Constructing your dream home does have some special advantages, as opposed to purchasing an existing property. For one, there is the benefit of customising your home to the specifications of your desire.
Building your home, “from the ground up,” is also more exciting. You have the liberty to select your own design and put your personal style on the finish product. Research reveals that constructing your home can also work out to be less costly, when compared to purchasing an existing construction.
While those advantages are excellent, building a home can also be more time consuming and requires extensive preparation. Here are some pointers to consider, if you decide to take the home building route:
Purchasing the Land
If you already have existing land to do your construction, then you are ahead of the game. This could be family land that was bequeathed to you. Therefore, you will need to ensure that you have a title for the land, prior to laying one block; as not doing so may result in legal implications later on. However, if you have no land, the first thing you would need to determine is the location you want to settle in. Plots in rural areas will always be cheaper than those in the suburbs of busy towns; therefore, making the right purchase decision is all about filling your personal needs.
There are also approved realtors online, whom you could check with, in terms of purchasing land in Jamaica. Our JN Bank mortgage officers can put you in touch with some of these reputable realtors.
Financing the Construction
Financing the cost of your construction project is also paramount. JN Bank offers a Home Construction Loan, which will assist you to build the home you dreamed about. This loan product will give you up to 40 years to repay, depending on your age. There is also joint financing with the National Housing Trust (NHT), if you are a contributor. The loan product also offers up to 95 per cent financing.
For further information about this product, contact JN Bank at: 954-485-3777; Toll Free Number: 1-800-462-9003;Fax Number: 954-485-0300; Email: jnrepofficefla@jngroup.com.
Finding a Qualified Contractor
If you decide to build your home, then you need to ask yourself if you will be taking on this task yourself, or hiring a contractor to do the work for you.
However, building a home from the ground up requires the expertise of architects, engineers and electricians. If you don’t have all of those skills, then you’ll need to hire a professional builder and top-quality contractors.
Before hiring a builder, get recommendations from previous jobs and speak to the home owners. Ask if the builder had good follow-through, whether the job was completed on schedule and on budget; and if they were pleased with the quality of work. Also, check the builder’s relationships with subcontractors and supply houses, to find out if they paid their bills. A builder who is behind in payments will most likely encounter delays in receiving materials and have a hard time maintaining a quality crew.
Hire a Lawyer
Have a lawyer review the contract with your builder. Building a home is a major investment and it is, therefore, important to ensure that all of your bases are covered. A small lawyer fee up-front could save you thousands of dollars, if something goes wrong during the construction period.
Additional reporting from: https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/9-tips-for-hassle-free-home-construction ; https://moneycheck.com/building-vs-buying-home/
