“Home is where the heart is.”

The warming saying above the faint outline of a quaint-looking house framed by lively multihued flowers and luxuriant leafy greenery was the bold imprint on the eye-catching refrigerator magnet that I had discovered. It brought wistful images of a bona fide coziness and a quiet peace that the unique familiar setting of a real home symbolizes. 

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It’s a funny thing about homes on the market, though. You follow the real estate agent into the house with the unmistakable ‘FOR SALE’ sign in the middle of the front lawn and get the grand guided tour, all the while feeling like you are walking in on someone else’s domain.

So you say to the real estate agent, “Show me the new construction. A home that no one has ever lived in before. With my family as the first inhabitants, we’re bound to feel more comfortable in it.”

The funny thing again is, though, that when the real estate agent shows you the sparkling new house with the standard structural design, the boring beige carpets, and the stark white walls, you get the same gnawing feeling that you’ve stepped into someone else’s domain. The house doesn’t feel right because it’s just not you. It’s not your taste, it’s not your character – and the heart of your family simply does not seem to be there.

If you’re in the market for a custom home that will put the heart of your family into it, your first step should be locating a competent licensed builder. Find someone with a sterling reputation of honesty and integrity, knowledge and know-how, and preferably with over a decade worth of hands-on experience in constructing homes for different families with different needs, likings, and personalities. 

For your purposes, you want to get a builder that has demonstrated his ability to construct with a focus on detail and a degree of custom labor in previously acclaimed complexes that bear his excellent handiwork.

But, with all said and done, it is the satisfaction behind the homes that really says it all. That’s where the references come in. Once you actually speak with a previous customer, ask pointed questions. Some of these may include:

• What quality material was used in construction?
  
  
• Was the builder available when you needed him?
  
  
• Was he willing to work with you on different issues?
  
  
• Did the builder present solid advice based on experience as well as good taste?
  
  
• Did he offer assistance in selecting an architect based on your budget and lifestyle?
  
  
• Was there help in filing for a building permit?
  
  
• Did he guide you on the design of the house and/or work side by side with your professional home designer?
  
  
• Did he share his expertise in determining if the involved engineering was too costly or if any other important considerations should be taken into account before beginning construction?
  
  
• Was the work completed within the time frame he promised?
  
  
• Did the home and products placed within it come with insurance and a warranty?

The right builder is someone who will have your best interests in mind. He’s someone who will make your new house have that just-right feeling of bona fide coziness and quiet peace that the unique familiar setting of a real home symbolizes. He’s the man to reflect your distinct taste, your individual character - and the very heart of your family. 

PRIME Insurance Agency focuses on the individuality of each customer, while locating tailored coverage that meets personal needs. An award-winning agency, appointed to do direct business with scores of the foremost insurance companies, PRIME can get you the right coverage at competitively lowest quotes.

For all forms of nationwide insurance, including NJ cheap auto insurance, low quote commercial umbrella insurance NJ,  flood insurance, NJ renters insurance, NJ homeowners insurance, NJ bonds, NJ workers comp, NJ life insurance and more, PRIME can be reached via its insurance website, its email:  PRIME [at] primeins [dot] com or at 732-886-5751.

Summary: If you’re in the market for a custom home that will put the heart of your family into it, your first step should be locating a competent licensed and insured builder. Find someone with a sterling reputation of honesty and integrity, knowledge and know-how, and preferably with over a decade worth of hands-on experience in constructing homes for different families with different needs, likings, and personalities.