Torn Between Buying New Real Estate And Building A New Custom Home?

By Kevin Harris


You've painstakingly saved up enough money to venture into home ownership. You're now faced with an all-too-familiar dilemma: build a new house from scratch, or buy one that's already on the Bang Saray real estate market. While there are pros and cons to each option, popular opinion suggests that you're better off choosing the latter.

But here's the deal -- you'll be hard-pressed to find a ready-made house that can fully accommodate your needs. A fresh build, on the other hand, gives you the freedom to design your home around them. More crucially, it will allow you to make the most of today's green technologies.

Keep in mind, however, that you don't have to go all the way in with regards to sustainability. Instead, you want to focus more on the areas that'll make the biggest difference. With that in mind, you'll want to:

Pick the Right Location: Naturally, you want to buy a plot in an area that already has utilities close by. Make sure to study the site in detail, taking note of its topographic limitations and surrounding landscape. You want the longest sides of your house to be facing north/south to minimize sunlight exposure. Also remember to account for the environmental impact of the construction process.

Consider the Size: Though it's tempting to go for maximum square footage, you also want to keep an eye on the financial implications. Remember that a bigger house will cost you more not just when putting it up, but also in maintenance. Still, you can't go wrong by planning around your lifestyle; this'll help you create enough room for your needs while keeping the space manageable.

Opt For Green Materials: From the foundation to the attic, you want to use materials that will minimize the impact of construction on the environment. Look for products such as reclaimed wood, plastic, glass, as well as natural products like cork, bamboo and linoleum. It's worth noting that these won't cost you more than their conventional counterparts -- just as long as you purchase them from sources closest to the construction site.

Go Solar: It wouldn't be enough to talk about green building without mentioning solar -- it's after all the most cost-effective energy source. Speaking of which, there now are panels that can harness enough to cater for all the energy needs of your home. They're also cheaper and better-looking compared to their predecessors. Don't think that is an enough incentive? Well, how about the chance to qualify for tax breaks?

Build it Tight: Insulation is arguably the most important aspect of green home design, given that heating and cooling account for 50 percent of a household's energy consumption. Keeping the layout of your house compact (read vertical) will go a long way, but be sure to invest in the right materials as well. For the latter, spray foam comes across as a more worthwhile choice compared to fiberglass. Also pay attention to other passages that air could escape through.

Although there'll be more elements involved in your custom home build, keeping these points in mind should help you create a solid framework for the project. Just note that it will involve more headaches compared to purchasing an existing property. Even so, it'll be a whole less stressful than renovating the latter to match your ideals.




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