Lombardo Homes MICHIGAN Build Process Guide

Building a new home is an exciting process, and building a new home on your own land adds an extra layer of excitement! Our Anywhere Lombardo team’s goal is to make the build process as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. Together with our experienced sales managers and construction coordinators, you will design and build a home you’ll love to live in now and for years to come.

We often get the same questions from new homeowners: What goes into building a home on your own land? As you can imagine, much of the process is the same as building a Lombardo home within a Lombardo community, with some notable differences. Below is the process we follow before we build your new Anywhere Lombardo home:

Step 1: Get Pre-Approved for a Construction Loan

Knowing how much you’re comfortable spending on your new home will guide your homesite, floor plan, and option choices further along the build process. Talk with your lender about your preferred monthly payment and available down payment, then calculate a total price to stay below that keeps you in your comfort zone. This information helps our team provide suggestions for a floor plan and/or homesite that will fit your lifestyle and your budget. If you’re looking for a lender, let us know! We have preferred lenders we can recommend who all have experience in construction loan financing.

Step 2: Find a Homesite

When considering a homesite, most clients think about location, size, and price, but there are other factors to consider as you search for the perfect land on which to build your dream home. While you view homesites, take note of the utilities, driveway location, nearby trees, and other homes in the area. This will help you select a lot that fits your lifestyle and budget.

Haven’t found the perfect homesite? We partner with realtors who are listing land on the MLS. View a list of available properties.

Step 3: Discovery Event™

Now that you have the perfect homesite, it’s time to begin designing your dream home! At Lombardo Homes, we believe that every family lives differently. Understanding those differences helps us build the best home for all of our homeowners – one they will love for years to come.

During the Discovery Event™, you’ll meet with your Anywhere Lombardo sales manager to discuss everything that is important to you in your new home. We will cover how you’ll live in the space, which features best suit your lifestyle, and which design features and trends you want to showcase in your selections. We’ll use our knowledge of your homesite, the home options and features we discuss, and your overall budget to find the perfect home for you and your family.

Step 4: Site Evaluation

You’ve found your dream homesite and are compiling a list of options and features you’d like in your home. Your vision is starting to come to life! The next step is seeing how the home and land fit together. Our Anywhere Lombardo project manager will begin collecting information for permits, utilities, and more.

When you purchase an Anywhere Lombardo home, the base price includes funds for soil boring tests, topography drawings, permits, utility connections, and more. Based on the costs needed for your homesite, along with our included allowance, we will provide an estimate to show how this location will fit within your budget. These costs will be added to your Construction Agreement and provided to you before you close on your construction loan and construction begins. This will give you a full picture of what your home (and construction) will cost. We guarantee your final numbers to be accurate — we won’t be surprising you mid-build with a bill for unexpected costs!

Step 5: Construction Agreement

While our Anywhere Lombardo project manager is working on your site evaluation, you’ll work with your sales manager to finalize the details of your new home. Once you’ve finalized the details and received your site costs, it’s time to sign the Construction Agreement!

Step 6: Design Studio

You might’ve spent months dreaming about the cabinets, countertops, and flooring in your new home. (We can’t blame you!) Our Design Studio in Southfield, Michigan is where you’ll finally put everything together and start to truly visualize how your new home will look. At the Design Studio, you’ll work with an experienced design consultant to combine colors, designs, and textures and find the look that is perfect for your new home.

We encourage all homebuyers to schedule a preview appointment before their design appointment. This gives you time to view our available options and play around with color and material combinations before actually making selections for your new home. We’ve found that our clients are more confident in their design choices when they’ve previewed the options ahead of time. Selections must take place within 21 days of signing your Construction Agreement.

Step 7: Closing

Once selections, soil borings, and perc testing are complete, your final price will be set, and we will schedule a closing date for your construction loan! This is one of the spots where building a new home on your own land differs from building within a Lombardo community; instead of closing after your home is built, your closing takes place before construction begins, when you close on your homesite. We’ll schedule a Key Exchange to take place after your new home is finished.

Step 8: Begin Permitting and Start Construction

By this point, you’re likely getting excited to see construction begin on your new home. We’re almost there! During this step, our team will obtain permits and order the items you selected during your Design Studio appointment. Once everything is in place, it’s time to start the development and construction of your new home!

For more information on what happens during and after your new home build, contact our team or view our Homebuyer’s Guide.