The idea of building your first home is always exciting, but it is not something you randomly stumble upon. It is one of those goals people aim for before retirement; the whole idea of finally living in your dream home and being your own landlord. This also comes with some sort of fulfillment as a person, and considering the Nigerian society, there is no better way to announce your “arrival.” Whether the reason for building your first home is to become a landlord or not, you definitely don’t want to be caught in the web of – “I want to build a house where do I start” or “what are the steps of building a house” – questions. Building a home or your first home as the case is here can be a daunting task and you are wondering what right or wrong way to go about it. There is no right or wrong way actually, but there are steps you need to take. Consider the list below as a guide or steps to building your first home.
Source: WOFS.com
Do Your Research
As simple as it seems, it is the most important thing that would either make or mar the whole process of building your home. The research done will determine if you enjoy living in the house in years to come or not. The purpose of the research is to decide the best location for your dream house. Things you probably want to consider when deciding on the area should be things that fit into your lifestyle as a person. The importance and effect a location has on real estate properties cannot be over flogged, so you definitely need to choose the best location. The things you might want to consider when choosing the location for your home are: its proximity to work and market, schools, parks and recreational centres, good road network, availability of social amenities among others. You don’t want to build your house in an area that would discomfort you in the future. Is the area close to work or market? If you have kids, is it close to there school(s)? How good is the road network from the area to major roads and vice versa? Does the area have the required social amenities? All these questions are what you should provide answers to before choosing a particular area. They should be the benchmark of your research.
Have A Budget
Before you dive into the whole excitement of building a house and all that, you should ask yourself if you have a budget. It is no news that building a house is one of the biggest projects a person can embark on. Though it can be exciting, it is also good to note that it can be financially tasking. For most first time builders, the biggest mistake they often make is not having a budget before they start the whole building process. What happens is, they end up spending more than they imagined or probably run out of funds. The idea of having a budget is to know the things you are spending on, why you are spending on it when you are spending such and so on. Budgets serve as guides when making a financial commitment, so you don’t overspend. This way, you can always check from time to time if you are on the right track. It is, however, important that the budgets are only to serve as guides and you should always make room for miscellaneous.
Source: Mortgage After Life
Land
Whether it is a plot of land, an acre or whatever the size may be, the entire building process only commence when you have land. Now that you have done your research and have sorted out the issue of budget, the next step is getting land that is in line with your budget. Getting a land to buy these days is easy compared to years back. The internet has continued to change how we live and do business. There is practically nothing you cannot do online. It is easier to carry out real estate transactions from the comfort of your home, thanks to the advancements of technology. You don’t need to go through the stress of walking the length of a particular area in order to buy land or any other real estate properties. Online platforms like PropertyPro.ng make the whole process of real estate transactions seamless.
Home Design
After which you must have acquired land, the next step is to build right? You probably have a lot of ideas that you want to bring to life. While you are excited about the whole idea of a dream house, you should take the time to plan it out. Once you have decided on the design, you should be able to stick to it and avoid changing it. It is important that you make all the changes concerning the building before construction starts. Once the floorplan is set, making changes would not only delay the building process but also cost you more to change it. So, it is important to get your home design sorted out as soon as possible.
The Construction Process
Once you must have chosen a home design, the next step is the construction process. This phase would involve getting a contractor and signing a few documents. It is important you go over all the written contracts and building plans again. Once construction starts on the site, changing anything would warrant the extra cost. The truth is, the stage involves some real estate technicalities, and you probably should seek the help of a real estate professional.
Source: Legacy Classic Homes
Get Ready To Move In
Finally, you are ready to become your own landlord, living in your dream home. After the construction phase has been completed, you only need to sign a few papers, and you are ready. This should include a few guarantees and warranties from the contractor. You also want to ensure you abide by the rules.
With the steps above, you should by now have an overview of what to do and expect at certain times and points.
