Buying a new home can be an intimidating process, and once you decide you are ready, you might find yourself wondering what’s next. As you begin looking for your new home, here are some guiding steps to help as you make your journey through this exciting adventure!
Contact us or work with a realtor
This step is versatile, and contacting us or a realtor can happen at step along the way. But if any of this seems intimidating or overwhelming, there are experts available to help guide you through every step! Our realtor, Mark Southwood makes this process easy with convenient appointment times, video walk-throughs, and access to our model home and other homes we have under construction to help you visualize what your new home could look like.
Decide what you can afford
With the current housing market, you can usually find a home in your price range, but there is more to buying a home than the initial cost. If you’re buying a foreclosure or an older home, it may have an attractive selling price, but the cost of maintenance and updates could run you far past your budget. Sometimes, buying new makes sense and when working with our building team, we want to hear your budget and help you stay on track as you make selections and pick your floor plan.
Decide your ideal location, and how it aligns with your budget
Sure, we would all like to have a beachfront mansion with our own personal pool and service staff, but the reality is most budgets won’t allow for that. When looking for a place to live, consider where you spend most of your time (work, recreation, voluntary activities, etc.) and decide how far you are willing to drive to reach each activities’ location. If you have or plan to have children, you might also want to consider the school district in the area, in addition to the local family amenities.
Consider this: many of our Rockton, Illinois homeowners work in Rockford or surrounding areas, but have chosen to live in Stone Ridge because of the highly-regarded schools and proximity to their office. And the prime real estate off I-80 has families choosing Public Square of LeClaire, Iowa because of it’s convenience to several major cities. All good things start with a strong foundation, so once you’ve picked your community or purchased a lot in your ideal location, the next step is to pick your home.
Select your floor plan
Now it’s time to browse through floor plans! This makes the process come to life, as you begin to imagine what life would be 
like in your new home. As you browse through plans, consider the daily activities in your current home, and what could make these better. Do you love to cook and want more counter space? Are your teenagers longing for a basement to hang out with their friends? Are you looking for a home to age in and considering a one-story or first-floor master suite? Use your needs, wants, and must-haves list to identify the perfect space for your new place.
Now this step can interchange with picking your location, and if you have your heart set on a specific floor plan, you may be limited based on lot size and city or Home Owner Association regulations. If you are dreaming of a specific plan, contact us to discuss location and we will work with you to help match your floor plan with an appropriate lot.
As you work through each of these steps, we are here to help answer your questions, offer suggestions, and assist as you begin customizing your new home. We are committed to delivering a quality home with an authentic approach, and will work with you to make your dream home come to life!