New Florida Homes

[AirgunSavant]

Next year when I get everything here sold I'm moving to the outskirts of Palm Coast
I already have the land etc. After 40 years of being in business I'm going to build 2 houses
a year as my hobby. Spec houses with no bank interaction whatsoever.

This was not my prior business although I have built a few and flipped houses in the early 80's to mid 90's
and now have a few for sale. Not flips but refurbs I lived in.

I have toured several homes in that area and it seems everybody builds the usual houses.
For those that live in Florida in and around that area, what don't you see in new homes that you would like to see.
Quality aside..... ( I like bigger houses but for a top end house I think I will keep them just at or under 3000 sq ft
of true living space. Here we don't count garages etc. as living space)That seems to be an affordable size and
you can up the quality without getting into the extreme upper class where sales are slow.

Here we are spoiled with walk out basements and in this area that is not an option but garage space to
me is even more important than the living space. I do see the Florida basements meaning attic space but
that doesn't thrill me much especially in the heat of summer.

I do see many builders putting in 14 SEER heat pumps and I understand that the highly rated SEER units are usually a bit troublesome but 14-15 SEER in Florida seems like a huge economy move that can't be very efficient.
Those that live in Florida and have wells. What depth are you seeing as the norm? That is the one thing I need
to study up on. Here I have springs in my yard and plenty of water but we are having to go 500-600 feet. In the old days
it was 60-80 feet...... Of course I know Florida is right on the water

thanks!

 

[HerrStig]

Better invest in some water treatment . Even the "city" water needs it or it smells like SO2. Check the building code for all the storm proofing "additions" you'll need in new house construction. Most people who leave from here for Florida are "empty nesters" who don't need a lot of room. The smart ones want something to keep their Crown Vics out of the sun.

 

[Doog]

In Florida you want a few things to make a really nice home:

1. All masonry, stucco with a concrete tile roof one floor slab construction.
2. Keep them 3BR/2.5Ba or 4BR 3ba 2 car garage 2300-2800Sq Ft.
3. Use PGR windows/doors and 200mph garage doors. (no shutters needed)
4. All ceilings at 12'-15' gives a huge interior look.
5. Check your flood plain maps so people are not forced into FEMA insurance.(keep all finished floor elevations 3-10 feet above surge)
6. 16-18 SEER HVAC. My home in Naples is 18 SEER which is normal.
7. consult local engineers for wells. I am on city water.
8. You need to build to "Miami Dade" codes or you'll have a hard time selling. No banks will finance or no insurance companies will insure.

 

[AirgunSavant]

I have seen that first hand- thanks. One builder was telling me he drills a deeper well than most but in touring his sample home ( of course non use was an issue too) I was getting the nasty amber water from the faucet.
Not a nice selling option- lol

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Better invest in some water treatment . Even the "city" water needs it or it smells like SO2. Check the building code for all the storm proofing "additions" you'll need in new house construction. Most people who leave from here for Florida are "empty nesters" who don't need a lot of room. The smart ones want something to keep their Crown Vics out of the sun.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Thanks Doog!

I'm on that same page.
I did price a 6500 sq ft house in that area- custom builder and not yet built but the true cost was
actually rather fair. Now we are talking 6500 ft in Florida terms- the garages-deck, porch, and even flower boxes-lol
But it was a single story Mediterranean. Now the concrete tile roof was well done ( actual sample houses built by the same builder)
Concrete filled where they were open to the wind etc and the water-proof underlayment over 5/8" plywood etc with heavier trusses. That said the cost of that was $45K over the basic shingle roof. Now for the houses we are talking about it would be $20K. But with the right colors they really give a luxury appearance.

I also noticed some new codes on insulation etc. Would have to get all of that figured out as well. I don't like building to a standard. It doesn't really cost that much to exceed all standards.

I was there in April and I toured 8 sample houses. Wow...... Two minutes after I walked in the door I could spot junk and the higher grade builders. What was interesting was the bad builders were priced right with the top builders. Went through several 2300-2600 sq ft houses at around $250K ( built on your lot)
Several were just poorly done and others had the extras already built in at the same price. Money spent is not an indicator of quality. Thanks for the great info!

 

[hatt]

Builders build houses they can sell. You're not going to be able to build to a higher standard and sell at a price most people are willing to pay. You can spot "junk" but most people have no idea. All they know is that you're wanting $25K more than the other guy, "for the same house!" People that are concerned usually go custom.

 

[bubbatime]

What is your goal? To build a house, and sell it or rent it as an investment?

First off, there are a million builders down here. Very competitive. If you think you are just going to waltz in and build a house, be able to sell it quickly, and turn a profit, while competing with all the other builders, I think you are in for a surprise.

A 3000 square foot spec house? Huh? 1800-2500 square feet is the norm.

2 car garage is a must. Adding a 3 car garage will attract a LOT of buyers.

Hurricane glass and doors are nice on your own home, but rather expensive on a flip house. You'll have to build to local code, but shutters might offer more profit margin than expensive hurricane glass and doors. I'm not up to all the codes, but in my county you MUST have hurricane windows/doors or shutters for every new house.

Attic space is about useless in Florida. The attic is unbearable for 10 months out of the year.

Well water is hit or miss. Most water is pretty gross, and requires a full reverse osmosis filtering system. Some folks are extremely lucky in northern Florida and have pure aquifer water, which has amazing quality. I dont think you will have that near Palm Coast.

City water is a HUGE selling point for a lot of folks down here, if it is available. A house on city water will command a premium over a well water house (same general area, same general house) Many folks don't want to deal with the maintenance on the water filters or water treatment system, and the city water is usually (not always) of better quality as well. Try to find lots with city water hook up if you can.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Thanks guys!

 

[AirgunSavant]

Thanks Hatt and bubbatime.. !

I will be able to build the houses better and more cost effective.
The reason being is I will not have a building loan and my fiancée is a Florida
real-estate agent and she covers that area so unlike other builders I have eliminated carrying cost.
I also did note that this was going to be my hobby- not an investment. That is the key.

These houses will be custom after the first one. Also my first build is on 12 acres- that subdivision has a minimum 2800 sq ft living space requirement. That subdivision has 29 lots and no they are not the 1/4 acre type but from 10-24 acres each. It only has 5 houses on it now and the last one just sold for nearly $700K. Not new but just a few months ago and it was not built to a standard I would call great.

I have two lots there now myself.
This house is nearing completion and this is next to my 12 acre lot. I believe they have 11 acres.
This house has taken about 7 months to build. It is quality. I don't know the cost to build this
but I'm sure it was well over $500K.

 

[hatt]

I think you should start a little smaller. Sinking hundreds of thousands of my own $$ into a hobby venture in a very competitive, expensive, and complicated industry seems awful scary. You can make as much money on a basic flip as doing what you're planning. And only risking $20-30K.

 

[sleddriver]

As an engineer, I Q why a builder would use such a complicated roof in an area known for lots (>50"/yr) of rain. On the left side there are three roof planes all converging into each other at the bottom, where the amount of water will be the greatest. All of this water will then exit into a small space. Gutters will be necessary. BIG gutters. Further, all of those mitered trim joints will eventually succomb to rot unless PVC was used.

I see these same complicated roofs in Houston where the annual rainfall is > 52"/yr, even without a hurricane. I also note plenty of rotted trim, including where insufficient space was allowed where it meeets a shingle roof. Personally, I would never buy a house like this.

Re: A/C. SEER isn't the end all. Latent heat removal is. In a climate where the dew points rarely drop below 70°F, you want a dry house. Ditto, for Houston. Therefore, a system designed for Arizona won't work in Fla.

Attic temps can be controlled, even when vented. Some even move the ceiling insulation up to the roof deck, thus encompasing the attic duct work in a conditioned space. Makes sense if done right.

Any house built to "code" is just that: The least acceptable allowed. Any well-built & designed house should FAR exceed any "minimum standard".

Re: "Three car garage": +1 on that. With high ceilings and humidity control a definite plus!

Another of my peeves: Large, open living/cooking/eating/entertaining designs with high ceilings, no carpet and hard surfaces. The noise is really excessive from the smallest impacts and "rings" far too long. Think rectangular gym. Living in that type of acoustical environment is not fun, much less relaxing after a busy, stressful day. Fixing acoustical nightmares is $$$$ afterwards, if even possible.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Sleddriver
Great points. Thanks.
I honestly think of the 5 houses there 4 are like this- must have got the same roofing contractor.
I'm not a fan of them myself because once a roof fails the house fails. It does look nice now but
lets revisit it in 10 years. Here in MD and DE that type of roof is the norm. My parents house was built in 1948
and only had three sets of shingles but I'm no fan of it.

I have had PVC products up here rot- lets say deteriorate anywhere snow built up- so I'm not a big fan of that.
I stayed in the villages several times in Ocala and as you said those hard sources rebounded and echoed every noise
and it was very loud. Nothing to absorb it. I think spray foam is the new code but only for the underside of the roof and that is in the living area if I am correct.

I did notice that several builders are using real hardwood floors over the pad in bedrooms etc.
Here on the east coast that's usually a no-no. It can be a no-no here even with a basement if its not controlled humidity wise- I have seen several lift and warp.

 

[AirgunSavant]

In that area of Florida does anyone know what the average depth of a well is- meaning if you live there
do you know? Thanks!

 

[AirgunSavant]

No argument there. But I'm on a different schedule than most. I don't have a bunch of time and
I did what I had to do like everybody else has done and what time I have left I'd like to do what I always wanted to do and that's really the jist of it. But your points are well taken.


Originally Posted By: hatt
I think you should start a little smaller. Sinking hundreds of thousands of my own $$ into a hobby venture in a very competitive, expensive, and complicated industry seems awful scary. You can make as much money on a basic flip as doing what you're planning. And only risking $20-30K.

 

[Andrew1972]

In New England high SF homes now sit on market even in better neighborhoods. I think the idea of this is passé here and may come true in FL.

The trend now as nest empties is to go high end efficient smaller home or condo. The leftover large homes sit unless price is near fire sale. It seems the small to medium size homes sell far faster.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
No argument there. But I'm on a different schedule than most. I don't have a bunch of time and
I did what I had to do like everybody else has done and what time I have left I'd like to do what I always wanted to do and that's really the jist of it. But your points are well taken.


What does your fiancée say? Every market is unique. In my market I see you targeting 1/10 of 1% of buyers. Ain't no way I'd jump into such a thing. People in most of FL in the market for a $4-500K+ home can be very selective. Palm Coast isn't a very expensive area. Then they have to want 10 acres(likely deed restricted, maybe even an HOA) too. Does the property have high speed internet service? What licencing do you have? You can't just start building homes to sell.

 

[AirgunSavant]

All properties are already set up for services. They have better cable than I have 50 miles north of Baltimore. You mean you can't show up and start digging?

7

You just don't like the fact I'm torturing money.... lol

My fiancée has a lot across the street.
I am the VP and on the ARB of the subdivision which means very little but everything is in process
and the first house will be my own. If I don't like Florida I can get lost....

Thanks!

 

[AirgunSavant]

I'm seeing that here. It's the economy.
Of course the women's purse market is up on even the $40,000 ones.
Go figure!

 

[LoneRanger]

A sink hole will swallow it in Florida, LoL. That is a problem down there. Related to the nature of the bed rock being a conglomerate of tiny sea shell debris or some such situation to where the rock (if it can be called that) is more water soluble than normal. Saw it on Weather Channel or Discovery once, can't remember for sure what it was.

 

[AirgunSavant]

They are not in this area.
In Ocala it is a possibility.

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
A sink hole will swallow it in Florida, LoL. That is a problem down there. Related to the nature of the bed rock being a conglomerate of tiny sea shell debris or some such situation to where the rock (if it can be called that) is more water soluble than normal. Saw it on Weather Channel or Discovery once, can't remember for sure what it was.