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It can be pretty exciting when it comes to buying a home, especially if it happens to be in the category of new build homes. However, it also can be very overwhelming at the same time, especially since you should be an active participant in all the different aspects of the building of your new home. You will need to work very closely with the builder in order to make sure you get what you want. Here are five important things you need to know when you are involved with this.

You need to know your numbers – Before you even start thinking about new build homes, you need to make sure to come up with some numbers to figure out whether or not you can afford to build the home. You can actually use a cost to build tool, for a small fee which will give you a very accurate estimate of the construction cost which is based on where you are building the home. The numbers will need to include cost of construction, the tax benefits, down payment amount and even a slush account and any miscellaneous items. Once this is done you can then buy your house plan and take it to your bank to arrange for the financing. This means that you are going to need a home construction line of credit that you can use to pay any subcontractors and suppliers that might be used to build your home. Then once the home is finished you need a mortgage to pay off the construction line of credit.

Credibility and reputation of the builder – There are a lot of different builders out there doing new build homes and not all of them are equal in skills or conditionals. It is important that you do your homework and find out which builders out there have the best reputation. You can search for information online or you can get your recommendations from your friends or family members. You need to find out if the builder is respected for his quality work along with if he is trustworthy and punctual. It is also highly recommended that you only use builders that are that are registered with an association like the National Association of Home Builders.

Build the home with the resale of it in mind – It doesn’t matter how much you might love the home being built for you, in today's world, it is highly unlikely that you will live in this home until the day you die. So, it is very important that when having it built that you make sure there that you keep in mind its resale value. Make sure that you don't pick something that is too out of the ordinary and don't add so many extras that you house ends up being way overpriced.

Think of the environment and think green – The environment is important to a lot of people and this is why it is important that your builder and architect ensure that your home is build environmental friendly, like having all windows facing south to get as much sun as possible to heat the home. Try to get the bathrooms, laundry room and garage are all on the south side and you want smaller windows to help lower the heat loss. Make sure you choose the best insulation and have an efficient HVAC system installed. All appliances should be energy efficient and you should include WaterSense faucets and toilets as well.

Don't forget the punch list – What is is, is a list that included at the end of the construction of all new home builds. This list will include what is still needed to be done or what might need to be repaired on the new build. You need to get together with your contractor to create this list the week before you close so you can go through the final walk through with them. Make sure to take good notes of everything you see. The problems you find will usually fall under two different categories. Reasonable flaws and unreasonable flaws. The flaws that are reasonable are ones that are within the tolerance levels of building construction. Unreasonable flaws are ones that must be fixed, these are the ones that affect the quality of the new home. The money that you will use for the punch list should be put in escrow, that way you can move into your new home while the builder completes the punch list.

There are a lot of different kinds of split level homes, all of them do have similar features to them. The most common of those features would be attached garages, being two stories and have a basement or a bottom level that is partly submerged under ground. These types of homes can be a Ranch style, Craftsman style or other styles when being considered split level. Usually split level homes will have two stories, however, some will incorporate levels in between the two stories. Sometimes you might find one that has a basement level, a main level and a smaller level that has bedrooms. Often the entryways are even on their own level. No matter what the style the benefits can be better utilization of the square footage of the home, using the lot it's built on better and plenty of space for custom decorating.

When it comes to space, this is important to anyone and the obvious benefit of split level homes is the space they have. Often they are considered very good homes for those who have children. With the top and bottom floors both having almost the same square footage it's like getting twice the home for larger families.

The layout is very important in this type of home. Usually the bedrooms will be on the upper floor as well as the kitchen, dining area, living space and one or two bathrooms, the bottom floor can contain things like the laundry room, the garage, a family room and sometimes even another bathroom and bedroom. Often times families with children will turn this area into a playroom for the kids.

The upkeep on split level homes is straightforward basic maintenance and upkeep. Often times the design of the ranch home is similar to the split level so you pretty much need the same kind of upkeep you would on a regular ranch home.

With split level homes owners are getting a lot of space to work with and they are easily adaptable to the ever changing needs of those who have children. They allow you the ability to change the different areas of the home to suit your needs at the time.