To build or to buy? That’s a common question for those who love the idea of building a custom home but assume buying a house on the market will be a quicker means to an end.
Then, once homebuyers begin the labor-intensive house hunting process, the difference between building a dream home and finding a dream home feels more like a toss-up.
Designing and building a custom home can mean a longer process from start to finish (although that isn’t always the case). Buying a home means letting go of timelines and allowing fate to be your guide. Each option has its pros and cons, but after decades of experience in the custom home and remodeling business, we’ve witnessed both sides of the story.
You Should Connect with a DeLand Custom Home Builder If You Are…
We’ve built custom homes and have performed countless remodels for new homebuyers who hire us to make a recently purchased home their own. Over time, we’ve learned there are certain factors, or personality types, that make for better “custom homeowners” than “real estate homebuyers.”
Here is a list of personas we think make the best candidates for building a custom home.
1. The Perfectionist
While The Perfectionist knows that nothing is actually perfect, they do their utmost to attain the next closest thing. It’s a rare Perfectionist who can walk into a home with a “For Sale” sign in front of it and say, “This is my dream home.” Rather, this persona is more apt to say, “This home is great and it would be my dream home…if only it had X, Y & Z (aaaaand I’d really like to change P, Q, and R…).”
If you have a specific or personalized list of wants and needs, we recommend speaking to a custom home builder in DeLand – like Fogle Constructors – before hitting the real estate market. Let’s face it – you’re going to be remodeling, adding to, or demo-ing even if you do find a qualifying house on the market, so you might as well schedule your preferred general contractor to tour the home with you before deciding whether it’s worth it.
You might find your consultation and a review of the contractor’s custom home portfolio is exactly what you need to design and build the home you’ve always wanted.
2. The Serial Chef/Entertainer
By and large, the majority of our high-end kitchen remodels are done for Serial Chefs/Entertainers. These clients know exactly how many steps it takes them to get around the proverbial kitchen triangle or their expanded kitchen island, and they want a kitchen layout that reflects that.
Serial Chef/Entertainers often come to us with a list of dimensions, materials, and appliance specs at the ready, rather than the other way around – and our wish is their command. Of course, we also have plenty of selections and professional recommendations for those who prefer a high-end contractor’s expert’s input. As their general contractor, we’re there to guide the code- and structural-related aspects of the build and, of course, to execute a flawless finish.
While we’re at it, we get asked to add butler’s pantries, expand dining rooms, or renovate backyard patios to create outdoor kitchen and gathering areas. Once Serial Chef/Entertainers watch those areas brought back to life in alignment with their vision, they keep us on board to remodel bathrooms and update other living and sleeping quarters.
3. The Age-in-Placer
Aging-in-place is a focus for downsizing baby boomers and the first wave of Gen X and Yers who are opposed to living in assisted living or nursing home facilities. Do you or someone in your family require mobility support? Do you suspect your parent/in-laws will be living with you at some point? If so, you also fall into the Age-in-Placer category. We’ve noticed that even the millennials in our client roster are already thinking about aging in place as they’ve watched parents or grandparents struggle to remain in their beloved homes as they get older.
When your home is designed and built for aging-in-place from the outset (also referred to as accessible or universal home design), we have the ability to integrate high-end accessible features and finishes into the aesthetic design so there is seamless flow.
Otherwise, you’ll be forced to add these things down the road, and that can be a tremendous demo/retrofit process. If you’re an Age-in-Placer, we recommend visiting Architectural Digest’s articles, Everything You Should Know…, and, ADA-Compliant Design…, to learn more about this concept and to see examples of stunning age-in-place concepts.
4. The Long(ish)-Term Investor (in residence)
If you’re planning to live in your home but look at it as a future investment, a custom home build is a smart way to capitalize on the initial investment. A 2020 article in Investopedia says that when you build a custom home, “You can have more significant profits with the resale of your new home.” This is largely the result of building a home in line with personalized current trends that are less likely to become dated than those of an already older home.
Also, older homes require more maintenance, including those with a larger price tag such as a new roof, HVAC system replacement, etc. So, Long(ish)-Term Investors who build custom homes and live in them reap the benefits of minimized long-term maintenance expenses as well as higher overall equity/profits when it is time to sell.
5. The Green (Eco-Conscious) Buyer
From an integrity standpoint, Green Buyers are in a tight spot in the real estate market. Unless they are able to purchase a newer home that was designed with eco-conscious tenets as a priority, it’s not easy to find homes that fit the bill. The very act of ripping out old materials to replace them goes against the eco-friendly grain. Plus, if your home is 20 years old or more, the toxins released during this process are also an issue. And yet, that is exactly what it might take to surround yourself with the higher-efficiency and low-voc features you’re interested in if you choose to remodel.
If you’re a Green Buyer, building a custom home allows you to be as green as possible from the ground up, starting with a passive solar home design and then selecting the most optimal “green” home products for a sustainable finished product.
Get in Touch with a DeLand Custom Home Builder
Are you on the fence about building a custom home or buying the next closest thing? Get in touch with the team here at Fogle Constructors. We will listen to your feelings on both sides of the equation and give you an honest opinion based on what we hear. Our team loves to remodel and renovate homes, but we also know when building a custom home in DeLand makes the most sense. Contact us to learn more.
