Building the home of your dreams is an exciting process, allowing you to bring your unique vision to life and design the perfect backdrop to suit your lifestyle. One of the most important parts of the custom home-building process is also one of its earliest stages: selecting the perfect homesite. When you’re considering homesites, there is a wide range of factors to take into account. Every detail from the size and set-up of the community to the amenities and accessibility of the surrounding city or town can have a significant impact on your quality of life.
When you’re choosing your future homesite, keeping a few simple tips in mind can ensure that you select the ideal place to construct your forever home and live your dream life.
Consider a Community
While some homeowners limit their homesite search to single lots, you may want to focus on professionally-designed communities created specifically for custom homes. Often, the right community can greatly simplify the building process, laying the groundwork for each homesite in terms of electrical, plumbing, and other important hookups.
Also, building in a community can protect you from the unknown: instead of wondering whether an undesirable business may be constructed next to your property, you can rest easy knowing that your neighbors will most likely be forever homeowners like you.
Pay Attention to the Community’s Design
A well-crafted community will have been created with residents’ comfort and quality of life in mind, taking elements such as traffic management and privacy into consideration. The ideal layout should encourage a natural flow, provide plenty of lot space for each homesite, and ensure residents’ security through features like gated entry.
Have a Vision in Mind
Before you begin looking for homesites, it’s helpful to have at least a basic idea of the home you would like to build. Think about the estimated square footage of your future dream home, as well as any unique features or layout plans you’re interested in including. Having a basic framework can help you select a homesite that will suit your vision, with the proper shape, size, and location to set you up for homebuilding success.
Know that Location is Everything
Anyone in real estate will attest to the incredible importance of one key feature: location, location, location. The tried and true saying holds plenty of truth and should be a major focus of your homesite search. While the city and community in which you choose to build your dream home is critical, so is the actual location of your homesite itself. Consider your preferences on elements such as north/south exposure, bordering properties, and the proximity of community common areas (if any).
For example, some homeowners may prefer a homesite in the most secluded corner of a community, situated for generous morning sunlight and sharing a border with the neighborhood edge. However, others may find that they would rather build their home in the community center or on a cul-de-sac, where they can easily walk to neighbors’ homes and enjoy the afternoon sun.
Make Sure the Homesite is Actually Buildable
Not all land is created equal, especially when it comes to the custom home building process. It’s important to make sure that you’re selecting a property that’s will allow you to build the home of your dreams. If you choose a homesite in a custom home community, most of the work around what you can build may have already been done for you. However, if you’re considering land outside of a community set-up, you’ll need to research zoning and deed requirements, as well as other factors that may affect the building process.
Research Building Restrictions
Most communities have a specific set of building restrictions and guidelines, which is actually a good thing. Restrictions like these ensure that your dream view won’t end up blocked by your neighbor’s towering, five-story home and that the integrity and beauty of the community is preserved. While these rules benefit all residents in the long run, it’s important that you do your research to make sure that the community is the right fit for the home of your dreams. Check that there aren’t any limitations that would qualify as a deal breaker and ask clarifying questions if needed.
Think about Your Ideal Lifestyle
When you envision your dream home, it’s likely that you imagine yourself going about your daily routine and everyday life as well. Ideally, you’re not just surrounded by the four walls of your forever home, but also by a larger community and city that suits the lifestyle you want. Think about both necessities and luxuries you want to be part of your future life, including amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, gyms, boutiques, and more. Your homesite should put you within reach of everything you want and need, making everything from daily errands to your favorite hobbies easily accessible.
Make Use of Technology
Getting an in-person view of potential homesites can be extremely valuable, but there are also tech-savvy methods for exploring the area. Satellite views can give you a “big picture” idea of the homesite, surrounding community, and more, highlighting potential benefits or issues you may not have noticed otherwise.
Take in the View
A few years after moving into your new home, the last thing you want to realize is that the homesite a few lots down have the view you’ve always wanted. If you’ve never considered the view from your future homesite, you might be surprised to learn that it can have a significant impact on your everyday life. Imagine waking up to the awe-inspiring beauty of natural surroundings like the famous red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, then compare that with the experience of opening your blinds and seeing the blank side of a building – which would you prefer? When you visit prospective homesites, walk the property to get an idea of the available views from every angle.
Confirm the Status of Utilities and Infrastructure
Homesites can vary considerably when it comes to utility connections and taking the time to do your homework can prevent unwelcome and expensive surprises in the future. Ideally, your homesite will be pre-equipped with utility connections to the lot line including electrical, water, sewer, and telephone connections, minimizing time and cost in the building process.
Explore Luxury Homesites in Sedona Today
Sedona, AZ is one of the best-kept secrets of the American Southwest, offering residents a quiet retreat and vibrant community among the stunning desert scenery and red rocks. Here, you’ll discover limitless opportunities to live your life to the fullest, with no shortage of amenities and activities to enjoy. Sedona is home to a thriving arts and culture scene, five-star dining, unique shopping, local landmarks, and some of the most beautiful natural surroundings in the United States – there’s something for everyone.
For the best homesites Sedona has to offer, look no further than the exclusive community of Mystic Heights. Mystic Heights is a private community of beautiful homesites for sale, Sedona’s first new gated community in more than a decade. With less than 40 homesites, you’ll enjoy a peaceful lifestyle and close-knit sense of community, the perfect complements to the scenic views from every corner of the neighborhood. Mystic Heights isn’t just unique to the city of Sedona – it’s unlike any other luxury community in the country.
Contact our office today to learn more about available homesites in Mystic Heights and let us help you achieve your Sedona dream.