Jordan Cohen, RE/MAX

(ARA) - If you're considering building your next home,  you surely have  a wish list -- a vision of everything the house of your dreams would include. Do you visualize an open floor plan with plenty of room for the kids? Or maybe your perfect home includes a spacious kitchen with all the latest appliances.

You might also have a list of things you don't want in your new home. No dark, damp basement, for example (a sunny walkout lower level is much more inviting). The beauty of buying new construction is that you can be involved from start to finish, ensuring that when all is said and done, you'll be living in your dream home.

You get to specify the tile you want, the cabinets you want, even the toilet you want. Not only will the home be built to your specifications, it will be built with the latest construction techniques. In addition, most new homes come with a builder's warranty that covers many repair issues that might occur, giving you peace of mind.

NewHomeSource.com is a great place to start your search. The user-friendly Web site offers a way for you to conduct customizable searches for new construction communities in your area.  It includes information on almost 9,000 new construction communities nationwide. Click here to begin your search  by state or by city. You can also narrow your search by choosing a price range for your new home.

The site will then ask you to choose to view communities or homes. The communities page lists all the new construction communities in your selected area and includes information on the number of new homes available, the square footage and more. If you choose "homes," you'll see photos or architectural renderings of the outside of the home, information such as square footage, number of bedrooms, etc. Click through and you can take a look at the actual floor plans.

The site also has useful information on what to look for in a builder, trends in new construction, appliance updates and more. Here are some tips from the experts at NewHomeSource.com about building your dream home:

* Know your builder - Get as much information as you can on the company building your home before you sign on the dotted line.

* Know your budget - All those special touches add up. Be sure you have a budget going into the process. And stick to it.

* Know your neighborhood - Does the area have the amenities you're looking for? Whether it's nearby shopping or good schools or bike trails, do your homework to make sure the neighborhood fits your style.

* Know your lender - Make sure the financing for your house is in order.

Of course, there are many details to attend to in addition to those above, but NewHomeSource.com makes it all easier. Click here to begin your search for the home of your dreams.

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