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Could a 750 square foot house be the wave of the future? Advocates of the tiny or small house phenomenon think so. In this day of supersized homes, so-called McMansions, many people all across the US are building homes that are just the opposite– tiny houses measuring just 50 to 750 square feet. Jay Shafer, an Iowa designer has been at the forefront of this movement since 1997, when he built a 100 square foot tiny house which he called, “tumbleweed”. But it didn’t stop there, he actually downsized, in 2004, to a house just 40 square feet, calling it … Continue reading →

Building your own home is exciting and overwhelming all in one. If you have been weighing the odds of buying versus building and have determined that you can build, you need to find a good architect and/or builder. After all, buying opposed to building is very different with an entirely new set of rules. Although not intended, many people building a home find they have to stay more involved than they would like to keep the progress on schedule. For starters, never go with the first architect or builder you meet. That does not mean you would not go back … Continue reading →

Building a new home is an exciting time. However, building a home can also be a frustrating time, as you wait for each phase of your new home to be completed so you can finally move in. However, before you get to the building part, you need to find the land or lot. Just as with an existing home, you want to pay considerable attention to location. The decision will of course depend on what you want. For instance, you might be looking for vacant land in an existing or semi-new neighborhood, acreage, or something in between. You can look … Continue reading →

Buying land out in the country is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city, a place of retreat, which is why we see the number of rural land sales increasing. Although there are some very knowledgeable and reputable real estate agents that can help with this situation, most focus more on populated areas. For this reason, when you begin your search for rural land, you want to work with someone that concentrates on this part of real estate. Unfortunately, many people forget about rural areas. For some, they feel the commute to work is … Continue reading →

When buying land, whether for building right away or in the future, you want to do your homework. After all, not only is this a big investment, it could also become a disaster. For instance, what would happen if you found a track of land but failed to do any of the research, only to build, and then discover there was an underground spring. Unfortunately, problems such as this are relatively common. Therefore, it is to your advantage to do some research first. For starters, boundary surveys are always important. In this case, if you were uncertain about the size … Continue reading →

Building a new home on land is something people from around the country dream of. If you are thinking about building on land, we believe these tips will save you some effort and perhaps money. The first thing after determining how much you can afford and then talking with various lenders about construction loans is to start your search, the fun part. When searching for the perfect property, you have a number of good options. For starters, you might take a nice drive in the country, looking for signs in yards or on properties, which is common. Then, use the … Continue reading →

When building a new home, more and more people are looking for ways of saving energy. By constructing an energy efficient home, you will find that you enjoy all the normal things associated with a new home while not spending so much on monthly utility bills. Today, we see so many exciting new technologies and energy savings ideas that you can design an amazing home that will improve comfort while providing significant heating and cooling costs. For starters, an energy efficient home needs to be well constructed. This includes a tightly sealed thermal envelope, properly sized, controlled ventilation, energy efficient … Continue reading →

Anytime you build a home, various trade contractors need to be hired. These would include plumbers, electricians, sheetrockers, landscapers, and so on. Obviously, you want the best possible contractor possible for the money being spent. While most contractors are honest, hard-working individuals trying to make a decent living, some are unfortunately out to make a buck, even if it means being dishonest. In addition to the visual aspect of your home, you want contractors that will build a safe home, one that you could sell one-day for a profit if you wanted. Remember, the quality of your new home will … Continue reading →