So, you want a new home, with “new” meaning brand new. Your dream is a house built to your specifications, with all the space and details necessary to fit your lifestyle. Or maybe you really love the house you’re in, but you want to update it to this century’s style.

Now what? How do you get started? Meeting with a design–builder, like the people at Northcape Design-Build in Sunapee, is a great place to start. Not only will your designer create the plans for your perfect home or remodel, but he or she will also oversee the construction as well.

Still, there are several steps you can take before you meet with a designer that will help the process along. This is the time to look at your life plan for the future. Questions to consider include:

• How long do you intend to live in the house?

• Do you plan to live in the house after you retire?

• Do you want to live in an urban, suburban, or rural setting?

• Do you have children? Do you plan to have children? Are your children almost ready to leave home?

• How close do you want to be to schools? Do you want to live in a specific school district?

• What level of energy efficiency is important to you?

• How much house can you afford?

Now is also the time approach your financial institution about a construction or home equity loan. A construction loan provides temporary financing to build the home. Once the house is complete, the loan is converted to permanent financing (a mortgage).  

The next step is to put together a design portfolio. This can be as simple as a notebook or folder full of ideas you would like to see implemented in your new home. The primary goal is to have something tangible put together to show prospective designers and builders.

Divide the portfolio into sections, such as house style, siding, kitchen design, master bedroom, etc. This is the time to figure out what you want in your new home, and what you don’t want. Dream big! The ideas may not work out in the long run, but at this point that huge back deck just might work. If you see something you like, be it in a magazine, on the Internet, around your town or neighborhood, or wherever, add it or take photos and put them in your portfolio.

Taking these steps will make the design process go much faster and easier to help you move into your new home as soon as possible.