When you envision building your dream home, chances what you see stretches beyond how many rooms it’ll have or if there will be a pool. You probably are driven by tranquility, whether it is a home with architecture that flows seamlessly into the nature around it or one that simply has the right location components to suit your individual lifestyle.

Finding an environment

When building your dream home, you should try to isolate what it is that creates your ideal setting. Outdoorsy types may want to build a home overlooking a lake or shaded by forest trees. City dwellers may want an uninterrupted view of an iconic skyline.

Once the location is found, you should build an inspiration board, whether on Pinterest or in a binder, of home styles and material types that strike a chord with you. This can be used later to create a cohesive idea to discuss with an architect or home builder.

Assessing your needs

Those who don’t care to cook may not need such a large kitchen for entertaining and may choose to allot space for a larger office or master bedroom instead.

Someone who lives in a northern location may simply not want to devote much time to elaborate patios or a pool if the climate is mostly cool.

Creating a clear picture of your home’s function will help a professional design when building your dream home. It also will aid in establishing a general budget for the type of home you want to build.

Getting a feel for the neighborhood

Finding a beautiful setting is one thing but making sure the neighborhood’s philosophy doesn’t conflict with your own is another. Using a website, such as www.hoa-usa.com, you can find specific homeowner’s association regulations for a neighborhood you are interested in.

Some HOAs are more open to customizing your home, while others may be more restrictive and want little variation in the overall appearance of a neighborhood. Some may even impose fines for those violating their rules.

Of course, simply speaking with neighbors will give you a general idea of the tone of the neighborhood.

Figuring out the taxes

If you like a specific neighborhood, you will also have to examine the city, state, county and school taxes.

A website such as US Realty Records will give you a general idea about the taxes for an individual property, as will local government sites.

You will want to see records of tax increases in an area over a period of time to help establish if the area will be within your price range.

Home builder reputations

Finally, one of the most important steps you take will be selecting a home builder. You can discuss if they offer energy-efficient green options to save you money, if they specialize in the particular style you are interested in and if they are properly licensed and insured.

Websites, such as HOUZZ will give you access to customer reviews and portfolios for a broad array of builders in each state.

Of course you will also want to tour any model homes they have to offer to see a clear vision of their style and building materials. Only then can you begin your journey to building your dream home.