JUST THE BOTTOM LINE

The "Bottom Line" is found at the end of each chapter and highlights the most important piece of information that your reader can gather from the chapter.

1. Carefully consider the decision to build or to buy before beginning the design/build process.
2. Meet with your builder and discuss your budget before you meet with a designer.
3. Make sure you get good advice from a competent builder.
4. Don’t sign a contract with someone you don’t like, trust, or respect.
5. Realistically expect to get three out of four components from you homebuilder.  Decide what’s important to you.
6. Invest your money in the seven places that matter most and you will experience great value for years to come.
7. Don’t treat your kitchen like any other room in your home.  This is one room that deserves special treatment.
8. Take 30 minutes and complete the Design Outline  It’s fun and it can ave you countless hours and thousands of dollars.
9. Choose a fixed-price contract if you are willing to pay a mall premium for locking in the total cost of your contract.
10. Choose a cost-plus contract if you are comfortable knowing your end cost will be determined by the choices you make and you know you have a trustworthy builder.
11. Know what you can afford before you begin.
12. If you can find a ready-made plan that requires few or no changes and you just love it, then you may want to consider purchasing a buyer-ready plan.  If not, don’t make the mistake of cutting and pasting.
13. Know what your allowances will buy for your new home before you sign a contract.
14. Find the balance between what you want and what the market wants.
15. Be realistic about your short-term and long-term needs and how long you will live in your home, and design accordingly.
16. Hire an attorney to review your contract if it makes you feel better.  Jut be certain to hire one who helps and not hinders you.
17. Don’t go to a Chevy dealership if you want to buy a Lexus.
18. Cut out or take pictures for your dream home and organize them in a single place along with your notes on what you really want.
19. Schedule a one-hour private showing of a home your builder has recently completed.  Tell your builder whether the quality meets your expectations or not.
20. Build within your means so your dream home doesn’t become a financial nightmare.
21. Hire a respected builder; then trust him with you real budget.
22. For a more enjoyable (not to mention saner) building experience, make all your selections before construction begins.
23. Talk to the builder’s previous homeowners to understand their strengths and limitations.  Also remember that no builder is perfect.
24. Hire the right builder, establish a realistic workable budget, and then determine if you are, or are not, going to stay within that budget.
25. Talk to your builder first; buy the lot second.
26. Interview builders first and select your builder based on trust and respect, not necessarily on the lowest bid.
27. If you require perfection, don’t build a custom home.
28. Look for trust, competence, and fair pricing in selecting a builder to build your custom home.
29. Don’t forget about storage.  Tell your builder how much of a priority storage is to you and look for opportunities to create inexpensive storage space.
30. Make sure your builder earns your trust and respect before you sign a contract.
31. Ask for referrals from your builder and friends to determine the best lender for your financial needs.
32. Determine the best loan for your financial needs after discussing the options with your loan officer.  With so many programs and options available, choose the one that is right for you.
33. Determine the best terms for your financial needs after discussing the options with your loan officer.  With so many program and options available, choose the one that is right for you.
34. Be sure to ask for a written Good Faith Estimate from your lender outlining all of the fees associated with closing your home loan and be certain to ask for an explanation of any items you do not understand.
35. Ask your builder what kind of warranty he provides and what his philosophy is behind his warranty.
36. Don’t sweat the small stuff-let your builder do that.
37. Define the expectations in writing before construction begins.
38. Save yourself headaches and heartaches by discussing all eight of these issues with your builder and resolve them in advance.
39. Ask your builder how long the design, permitting, and building process takes and what would cause delays in the process.
40. Let your builder know about your world, and try to understand his.
41. Minimize the number of Change Orders by hiring a builder who communicates clearly upfront, before you start building.  When a Change Order occurs, make certain a paper trail follows for your protection and the protection of your relationship.
42. Agree in advance what the builder’s margin will be on Change Orders.  Decide what you want before construction begins and, if a change occurs, you’ll have a mechanism that provides for a win-win situation.
43. Follow these helpful hints and your builder will love you.
44. Hire a competent builder to do the building; save your friends for the housewarming party.
45. Avoid these common mistakes and you’ll be way ahead of the game.
46. If you hire an independent inspector, make certain he is helping, not hindering, the building process.
47. Keep up the routine maintenance and cleaning around your house or consider hiring professionals to protect your new home investment.
48. Some settling is likely to happen after you move in to your home and some cracks may appear.  Don’t panic.  The fix is usually easy and it doesn’t mean you have a defective house.
49. Building an environmentally friendly home can not only save you money over time, but also helps save the environment.  But keep in mind, incorporating green features into you home early is critical to its success.