Are you planning on building a home in 2022? If so, I imagine you’re feeling a little freaked out by the uncertainty and volatility in the current home-build market. 

Believe me … you are NOT alone!

I hear this fear OFTEN from my blog readers as well as students in my private ‘Before You Build’ course + community.

I get it … it’s a tough market right now. There is constant uncertainty and volatility in material costs and deliveries and it can feel like you have zero control over the home build process. 

However, I’m here to tell you that there are TWO big things that you do have 100% control over … no matter what’s going on in the market.

Welcome back to the Before You Build Podcast! I’m your host, Carrie Barker (a.k.a. Caroline on Design), and today in episode 2, we’re going to talk about what you CAN control if you’re building a home in 2022. 

But first, let’s address the big elephant in the room … 2022 and the past two years have been seriously CRAZY when it comes to home build pricing and manufacturing delays. 

Material costs are up and down and up again (hello, lumber) and it’s very difficult to get all of your materials and finishes delivered within a ‘typical’ time frame. And, unfortunately, the longer it takes to build, the longer you have to pay interest on your construction loan. Boo!

However, there ARE aspects of building a home that you DO have control over … no matter what is going on in the home build market.

So if you plan to move forward with building (whether that be now or in the future), let’s focus on what you CAN control! This is at the heart of what I ‘teach’ in my private ‘Before You Build’ course … I focus on the components of building a home that you DO have control over. 

BUILDING A HOME IN 2022: YOU DO HAVE SOME CONTROL!

Let’s get right into talking about two (game-changing) things that you DO have control over despite the volatile home build market we’re currently in.

1. YOU CONTROL YOUR EXPECTATIONS

As I mentioned in last week’s episode (Should You Build a Custom Home in 2022?), it’s important to have realistic expectations about the cost of building a home in 2022. You need to accept the fact that what you could have built pre-pandemic is going to cost more to build now. 

This is just the (unfortunate) reality of the market we’re in. We’re paying more for everything (gas, groceries, clothing, etc.). Pricing for (literally) everything is going up so it makes sense that we’re going to pay more to build a house.

The important thing is for you to go into your home build with realistic expectations about what you can afford in today’s market. Gather as much info as you can from local builders and real estate agents to find out what ‘caliber’ of house you can expect to build within your budget. 

Although your home will likely cost more than it would have pre-pandemic, you still have control over creating a *realistic* budget that takes into account the current market as well as includes contingency funds.

2. YOU CONTROL YOUR LEVEL OF PREPARATION

The second thing you have control over (and this is a biggie) is your level of preparation.

The amount of planning and preparation you do BEFORE you build is the MOST important thing that you have control over … regardless of what’s going on in the home build market.

Thoroughly preparing for your home build is a complete game-changer in the way your entire home build experience will go (including your ability to stick close to budget).

Again, you’ll need to adjust your expectations and realize that the cost to build a home is volatile and uncertain right now, BUT no matter the market, there is a linear relationship between your level of preparation BEFORE you build and your chances of getting to the end of your home build without blowing your budget.

In other words, the more you prepare for your home build, the more likely you’ll build your home very close to the realistic budget that you set.

NEXT STEPS: PREPARE FOR YOUR HOME BUILD

Obviously, you don’t have control over the volatility and uncertainty when building a home in 2022 😩. However, you DO have control over your (realistic) home build expectations and your level of preparation before you ever think about breaking ground and building your dream home.

So what are your next steps?

As we talked about in this episode, your level of preparation BEFORE you build is the MOST important thing that you have control over when it comes to building a home (whether you plan to build in 2022 or beyond).

Believe me … it’s never too early to start prepping for your future dream home. And I would love to guide you through preparing for your build in a way that will not only help you stick close to your realistic budget, but will also increase your chances of ending up with a home that you absolutely LOVE (#noregrets).

I’ve created a *FREE* on-demand video training for YOU to get a jump start on preparing for your home build the right way. Grab your (virtual) seat to ‘3 Simple Keys to Build Your Dream Home Within Budget … without sacrificing your must-haves, no matter how big or small your budget’.

In this free training, you will learn the three biggest mistakes (to avoid!) that get in the way of staying on budget when building a home as well as three simple keys to build your dream home close to budget without sacrificing your must-haves. Plus, you’ll walk away from this training with tangible action steps to get you started on the path to a successful home build.

Focusing on what you CAN control while building a home and implementing what I teach in this FREE on-demand training has the potential to keep you WAY closer to your budget than you might be without nailing these 3 keys. Not to mention, you’ll be SO much happier with the end result (you know, that adorable, cozy home that friends and family can’t wait to visit over the holidays).