home. Highly plastic soil is sometimes referred to as "fat clay" that swells excessively and loses stability when it becomes wet. Fine-grained soils that contain a high percentage of clay are greatly affected by water, turning to mud when it rains and undergoing large volume changes-sometimes up to 40 or 50 percent, as the soil dries. Not only do clays swell and lose stability when they become wet, but they also retard the drainage of water. If plastic soil is found on your building site, the ground must be over-excavated and replaced with clean gravel. Homebuilders often choose not to include a basement, or to protect the basement walls from excess moisture by surrounding them with a layer of gravel. A fine-grained clay-filled soil with a high plasticity index may require considerable treatment, especially if used in a moist location.