Building a Home | build a home | how to build a house

Prefabricated steel buildings are the sections of building which are manufactured in a factory, so that they can be easily transported to and rapidly assembled onsite to construct the buildings unit. In other words these are portable and ready to assemble architectural style steel buildings.
Now a day steel buildings are becoming more and more popular forms of construction and almost all type of building are getting built by using Prefabricated steel building frames. Prefabricated steel buildings can be for anything from a small simple structure to a complex framed office building. And there are numerous advantages of using Prefabricated steel buildings over convectional one, as they are quicker to construct, more durable and cost effective. Through this article we are highlighting these major benefits of Prefabricated steel building.
The steel structure of Prefabricated steel buildings ensures stability, strength, and durability. And make them strong enough to withstand earthquakes, cyclonic wind, heavy snowfall or rain. Even they are free to corrosion because of steel body which is rust resistant. Apart form this Prefabricated steel buildings are fire protected because of non combustible nature of steel. All these features make it a much durable building structure.
Prefabricated steel buildings are usually economical than normal buildings. Since they are ready to assemble architectural structure, so just need to be assembled in a right way. These buildings can quickly and easily be assembled and erected by almost any person; hence reducing the labor costs and saves time.
Since Prefabricated steel building is the ready to assemble architectural structure they are provided with panels and grooves to fit perfectly leaving no gap, thus helps in keeping the building insulated for external weather conditions. This insulation of prefabricated building helps thermodynamically to keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter, and thus saving energy costs.

I often get this question.
Well, the answer to this is... as often as it takes to get my client the best possible deal!! A credit pull by a lender is considered a 'Hard Inquiry'. Which is a reporting of the borrower trying to establish credit. The FICO scoring model will recognize that you are trying to establish credit and lower your credit score a few points. You usually get those points back when you establish that account. "Soft Inquiries' are permissible credit pulls by creditors that you have a working relationship. They may pull a soft inquiry on occasion to make sure their money is still safe with you or if they are contemplating a limit increase on your revolving accounts. Soft inquiries do not affect credit scores. No one sees soft inquiries except YOU when you pull your own report.
So, we have two issues here.
1. Why do lenders pull credit so many times?2. What is the impact on my credit score?
#1 is easy. #2 is a little more convoluted..... but there is an answer.
Why DO lenders pull credit so often?
The first thing I do when I take an application is pull a credit report. Coupled with the loan application, I can usually determine with great accuracy what type of loan is right for this borrower. With good to decent credit(along with other factors) my first stop is to my Automated Underwriting engines through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. I re-issue the credit report into their system(reissued, not a new credit pull), then let the computer spit out an answer as to whether they will back the loan. If I get what I am looking for, then I shop a few rate sheets and quote the client..... all with one credit pull!! If not, then we may have a situation where we are going to be looking at Alt-A products or subprime. Most of my lenders will use my credit report. Some will not. So, I manually qualify the borrower based on the info in the loan application and credit report. It is common to have the actual lender pull another credit report when the loan is submitted(after the borrower inks a contract). I might have a client who has a really unique credit profile, like job gaps or a short credit history, but with some decent compensating factors like high cash reserves. To get a full pre-approval, the hypothetical loan must be submitted to the lender where they actually pull their own credit report. <= They may even pull it again when the borrower finds a home and is under contract. They may even pull an additional credit report right before closing just to make sure the borrower hasn't gone nuts and bought a new car and a bunch of furniture as that can affect debt ratios. Whew, thankfully, that lender took the deal..... because if the file is denied, then it must be submitted to another lender who will start all over pulling 'Hard Inquiries' on the credit report.
What is the impact of credit inquiries on FICO scores?
In their 'What to know about rate shopping', Fair Isaac says the following: Looking for a mortgage or an auto loan may cause multiple lenders to request your credit report, even though you are only looking for one loan. To compensate for this, the score ignores all mortgage and auto inquiries made in the 30 days prior to scoring. So if you find a loan within 30 days, the inquiries won't affect your score while you're rate shopping. In addition, the score looks on your credit report for auto or mortgage inquiries older than 30 days. If it finds some, it counts all those inquiries that fall in a typical shopping period as just one inquiry when determining your score. For FICO scores calculated from older versions of the scoring formula, this shopping period is any 14 day span. For FICO scores calculated from the newest versions of the scoring formula, this shopping period is any 45 day span. Each lender chooses which version of the FICO scoring formula it wants the credit reporting agency to use to calculate your FICO score. <= Source: MyFICO.com MyFICO.com is the consumer division of Fair Isaac Co, who developed the FICO score.
Was that a mouthful? Well, I don't know for sure, but I don't think many reputable lenders are pulling credit out of the trunks of their cars on an antiquated system. So it is a pretty good bet that you have a solid 30 day (maybe 45) window to shop for a loan or 'be shopped around' by a broker.

The decision to buy or build a new home is a momentous occasion at any phase in life, but the decision to buy or build a new home and choose the best retirement living community can be especially intimidating. While some of the best retirement communities are springing up everywhere in the United States, Florida remains one of the most popular choices for retirement because of its favorable climate and variety of active senior lifestyle communities. When considering buying or building a home in a retirement living community, the first and most obvious things buyers taken into consideration are qualities of the community itself. However, there are many additional factors that should be considered in making a decision about buying or building a home where you will spend the rest of your life. Knowing what to look for as a potential homeowner in a retirement living community can help buyers make better decisions for their golden years.
Several things to consider when trying to choose the best retirement communities for your new home:
The community's qualities - Consider the positive things the retirement living community has to offer. Does the community promote an active senior lifestyle? Offer a variety of activities? What types of amenities are available to its residents? Is the surrounding landscape pleasing? Consider the location and nearby attractions. What is it like getting around the area? What is traffic like? Another thing to consider is the community's demographics - what types of people live there? The best retirement communities are places where one would feel comfortable and be happy living day in and day out.
The builder's reputation - Another important thing to determine before buying a home in a retirement living community is whether or not the builder is solely responsible for the homes or if they contract work out to other builders - the best retirement communities use builders who do the work themselves. Some retirement communities will actually hire several contractors, which can affect the quality of work – and may even put buyers in a situation where an outside contractor is responsible for their home warranty. Another important thing for a buyer to consider is the contractor's stability. Will they be around in two years?
Taxes and fees - Find out if the community is truly resident-owned - many retirement living community home buyers are often surprised to find that they are paying additional hundreds or thousands of dollars in annual living costs. These additional costs can come from the Community Development District (CDD), which places taxes on homes in the community in order to cover the costs of public roadways, utilities and other improvements. Other fees may include leases paid to the developer or a third party for recreational facilities, golf courses and other amenities. The best retirement communities will disclose any additional costs you might have prior to closing. Some builders will put these costs on residents' shoulders, failing to inform the buyer of this in the initial purchase price or closing costs. Often times, buyers are not even aware of these additional costs until they receive their first tax bill or association fee statement. A builder may claim that placing the responsibility of paying these taxes or fees on the resident allows them to build homes at a lower initial cost. Prevent surprise taxes and fees by asking your retirement living community developer to tell you about any additional CDD taxes, leases or other fees upfront.
Closing costs - Buyers often get caught up in the excitement of a home purchase and don't think to ask how much it will actually cost to get into the new house. Buyers should be wary of additional closing costs as many developers tack thousands of extra dollars onto closing statements for attorney fees, and other miscellaneous fees that they may claim to be necessary or standard practice. Generally, a contract cannot be closed until these additional fees are paid. Some of the best retirement communities will actually cover all of part of the closing costs themselves, which will save hundreds of dollars in up-front charges and eliminate the possibility of a finding a "big surprise" in the closing statement.
Construction satisfaction guarantee - Does the builder offer a construction satisfaction guarantee like those available at the best retirement communities? With a satisfaction guarantee, you can be confident in the builder's commitment to your satisfaction. In these guarantees, the builder pledges to fix any construction you are not happy with and may even buy the house back if you are still unhappy at that point. Essentially, choosing a builder in a retirement living community that offers a satisfaction guarantee will bring peace of mind in the construction process.
Conclusion When considering buying or building a home in a Florida retirement living community, performing a thorough evaluation of the builders and their policies is just as important as evaluating the community itself. Once you've compared the best retirement communities and found a retirement living community whose location and amenities fit your lifestyle, look for builders that build their own homes, have a good reputation for quality and service, and offer construction satisfaction guarantees, and be sure the builder tells you about all potential costs upfront. You might save thousands of dollars, and you'll be certain to enjoy an easy transition to retirement.

The process of building a manufactured home is completely different than that of a traditional home, from its origin inside a factory to its ultimate destination -- your property! Home buyers can have the security of knowing that the weather won't affect the building process, nor will their home be damaged by inclement weather; manufactured homes are built in a temperature-controlled environment.
Owing to this temperature controlled environment protection, manufactured homes are of a higher caliber than traditional homes. Because manufactured homes are assembled in a factory and, therefore, protected from the elements, there is very little chance that they will be exposed to dampness and moisture, a home owner's worst nightmare.
This is of the utmost importance because, building with wet materials can severely compromise the structural integrity of your home. This will hit you hard in the pocketbook when you have to pay for costly repairs and still find that your homes resale value has decreased.
Manufactured Homes- The Good Aspects
One major benefit of purchasing a manufactured home instead of a traditional one is the flexibility of manufactured home designs. There are literally hundreds of options for features on your manufactured home. This allows you to be the designer of the appearance and functionality of your future home. Fireplaces and sliding glass doors are features that can often be added, and you can even choose an entire set of appliances to be shipped along with your home.
The easy process involves examining the possibilities, determining which extra variables suit your taste, finding the cost, and your manufactured home can be made to order. Compared to a manufactured home, changes or additions to the design of a traditional home is very expensive. Architects, new floor plans, and permits may all be required should you wish to make modifications to the original blueprint.
Another great benefit of choosing a manufactured home is that construction is three times faster than building a traditional house, so you can move into your new home in a third of the time! If money and time are of the utmost importance to you, manufactured homes are the best choice, as they are both well priced and quickly built.
There are very high standards to up hold within the manufactured home industry. The manufactured home industry is controlled by region-specific and state-specific restrictions and regulations. In addition to region-specific and state-specific regulations, there are nationwide restrictions and regulations that are enforced, as well. Traditional homes must only meet local regulations, and therefore may be of a lower standard than manufactured homes.
In short, manufactured homes won't take as long to build, will meet the highest standards and regulations, and will be much more affordable. A manufactured home may be the perfect choice for you, so book a tour at your local company soon!

1) Location
The location of a building inadvently contributes a lot to the high/low cost of building. The Nigerian case for class has a long way of affecting cost of building generally, especially Lagos.
What happens in our urban areas is class segregation, a case whereby you were once poor and fits for the slums and outskirts or other areas that are less prime, and suddenly your economic purse changes, the first thing that happens to an average Nigerian is to relocate. Why? because he believes that is where is class is, the only place fits for his children's education, his business e.t.c
There is the general belief that when you move among the high and mighty yourself, you get more connected to where money is, and the probability of getting contracts is there. But people fail to realise that you can connect to anybody and makes friend more easily in today's ICT age without relocating.
Hence you see when a place is designated as Government Reserved Area, what usually happens is the influx of the rich and this turns even a terrible and non-developed land atimes to prime lands overnight just because of class and oppressive nature of the rich. The building artesans/workers ends up charging more when you are building in those area because of the influx of moneybags. So you will end up spending more money and you won't get the land cheap either.
(2) Type or Nature of Soil
This is where a lot of people gets it wrong and shoots themselves on the foot when planning on building projects. Soil types, strong, mild or very strong generally affects the overall costs of the building. soils are classified under five main headings.
1) Rocks, which include igneous rocks, limestones and sandstones
2) Cohesive soils, such as clays where the constituent particles are closely integrated and stick together.
3) Non-cohesive soils, such as gravels and sands, whose strength is largely dependent on the grading and closeness of the particles.
4) Peat which is decayed vegetable matter of low strength with a high moisture and acidic content.
5) Dump site or made ground which may contain waste of one kind or another and can cause settlement or stability problem.
When building your house the nature of soil on your site will go a long way in affecting your purse. Find out if the land is the good loadbearing type and you will cut cost. People digging your foundation will not need to dig so far, and foundation concrete you will also use will be minimal in comparison to weaker soils. Dump site is the worst place to use because you will need to remove the debris, else your foundation will be affected and this will cost you more. The stronger your type of soil the lesser the amount of money you will spend.
The topography or level of your land also is very important for you to spend less, in a case where one portion of your site is very low to the other, surely this will take you more money to manage in terms of either block or split-level constructions.
Make sure you get to the exact portion of the land you are being proposed to, because if you by oversight or carelessness buy a damp site, you will need to effectively drain the water to increase the stability of the ground, to avoid surface flooding, and to avoid dampness of the surface of the inner walls and basements, and also to remove humidity in the immediate vicinity of the building.
I have fallen into a mistake like this before so I know what it may cost you if you do same. Firstly, you may have to fill the land and spend more money, though when you were buying the land in question you paid so less and you were given the impression, that you won’t spend more. But you will regret unless you are so rich, I have seen a first hand experience on this, that is why when buying a land is better you buy in the rainning season to give you the opportunity of accessing the site in question. A client once bought a land so cheap but in a very low area, which makes his land a runway for water drainage, you need to witness it when rain is falling yourself, then you might appreciate what I am talking about, strong water currents mind you can overturn a house.
A waterlogged ground will also require reinforcement or iron and concrete which ordinary bungalow in a strong and clear area will not need.
(3) Access to infrastructure
Proximity of land to good infrastructures like road, water, electricity and others goes a long way in affecting the cost of building a house. You may not know, if a tipper can not get access to your site, you will spend 50% of the money you could have used in bringing materials to your site on labour that will carry them. For instance carrying blocks to the site where is actually needed. If water is close that is also an advantage. But this also have is own negative effect on cost of land, but at the long run it is better to buy where all these amenities are in place. Note: consider the cost of running your own pipe, electric poles and grading or clearing the road.
(4) Traffic Access
The human and vehicular access just as explained above can be of great benefit and the influx of people to places like that can also leads to high cost of construction.
(5) Taste, type and Size of Design
High taste demands high cost, your class or status may most likely reflects on the kind of building you want, the type of electrical fittings you want in your house to cater for your utilities, air-conditioner, e.t.c your plumbing fittings to cater for jacuzzi, spas, bathtub, swimming pool e.t.c and other fittings for your comfort and convenience may cause your building cost to rise.
The type of building entails either it is a simple 2,3 or 4 bedroom bungalow or it has to be a duplex/manssionnete. Generally, it costs more to build storey buildings because of the cost of completing concrete floors to just acquiring more lands and building on them for the same numbers of room.
In terms of size the rooms size, the kitchen and other purpose area sizes may even make an ordinary 2 bedroom flat for you to be costlier than another man's 4 bedroom flat. Then talk of additional utility rooms like study, game rooms, prayer room, extra living e.t.c.
(6) The Menace of Omo Onile (Land Owners)
There are cases of “Omo Onile” trying to outstretch the buyer even when you have paid them their illegal entitlements. Some can go as high as making you repurchase your land again altogether. What of the selling of Government acquired Lands to unsuspecting buyers, this is very, very common in Lagos, God saves you if the Government wakes up one day and decides to ask for their land, you will count yourself lucky if they only ask you to pay or repurchase the land. What if they ask you to evacuate altogether and your building completely bulldozed.
(7) Proximity to Institutions
Educational, Health and Religious institutions dots our landscape but what most don’t realize is that they invariably raises the cost of getting lands in their localities, because of influx of people going in and out of these various institutions, commercial activities are always affected positively, thereby bringing business opportunities to those in the locality. An obvious example is Canaanland Ota in Ogun State. You can see the visible increase of properties in this once a forest suddenly turned to haven of investors, and buildings of all manners springing out.
(8) Commercial Viability of the Area in which Building is Constructed
(9) Quality of the priofessionals and artesans involved
If you use quacks for your building project,yes at presence you will spend less but be aware that before the house is completed or after ,you will spend much more if you refused to use a professional. Talk of the cost of maintaining your house after parking in,the quality of the design that an architect could have easily given to you cheaply ,what of the structural disposition of the building that a civil or structural engineer could have given you for extra peanuts or a quantity surveyor that will cost your building and knows if you are heading for the rock ,or the builder that would have made sure your drawing plans is properly represented or executed and standards are not compromised .Get a professional in the field and let him recommend an artesan –bricklayer carpenter e.t.c to you or you get one by yourself or one that was recommended for you .you then must make sure you check his old jobs and confirm that it is good’or tell your professional to follow you and access the persons past job, he should be able to point to one.
(10) Materials
building materials also contribute immensely to the quality and cost of house immensely ;from what you used in foundation to the materials of roofing ;there is always an array of prices . Even cement bags are of different prices ;What of the blocks ;they also depends on quality; some can sell theirs #10 to#20 difference from others because of the rich cement mixture ratio and the type of sound, while others could just double the price of lower quality ones. For example "BECO BLOCKS" price is usually double the common ones around in Lagos. I guess you know even in roof there are categories also from the ordinary asbestors roof to the modern aluminium the prices always varies.
(11) Quality of finishes
there are different types of finishing which also raises an issue of taste and money to be spent .Even painting atimes can cost more than what is required to buy major materials in another persons building. With the advent of more technological breakthrough in building accessories, where you can now have bullet proof doors and windows with metal detectors, with furniture companies coming out each day with new innovations, there is bound to take into serious considerations the cost of finishes in overall costing of your house.
(12) Aesthetics
The beauty atimes goes along with the complexity of a design, this you may not know affects the cost of building a lot, especially when the walls of building are not aligning and the roof are also complex this may raise the overall cost of the building.
(13) Time or Duration
When a building is taking long time to complete, there is the tendency of spending more at the long run. Consider materials that would have gotten spoilt due to long delay of use on site, what about woods that are left for rain to be beaten, cement that have gone bad, there may be need for some replacements on site anytime you go back to continue after a long lay off.
(14) Inflation
Unstable economic conditions and rise in fuel products also affects building indirectly by multiplier effects. Remember vehicles that uses fuel are needed to bring materials to site.
(15) Security
When the place is close to a police station or is noted to be generally very secured, houses in this area will always go high up.

(1)The soil scientist:
The soil scientist work is to determine how suitable is the land for the purpose of which is going to be used for.They check the strength,ph content and gives report on the effects of building on such lands.They are important indeed to avoid settlement of land due to weight of building in the future. They use different ways to investigate soil conditions.For simple residential buildings on reasonable sites digging several holes about three spits deep, drilling holes up to 2 or 21/2m deep with a hand auger or driving a pointed steel bar about 1 1/2m into the ground are generally sufficient. With larger buildings or more difficult sites,the following methods are applicable.
(i)Excavating trial holes about 1 1/2m deep deep outside the perimeter of the building.
(ii)Drilling boreholes by percussion or rotary methods.The percussion method uses a steel bit with a chisel point screwed to a steel rod.The rotary method employs a hollow rod with a rotating bit and a core of strata is forced back up the hollow rod.
(iii)Load testing often using a reinforced concrete slab about 1.20 to 1.50m2 and 300mm thick,to which loads are added at about 2 hour intervals and the amount of settlement is determined with a level .The safe bearing capacity of the soil is found by dividing half the load applied prior to appreciable settlement into the area of slab.
(2)lawyers:
Lawyers are needed right from when you want to purchase your land,they help in all legal dealings. From contracts to agreements between you and the "omo onile" landowners; you need them .It is the job of a lawyer to find out the true owner of the land because the person selling to you may actually not be the right person to do so, they will do a thorough scrutiny on the agreement papers and give their legal advice on your investment.The money you pay for this service may be worthwhile considering the possibility of loosing your money if you refuse to contact them.
(3)Land Surveyors:
These people map out the the area or plot of your land.They see to it that your land is properly demarcated from your neighbour with their instruments and skill they will give you the accurate length of your plot .There drawing is what you take to the architect for design of your building. You also needs survey plan for validation of your land when you want to register it.
(4)Architects:
They liase with you i.e the clients on one on one to achieve the type of building you want .Architects give professional supports to the clients not only on the design of the building ,the execution ,but general support even the viability of the building .The work of an architect is extensive because they are generally closer to you clients than every other building professionals. He is in the best position to know what meets your dreams and how to help achieve it. He conceives or dream and put pen to paper and sketch out what you have in mind,gives you to criticise to suit what you want properly, and make the necessary adjustments .He is the bridge between you and the other professionals and artesans on site ,by his position he is the head of the building team.
(5)Quantity Surveyor:
This professional estimates and see to it that you won't embark on a project that is beyond your financial means .They cost and determine the amount of money you will require to build your house so that you don't end up abandoning your project midway. This people are very important unfortunately Nigerian of today do not see the need for them and that is why we have abandoned projects dotting our landscape. It is nice to have a beautiful and befitting house .It also helps to promote the architects that designed it for you when your house is very beautiful, though for small projects your architect can give you an idea of what your building will cost ,but you may not really get the perfect and non-sentimental estimate as to what a quantity surveyor will give you. The quantity surveyor has nothing to lose if the house is very ugly his job is to make sure you have a financial understanding of what you are about to embark on. On big projects ,they maintain and award money to artesans and labour based on the input each worker is putting.
(6)Civil or Structural Engineers:
The civil or structural engineer in building industry is to see to it that, the stability or structural disposition of your building is not compromised. I mean they give calculations and recommends based on the Architect's drawing, what kind of reinforcement or iron or any other structural elements that can make your house stable and will not collapse. And they come out with the drawings on this to help the builder on site to carry out is work effectively.
(7)Mechanical Engineer
These people see to the mechanical aspects of the building especially large projects they give out detailed drawings and specified on plumbing work in the building, the plumbers work with them and help carry out instructions for the good of the project.
(8)Electrical Engineer
As the word implies they see to it that there house is properly lightened. Dangerous electrical connections has led to the death of several people. I will advise you have the electrical engineer in your plans when embarking on a building project. They give instructions to the electrician on large project sites.
(9)The Builders
These are one of the most important professionals in the building industry, unfortunately, the Nigeria of today is a case of dog eats dog. A situation where you claim you can do the work of somebody else and no law to discourage you against such impersonation that is what we are seeing in the building industry at presence. "Collapse of buildings" The builder is trained to carry out or execute on site or transform or bring into reality on site the drawings and intentions of every other building professionals, may it be the Architects, the Civil Engineer, the Mechanical Engineer and the Electrical Engineer. His duty is to see to every artesans or workers on site carries out is job effectively. Unfortunately every jobless person with some money in Nigeria are now claiming to be building contractors and people out of ignorance do not even know the difference.
Even other professionals too are jostling for each others job. A situation where a town planner or a surveyor lays claim to the fact that he can design a house plan for you or when a quantity surveyor is doing the work of a builder will not give you the best you deserve. A building contractor yes, is important in a construction industry but their work is not to bypass any professional rather they are to work with the professionals or consult with them to carry out the project effectively except if the contractor is a professional himself. They are probably the one to finance the building project at times, but to get a very good job you must insist on knowing the professional they will be working with.

So a new home or office building has just been constructed. It’s brand new, so it should be in pristine condition and without a scratch, right?
Not always. The very process of constructing a new building can cause small amounts of damage all around the interior and exterior of the structure. There is a lot of potential for builders to cause damage to walls, floors, and other parts of the building, often without realising. And it can be frustrating to move into a new home or business premises only to discover that there are already repairs that need to be made.
Which is why many construction companies in the UK now commission ‘snagging reports’. A snagging report is an inventory of every item of damage to a new building. Everything from chipped tiles to stained flooring, scratches and dents in walls to cracked window frames, is itemised and entered into the report. Contractors are then brought in to repair each item of damage, ensuring there are no nasty surprises left when the new occupants move in. If the snagging report caught every problem, and the contractors did a good job, the whole process should have gone unnoticed by the new residents.
But working from a snagging report can be expensive and time-consuming. Each different type of surface or material requires a different type of contractor – carpenters to repair wood, tilers to repair or replace damaged tiles, plasterers, roofers, and many more. Paying for each of these different experts and finding the time for them each to do their part in the repairs can cause a lot of unwanted expense and delay.
What if there was one type of contractor who could make all these repairs in one visit?
There is.
Magic Man are specialists in repairing, resurfacing and restoring all kinds of damage to the inside or outside of buildings. They work with the construction and insurance industries, as well as private clients, to fix everything from burnt worktops to antique baths and radiators. Magic Man’s technicians are trained in the repair and restoration of all types of surface within the home, including tiles, brickwork, flooring, window frames, and enamel sinks and baths.
This all-round expertise makes Magic Man the perfect contractor for dealing with snagging reports. In just one visit, they can tick off every item on the list, going from kitchen to bathroom to bedroom, making all the repairs necessary and saving a great deal of time and money in the process.
If you’re in the construction industry and need a reliable and cost-efficient contractor to deal with your snagging reports, get in touch with Magic Man today. They could make a big difference.

You know what role a general contractor played in getting your home built. But do you have any idea of what a modular home builder does in the process of getting a family settled in a new modular home? The differences in the two jobs may be greater than you imagine.
The DifferencesWhen a new stick home is being built, the general contractor digs and pours the foundation, erects the framing and walls ad ceilings, puts on the roof, adds wiring, insulation, and plumbing and the heating and cooling systems, puts in the flooring and perhaps carpeting, cabinetry, and storage spaces, and paints and papers the walls.
When a modular home is constructed, the modular homebuilder digs and pours the foundation, and then moves on to another foundation until the sections of your modular home arrive on a truck.
Modular homes are prefabricated homes, the walls, floors, and ceilings of which are built into “modules: in the clean, climate-regulated confined of a factory. All the details of every modular home fabrication are controlled by computer, to ensure that the finished modules will fit together with minute precision. Compare that to the hand levels and chalk lines common on a traditional home construction site.
Modular homes have factory-installed wiring, insulation, and plumbing; there is no waiting around for the local plumber’s or electrician’s or drywall hanger’s union to finish someone else’s job so they send someone to begin yours. Modular Home ConstructionA modular home builder will make sure that a crane is ready to start lifting the delivered modules into place as soon as they arrive. Each module will be attached both to the home’s foundation and to the modules which adjoin it. Modular home construction seldom requires more than one plumber or electrician to connect the wiring and pipes, which were installed at the factory, to the home’s power and water sources. Not only were they installed at the factory; they were examined by certified inspectors.
Some modular home builders will even include landscaping as a part of the process; you can inquire when you order your modular home whether it will be included in the price. But when you sit down and total how much you have just saved by having a home ready to move into in weeks instead of months, you may feel like paying for landscaping is no big deal!

Owning your own home is a big step in any persons life. There are quite allot of people out there telling themselves that they can never own a home, this is simply not true. You can own a home even if you have bad credit. You are about to find out the answers to all your questions right here on this one page.
Most lenders at this point are doing what they can to help get buyers in a home. This is because families and individuals now days do not have perfect credit or even good credit. There is hope for you to have the home you have always wanted and you will not have to rent forever.
Here is just a few things you will need to know:
FHA Loans are not based on your credit score but more on your faithfulness to pay your payments on time and to keep your word.
You can not have anything on your credit report that is in collections. And it is a good idea to double check your past finances and make sure that nothing will be reported to your credit report in the future that will be negative and/or be placed in collections that would result in your credit report showing a collection account.
You will need to obtain a payment history with a landlord. Rental history is a must have for anyone who seeks to buy a home. A good place to start is right now. You will need to have at least 12 months of on time payments to your landlord that is documented by a statement or receipt.
Open a checking account and be sure to pay your rent payments with a check for your records as well, and this will also show your responsible by having a checking account in good standings. Always a plus!
FHA Loans are not usually based on a credit score, you may need to ask the lender for the specifics of the FHA loans they provide. Sometimes you may need a credit score of more than 0 or un rated.You will also need trade leads to obtain any loan from a lender. Here are a few examples of trade leads:
2 secured or non-secured credit cards keeping the balance due under 30% of the limit. Paying each monthly payment in a timely manner and not being late with in that 12 month period.
Car payments for previous 12 months consecutive with no late payment with in past 12 months
Insurance policy/payments for 12 months consecutive, either renter's or auto policy with no lack of coverage, and no late payments for past 12 months
Residential Phone line, or cell phone bill, Contract and payment history for 12 months consecutive and must show current payments and no late payments within past 12 month
UTILITIES: Water, Gas, Sewer, Lights, Cable any or all of those listed with 12 months consecutive payments with no late payments in the past 12 months.
Obtain a letter of reference from employer, this could be a letter from employer or department supervisor on company letter head, stating the reference of your character based on years on job and what they personally see, this will work as a good supporting factor to help them to ensure that you strive to move up in the company and intend to be there long term, this letter helps prove job stability as well.It is very important to keep up on all your payments to anyone whom you have an account with. Lenders must decide whether you are a good risk or a bad risk. You want to be a good risk for them to take. If you fail to make your payments lenders will feel as if you may treat them the same way, this will lead to lenders saying no. You do not want this to happen to you. Do not let your credit get out of hand. Do not get alot of credit cards, a good rule of thumb is to have at the minimum 2 credit cards, and the best rule of thumb to get you the most points in your credit reports is to be sure that each account you hold you keep the balance due under 30% of your credit limit. You will achieve the most points on your credit report with this method. You can raise your credit score as little as 5 points and as much as 60 points in one given month.
It is not a good idea to get alot of credit to bring your score up, you can do this by only having 2 credit cards or a loan that you can pay off quickly. If you currently have a loan, the best option for most is to pay it off. Be sure to ask the lender of each loan if they report to all 3 credit bureaus. Most rent to own places do not report to any of the credit bureaus, you can ask but I am sure that they do not.
For most other lenders and loans outside of FHA you may or may not be able to have a bankruptcy, if you do it may need to be at least 2 years old from the date filed or the date discharged, you may want to ask the lender you choose. Also if you have had a foreclosure before you may or may not have to wait until it is at least 3 years old from the date the bank reported it or from the date of your notification of foreclosure. You are still able to get funding from a lender with a bankruptcy and/or foreclosure. You will still need to double check with your lender of choice.
Outside of an FHA Loan there are other loan programs out there that you can qualify for, some have certain limits and specifics to them and you will need to see which one fits you best. Some may ask for a credit score of 600, or 620 or even 640. If you have a credit score of 700 or more you are in the best position of all, and you should be able to get the perfect loan to fit you best.
By the time that you are able to qualify for a home you are on your way to home ownership. The key element is to not apply for credit, allow anyone to run your credit during the home buying process, other than the lender you are dealing with. Each time your credit is ran by anyone who pulls a report your credit score drops and this can hurt your chances of funding and your funding options. Be sure not to over do it. Your lender can tell you the exact things to do and not to do and you want to listen to what they have to say.
Once you are approved for a loan, be sure to develop a budget that you want to stay under. Most lenders will tell you that you qualify for a $200,000 home but you may not be able to afford the payment. You want to get approved based on the payment you can afford. Your payment should also include property taxes, homeowner's insurance, mortgage insurance, homeowners association dues, andy anything else that you may be required to pay. Once you are ready to close and get your keys, you will need to contact your lender or title company and ask for the exact amount of money that is due at closing, you may want to ask 30 days in advance, so there are no surprises. You will need to fund an escrow account with at least 3 months of funds upfront at closing. You will also need to obtain in advance 1 years policy of homeowners insurance. You do not want any surprises at closing that will keep you from getting in that home of your dreams.
Seek the advice of a lender prior to buying a home, most lenders follow the same guidelines but some of them may vary. But there is hope and you can buy a home.
I wanted to share some of the things that I personally have learned when buying a home. I have purchased 2 homes, both experiences were different but the same objective is there whether or not you are a good risk to take or a bad risk. You want to be a good risk.

Even though the Amish people of Pennsylvania can still raise a very solid barn in a single day, for most people the tough of building anything more complicated than a model airplane is a non-starter. But as unbelievable as it sounds, there are modular home kits on the market which will provide almost everything required for the DIYer to build an actual, and not-too-shabby at that, house!
The makers of modular home kits are not above saying that even inexperienced DIYers can turn their kits into functioning homes. Why? Because modular homes take most of the work out of homebuilding.
How Modular Homes WorkModular homes are constructed of factory-produced modules; each module is connected to other modules at a home site until the final module is in place, a plumber and electrician connect the pipes and wiring to the local power and water sources, and the house is finished. Homes built from modular home kits are literally indistinguishable from traditionally constructed homes. Because they can be constructed in such a short period, modular home are often less expensive than traditional homes of the same square footage. The Structural Insulated PanelAnyone wishing to assemble a modular home kit needs to understand the concept of a structural insulated panel. Measuring 4’ x 8’, and weighting about one hundred and twenty-five pounds, the SIP sandwiches foam insulation between two layers of strand board, and these are the modular panels which can be fitted together with computer controlled precision by just tow or three people.
The SIP panels also contain connections and the cutouts for pipes and wiring, are warp and bend proof, and with their already installed insulation are the building blocks of a solid, energy-saving home.
Modular home kits are available in hundreds of floor plans, and if you find one that you’d like to take on, you can pay extra for the privilege of being able to call on the manufacturer for help when necessary. If you have the land, and can round up a few friends to help, you can order your modular home kit, have you foundation dug, and finally experience the fun of an old-fashioned barn raising for yourself!!

There's a lot of talk in real estate about green building lately, but the phrase is still a little vague. Here's a guide to understanding a few key terms, so you can investigate whether or not a potential home is truly eco-friendly.
Insulation and Building: Many new buildings are being insulated with recycled materials, such as old blue jeans or blown-in fiberglass. Proper insulation now goes a long way toward saving on energy bills later. Walls can be made of steel and concrete, rather than more expensive and volatile treated wood. Many cities have lumber yards and "re-stores" where you can buy recycled or left over building materials that are strong, cheap, and often antique or authentically vintage.
Appliances: Look for low flow shower heads and low flush or composting toilets. Consider energy saving washers and dryers, or put a line in your yard to hang wet clothes on sunny days Make sure your HVAC unit is sealed and clean, and look for gas stoves and instantaneous, or tankless, water heaters.
Flooring: Rather than use expensive hardwoods that endanger the land and deplete forests, many real estate builders have found inexpensive and beautiful alternatives in bamboo (which is technically not a wood but a grass, and yet one of the hardest and most easily replenished flooring materials) and cork (also easily replenished). Concrete, too, can be a sturdy and inexpensive alternative, as can old fashioned linoleum, which is actually made from linen and other natural fibers.
Paint and Other Materials: Many paint manufacturers are looking for green alternatives to oil and latex; one such option is the use of milk-based paints (which upon application smell like milk instead of harsh chemicals, and which don't have any carcinogenic ingredients.) Recycled glass is now being made into kitchen and bath tiles, and countertops are being made with recycled materials that look even more beautiful and unique than mined granite.
Solar Energy: Solar energy doesn't just mean expensive panels that sit on your roof (though that's one kind, called active solar energy). Considering a solar home can mean investing in thick-paned, glazed windows or in more complicated photovoltaic cells. Though solar tends to be an expensive investment, upfront, the rewards show up every month in your energy bills.
Landscaping: Look for Xeriscaped yards and common areas with plants that require little watering. Consider getting rain barrels (many cities sell them through their water and energy programs) or converting your outdoor water system to "graywater" (which involves using recycled water from dishwashers and washing machines to water your lawn or wash your car). Looks for trees that are native to your area, and plant them so they shield your windows from too much sun during hotter days.
Neighborhood:While a lot of green building means being aware of what is going into your home, you might also want to check out your neighborhood. Are there recycling programs or community gardens? Public transportation? Bike paths so you can have the option of avoiding traffic? Are there shops and restaurants close to you, to encourage walking? While thinking about these things may seem unimportant now, our global climate and community with thank you later. (Oh, and don't forget the federal tax deductions.)

Buying and selling houses in the house property market becomes the trend and everybody started purchasing and selling the houses which have been brought. Sell and buy houses consist of some unusual steps which every buyer and seller should have to follow carefully. There are more number of houses are listed in the house property and the buyer can choose any of the house property as per his requirements. These house properties are listed with information which is relevant and adequate to the house property. The buyer can select any of the house property from the list with regards to his budgeting cost and other desired factors.
Likewise the seller can also enjoy the house property market without any hesitation, because more number of buyers is available in the market to purchase the house property. The seller can sell his house property without any fear. There are more number of buyers are ready to buy houses, even though the house property is not at good conditions. The seller can sell the house property at the reasonable price consideration. Therefore, the house property market is only for the seller and the buyer and not for others. When the seller comes up with house property, then their will be a buyer to purchase the house property.
When buyer and seller feels good regarding the house property, then their will be no way of problem between the buyer and the seller. Though many houses are bought and sold daily in the house property, still there is a demand for house property among the people in the market. So, there is no satisfaction remains among the customer for their purchase and sale. Moreover, many house financing are coming forward to provide finance to the buyers and sellers to buy and sell the houses. With the help of this house financing, the buyer can buy the house from the seller and the seller can reconstruct or repair the house property and then sell it to the buyer.
With the help of the house financing, more number of buyers are purchasing the house property that are listed in the house property market and the sellers are listing their house properties in the house property market. Purchasing the house property from the market is not the difficult task and some of the buyers consider it has difficult. If the buyer possesses money, then he purchases his desire house within his budgeted price, area and location. The buyer can purchase either by himself or with the help of the realtor or the real estate agent. With the help of the realtor and the real estate agent, the buyer can purchase any of the one.

One of the hardest and most stressful things a person will ever do is buy a new home, especially if it is your first home. There are so many things to consider and so much to do, it can be a huge task.
The good news is, you don’t have to go at it alone. If you are using a real estate agent then the agent will help you from getting over whelmed. In fact all through the process of buying your home you are going to have people who will help you. Some will be behind the scenes and you may never actually meet them or hear from them, but their job is to make real estate transactions easier.
Even with all of this help though you will have a lot to consider and there is still a lot of stress. The number one stress factor is the investment. Your home is probably going to be the single largest investment you will ever make. Investing that kind of money is always stressful. Loan consultants can help take some of the stress away. Their job is to work with you and find a home loan that will suit your needs and keep you from going to far in debt. Paying a home loan off every month is not a great feeling, but struggling to pay off a mortgage payment because your lender let you take on more than you could afford is even worse.
The best advise I can give you is to do research. Find out what the real estate market is doing. Every city and every state have different market values on real estate so do your research in the area that you plan to buy your home in. Different sub-divisions and even different parts of a city will have an effect on the value of a home. If the price tag looks extremely high, don’t bother with it. Find something that is priced reasonable and then make an offer. Don’t be afraid to send in a low offer, even if you know it will not be accepted. This is part of buying real estate. Start low and work your way up to what you are willing to pay. By working the counter offers you can usually get a house at a much lower price then the listed price.
Do not be afraid to shop around, look at as many homes as you want and use as many real estate agents as you want. Once you find a house you are happy with then work out a contract. If you can’t get it at a price your happy with, go on to another house, there is always more homes for sale.
When it comes time to finance your home, don’t settle for any old loan. Make sure the lender is doing their best for you. Many loan officers at banks can only offer you so much, they only have a few loan programs to choose from. Mortgage brokers tend to stick with only a few lenders and they will push the ones that pay them the best. Make sure you know what loan your getting into. If your lender doesn’t explain the loan to you fully, find someone else. You may think you have a good loan, get to the closing and discover your loan isn’t what you wanted. This is the wrong time to figure out your lender has fooled you. Get all the information you can from your lender before you go to close the deal.