Everyone would love a new home, but the challenge of finding land, designing, building, and budgeting for a new home can be a daunting process.  We here at Capecodbuilder.com  always suggest starting with the most important factor, the budget.  With a realistic budget in mind, it is possible to craft a design that will still meet an owner's expectations, given the known financial constraints.  We will often suggest a meeting with a lender, very early on in the process, to ensure an owner can have access to the funds necessary to build their home. If you are in the early stages of your Cape Cod Home project, and are thinking about Building a New home, here is a calculator from the National Association of Home Builders that allows a homeowner to determine how much mortgage they can afford and help them establish a budget.  Here is the spreadsheet: How Much House can I Afford?

You can also use the information provided in our Construction Cost Guide to help establish your budget, Click Below to download:

   REEF, Cape Cod's Homebuilder has been involved in the Cape Cod Real Estate market for over 25 years.  With nearly 1,500 projects completed, and daily interaction with real estate professionals and property owners, REEF has seen all of the ups and downs of the market cycle. Over the last 7 years, Cape Cod Real Estate has declined in value, just like many areas in the country.  However, we here at REEF feel we are approaching the end of the cycle.  So, if you are thinking of buying, Building, or Remodeling your Cape Cod Home, NOW is a great time to act. 

Here is an article from boston.com that talks about buying on the Cape: Buy NOW on Cape Cod

If you would like to know what your project may cost, take a look at REEF's 2012 Construction Cost Guide by clicking below:

  If you are considering building a new custom home, or remodeling your existing home on Cape Cod, then there is one critical piece of information that you will want to know... how much will this project cost?   REEF is a custom builder on Cape Cod, and offers complete design/build services for new construction, remodeling, and tear-down and re-build projects.   We have recently produced a construction cost guide which will give potential clients a good idea of what their project might cost.  We have tailored the information to suit basic small homes, through highly detailed, well-appointed custom homes, and renovation projects.  This is critical information for potential customers who are planning a project over the next several months.   Click below to download our guide!!

   So all signs are pointing to a resurgence of a strong housing and residential real estate market.   Inventories are low, demand is increasing, and credit is available and inexpensive. After spending several years in a stagnant "correcting" market, builders are seeing demand for new homes.  As a custom builder on Cape Cod, we often look to news like this to forecast our demand for the coming year.  This stabilization of the housing market means that existing homes are selling at a reasonable price and time period, which is important, as many of our customers are waiting to sell their existing homes before they invest in their retirement home on Cape Cod.  As the market pace increases, so will demand for materials and labor, which will begin to increase over the next year or so.   Bottom line: Now is a great time to build!!

Here is the complete article from FoxBusiness:  http://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/2012/05/09/as-housing-sector-recovers-signs-sustainability-emerge/

   The Warren Group recently published their Massachusetts Real Estate sales statistics for the month of March. Sales are up an notable 20% from March 2011 marking the 9th consecutive month of increased sales.  So what does this mean to REEF, a custom home builder on Cape Cod?  It provides clear indication that demand is increasing, and that the market is supporting sound investments in real estate.   If you are thinking of a new home, or remodeling project, you should probably take steps to start the process now.   As demand increases, there will be corresponding increases in material, labor and other costs.  These indicators coupled with the pending building code change in July can only lead to increased costs for consumers. 

Here is the article from the Cape Cod Times: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120424/NEWS11/120429886

    Building a custom home on Cape Cod can be a daunting process, however, one of the biggest hurdles is managing the budget.  Value engineering is a term often used to describe the process of re-working a design to meet budget constraints.   This is a great process, but it is very hard to do late in the design process, when costs have gone out of control.  Costs are controlled one dollar at a time, through a combination of design, construction techniques, and selection of finishes and fixtures. It is almost impossible to shave $100,000 off of a $300,000 project.  A better approach is to set a budget of $200,000 and drive the project to that goal at each stage of the design and selection process.  

 Since REEF is a design/build company, we assist in developing the budget expectation, and take ownership of the budget throughout the construction process.  Managing expectation is the key to a sucessful project, a good finished product, and satisfied customers.

Here is a great article with some tips for value engineering your home project from housingzone.com: Value Engineering a Custom Home

If you want to know what your budget might look like for your next project, click below to download our construction cost guide:

  Looks like the Cape Cod real estate market is on the move. See this article from the Barnstable Patriot.... Now is still a great time to buy!!

Barnstable Patriot, Real Estate Trends

If you are thinking of building or remodeling as part of your next real estate investment, click below for a helpful guide to construction costs.

We found this article from CNN Money about how to get better remodeling bids.  Developing a realistic budget is key to a smooth process.  We use a lot of these techniques as part of our processes.  However, our most valuable tool is experience, and the high volume of historical data we have from almost 1500 successful projects here on Cape Cod.  Check out this article for some great information...Remodeling Bid

If you have questions about your next remodeling project, click here to get in touch with one of REEF's experts