Selecting the Right Building Lot for Your Mountain Home • Kaizen Homes

Although it’s thrilling, it’s important not to rush the process. It takes careful planning to get your Asheville custom home built right, and speeding through key decisions could lead to regret later. 

One decision that will affect countless others is selecting the right lot for your home. Your choice of lot can derail your dreams or make them come true. Let’s take a look at why lot choice matters, and then we’ll investigate the many factors you should consider in choosing the right lot for your mountain home.

Your Asheville Building Lot Choice Matters

If you’re at the point of choosing a lot to build on, you’ve probably already put a lot of thought, time, and energy into planning your custom home. You and your partner or family may have already sifted through a litany of ideas to arrive at the perfect plan.

If you don’t do your due diligence in choosing a lot, you risk letting all that effort go to waste. You won’t be watching those splendid sunrises from your back deck if that deck faces west. Your budget may get crunched if your lot requires extensive demolition and leveling to accommodate your custom home.

Selecting the right building lot for your new home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the planning process. Don’t rush it. Discuss your budget with your mortgage advisor or financial advisor to narrow your search.

Important Considerations for Any Home Lot

There are some things you should consider whether you’re building a home in the mountains or a brand-new subdivision. First among these is your home’s proximity to your daily needs — things like work, schools, houses of worship and shopping. Are you able to get where you need to be on time? If you’re not working from home, does the commute work for you?

Building lot size is also key. If the plans for your custom home lay out a 4,000 square-foot home with a vast garden, then a 8,000 square-foot lot probably isn’t going to cut it. Confirm the lot can both fit the home and accommodate the lifestyle you imagine there.

It’s also important to look at the total cost of living in the community. You may have already labored over a budget for your custom home, but have you considered things like property taxes and insurance? Will you have to pay dues to a Homeowners Association? What about the costs of everyday expenses in your new area? Your plans should take all these costs into consideration.

Finally, take a look at the trajectory for the area where you’re considering building:

• How quickly is it growing?
• Are land and property values trending?
• Is community development keeping up with the growth?

Key Questions for Choosing the Right Lot for Your Mountain Home

If you’re trying to select the right building lot for a mountain home, there are some finer details you should explore. Here are a few important questions to ask:

• Do the lot and surrounding community have the infrastructure to support your needs? Find out whether your essential utilities — electricity, gas, water and sewer — are readily accessible or if they will need to be extended to your lot. Ask whether these buildouts are already funded, or if not, when they will be.
• What’s the water source? In the mountains, you’ll probably have spring or well water, and you’ll want to be sure that the source is reliable for your household needs. You should also ensure it’s regularly tested for any impurities.
• Do you have access to key amenities like internet, TV, and cell service? Unless you’re looking for a cabin-in-the-woods life of unplugged living, you probably want to be able to use the internet, make phone calls, and stream your favorite shows.
• Is the lot accessible? Remember, you’re going to build a home here. Delivery trucks and construction crews will need to get to and from the site, and that’s not always the case in the mountains.
• How well will the land itself work for your custom build? Needless to say, the mountains aren’t like subdivisions—that’s why you want to live there. But the land may need a lot of work to accommodate your home. Blasting rocks, excavating dirt, and leveling the site can get costly, and you’ll want to account for this in your plans and lot selection.
• What’s going on in the surrounding area? Are there other sites under construction for residential or commercial use? If you imagined a peaceful forever home nestled in mountains far from civilization, you’ll want to know who your future neighbors could be.

Partner With an Experienced Builder

As you can see, there’s quite a bit to consider. That’s why it’s important to work with an experienced builder early on. A builder who knows the area and the specific challenges of building in the mountains can help you choose the right lot for your mountain home. They’ll know the right questions to ask and the answers that matter most to you.