The biggest piece of advice for anyone who is planning of building a home on their own lot is to consult a home builder, before buying land. Your home builder has the expertise that can help shape and direct the vision of your dream home. Involving your home builder early in your decision-making has the potential to save you time and money, avoiding costly changes.

FOUR KEY REASONS TO BUY A NEW HOME

1. Quality construction

Would you like more peace of mind? New homes also offer peace of mind since all products (and the home itself) are typically covered by a warranty. Most builders offer warranties on their homes, often one or two years on systems and materials and ten years for the structure

2. Low cost of ownership

New homes require less maintenance than older homes and are more energy-efficient, so your utility bills are lower. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, a new home today is 30 percent more energy-efficient than a home built just five to seven years ago.

3. Designed for the Way We Live Today

Times and tastes change, of course. Today, homebuyers prefer an open floor plan, often without a formal living room. Buying a new home means that you can choose the floor plan that meets your needs – and you can often customize the layout or features to further personalize the space.

4. Energy efficiency

Many new homes include Energy Star-rated appliances that can reduce the use of electricity or gas and lower your utility bills. An older home built in the 1950s will typically see about $300 or $400 per month in utilities compared to a recently built home which can see about $60 per month.

The experience of building a custom home is just as unique and exciting as the finished product itself. From the floorplan to the selections of finishing hardware touches, you have the freedom to make this house exactly what you would like it to be. Building your dream home should feel rewarding, not a stressful nightmare. You are making an incredible decision and investment to create a home that is uniquely for you. If you are prepared and backed with an amazing team of builders, this process should be fun, fulfilling, and exciting! Heightened emotions throughout this process are valid and understandable. That’s why our experienced team, Hawk Custom Homes, will be with you every step of the way to make sure that your dream home is brought to life in a stress-free and memorable way.

If you are thinking of moving to sunny Central Florida from a colder climate, you're probably regretting having to leave one aspect of your former home — the fireplace. It’s great for when winter is a prolonged experience, and it's a great feature that adds a unique accent to your home's indoor and outdoor spaces. You may be thinking that Florida's weather is too sunny and warm, and adding a fireplace would be superfluous in your new custom home. But, Florida can have chilly winter days & nights — sometimes freezing ones if we get a strong cold front — which means you'll be thanking yourself for adding a fireplace. Today, fireplaces are functional dinosaurs — particularly in our subtropical climate where rare cold moments can be squelched with a twist of the thermostat dial. But the fascination and romance of fire will never go extinct. A fireplace will transform the typical room in a way that nothing else can, as it adds a glow, warmth, and a life to the room that wasn’t there before.