Struggling to find the home of your dreams?

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Real Estate

STRUGGLING TO FIND THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS?  

 

Don’t search for it, build it! With a Construction-to-Permanent Loan from First Interstate Bank and as little as 15% down* your dream home will become a reality. 

 

Here are three things to consider up front:

 

Building your own home is incredibly exciting. The opportunity to design your home offers numerous benefits but also some unique challenges.  Here are three important things you should know before beginning the project:

 

Get the right type of loan.  Construction loans are different from traditional mortgages because they provide financing not only for the purchase of the home but also for the construction of the home.  You must have a reputable lender who knows how to handle construction loans. Ask your Realtor to recommend a construction lender. And get pre-qualified for your construction loan. A reputable lender will help you determine a budget that's affordable.

 

Find the right builder and consider hiring an Architect.  Consider the builder's level of experience in your price point, their expertise in your desired style, and the quality of workmanship. Ask to talk to past customers and even tour their homes. If you identify poor workmanship, you may want to look for another builder. An Architect can help with the design process, determining perfect placement of the home on your site, and to get accurate bids from more than one builder.  Many times you will make back most or all of the Architect's fees during the building process and you end up with a home that was professionally designed just for you.  Make sure your builder has appropriate insurance and licensing, and a good reputation with past client and local businesses (Kenyon Noble for example). 

 

Set a budget and stick to it.  Just as you’d have an ideal price in mind when buying an existing home, the same goes for building a new home.  Start by asking yourself how much home you can afford, and work with your designer and builder to design your home around that budget.  You may have to forego budget busting features or fixtures.  The more time you devote to the planning process, the less likely you'll be to make changes during construction that will add thousands of dollars in cost overruns to your project. 

 

*Down payment depends on individual loan qualifications.

 

First Interstate Bank - a resource for Construction-to-Permanent Loan.