How to Build a Home in Bradford Shores

Bradford Shores has a new phase open for development with many new homes being built already in this next phase. There are also still existing lots available to build on in other areas of the Bradford Shores subdivision.

If you haven’t driven through the Bradford Shores at Knollwood subdivision yet in South Bend, Indiana, you can check out my highlight video I put together as a real estate agent serving buyer clients looking to own a home in Bradford Shores.

Resources:

Here are the following steps to planning your home build potentially in the Bradford Shores neighborhood.

Step 1: Contact Me, Nick Foy, Realtor with RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty

There are many benefits to working with a real estate agent to build a home. I also have a background in new construction, previously working for a local home builder in the area and have connections with the other builders in the region.

When you contact me to help you through the planning and building process, I will assist you with:

I do professional work and take each client’s home very seriously so you’re in good hands with a real estate agent who truly cares about helping you and working with you.

Contact me easiest by phone (text or call) at 574-387-2501 or email NickFoyHomes@gmail.com

Step 2: Get Pre-Qualified for New Construction

Most homeowners who are looking into building a home don’t understand the financing process for new construction is different than traditional financing on pre-existing home sales.

I have gone through the process many times working with a home building company previously as well as planning my own home build at one time.

For starters, you can finance the land purchase as part of the overall construction loan or you can pay cash for the land and get a loan just for the construction of the home.

If you pay cash for the land and have already closed on the land to take title and become the owner of it, then you can count this cash amount as part of the down payment on the construction loan.

For example, if you spent $100,000 on the land and plan to get a $400,000 construction loan for the home, the lender will count the $100,000 towards the loan financing.

So you’ll already have a 20% down payment covered using the equity in the land and you don’t need to come out of pocket additional funds as a down payment for the construction loan.

Some lenders allow as low as 5% down on the loan while others may require 20% down payment and finance 80%.

I have a few select lenders I’ve vetted that do great work with new construction loans and the loan terms they offer that I will recommend to you when we start working together to plan your new home! I’ll be happy to make the introduction so they know I sent you and I’ll be there to help answer your questions along the way!

Step 3: Find the Land You Want to Build On

Picking out a lot to build your home on can be challenging. Making sure it has enough square foot / acres to accommodate the home you plan to build and taking into account the mandatory set backs on the lot survey.

Land with good soil quality for when they start digging the basement out is also important. Neighborhoods with clay soils can lead to water intrusion of the basement and require sump pump systems installed in the basement floor.

Price is also key. Different neighborhoods have different prices for the lots available for sale.

Bradford Shores is a luxury, higher priced home neighborhood and thus land prices will be on the higher end compared to other subdivisions further west in South Bend.

This is mainly due to it’s proximity to Granger amenities such as restaurants, shopping malls, golf courses, and other activities within a few miles of Bradford Shores.

I am happy to help you negotiate on price with the seller for the land when we find you the perfect lot.

I’ll get you set up in the MLS system to get a list of lots for sale currently in the area, based on any criteria you have for lot size and price range.

Step 4: Choosing a Builder

I have a few builders I prefer to refer clients to but it is also important to get multiple quotes from different builders to compare costs. One builder could build the same house as another but charge $50,000 to $200,000 more, for example.

Getting multiple bids is a process I’ll help you through. We will sit down and map out the features you desire to have in your home.

I have my connections with the builder I previously worked for which can be a good starting point as they build houses with some of the best quality while keeping prices very reasonable compared to other builders in the area.

Once we have a builder picked out, you’ll get a contract from them that we can review together to make sure everything is fair and the price is what you’ve agreed upon to pay the builder for the construction of your home. There are many clauses in these build contracts to review and we want to check on the warranty coverages.

I’ll be there to help you through the paperwork step here. Once the contract is signed, the builder will await funding to start digging the basement and building the home.

Step 5: Finalizing Your Home Plans

Once we know which lot and which builder you are going with, the rest get’s much easier. We will have several sit down meetings with the builder to discuss features and pricing of your home.

Once you’re connected with a builder and they have your plans, you can finish the closing process with the construction loan to get the home build funded and started.

Step 6: Relax and Wait for the Home Build to Complete

Construction will begin with the basement, then framing the house with wood, and then mechanicals installed.

At some point the builder will call us in for a meeting and you’ll go over final selections from the list above in step 5.

Then you’ll wait those remaining few months for them to put the interior together with your finish selections and the house will finally be complete.

The whole process can take 9-12 months usually with 3 months for planning, finding the lot, and loan qualifying, and then about 6-9 months for the actual home construction.

Step 7: Final Walk Through and Closing Day

Final walk through usually takes place the day of closing, where final paper work gets handled and the loan closes. Title gets issued to you for the land + home on top of the land, if you hadn’t already closed on the land previously.

We will check to make sure the house is complete and any fixes that need to take place that may have been missed by the builder.

Once you start living in the new home, any issues that pop up the first few months can be addressed with the builder to fix. These are known as call backs when things break just a short time after closing and are under warranty still.

Call Nick to Schedule Showings of Lots in Bradford Shores

Ready to start looking for lots in Bradford Shores to build your next home? I’d love to tour you through the subdivision and help you pick out a lot as well as negotiate price with the seller, handle paperwork, and get the deal closed for you!

As a buyer’s agent, my commission is paid by the seller and working through an agent brings many benefits to you, so I hope you’ll place your trust in me as your realtor and we can get started with the land search phase!

Feel free to set up a call with me to learn more 574-387-2501

Best regards,

Nick Foy, Broker

RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty

Licensed in Indiana

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