Gettin' Real: A Real Estate BlogGettin' Real: A Real Estate Blog


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Gettin' Real: A Real Estate Blog

Many people say they don't really feel like an adult until they buy their first home. It is a huge step. Rather than letting a landlord make all important repairs, you take on this responsibility yourself. You also get to build equity in the home over time, which can be a rather smart investment. At the same time, buying your first home can be a little intimidating. You may have questions about applying for a mortgage, setting a budget, and shopping efficiently. We hope to answer those questions with our helpful content. Your real estate agent is a good source of information, and so is this blog.

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5 Things You Never Thought To Ask Your Builder About, But Should

When you are building a new house, decisions come at you fast. It starts with a lot of choices, like which way the house should face, paint color, and countertops. In spite of the flurry of decisions, find time to talk to your home builder about the add-ons below. 

1. Insulate interior walls

Ask your builder to add batt insulation to your interior walls. Batt insulation is typically used for exterior walls but can be applied to interior walls as well to muffle the sound. While it is not a true sound-proof insulation product, it is a cost-effective solution. 

2. Adding an egress window

If you have a basement, talk to your home builder about adding an egress window well before they break ground. An egress window helps anyone get out of the basement in case of a fire. Some areas require one if there is a basement bedroom, but it is a good decision to have one regardless. Installing an egress window is relatively inexpensive in the early stages of construction, but to add one at a later date is cost-prohibitive. 

3. Pre-plumb for an additional bathroom

If you have a basement, bonus room, or even an oversize garage, consider pre-plumbing for an additional bathroom. This means that the plumber would run additional pipes to the area for water and sewer, which is fairly inexpensive while they're doing the rest of the house. The pipes would simply be capped off. If you have the desire and funds to add another bathroom later, everything is ready to go. 

4. Install an extra hose bib

It is a standard procedure for new home builders to provide one hose bib, or outside spigot when building a new home. If you are a gardener, however, it might be more convenient to have a hose bib in both the front and rear of the home. Ask your builder to add a second hose bib to make things easier on yourself. 

5. Adding an electrical outlet at the roofline

While the electrical plan is typically decided upon by the architect, you can ask for extra outlets. This is particularly helpful outside. If you like to set up a holiday light display and channel your inner Clark Griswold, discretely add an outlet at the roofline to avoid running extension cords all over the roof. 

Planning ahead for how you will use the house, now and in the future, can help you get the most out of your build.