Little Thought About Factors to Consider Before Tearing Down a House to Rebuild

As housing inventory remains low in Omaha some homebuyers are considering the purchase of a home to tear down in a location that is desirable with the hopes of rebuilding a brand new construction home in its place. While this does seem like a viable option to have a home you actually love in any location you want to live in there are some things to consider before signing the contracts and ordering a bulldozer.

Know what you want in a new build and determine the total cost

Before purchasing a property with little regard to the existing structure on the piece of land because you plan to tear it down anyway it is good to determine exactly what you are looking for in a home. You might find that there is an existing home with very similar attributes where you may only need to do a remodel and you can save yourself some money.

Or you may find a very old home that needs to be torn down for safety reasons anyway. You don't want to however tear down the home only to discover that the plans you have for your new home will not fit within the local zoning laws for that lot of land.

Consider bringing a professional with you as you shop

If you have no experience in building and remodeling homes it is a good idea to bring a contractor along once you have found a property with potential. You may fall in love with the location of the property in full that it has plenty of space for the home you plan to build only to find out that it is not as ideal as expected. You want to make sure that the plans you have for your new build will work in the spot you are hoping for.

A professional could also give you insight into if the home might be able to be remodeled and save you some money and become the home you are envisioning in your dreams of your perfect next living space.

You might get off to a rocky start with neighbors

Before tearing down the home on a property it is good to make sure that you converse with your soon-to-be neighbors about the plans for the land. Apologize in advance for any inconveniences or disruption it may cause and give them your best ideal time frame for when the project should be done. Also, make sure to communicate that you plan to post signs to remind everyone that the construction site can be a zone with many safety hazards. Communicate that their safety is very important to you especially if there are kids in neighboring families. You will be surprised at how often neighborhood kids are found in a nearby construction zone. 

You want to plan to keep things as pleasant and smooth with your new neighbors as possible. You don't want to move into your dream home only to find out you do not have a dream situation with your neighbors.

Check the utilities

Even if the land has an existing structure on it this does not mean that the current utilities will be sufficient for what you are planning with your new home. Dealing with the utility companies on a rebuild can be one of the biggest unexpected headaches of a tear-down and rebuild. Sometimes it can be with scheduling appointments and sometimes it can be with finding out that your lot of land is not able to sustain the utilities you were hoping for.

Know the zoning laws

You want to make sure that you are well aware of all of the zoning restrictions for buildings in the location that you are purchasing. It is especially important to know zoning laws if you are purchasing a piece of land in a densely populated urban area as these tend to have the largest number of zoning restrictions. Some homeowners find a piece of land within a great walkable neighborhood only to find out they have to reconfigure their plans several times to fit within local zoning.

For more information on available real estate in Omaha Nebraska please contact us anytime.