One of the numerous benefits of building a luxury home from the ground up is the ability to choose where in Scottsdale it will be located. You have the ability to ensure that the surrounding community fits your lifestyle as well as your custom house does.
However, that also adds one more responsibility to your list: finding the right piece of land to fit the vision for your home as well as your lifestyle goals. Unless you practice due diligence in researching properties in Scottsdale, you run the risk of making an expensive purchase, only to find out it will cost thousands more in site preparation, utility hookups, modifying the natural topography, or other necessary jobs to make your new build feasible. To help you avoid this potential mistake, one solution is working with a luxury home builder like Calvis Wyant, who is familiar with land for sale in the Scottsdale market and can assist in evaluating properties based on their suitability for your particular project.
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING LAND FOR LUXURY HOME
As you’re researching lots for sale in Scottsdale, there are numerous things to look for. If you already have a clear vision for the size and shape of your dream home, as well as what outdoor features you want, then it’s even more important to find the right piece of property. Here are important things to consider when purchasing property for your new luxury home in Scottsdale:
1.Lifestyle impacts location
The first step in finding property is to determine what sort of lifestyle you desire. Some prospective homebuyers may be drawn to the ease and convenience provided by a gated community, such as Desert Mountain, DC Ranch, Mirabel, and Silverleaf. Golfing is a major part of these communities, but they have other amenities so everything you need for a comfortable lifestyle is right at your fingertips. Plus, there’s a heightened sense of safety and security living within a gated community, especially if your new luxury build is intended to be a second home.
Scottsdale also features several open neighborhoods that may position you closer to your place of employment, public amenities and attractions, stores and restaurants, and the airport or other modes of public transportation. Gated communities, on the other hand, tend to be further away from Scottsdale’s urban center.
2. Character and surroundings
Each community—whether gated or open— has its own atmosphere and unofficial rules for living. There are several factors that go into creating the character of a neighborhood, including how it was planned out and developed and the natural surroundings. You want to find a lot in a community that has the right vibe and lacks attributes you find unpleasant. For example, you may want to avoid building next to short-term rentals or a horse ranch.
In terms of character, gated communities present more uniformity because they are governed by active homeowners’ associations (HOAs). You can find a community that is well-maintained and contains the amenities you desire, such as a golf course, spa, swimming pool, restaurant, and/or community centers. If you prefer an open neighborhood, you’ll want to consider the age and condition of the existing homes, the level of walkability, and the pride in ownership.
3. Real estate values
Finding a luxury home builder who can double as your real estate agent (if you don’t have one already) to help you acquire the right site for your new custom home is a practical decision. A builder who understands your vision and lifestyle can point you toward properties that fit the bill. Builders also understand the building difficulties and potential costs of developing a particular site that may not be apparent to a non-builder real estate agent. This can be especially helpful if you’re building your new Arizona home from out of state or out of the country.
4. site conditions
You might be starting out with just general ideas for your new custom home or you may have already narrowed down numerous specifics. Either way you’ll want a luxury builder who can offer valuable guidance as you refine your vision for the project and identify priorities. There are hundreds of decisions to make when it comes to the process of building a custom home. The numerous decisions can be overwhelming unless you hire a team with systems to help you figure out what’s most important without overlooking the smallest details.
5. UTILITIES and services
Before you break ground on a custom home, there is a copious amount of work that needs to take place. Your budget, timeline, and the level of satisfaction you derive from the process, as well as the home itself, will be determined by the guidance you receive during the pre-construction phase. It’s critical to find a luxury builder who is trustworthy, knowledgeable, and organized. With their knowledge of the industry and local environment, they can keep you from making unintended mistakes. Also, the right builder can point you toward viable alternatives that capture the goals of your original ideas but may be more cost-effective or practical. A competent, experienced home builder will be more than willing to share their insight about the cost or performance of certain features to help you make informed decisions when designing your new house and deciding how to spend your money.
6. Zoning and governing authorities
When you’re building a new luxury home, you have to abide by the rules and regulations of the city’s Planning and Development Services department and the local HOA. The government body oversees setbacks, proper land usage, deed restrictions, and property easements, while your HOA may have architectural and design guidelines. The plans for your new home will be submitted to the city for permitting purposes and also reviewed by the HOA.
7. Titles and surveys
Finally, as you’re looking at available land in Scottsdale, you’ll want to research the title reports. Investigate if there are any outstanding judgements, liens, or easements on the property that would affect your luxury home build. Learn more about the taxes and any unexplained or unusual encumbrances. Plan to conduct a topographic survey on your chosen parcel of land to gather more data. It’s important to understand what is feasible on the property and what you can do with it before you make the purchase. If you like a given community and plan to build a house that blends, your project should run smoothly. However, if you want to create a structure that’s not in character with the surroundings, you may run into more obstacles. In that case, you are better off looking for land outside of the community.
Finding land for building a luxury home in scottsdale
When you purchase land in Scottsdale, most real estate contracts provide for a feasibility period, or due diligence period, during which you can survey and analyze the property to ensure there are no defects or conditions that would prevent you from building your new luxury home. At Calvis Wyant, we can help you find the perfect piece of land that complements the vision you have for your new life in Scottsdale, Arizona.
