location in subdivision (how much, foundation, windows, apartment)

[kcam213]

For those of you who have built in a community...

how important was lot location to you.

I have to choose between an older, more establish community in phase 3 or a brand new community in phase 1; both Centex communities.

phase 3 has one lot left that can accomodate the model that I want.

the lot is across from tot lot (nothing to brag about really), and is between, behind, and across from houses.

the other community is in phase 1. (so maybe the community will be abandoned due to economy???)

I have my choice of lots, perimeter with pond and undeveloped open land (for now) behind me. It has houses on either side and a side road starts from the lot (probably my drive way would be dead end of this side street.)

How important was lot location to you in your subdivision?

[garth]

Location has always been a consideration for me. For example, I rejected one house in my current neighborhood because its driveway faced an incoming street. I didn't care for car lights blaring into my front windows each time a car turned the corner. I also didn't want some drunk neighbor, one night in the future, failing to make the turn and plow into my garage or house. Those were a couple of the reasons I moved to a lot two houses down the street.

Something to think about with the other house you mentioned, would be the future use of the land behind you. It's vacant for now, but it will be built on one day. How is it zoned? Will you have a three story apartment built behind you, duplexes with zero lot lines up against your fence, or low income subsidized housing put in place? Do you want something like that behind your house? You need to take a look, if you care.

You may also want to look at the Master Plan for your community/county, if one exists. It will discuss the zoning for that area. However, also look at how your community has handled past varience requests as they related to the master plan. You may find that they have held strong, so you know what to expect with your eventual back fence neighbor, or you might find that they're in the developers' pockets and will change things very easily. It will give you insight into whether or not you should take the risk.

Personally, I prefer to have no visible back yard neighbor. I prefer to be on the top of the hill so other homes are not looking into my backyard. However, that may not be an option for you.

I also prefer to be on a street on the interior of my development so that I know what to expect of the surrounding houses. We've all been built to the same standards and expectations. Being on the inside of a neighborhood, I don't have to deal with the problems I listed above, nor be the buffer between my community and something that's not built to the same expectations and standards.

I hope that's helped a little. Good luck!

[golfgal]

Personally I would pick the last lot in a developed area. If you pick the first lot in a new addition you will be living with construction noise for years--plus the dirt it kicks up into your home.

With the current housing bust, it is very possible that that undeveloped land could turn into an industrial park over night and then your nice view becomes one of smoke stacks and semi-trucks. It happens all the time.

[gentlearts]

The only time we built in a development, we went for a lot where no house would be built behind us...more privacy.

[bookworm2768]

We're reaching the end of our house hunt (hopefully closing in a few weeks) and the location of a house was VERY important to me. If a house faced a busy street or backed up to it, it was a definite negative in my mind and I often didn't even bother asking for a showing to see the interior. Even homes that were close to the enterance of the neighborhood were a sign of more traffic to me.

The fact that you are on an interior lot will ensure less traffic but you often have less privacy as well, if the homes next to you are taller and have windows facing your way.

I would go with the older community since you already know what the houses next to you look like and can have a decent idea of how much work it will be to improve the privacy in your home. With a newly built area it's always possibly that a towering monstrosity will come up next to you and look right into your yard or have windows facing yours. All considerations that future buyers will look at. Hopefully the older home already has some well placed trees which, when they are bigger, can improve the value of your home.

Being across from a tot lot (I'm guessing you mean playground) can be a big plus for young families. Yes there will be kids there, noisy monsters (I have two) but if your home is of the size that's going to be attractive to young families then the Tot Lot may be a good thing. The neighborhood we are buying in has a public park and playground in it (donated to the city by the builders) and I loved the idea of having a home that was walking distance to the park. If you have kids every opportunity for kids to be outside and socializing is important.

I hope you've looked into Centex's reputation well. My impression is that they don't always build homes well. In this, an older home may give you an advantage since your inspector should be able to catch things that have gone wrong since the home was built or things that were simply built badly.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Personally I would pick the last lot in a developed area. If you pick the first lot in a new addition you will be living with construction noise for years--plus the dirt it kicks up into your home.

With the current housing bust, it is very possible that that undeveloped land could turn into an industrial park over night and then your nice view becomes one of smoke stacks and semi-trucks. It happens all the time.

Ditto. I would definitely go with the last lot in an established neighborhood. In today's market you face the possibility that the new development doesn't go as well as they hoped so, after you and some others pay today's price, the builder decides to lower the standards, offer smaller homes wiht fewer "upgrades, and drop the price $50,000 to get the sales going. then there you are with negative equity in your home.

[sbd78]

As someone who recently bought a new home in phase 1 of my subdivision, only to have my builder (Neumann Homes) file for bankruptcy a month after I closed on my new home, I would choose the lot in phase 3 of the more established subdivision. Since my subdivision was in phase 1 and so early on, we were owed a park which was never built, the subdivision is empty and rough with half built homes sitting around untounched, and no end in site for when things will be completed. My builder had another subdivision nearby that was nearly completed when the bankruptcy occured, and I am wishing I had bought there instead.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Personally I would pick the last lot in a developed area.

Originally Posted by NorthmeetsSouth

Ditto. I would definitely go with the last lot in an established neighborhood.

That's all fine and dandy if you want to have the highest price home in a development.
Generally that "last" lot is the Dog Lot, the least desirable lot. The lot that was going to require an additional $20k in grading and foundation work.
Remember that old rule-
You don't want the cheapest- but you don't want to be the highest priced either.

[GeminiGal]

Originally Posted by sbd78

As someone who recently bought a new home in phase 1 of my subdivision, only to have my builder (Neumann Homes) file for bankruptcy a month after I closed on my new home, I would choose the lot in phase 3 of the more established subdivision. Since my subdivision was in phase 1 and so early on, we were owed a park which was never built, the subdivision is empty and rough with half built homes sitting around untounched, and no end in site for when things will be completed. My builder had another subdivision nearby that was nearly completed when the bankruptcy occured, and I am wishing I had bought there instead.

Oh, my. I'm sorry that happened to you. Hopefully a "like or better" builder will come in and finish the neighborhood.

We sort of had the same type situation happen to us years ago. We bought a home in a neighborhood that was suppose to be one builder. Don't remember all the details but they ended up selling remaining sections of lots to a "cheaper" builder. Luckily we were company relo'd a few months before this happened.

Good luck!

[MrsSteel]

Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr

Remember that old rule-
You don't want the cheapest- but you don't want to be the highest priced either.

That can easily happen if you purchase one of the first homes in a community, too. This happened to a person on the Triangle boards very recently. While his home was under construction, the builders changed the specs for the neighborhood.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/ralei...ing-specs.html