Chances are if you've bought this book, you are giving some serious thought to putting down some new roots. Maybe your current home just doesn't fit your needs anymore. Perhaps every time you walk into your crowded kitchen you find yourself sighing heavily and saying, "Maybe someday . . . " And maybe you've scoured neighborhood after neighborhood looking for home that calls out to you, only to find that none of them do.

You want a house that "fits" perfectly, and you've decided the only way to do this is to build a new home.

You may have the complete floor plan of your dream home etched in your mind, or you may have merely planted the seeds to that dream. Building a new home may be part of your two-year plan, or it may be something that you want to tackle in ten years. You may be dreaming of a $120,000 log cabin in the woods, or a million-dollar mansion may be more your style.

Regardless, people just like you tackle the home building process every day. Some of them have enjoyable experiences that turn out well. For others, building a custom home turns into a cash-gobbling nightmare filled with stress and anxiety.

So how do you join the ranks of the former and avoid the pitfalls of the latter? Well, a little know-how can take you a long way. And that's where this book comes in. We're here to provide you with invaluable advice collected as a result of many years of experience. Sure, it's still going to take lots of hard work, and you are still going to face challenges. But hopefully the information contained in this book will help you walk away from those challenges with a good experience in hand . . . not to mention the home of your dreams.

Yes, you can build, own, and live in your very own custom home. And we're here to help you.

How This Book Can Help You

To the neophyte, building a custom home can seem made up of an overwhelming number of confusing processes and tasks. After all, we've all driven by home construction sites. It seems like one day the crew is clearing the land, and just a few weeks later they are landscaping. How did they get from point A to point Z? How did the electricity get there? How does the water get into the house to make the toilet flush? Will that garage door really go up with the press of the button? For those of us who don't do this everyday, the home building process can take on an almost magical quality. Well, we're here to demystify the process. Don't worry. We aren't going to ask you to break out a hammer and nails-unless you want to, that is. But by the end of this book you'll have a good understanding of what all those subcontractors are doing, and why. You'll have a general understanding of the order in which things are done. You'll be able to follow the construction process without feeling like you've fallen down the rabbit hole! Here are some other valuable things you'll learn in this book:

• We'll start at the very beginning, where we'll show you how to organize your project, as well as find the perfect piece of land to build your home on.
• You'll learn how to determine your house's design according to need and budget, and what role the architect plays in your home's design.
• You'll learn how to find a good contractor, as well as how to communicate with that contractor.
• You'll learn all about construction loans, from soup to nuts. We'll give you some tips on how to qualify for the money you need to borrow, and you'll also know why it is so important to have cash on hand!
• Finally, we'll show you how to manage the investment you've made in your new home, by discussing refinancing options.

Okay, you've spent enough time mooning around the home supply store. And you can say goodbye to those Sunday afternoons spent in front of HGTV too. Time for some action. Turn the page to learn everything you need to know, and then some, about the home building process.