It may not come as a surprise to hear that the housing market in the United States is enormous, and it has largely recovered from the 2008 housing bubble crash. Now, homeowners may ask for solid prices for their properties on the market, and buyers have many fine option for their next living space. In fact, many of these buyers are first-time buyers, and they are typically Millennials (born 1982-1995) who can afford something large like a home for the first time. In other cases, higher-end home buyers can afford larger and more desirable property such as custom estate homes, luxury estate homes, or higher-end, water-side community homes. A water-side community in Florida, for example, may be out of reach for a first- time home buyer, but properties at that water-side community may be a fine option for a retiree. Luxury homes in a water-side community or elsewhere may in fact be built and designed from scratch, and custom homes may be constructed when the project owner contacts home builder contractors in their area. What is there to know about buying or building a home in a water-side community in Florida, for example?
Buying a Home
Someone looking to buy a home may contact local real estate agents for assistance, especially if they are first-time buyers. Older adults are the most robust home buyers and have the most experience and money for this, but younger buyers are finding their way into the market. After all, some 32% of those on the real estate market to buy a house are first-time buyers, and they often make heavy use of the Internet to find their next property. Today’s Millennials are now old enough to afford major life purchases such as a home, cars, and even boats, and professionals in those markets are taking a close look at Millennials’ buying habits and interests. This represents a major demographic shift, and the same scenario may play out in 10-15 years when those of Generation Z, born 1996-2010, are also old enough to buy property.
Someone looking to buy a home has a lot of factors to juggle, but two simple ones to remember are the location, and visiting the property in person. Nearby features and employers may be important, such as finding an office to work in or schools for the kids in a family. Some people move to a new home because their job has moved, and they will want a property fairly close to that employer’s location. Other features such as shopping malls, parks, and restaurants may make a neighborhood more attractive.
While a home buyer may browse their options and find out a lot online, there is no substitute for visiting the premises in person. This allows the home buyer to “get a feel” for the property, as well as check for any maintenance issues. Such issues may vary from creaking floor boards to drywall damage to drafty windows, all the way to termite damage or leaking pipes in the basement. A remodeled house will also be attractive to buyers, and there may be landscaping in the yard such as shrubs, flower gardens, or even a wooden deck or swimming pool.
Building a Home
Some higher-end home buyer are looking for a water-side community house, while others would rather build their dream home. This is not done alone; the project owner will hire professionals who can help design the home and construct it after the lot has been purchased. The home itself may vary widely in design and shape, and may have the right number of floors and rooms that the owner would want. There may be a master bedroom, two other bedrooms, and a guest bedroom, in addition to a large living room or even a home office or home gym too. Such a home may have balconies, a wooden deck, or a chimney and a brick fireplace on the ground floor. Architects and other professionals may be consulted for this to make a sound home, and the owner may get ideas and suggestions from these professionals. This can help make the home structurally safe, and efficient in terms of plumbing and heating and cooling.
