So you’ve finally succumbed to “Yampa Valley Fever” by purchasing some acreage or a lot in your favorite part of the region. Your real estate broker has convinced you that building a custom home is the way to go. You might be contemplating a second home or one to live in full-time. Perhaps it will be your retirement home and you want to make sure it meets all of your needs down the road: have plenty of room for all of your grandchildren, their parents and the numerous guests who find their way to your door. But where do you begin?

For the client who wants to build that dream home but can’t be in the Valley full-time to watch it happen, Homestead Associates of the Rockies is the answer. Homestead Associates represents all types of clients each day, as they try to pick the best architect, the right general contractor or the most advantageous financing alternatives available in today’s confusing market.

“If you’ve never taken on the project of building a specially designed, custom home before, it can be an intimidating adventure,” said Jim Somerville, managing partner of Homestead Associates. “Clients from other parts of the country—or the world—don’t always recognize the enormity of the process of home building, particularly in this climate. And the costs of building in a resort community can often catch people off guard. Knowing the local market, the availability of quality craftsmanship and recognizing the issues before they become crises are all keys to being the difference between a quality experience that can actually be fun and a nightmare,” he added.

Because they live elsewhere, Homestead’s clients want someone who understands their needs, wants and desires in a new home, and can be on-site on a regular basis to see that the work is done properly, on time and close to the budget.

“We can be your eyes and ears on the project,” Somerville commented. “Our job is to counsel you before a pencil is ever put to a drawing or a shovel goes in the ground. For example, one very good architect might not have the best personality mesh as would another. The same goes for the general contractor. Both can do the job but one might be better for a particular client.”

Homestead acts as the intermediary between the client and the various principals involved in planning and building a custom home. After meeting with the client, they solicit proposals from a number of qualified local architects who they believe can meet your—and their—exacting standards, who have demonstrated capabilities in the Rockies and who will mesh with the client on a personal basis. They then work with the architect and the client to develop the complete set of plans.

Next, they use the same criteria to interview and select a panel of qualified general contractors. They work with the chosen contractor as they receive bids and select qualified subcontractors. During the entire building process, Homestead represents the owner, regularly visiting the job site and communicating through pictures, emails and their Web site to make the owner feel as if they are actually there.

“It’s important to point out that the owner makes all of the decisions. We alert them as to schedules that require decisions to be made and counsel them if necessary. Then we see that those decisions get implemented. But the client is always in control … they make it their home,” Somerville added. “We’ve found that most clients save far more than our fee in avoiding costly mistakes and reducing the build time. Time is money.”

Building a custom home requires the coordination of hundreds of processes and thousands of parts, from planning to moving in. But Homestead Associates does not stop when the construction is completed. They can assist clients by introducing them to local financing and insurance professionals.

“Many of our clients have asked if we could monitor their new home while they are not in residence. Who better to do that than the firm that watched it being built? So, in the near future, you may see us expand in to that arena,” Somerville added.

You can reach him at Homestead at 970-871-9992, by email at somervillejim@hotmail.com or visit their owner website at http://web.mac.com/jimsomerville/Site/Welcome.html.