Questions for those that have built a house

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

The wife and I are trying to roll the dice and move from CA to TX. This will be our first house, so it's all new territory. Housing is insane over there, so it looks like a new build is going to be our best bet.

We've identified the community: Canyon Falls in Flower Mound/Argyle/Northlake. It's 30 mins from our friends in South Flower Mound, and currently surrounded by ranches, but soon to expand. Stores are 15 mins away, which is kind of nice to me after living in urban sprawl all my life.

We've identified the lot we like. "On paper": Largest one they have available at 19k square feet, which backs up to an open area with trees.

We've identified the plan: Single story, with an option for a 4th garage.

What questions should I be asking the sales agent/ realtor before we sign? I've got the following:

• Who owns the land behind the house?
  • Any plans for development?
• What is being done with the land behind the house currently?
  • Ranch? Cattle? Horses? Empty?
• Are there any overhead power lines nearby?
  • Plans for any?
• Are there any plans for underground power to be terminated on my lot?
• Is any landscaping included?
• Would we have the ability to put a whole home backup generator on the property?
• How is the house heated? Electric?
• Is the lot on a flood plain?
  • Any issues with drainage?
• Any restrictions on fencing or a pool in the backyard?
• What is the property tax rate?
• Any incentives for using their lender?

Appreciate it guys.

David

 

[Ace in the Hole]

The wife and I are trying to roll the dice and move from CA to TX. This will be our first house, so it's all new territory. Housing is insane over there, so it looks like a new build is going to be our best bet.

We've identified the community: Canyon Falls in Flower Mound/Argyle/Northlake. It's 30 mins from our friends in South Flower Mound, and currently surrounded by ranches, but soon to expand. Stores are 15 mins away, which is kind of nice to me after living in urban sprawl all my life.

We've identified the lot we like. "On paper": Largest one they have available at 19k square feet, which backs up to an open area with trees.

We've identified the plan: Single story, with an option for a 4th garage.

What questions should I be asking the sales agent/ realtor before we sign? I've got the following:

• Who owns the land behind the house?
  • Any plans for development?
• What is being done with the land behind the house currently?
  • Ranch? Cattle? Horses? Empty?
• Are there any overhead power lines nearby?
  • Plans for any?
• Are there any plans for underground power to be terminated on my lot?
• Is any landscaping included?
• Would we have the ability to put a whole home backup generator on the property?
• How is the house heated? Electric?
• Is the lot on a flood plain?
  • Any issues with drainage?
• Any restrictions on fencing or a pool in the backyard?
• What is the property tax rate?
• Any incentives for using their lender?

Appreciate it guys.

David

On behalf of every texan here...don't buy a house then try to tell the landowner behind it what they can and can't do...it won't go well. There is some great youtube and TikTok video's of the California Karen's getting schooled. One of the guys by us purposely will cut/bale hay at 10pm over the amount of shit he dealt with from the "new texans" aka Karen's in the development by his property.

Kinda like the lady who bought next to us and then threw a fit about deer and how all the kids feed them. Their lot is now back up for sale

 

[CLdrinker]

Ask about utilities easements. That will be your best way to know of what is what near your property.

Property tax is way higher in Texas so keep an eye out.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Ask about utilities easements. That will be your best way to know of what is what near your property.

Property tax is way higher in Texas so keep an eye out.

File for homestead, etc. There are some ways to get reductions...but on a new development you are going to be in a special tax district to recover infrastructure in all likelihood. The no income tax thing kinda evens out the high property tax....though there's legislation in the state house that may change all of that.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

On behalf of every texan here...don't buy a house then try to tell the landowner behind it what they can and can't do...it won't go well. There is some great youtube and TikTok video's of the California Karen's getting schooled. One of the guys by us purposely will cut/bale hay at 10pm over the amount of shit he dealt with from the "new texans" aka Karen's in the development by his property.

Kinda like the lady who bought next to us and then threw a fit about deer and how all the kids feed them. Their lot is now back up for sale

Haha I'm just a small piece of the development; I'm not going to be able to tell anyone what to do. Nor do I want to. I honestly hope the landowner behind us keeps the property as-is. I bought as far out as the wife would allow because I enjoy nature. I don't need to trade Irvine in for Irvine 2.0. It sounds like every landowner is cashing in for big bucks, but I hope this one holds out so I have horses and cows to look at from my back porch instead of someone's backyard or another road.

 

[racektm]

On behalf of every texan here...don't buy a house then try to tell the landowner behind it what they can and can't do...it won't go well. There is some great youtube and TikTok video's of the California Karen's getting schooled. One of the guys by us purposely will cut/bale hay at 10pm over the amount of shit he dealt with from the "new texans" aka Karen's in the development by his property.

Kinda like the lady who bought next to us and then threw a fit about deer and how all the kids feed them. Their lot is now back up for sale

Welcome Neighbor!

 

[530RL]

Most of the questions you have can be answered by getting a copy of the following documents.

I'd suggest this as a start:

Get an ALTA survey showing all encumbrances.

From the ALTA survey follow up with a copy of every recorded document listed on the survey and understand how those recorded docs encumber the property.

Get a preliminary title report and read and research each of the schedule B exceptions. Carefully read and understand how these exceptions can affect your build.

Get a copy of the public report on the lot/land you are looking at.

Get a copy of the flood map to see if you are in an area requiring more expensive insurance.

Get a copy of any CCR's or other deed restrictions or covenants on the lot/land.

Find out the zoning of the property and review the city restrictions on what you can build on that lot/land.

Compare the CCR's to the City zoning to get an accurate idea of what you can and can not build. Figure out how the set backs, height restrictions, DR restrictions, soils restrictions and any other restrictions may help or hinder what you are trying to build. Make sure to consider that the most restrictive of these documents on each individual item is the controlling restriction.

Find out via the survey and the public report the location of all utilities.

Call the utility providers to ascertain the cost of connecting to the utilities given the current location of utilities and any possible impact fees for such access.

Be careful to check the Schedule B exceptions for any possible city share fees.

Check the public report for any comments on soils, radon, fissures, or other items that may impact the cost of construction, cost of insurance or resale value.

Hope this helps.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Most of the questions you have can be answered by getting a copy of the following documents.

I'd suggest this as a start:

Get an ALTA survey showing all encumbrances.

From the ALTA survey follow up with a copy of every recorded document listed on the survey and understand how those recorded docs encumber the property.

Get a preliminary title report and read and research each of the schedule B exceptions. Carefully read and understand how these exceptions can affect your build.

Get a copy of the public report on the lot/land you are looking at.

Get a copy of the flood map to see if you are in an area requiring more expensive insurance.

Get a copy of any CCR's or other deed restrictions or covenants on the lot/land.

Find out the zoning of the property and review the city restrictions on what you can build on that lot/land.

Compare the CCR's to the City zoning to get an accurate idea of what you can and can not build. Figure out how the set backs, height restrictions, DR restrictions, soils restrictions and any other restrictions may help or hinder what you are trying to build. Make sure to consider that the most restrictive of these documents on each individual item is the controlling restriction.

Find out via the survey and the public report the location of all utilities.

Call the utility providers to ascertain the cost of connecting to the utilities given the current location of utilities and any possible impact fees for such access.

Be careful to check the Schedule B exceptions for any possible city share fees.

Check the public report for any comments on soils, radon, fissures, or other items that may impact the cost of construction, cost of insurance or resale value.

Hope this helps.

Wow, super helpful. Is this SOP for buying a lot? Even if it’s a developer with tons of other homes in the planned community?

 

[530RL]

Wow, super helpful. Is this SOP for buying a lot? Even if it’s a developer with tons of other homes in the planned community?

Depends upon the buyer and how much they care. Sort of like how much checking over of a used house does one do?

But it is certainly SOP for any good builder who is going to build a spec house on a lot or for any loan I am going to make to a builder.

You want to avoid the big mistakes such as the utility connection costs were way more than you thought, or the city or HOA restrictions keep you from doing what you want to do, or the design guidelines are not your cup of tea, or the lot shape and setbacks prevent you from getting the big garage you want, and other big items like that.

The other thing to keep in mind is that when a community gets more built out, the remaining lots are typically going to have more hair on them. They will have more prep costs, or utility connection costs, or their shape or size is not conducive to a more normal house.

Developers maximize the community for maximum total profit, not for each lot and as a result some lots are just outliers and tougher.

The realtor can get you a copy of the public report and should have a copy of the alta survey. Reading the accompanying recorded docs, which you can grab online, will help you understand this lot. Whether you buy this lot or not you are just educating yourself on what to look for and what not to worry about if you pass and look at others.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

Lots of good info already mentioned that I won't repeat.

Be sure you ask about the builder's after-care customer service. Do you get the keys and the builder is done, or are they required to follow up on issues you find after you move in? If so, for how long? Find out how the process works, if there is someone to handle the hiring of trades to complete the work or if you have to do it. No matter how great your builder is and how perfect everything seems during your walkthroughs, after you move in you will notice things (hopefully small) that will need to be addressed. Fortunately, our builder has an absolutely stellar after-care program, but I've heard other builders definitely don't.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Lots of good info already mentioned that I won't repeat.

Be sure you ask about the builder's after-care customer service. Do you get the keys and the builder is done, or are they required to follow up on issues you find after you move in? If so, for how long? Find out how the process works, if there is someone to handle the hiring of trades to complete the work or if you have to do it. No matter how great your builder is, after you move in you will notice things (hopefully small) that will need to be addressed. Fortunately, our builder has an absolutely stellar after-care program, but I've heard other builders definitely don't.

Good idea. Would this fall into the home warranty conversation? Who are you building with? We are looking at building with Belclaire homes, which seems to have a good reputation.

 

[530RL]

I sort of assumed you were just buying a lot and then finding a builder. My mistake.

My list is not fully necessary if you are buying in a subdivision where you only pay once the house is completed other than a small deposit.

Mel's list is much better if you are buying from a builder who is building the entire subdivision.

In that case, you are looking at the price of the home in total as the builder is going to cover all the costs you would be worried about if you were just buying the lot.

So your list would focus more on whether or not the home builder and that community has any restrictions that do not fit with what you want to do. You would want to read the communities CC&R's as well as city codes that may affect you. You would probably want to walk around some of the houses under construction in the area by that builder to take a look at the subs work.

If you decide to buy a completed home from that builder, Mel is spot on with respect to the builder and their ability to build it on time, and their ability to provide customer service once you close. Also builders generally make 50% margins on upgrades. So be careful with your upgrades and see if they will work with you on upgrade pricing.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

Good idea. Would this fall into the home warranty conversation? Who are you building with? We are looking at building with Belclaire homes, which seems to have a good reputation.

I think it's a conversation to have along with your warranty discussion, but it's a different issue. Your warranty is going to cover the structure, roof, etc.

What I'm referring to when I say "after-care customer service" is more along the lines of after you move in and begin to notice things that weren't done to your standards or issues with things not operating properly. We moved into our new house built by Shea Homes in November and every 3 months for the first year, our customer service rep comes to the house and meets with us to talk about anything we aren't 100% pleased with. We can contact him in between as well, but they set the standing meetings. When you do your walkthroughs, everything will look awesome and in your excitement you'll miss a lot of things that should be corrected. Then you're moved in and walking past a room at a certain time of day when the sun is shining just right, and you notice where the paint coverage wasn't applied evenly, our builder sends the painter to fix it. We've had them re-tile our master shower, repaint 1 room and 1 ceiling, had dings and marks in the paint touched up, had several cabinets adjusted/replaced, and I requested to have all of the baseboards repainted. They also replaced a large glass panel on our master shower because there were some barely noticeable scratches. There have been a few other minor things too that I can't recall at the moment. Even the silliest of things they have handled quickly and without any questions asked. I cannot say enough about how impressed I've been with them. My understanding is that this is not standard with builders across the board. When you're paying for a new house, you want everything to be perfect, and the last thing you want to have to do is spend time and money correcting something the builder didn't do correctly.

 

[hawgty55]

Haha I'm just a small piece of the development; I'm not going to be able to tell anyone what to do. Nor do I want to. I honestly hope the landowner behind us keeps the property as-is. I bought as far out as the wife would allow because I enjoy nature. I don't need to trade Irvine in for Irvine 2.0. It sounds like every landowner is cashing in for big bucks, but I hope this one holds out so I have horses and cows to look at from my back porch instead of someone's backyard or another road.

Imo thats exactly what your doing. Everyone that comes out to our place says the same thing. "maybe we should have moved to the country"

Good luck on yalls move.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Imo thats exactly what your doing. Everyone that comes out to our place says the same thing. "maybe we should have moved to the country"

Good luck on yalls move.

It’s baby steps. We are in our mid 30s and still need the ability to commute to work. The nearest store is 15 mins away, and for the most part the main road in is a 2 lane country road along horse ranches. It’s not rural, but it’s definitely different than Irvine. Someday I’ll be able to own real acreage, but probably not until I’m retired.

 

[dribble]

Do not ask the realtor about the lot behind you. Review the General Plan. Look up the tax rolls and see who owns it. I know someone who had the realtor say one thing and they ended up with three story apartments right behind their house.

 

[hawgty55]

It’s baby steps. We are in our mid 30s and still need the ability to commute to work. The nearest store is 15 mins away, and for the most part the main road in is a 2 lane country road along horse ranches. It’s not rural, but it’s definitely different than Irvine. Someday I’ll be able to own real acreage, but probably not until I’m retired.

I hear ya. Sounds like yall are already headed towards your build and what not so no need to tell yall this and that. Just get here as soon as yall can!! The Texas chapter will get another new inmate!

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Do not ask the realtor about the lot behind you. Review the General Plan. Look up the tax rolls and see who owns it. I know someone who had the realtor say one thing and they ended up with three story apartments right behind their house.

Thanks for the heads-up. Where do I get the general plan and tax rolls?

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

I hear ya. Sounds like yall are already headed towards your build and what not so no need to tell yall this and that. Just get here as soon as yall can!! The Texas chapter will get another new inmate!

It's looking good thus far. We've got some friends heading over to the lot today to check it out. I'm looking forward to being close to a couple of lakes and like-minded people.

 

[calkid]

Look into utility easements large and small. Power, Gas, Water, Sewer demands go up with future development. The easements for future development may not be visible now but can end up in your backyard years later. Look for a lot with descending adjacent property instead of ascending. Any future grading on the adjacent property will probably be to "balance" the site, keeping it at a more favorable elevation for you. Personally I typically wouldn't purchase a corner lot, you generally lose the use more square footage due to setbacks. Make sure that Walmart doesn't already own the property behind you. Good luck on your build.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Look into utility easements large and small. Power, Gas, Water, Sewer demands go up with future development. The easements for future development may not be visible now but can end up in your backyard years later. Look for a lot with descending adjacent property instead of ascending. Any future grading on the adjacent property will probably be to "balance" the site, keeping it at a more favorable elevation for you. Personally I typically wouldn't purchase a corner lot, you generally lose the use more square footage due to setbacks. Make sure that Walmart doesn't already own the property behind you. Good luck on your build.

Will do. I appreciate the info.

It is a corner lot, but it looks like there is plenty of room for everything I want to do. From previous discussions, and us looking at another lot, everything has to be set back 10' from the property line. The normal, 100' lots are just too small for what I want to do. Imagine 100' wide, but only 25' from the back of the house. In the configuration below I still get my 4th car garage and I can throw the pool on the side of the house.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

You’re looking in a housing community that is basically a tract home (semi-custom / builder options)? Have you walked/driven the community and immediate surrounding area?

If you want to independently verify info builder gives you, you’ll need to contact the multiple sources, such as county, city, possibly the utility company. FEMA has flood maps. Dig through city council minutes and agendas for development plans. Stop in at city hall and ask about city plans.

You’ll likely have to contact the electric company to determine if your lot will have a transformer box. Other utility boxes are easy enough to determine by where the cable, phone, etc are coming out of the ground and will likely have a junction box

The builder can provide the property tax info. If not, the county assessor website has the info? Is that Denton County? If so, they have an online estimator. Ask if there is a MUD, PID or WCID tax. You can search existing homes on assessor website and pull up the recent property tax bill to confirm taxes and rates. TX allows you to see property owner name and address.

Talking to a neighbor in the community will probably net a lot of answers. Request the HOA docs to the CC&R’s.

Typically, larger builders basically offer ‘bumper to bumper’ warranty for the first year. Electric, HVAC, plumbing for 2 years, and major structural for 10 years. HVAC tends to extend beyond the 2 years, but is MFG specific. All this is detailed in the contract.

Lots of due diligence. Hopefully you can get answers to all major questions/concerns so any “gotchas” are minor. I cannot stress enough to do any/all walk throughs at your home before signing prior to closing. Easier to have builder fix items while you have leverage than afterwards when they have the leverage.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

You’re looking in a housing community that is basically a tract home (semi-custom / builder options)? Have you walked/driven the community and immediate surrounding area?

If you want to independently verify info builder gives you, you’ll need to contact the multiple sources, such as county, city, possibly the utility company. FEMA has flood maps. Dig through city council minutes and agendas for development plans. Stop in at city hall and ask about city plans.

You’ll likely have to contact the electric company to determine if your lot will have a transformer box. Other utility boxes are easy enough to determine by where the cable, phone, etc are coming out of the ground and will likely have a junction box

The builder can provide the property tax info. If not, the county assessor website has the info? Is that Denton County? If so, they have an online estimator. Ask if there is a MUD, PID or WCID tax. You can search existing homes on assessor website and pull up the recent property tax bill to confirm taxes and rates. TX allows you to see property owner name and address.

Talking to a neighbor in the community will probably net a lot of answers. Request the HOA docs to the CC&R’s.

Typically, larger builders basically offer ‘bumper to bumper’ warranty for the first year. Electric, HVAC, plumbing for 2 years, and major structural for 10 years. HVAC tends to extend beyond the 2 years, but is MFG specific. All this is detailed in the contract.

Lots of due diligence. Hopefully you can get answers to all major questions/concerns so any “gotchas” are minor. I cannot stress enough to do any/all walk throughs at your home before signing prior to closing. Easier to have builder fix items while you have leverage than afterwards when they have the leverage.

Correct. This is a pretty large development but in the early stages. We've walked and driven the area, and talked to several builders and homeowners in the area. My wife's CFO and his wife live in a community nearby, Lantana, and our realtor and lender contact are both building homes in Canyon Falls. https://www.canyonfallstx.com/ I believe our lender purchased the lot next to ours.

Yes, this would be Denton County. I'll definitely check on the special taxes that I've heard are out there and can be significant.

Thank you for the response, I appreciate it.

David

 

[Havoc Powesports]

I cant remember if Canyon falls has a MUD in it or not. I believe some parts are. looking at tax rolls depending on where about your lot is located the tax rate is different.
Closer to the court house you will have town of Flower Mound @.4365% Denton County @ .22499% Argyle ISD @ 1.4187%

Post what road your building on or lot and i can get more closer to your tax fee percentages. Also pull up the land behind you for owners info. Thats a hop skip jump from us. I do know you can have pools, generator not sure about i bet if in back yard no problem. If you get a list of questions together I can ask my friend whos a broker that lives in Canyon Falls all you will need.

Fencing will be community guide lines, if you need a lender i know of a great gal, title company etc.

Whom is the builder by chance?

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

I cant remember if Canyon falls has a MUD in it or not. I believe some parts are. looking at tax rolls depending on where about your lot is located the tax rate is different.
Closer to the court house you will have town of Flower Mound @.4365% Denton County @ .22499% Argyle ISD @ 1.4187%

Post what road your building on or lot and i can get more closer to your tax fee percentages. Also pull up the land behind you for owners info. Thats a hop skip jump from us. I do know you can have pools, generator not sure about i bet if in back yard no problem. If you get a list of questions together I can ask my friend whos a broker that lives in Canyon Falls all you will need.

Fencing will be community guide lines, if you need a lender i know of a great gal, title company etc.

Whom is the builder by chance?

Hey Havok, the lot is 11401 Antler Ridge Way. On Google maps, it pins it down the street from the actual corner lot on the bend. Canyon Falls is tricky because it's FM, Argyle, and Northlake all in one development. Sales agent and RE agent got back to us. The trees behind the lot are actually owned by the HOA, and behind that will be another group of homes. The trees won't be going away so I'll never have to look into a backyard, but I'm a little bummed I don't get to look at horses, cows, etc. Not a deal-breaker. We would be building with Belclaire. 826 plan with a few structural changes.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

It’s baby steps. We are in our mid 30s and still need the ability to commute to work. The nearest store is 15 mins away, and for the most part the main road in is a 2 lane country road along horse ranches. It’s not rural, but it’s definitely different than Irvine. Someday I’ll be able to own real acreage, but probably not until I’m retired.

I encourage you to take a week or so and spend some time in the area..we're about two years in...and due to a series of circumstances related to what I do for a living..I think we are likely out in the coming months back to the HI.. I love texas...I really do..but its not all sunshine and bluebonnets. Wages/pay is significantly depressed in a lot of ways here. Know what you are getting into for sure.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

I encourage you to take a week or so and spend some time in the area..we're about two years in...and due to a series of circumstances related to what I do for a living..I think we are likely out in the coming months back to the HI.. I love texas...I really do..but its not all sunshine and bluebonnets. Wages/pay is significantly depressed in a lot of ways here. Know what you are getting into for sure.

You left Hawaii for Texas?...

We've spent quite a bit of time in the area over the past year. I think we've got 4 trips under our belts in various seasons. No place is going to be perfect, and if we don't like it, we'll pack up and head to the next place. Dual Income No Kids makes things easy. The best things about this move are my best friend is 3 hours North, my wife's best friend is in the same city, and my wife's job already has an office for her 10 mins from this house at CA pay. Her best friends' family moved from CA 2 years ago and absolutely loves it. Different financial situation/options than us, but that should make a transition easier. I would be taking a significant pay cut if I leave my current job, which I don't want to do, but with the next transaction on the horizon, I may not have a choice after it's done. It'll either work out or it won't. Life goes on.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

You left Hawaii for Texas?...

I would be taking a significant pay cut if I leave my current job, which I don't want to do, but with the next transaction on the horizon

Yep..I don't regret it..its what we needed to do at the time which this next move may be... The pay in TX is substantially different...I'm looking at a 3-4x increase back home vs here and we could use it even with the cost of living to cover some investments we are working on. I interviewed today for a very similar role to one I'm interviewing back home..maybe a 10% difference in gross revenue between the firms.. offer here was roughly 1/4-1/3 of the one Im considering back home... The guy was cool but he knew I wouldn't accept...we wound up just bull shitting for another hour over lunch about things. It's just the reality of it. Going "home" isn't the answer necessarily but it's the best option unless I get some solid offer out of CA its likely what we are doing.

 

[Done-it-again]

I'm in Tx now looking at commercial. See if the lot behind you is "unrestricted" if so then pretty much it can be anything. I looked at 7ac today that has a house and its "unrestricted"so I can put a commercial building on it and its right across the street from my community we bought a lot in.

Also, I looked at the link you posted of the community. If looking for a builder, watch out for Perry Homes, the ones we walked had some quality issues.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

I'm in Tx now looking at commercial. See if the lot behind you is "unrestricted" if so then pretty much it can be anything. I looked at 7ac today that has a house and its "unrestricted"so I can put a commercial building on it and its right across the street from my community we bought a lot in.

Also, I looked at the link you posted of the community. If looking for a builder, watch out for Perry Homes, the ones we walked had some quality issues.

As well as Pulte...I've got some stellar photos of their "finished work" in a customer home.

How long are you in town? I think @Shlbyntro and I may hit the lake this weekend up in Austin or we can meet you for a beer somewhere..

 

[Done-it-again]

Always love coming back and seeing our lot...

Its a tad frustrating I haven't found a building yet without an hr commute min each way.

But in due time!

I have a guy taking drone pics in a week to get overhead shots.

 

[MOUZER]

What they told us when we left calif after 60 yrs to live in south carolina............dont tell people your from calif and leave your calif bull shit in calif........

ACE IN THE HOLE..am i correct

 

[Done-it-again]

As well as Pulte...I've got some stellar photos of their "finished work" in a customer home.

How long are you in town? I think @Shlbyntro and I may hit the lake this weekend up in Austin or we can meet you for a beer somewhere..

Thanks for the offer, have been here since Sunday evening. Heading out tomorrow for Beaumont TX for a project meeting on Thursday then flying out of IAH Friday morning. Need to be back home for the kids B-day Saturday.

Hopefully we can connect one of these times before you head back to HI.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Hopefully we can connect one of these times before you head back to HI.

For sure...PM or text me next time you are out. Even if I accept a position it will be 1 year + before we are out of here completely with Briannas school program. We just got back from havasu and are still on recovery mode

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

I'm in Tx now looking at commercial. See if the lot behind you is "unrestricted" if so then pretty much it can be anything. I looked at 7ac today that has a house and its "unrestricted"so I can put a commercial building on it and its right across the street from my community we bought a lot in.

Also, I looked at the link you posted of the community. If looking for a builder, watch out for Perry Homes, the ones we walked had some quality issues.

Lucky for us, the area behind us is a stretch of greenbelt, which will stay that way. Behind that is another set of home that will be built, but we can’t see them and they can’t see us. All part of the same community.

 

[DirtyWhiteDog]

Thanks for the heads-up. Where do I get the general plan and tax rolls?

Go to the county website. Look up the GIS maps. Click on a parcel, and it will tell you all the current owner information. Most counties/cities you can search permits, pulled by addresses

 

[LHC Kirby]

When you design the house.... sign on dotted line..

HOPEFULLY YOU HAVEN’T YET.

Ask here for advice, as I’m sure others will have more/better advice than me.
Garage... extra outlets.... extra outlets... front, back, every corner, areas on separate circuit. Think about air compressor, welder... 4 post vehicle lift.. etc.

In the Kitchen, have the outlets turned sideways and close to the counter.... it hides the ugly cords. Outlets at end of counter..on cabinet just below counter here and other likely areas - have them put the outlet with the usb plug option on them....

Confirm... re-confirm and improve insulation everywhere..... I f’ed up on this on my Havasu house.... my garage is not insulated... can’t believe I didn’t catch it... even more pissed a f’ing contractor in Havasu would not insulate a garage.

 

[Done-it-again]

Lucky for us, the area behind us is a stretch of greenbelt, which will stay that way. Behind that is another set of home that will be built, but we can’t see them and they can’t see us. All part of the same community.

gotcha, i missed understood your write up with who owns the land behind you.

All the info you are asking should be given to you by the land developer, unless buying the lot from a 2nd party realtor.

We received all of the information including schools and a topo map with water run off, its a big thing in TX. But with a 19k lot it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

I found RFBCU to have a better rate for the land purchase than the developer lender, like 2%+ better.

 

[Done-it-again]

Thanks for the heads-up. Where do I get the general plan and tax rolls?

not sure of your county..... and you could have PID as well

CBS Texas - Breaking Local News, First Alert Weather & I-Team Investigations

Latest breaking news from CBS11 KTVT-TV | KTXA-TV.

dfw.cbslocal.com

Property Taxes

Property Taxes (per $100 valuation)	Denton County	Tarrant County
County	$0.224985	$0.234
Town of Flower Mound	$0.4365	$0.4365
Lewisville Independent School District	$1.3473	$1.3473
Other (Hospital / College District)	N/A	$0.354599
Total	$2.008785	$2.372399

 

[bowtiejunkie]

Ask for the listing of options for your floor plan if you haven’t received it already. When we bought up in Prosper last year, the options list was a mile long. The models, naturally, included a ton of upgrades. We spent $54k in upgrades (builder gave a credit of $20k). We (I) didn’t add insulation to every interior wall, which I regret!! I think I’m the only house with a garage though. Lol. The additional insulation and upgraded baseboards is only things I regret not upgrading (wife didn’t wanted the latter).

welcome to Texas. I don’t regret moving out here. I miss mountains, but that’s about it.

 

[Havoc Powesports]

Also ask about garage height. when I was looking in there we could do 8 foot garage doors, they didnt advertise it, but were allowed. that land behind Antlers is owned by Nash Canyon Falls llc, so greenbelt tree reserve. just past tree line is Lost Falls drive already in place. looks like a nice tree greenbelt from back yard to that road.

Ok cant find info on the exact lot. but the house at 7000 prairie ridge rd, basically the corner of Antler and Prairie, along with the other houses on Antlers has this for tax percentages.

Denton County Emergency service district 1= .1%
Denton County= .22499%
Argyle ISD= 1.4187%
Canyon Falls Mud 1= 1.0%

I drive by canyon falls at least 3-4 times a day so would be no problem to zip in and snag photos/ build progress for ya during the time. might cost a steak when finished lol
I know you got other friends here, we've been in the area for 20 years so any info needed just holler as well!
Canyon Falls is literally 5-10 mins away from us

 

[rrrr]

Someone mentioned backyard fencing in an earlier post. Since the OP's lot is on a corner and backs up to a greenbelt, I have some advice about the subject.

The Texas sun and weather really takes a toll on fences. The expansive clay soil can make the posts move out of level. Some due diligence now will prevent future issues. The choices are broad, and if the OP intends to live in the house more than 10 years, upgrades are a good investment.

Find out what the builder will provide. The usual fence is made from pine pickets with 4" X 4" posts. Galvanized steel posts set in concrete with a 36" depth will keep the fence vertical over time. Upgrades on frame and picket materials are treated pine or cedar. Obviously those choices add expense, and I don't know what the delta is. I recommend treated wood. It will make a significant difference in performance and appearance. Plain pine will degrade quickly, warp, and require some picket replacement after just a few years. Cedar is the best choice for longevity, but the cost difference for the corner lot will be huge.

The two things that will determine how long the fence will look good and perform well are staining with a preservative and correctly installing and maintaining the landscaping sprinkler system.

There are companies in North Texas that specialize in fence treatment, and good materials properly applied can make a fence last 30 years or more. The fence should be prepped and resprayed everything four years. I recommend treating both sides of the fence facing the greenbelt. The cost to treat fence common to neighbors can be split if they want to step up, but if they decline, spraying one side will still provide significant benefits to appearance and structural integrity.

An improperly installed and poorly maintained sprinkler system will inflict serious damage on the fence. The heads should be placed four to six inches away from the fence, and aimed so they don't wet the fence when active. This is really important. The overspray can cause aesthetic and structural damage that will require replacement of pickets. The spray patterns must be continually monitored and adjusted as needed to avoid these issues.

Our board on board clear cedar backyard fence was installed in 1998, a few months after we purchased the house. It was pressure washed and retreated a few weeks ago, and 24 years later it looks like it is almost new.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

When you design the house.... sign on dotted line..

HOPEFULLY YOU HAVEN’T YET.

Ask here for advice, as I’m sure others will have more/better advice than me.
Garage... extra outlets.... extra outlets... front, back, every corner, areas on separate circuit. Think about air compressor, welder... 4 post vehicle lift.. etc.

In the Kitchen, have the outlets turned sideways and close to the counter.... it hides the ugly cords. Outlets at end of counter..on cabinet just below counter here and other likely areas - have them put the outlet with the usb plug option on them....

Confirm... re-confirm and improve insulation everywhere..... I f’ed up on this on my Havasu house.... my garage is not insulated... can’t believe I didn’t catch it... even more pissed a f’ing contractor in Havasu would not insulate a garage.

Agree with adding TONS of extra outlets. Everywhere. You won't regret it. Consider adding them under the roof line as well if you put up Christmas lights or plan to have security cameras.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Also ask about garage height. when I was looking in there we could do 8 foot garage doors, they didnt advertise it, but were allowed. that land behind Antlers is owned by Nash Canyon Falls llc, so greenbelt tree reserve. just past tree line is Lost Falls drive already in place. looks like a nice tree greenbelt from back yard to that road.

Ok cant find info on the exact lot. but the house at 7000 prairie ridge rd, basically the corner of Antler and Prairie, along with the other houses on Antlers has this for tax percentages.

Denton County Emergency service district 1= .1%
Denton County= .22499%
Argyle ISD= 1.4187%
Canyon Falls Mud 1= 1.0%

I drive by canyon falls at least 3-4 times a day so would be no problem to zip in and snag photos/ build progress for ya during the time. might cost a steak when finished lol
I know you got other friends here, we've been in the area for 20 years so any info needed just holler as well!
Canyon Falls is literally 5-10 mins away from us

That's a good call on the garage height. If they can add an additional garage, I'm guessing they could bump up the door height. This builder is semi-custom so I'm making adjustments to the floorplan that aren't on a listing.

Thanks for looking that up and confirming. It looks like there is a sloping retaining wall that starts at about 3' tall with a fence above that, so hopefully, that doesn't pose an issue. It will be great for my dogs though.

We're trying to get more info about the taxes from our lender, who actually took the pic above for us. It looks like there may be PID at 2.5% annually. We'll confirm that before we sign, but I'm not worried if that's an annual rate.

If this goes through, that would be awesome if you could stop by every now and then during the build. I'll throw a BBQ. Hopefully, the build times on pools aren't as bad as they sound in Havasu.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Ask for the listing of options for your floor plan if you haven’t received it already. When we bought up in Prosper last year, the options list was a mile long. The models, naturally, included a ton of upgrades. We spent $54k in upgrades (builder gave a credit of $20k). We (I) didn’t add insulation to every interior wall, which I regret!! I think I’m the only house with a garage though. Lol. The additional insulation and upgraded baseboards is only things I regret not upgrading (wife didn’t wanted the latter).

welcome to Texas. I don’t regret moving out here. I miss mountains, but that’s about it.

I'll definitely add this to the list. The other model we are looking at had a base of $680, and with upgrades ballooned to $830..... I can swallow $50k in upgrades, but thought that jump was insane.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Someone mentioned backyard fencing in an earlier post. Since the OP's lot is on a corner and backs up to a greenbelt, I have some advice about the subject.

The Texas sun and weather really takes a toll on fences. The expansive clay soil can make the posts move out of level. Some due diligence now will prevent future issues. The choices are broad, and if the OP intends to live in the house more than 10 years, upgrades are a good investment.

Find out what the builder will provide. The usual fence is made from pine pickets with 4" X 4" posts. Galvanized steel posts set in concrete with a 36" depth will keep the fence vertical over time. Upgrades on frame and picket materials are treated pine or cedar. Obviously those choices add expense, and I don't know what the delta is. I recommend treated wood. It will make a significant difference in performance and appearance. Plain pine will degrade quickly, warp, and require some picket replacement after just a few years. Cedar is the best choice for longevity, but the cost difference for the corner lot will be huge.

The two things that will determine how long the fence will look good and perform well are staining with a preservative and correctly installing and maintaining the landscaping sprinkler system.

There are companies in North Texas that specialize in fence treatment, and good materials properly applied can make a fence last 30 years or more. The fence should be prepped and resprayed everything four years. I recommend treating both sides of the fence facing the greenbelt. The cost to treat fence common to neighbors can be split if they want to step up, but if they decline, spraying one side will still provide significant benefits to appearance and structural integrity.

An improperly installed and poorly maintained sprinkler system will inflict serious damage on the fence. The heads should be placed four to six inches away from the fence, and aimed so they don't wet the fence when active. This is really important. The overspray can cause aesthetic and structural damage that will require replacement of pickets. The spray patterns must be continually monitored and adjusted as needed to avoid these issues.

Our board on board clear cedar backyard fence was installed in 1998, a few months after we purchased the house. It was pressure washed and retreated a few weeks ago, and 24 years later it looks like it is almost new.

View attachment 1025268

Great information. It doesn't look like I'll need to worry about the fence facing the green belt, but I will need something on the sides of the property. That's a great-looking fence! Does anyone use Vinyl fencing over there? It seems like that would be more resistant to weather. I'm guessing the builder doesn't include any fencing, but I'll ask.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

When you design the house.... sign on dotted line..

HOPEFULLY YOU HAVEN’T YET.

Ask here for advice, as I’m sure others will have more/better advice than me.
Garage... extra outlets.... extra outlets... front, back, every corner, areas on separate circuit. Think about air compressor, welder... 4 post vehicle lift.. etc.

In the Kitchen, have the outlets turned sideways and close to the counter.... it hides the ugly cords. Outlets at end of counter..on cabinet just below counter here and other likely areas - have them put the outlet with the usb plug option on them....

Confirm... re-confirm and improve insulation everywhere..... I f’ed up on this on my Havasu house.... my garage is not insulated... can’t believe I didn’t catch it... even more pissed a f’ing contractor in Havasu would not insulate a garage.

Great information. Outlets are a must everywhere, as is insulation. If I don't end up placing the gym in the media room I'll have to take up 2/4 garage spaces and I'd rather not die of heatstroke.

 

[Done-it-again]

FYI: Down south just north of San Antonio. Custom is going about $200-210 sq ft.....with many many options, up to $250 all decked out to the hilt. (land not included)

 

[copterzach]

FYI: Down south just north of San Antonio. Custom is going about $200-210 sq ft.....with many many options, up to $250 all decked out to the hilt. (land not included)

Holy crap. So glad we had border jumpers do all the work on our house


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Great information. It doesn't look like I'll need to worry about the fence facing the green belt, but I will need something on the sides of the property. That's a great-looking fence! Does anyone use Vinyl fencing over there? It seems like that would be more resistant to weather. I'm guessing the builder doesn't include any fencing, but I'll ask.

avoid vinyl....chevron shingle oil is your friend...same as we used in hawaii.