Custom Home Builds Still a Top Investment

New housing starts and permits for future construction recently hit a five-year high signaling a strong indicator that consumer priorities in this economy still center around hearth and home.

One reasons for this five-year increase in new home construction is that the Washington, D.C. and Maryland suburbs, such as Chevy Chase and Bethesda, have housing inventory well below equilibrium. This means that based on the number of homes typically sold per month there is less than a 6-month supply available. According to a recent Washington Post article, “the number of active listings is still 34.5 percent below the five-year average.”

You may be weighing the option of having a custom home designed and built for you and your family instead of buying something on the market. Building a custom home is still considered a good long-term investment for those intending to live in their home for a while.

What are some advantages of building?

Location. When you custom build a home, you can build where you would like to live. Access to schools, shopping, outdoor environments, amusements and public transportation are among the many factors clients consider. What makes a location geographically desirable is unique to every client. Some may seek to build where there are natural landscape attributes, such as a wooded back lot or nearby trails from the home.

One-of-A-Kind Design. A custom home is also usually a unique design built around your vision, needs, and budget. From the floor plan to fixtures, your house and its various spaces can be tailored for the activities you enjoy, whether you want open space for entertaining and for spending time with family, or whether you want to create work areas such as a music rehearsal space, at-home office or art studio. A custom build and design aims to create a flow and functionality in a home that matches your needs to a tee.

Choice of Materials. When you build your own home, you have greater control over the choice of materials, from start to finish. Whether you want to use green and sustainable materials, exotic tiles from Italy, reclaimed wood or bricks, and/or family resistant materials, a custom design and build project can accommodate these wishes.

Time and Attention. Custom builders tend to work on fewer, high-end projects at a time so you can expect more time and attention while building your home. When the paint has dried, furniture placed and you are all settled in, you can sit back and enjoy the home you conceived and implemented with the help of design and build professionals. There’s a special pride about a home in which every detail was imagined by you.