When they finally decided to build a new home, Linda and Jimmy hired the best-known (and most expensive) builder in their area. They paid the premium for his services, because they assumed there would be few, if any, real problems with the construction.
Wrong. When it comes to building or doing a major renovation on your home, there are always going to be problems, no matter how much you pay your contractor.
There's no substitute to showing up at the construction site every day of the job. Whether you're spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, make it a point to visit the job site at least once a day.
With luck, you'll catch small problems before they grow into something that's expensive and time-consuming to correct.
Ilyce Glink is the bestselling author of 100 Questions Every First Time Home Buyer Should Ask, and is the Managing Editor of Right at Home Daily.
Finding The Right Lender
You've found the house you want and, fortunately, you can afford it. Now it's time to shop for a loan. How do you find the right lender? Margaret Crane has some suggestions.
Unless you've recently won the lottery, it's likely you'll
be getting a loan to pay for your new home. Here's
everything you need to know to get your application
approved. From Margaret Crane, contributor to
Newsweek, The New York Times and Money magazine
and author of Successful Homebuilding and Remodeling:
Real-Life Advice on Getting the House You Want without
the Roof (or Sky) Falling In.
There's little chance you'll have a successful closing
unless all of the details are in place. Here's some
information to help you get from offer to closing without
missing a beat. From Barbara Buchholz, former editor of
House & Garden Guides Magazine and co-author of Porch
Style and the New Homeowner's Handbook.
For most, making an offer for a home is the most
stressful part of the process. The information you'll find
here will help you figure out everything from how much a
piece of real estate is worth to how to win a bidding war.
From Margaret Crane, contributor to Newsweek, The
New York Times and Money magazine and author of
Successful Homebuilding and Remodeling: Real-Life
Advice on Getting the House You Want without the Roof (or
Sky) Falling In.
