You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same ord

Are you finally ready to live in a home designed especially for you, with all the features you've dreamed of, all the colors and textures you love, and rooms exactly the right size to fit your lifestyle?

If you have more money than you can spend, this article is not for you. If you're going to finance a portion of that new home, it is -- because choosing your lender should be your first step.

To begin with, after you've visited with your lender you'll know how much you can spend on your house. That will affect choices all the way from the lot you'll build on to the square footage of the house -- and the choices you'll make for all of the finish materials.

If you've chosen a contractor, he or she will be able to give you some guidance based on the total amount you plan to spend.

You've probably gotten a mortgage for a home purchase at some time, but getting a loan for a construction project is a different process. It is much more involved.

Along with choosing a company with reasonable fees and costs, it is vital that you choose a loan officer whose personality blends well with yours. You're going to be working closely for a while, so make it as pleasant as possible.

First you'll go through the normal process of qualifying for the loan -- that's the easy part.

Next comes the appraisal. You or your contractor will be required to fill out forms supplied by the lender that outline every detail of that new home. Get those forms and give your contractor a copy just as soon as possible, so that he can be prepared to break down his costs in accordance with the mortgage company's guidelines. If he knows what they want ahead of time, it will save him time later.

You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same orde

To begin with, after you've visited with your lender you'll know how much you can spend on your house. That will affect choices all the way from the lot you'll build on to the square footage of the house -- and the choices you'll make for all of the finish materials.

If you've chosen a contractor, he or she will be able to give you some guidance based on the total amount you plan to spend.

You've probably gotten a mortgage for a home purchase at some time, but getting a loan for a construction project is a different process. It is much more involved.

Along with choosing a company with reasonable fees and costs, it is vital that you choose a loan officer whose personality blends well with yours. You're going to be working closely for a while, so make it as pleasant as possible.

First you'll go through the normal process of qualifying for the loan -- that's the easy part.

Next comes the appraisal. You or your contractor will be required to fill out forms supplied by the lender that outline every detail of that new home. Get those forms and give your contractor a copy just as soon as possible, so that he can be prepared to break down his costs in accordance with the mortgage company's guidelines. If he knows what they want ahead of time, it will save him time later.

You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same ord

You've probably gotten a mortgage for a home purchase at some time, but getting a loan for a construction project is a different process. It is much more involved.

Along with choosing a company with reasonable fees and costs, it is vital that you choose a loan officer whose personality blends well with yours. You're going to be working closely for a while, so make it as pleasant as possible.

First you'll go through the normal process of qualifying for the loan -- that's the easy part.

Next comes the appraisal. You or your contractor will be required to fill out forms supplied by the lender that outline every detail of that new home. Get those forms and give your contractor a copy just as soon as possible, so that he can be prepared to break down his costs in accordance with the mortgage company's guidelines. If he knows what they want ahead of time, it will save him time later.

You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same ord

Next comes the appraisal. You or your contractor will be required to fill out forms supplied by the lender that outline every detail of that new home. Get those forms and give your contractor a copy just as soon as possible, so that he can be prepared to break down his costs in accordance with the mortgage company's guidelines. If he knows what they want ahead of time, it will save him time later.

You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same ord

You see, while you're making choices regarding the brand names and model numbers of appliances and fixtures, the style and quality of carpets, the brands and styles of windows and doors, and all the other little finish details, your contractor will be pulling his or her hair out over the rest.

Banks don't arrange forms in the same order that contractors build houses -- which means items on the contractor's cost sheets aren't broken down in the same order as on the bank's cost sheets. Filling out your paperwork is one of the contractor's most difficult tasks in building your new home.

Finally, you'll both be ready. Then those forms, along with your house plans, will be supplied to the appraiser. He or she will determine a value for your new home based on the size, amenities, and quality of the house -- finished to specifications.

It will take longer than you anticipate. Calling your lender and asking him or her to call the appraiser won't help. In fact, calling the appraiser could actually slow things down. So be patient.

Once the construction loan is closed, you'll probably be dealing with a different part of the lending company until the house is finished and you're ready to sign the final papers. Then you may see your original loan officer again.

To learn all about the process of building your new home, read Home Building Simplified. It's the e-book that takes you step by step through the choices you'll have to make and the process of turning an unimproved lot and pile of materials into a home you'll love.