Park City, Utah is one of the most desirable locations for high end real estate in the country; beautiful, safe, clean and exciting, there is no end to the possibilities when you choose to make it your home. Especially if you are the outdoors type and want easy access to skiing, snowboarding, hiking, horseback riding, or the number of other activities available through out the year in this area.

But when it comes to choosing your home, how do you know whether you should buy or build? Both have their pros and cons.

Buying A Home

On the surface, buying a home is a flawless option. You have an already constructed dwelling that doesn’t require you to oversee the construction, or wait for the move, or make too many decisions. You know just how developed the surrounding area is going to remain, the neighbors you’ll have, and many of the kinks for that particular home have already been worked out (or at least found out) by the previous owner.

The Downside: you’re limited in your options as far as customizations go. With this in mind, you have to pick and choose between features you really want to have and those you don’t. It’s nearly impossible to find everything you want in one ready-made home. And renovation options can be limited by permits, funds, and even the bare bones of the home. Another negative to buying an already-built home is that there may be problems missed in the inspection, or an undisclosed history. If it is an older house, you could run into maintenance issues.

Building A Home

You have two options for building your home: one is to follow a production plan already created by a building company that uses a pre-made blueprint, to which you can add alterations. The second is to design your home from scratch, either on your own or with the aid of a professional (which is recommended). This gives you as much control as you like over the process, layout, and overall design.

Everything used, from materials to appliances, will be brand new from the beginning. So you never have to worry about what might be lurking in a pre-owned structure.

Unfortunately this option doesn’t come free of hassle. Building a home can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars more than buying. You also have to follow building codes and regulations, which can limit what you are able to do, and where you can build. Finally, you have to wait until the house is built and cleared before you can finally move in, so there is the cost of maintaining another residence. during construction.

Along with the financial difference, building your own home is not for the faint of heart. The decision making is endless as you consider design, materials, budgets, and simple “wants” v “needs”. When you have a partner or family members involved in the process, this complicates issues even more. So be ready to compromise, problem solve, and penny pinch!!

If you have questions about real estate in Park city, contact Jensen and Company!