How to Build Your Dream Home

Building your dream home is a process that takes some individuals a lifetime. Hardly anyone knows early in life what exactly constitutes "dream home" in her eyes. Pinning down the details that you want may take years of "starter" homes and building mistakes to learn what truly works for you. It is helpful to keep a list of likes and dislikes about each house that you live in. Consider everything from major aspects like size and layout to minor details like cabinet space and tile coloring. It is hard to remember everything that you have learned from previous living situations when faced with the stress and endless choices involved with building a new home. Keeping detailed records is a good way to stay level headed under pressure.

One good way to get good ideas for your dream home is to do active research. Any time you see a house for sale, stop and take a walk through to add to your likes and dislikes list. Steal ideas- it is allowed! Model homes are another great way to check out floor plans and housing designers. Home shows are one of the best ways to get ideas. These homes are fully decorated, and decorating the house well is almost more important in creating a dream home that the actual layout. Often these homes provide great inspiration for wall coloring, wood color, counter tops and furniture ideas. Be open minded, and home shows may provide a whole new perspective.

The next step is choosing a location for the building of the dream home to take place. The whole atmosphere of the house depends on whether you are located in the woods or a subdivision, on lots of acres or in a city. Work with your atmosphere instead of against it. Once your have ideas for what type of home you want, consider what type of backdrop makes the most sense for your tastes.

Choosing a builder is one of the hardest steps in choosing a dream home. Get recommendations from friends whose homes you admire and visit several projects completed by the builder.

Before any contracting takes place, you and the builder should have extensive conversation to be sure your ideas and his skills will coincide. Take your time with decisions. Make initial choices, but allow two weeks to think about your choice before it is finalized. It is important to visit your work-in-progress dream home frequently in order to be sure you and the builder are on the same page. Sometimes mistakes get made in the funneling of messages from builder to crew heads to crewmembers. Staying in close contact with the builder and crews helps ensure that your home is erected according to plan.

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering advice and tips on house plans, and choosing real estate agents

MORE RESOURCES:

ERA Pacesetter closes real estate business - Bizjournals.com

Learn to Profit from Real Estate - Even in Tough Markets - MarketWatch

Tokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy Real Estate - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601101%26sid%3DaIP5Kj6fVj6M%26refer%3Djapancid=1277107960ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNHq6sSahSvDAiGxTQgqXtydDMelhwTokyo Replaces Shanghai as Best Asian City to Buy bReal Estate/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-14 (Bloomberg) -- Tokyo overtook Shanghai as the best Asian city to buy breal estate/b as investors seek less risky investment for 2009, a survey by the Urban b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUST27950420081203cid=1277107960ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFuwlhn42b15DDAs2f4mihLUOJWZAKeen to invest in Asian breal estate/b, consider Tokyo/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277107960hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Nokomis Real Estate Ventures LLC files bankruptcy petition - Bizjournals.com

Citigroup Said to Cut Most of Asia Real Estate Team After Slump - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/finance/10493037.asp%3Fscr%3D1cid=1276857068ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNHAyhVF18ODu7vJDZjVUbeI78gDogimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=fSLLI2DXcuMJimgurl=www.hurriyet.com.tr/_np/5203/6905203.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Hürriyet/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DafjkpmbQDyaU%26refer%3Dhomecid=1276857068ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFSA6rszDetiWg9wrrG6a6ORgDUkACitigroup Said to Cut Most of Asia bReal Estate/b Team After Slump/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-13 (Bloomberg) -- Citigroup Inc. fired most employees at its breal estate/b investment banking team in Asia after slumping property prices stifled share sales b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-1fd=Rurl=http://www.rttnews.com/Content/BreakingNews.aspx%3FNode%3DB1%26Id%3D791401%2520%26Category%3DBreaking%2520Newscid=1276857068ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGS32rJ-2gG2N4q0fguHPDPls2Z6ACitigroup Said To Cut Most of Asia bReal Estate/b Team, Reports b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRTT News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSHKG24058120081203cid=1276857068ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFTn54FX69-3qvEcJTRQuXz_phxUAChina property stock rally too much, too soon?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601109%26sid%3Day7HZbCLGLEA%26refer%3Dhomecid=1276857068ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNESAh85baDilMCKbdW0C1sgSQE92AChina Property Slump Threatens Global Economy as Growth Slows/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276857068hl=ennobrall 197 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Neuberger Berman Real Estate Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Neuberger-Berman-Real-Estate-Securities/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B618BBA1C-45ED-4BC6-A6AA-A656072847FF%257Dcid=1277177500ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGaKQPc1OrWcz2_iEuRcb2qHITvCANeuberger Berman bReal Estate/b Securities Income Fund Inc. Announces b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b in the markets for its portfolio securities, and in particular, common and preferred stocks issued by bReal Estate/b Investment Trusts (quot;REITsquot;). b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.privateequityrealestate.net/Article.aspx%3Farticle%3D32713%26hashID%3D8697775C1753C89C506498F68C04E826E639DD49cid=1277177500ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFOm3VDURN6bds3v0mPJilc1SkElQMarshall to raise $500m for Russian breal estate/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPrivateEquityRealEstate.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp%3FaId%3D81322cid=1277177500ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFtojZb03FauxP5_teBODf68hELfwMarshall Capital Partners launches new $500 million fund for b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWebWire (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277177500hl=ennobrall 9 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

UPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on real estate buy - Forbes

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGIRzXSRReSTQr62rmLW1p8IYMj8Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=G0Z9onrcFO0Jimgurl=static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2008/12/03/sh4.jpg width=80 height=48 alt= border=1brfont size=-2guardian.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/12/03/afx5771724.htmlcid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNEmubi38ZIeco3JOWyhs83YXtbWMgUPDATE 2-Sibir market value halves on breal estate/b buy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fForbes,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sibir had already outraged minority shareholders when it said in October it would buy some $157 million worth of breal estate/b from its key owner, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSL364626620081203cid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGwlzRZTPoWDMPOQ40skorVBDx14wUPDATE 1-Sibir shares sink 30 pct on breal estate/b buy/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-2fd=Rurl=http://en.rian.ru/business/20081203/118667008.htmlcid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNE4q8ruutzj29S-wQdxmzFX94XNGASibir Energy to buy $340mln breal estate/b assets from developer - 2/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrRIA Novosti/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-3fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3DaS_Y7fzEKDYc%26refer%3Dhomecid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGxjsvln43NMnPAkCF_vPEpDK4eXwSibir Plunges 57% on Russian Billionaire ‘Bailout’ (Update4)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-4fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/03/sibir-russia-oil-property-tchigirinskicid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGIRzXSRReSTQr62rmLW1p8IYMj8Anobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-5fd=Rurl=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/372867.htmcid=1277136024ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNETdPm44vJLg83NUaBTUsR7UbvwTgnobrThe Moscow Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277136024hl=ennobrall 81 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Icahn Sues Real Estate Company Over Debt - New York Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03realogy.html%3Fref%3Dbusinesscid=1276968847ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNF0M9vmgP12MV4YdzhWR_iCOwvUmwIcahn Sues bReal Estate/b Company Over Debt/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Mr. Icahn’s investment firm filed a lawsuit last Wednesday against a breal estate/b company controlled by Leon D. Black, a prominent Wall Street buyout b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE4B27IQ20081203cid=1276968847ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNGVrK5vhHy8y8LrmV6m67BcneFH9wIcahn sues Realogy over debt deal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1276968847hl=ennobrall 21 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Whitehall Funds Lose Their Luster - Wall Street Journal

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122826598899374457.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1277094278ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNHj876tR-BaYQXaW3EAQpcjLA80JAWhitehall Funds Lose Their Luster/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journalnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By ANTON TROIANOVSKI and LINGLING WEI Goldman Sachs Group Inc.#39;s Whitehall family of breal-estate/b funds is struggling with weak performance and potentially b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSN0351371720081203cid=1277094278ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNHQ7zOypNLRQyWsyPnv4Gv9eN4BvAGoldman Whitehall head warned of firm#39;s exposure/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSBNG24933320081203cid=1277094278ei=SQ83SZDqJpXM8AS_-vCyDwusg=AFQjCNFBDCs9-5xXqN8XkorOvUNwX30X7AGoldman Whitehall funds hit by property slump-WSJ/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1277094278hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Freedom Interactive Launches New Real Estate Vertical - Destin Log and Walton Log

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