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[Catiele]

We moved into an unfinished house and that was enough for me. It is now too big for us but neither one of us wants to move. 

[On It]

I have to second the Toto toilets. I had them in two houses. Nothing else comes close. We bought the basic, comfort height. Be sure to get the comfort height. It is taller than a standard toilet and makes standing up way easier for an older person. There are some models that have a lot of bells and whistles, but we avoided those because of costs.

The utility room needs a rod to hang up clothing as you take it out of the dryer or to allow items to hang to dry.

I prefer Quartz countertops. Zero maintenance. I do not think farm sinks are practical. I need a divided sink, one to wash and the other to rinse.

Like others have mentioned. Storage, storage, storage.

[RedTop]

@sarahpanda 

My suggestions are to think in terms of aging and safety.  

You want low maintenance exterior, handicapped accessible interior with wider doorways, hallways, and bathrooms.   Unless you specifically like digging into base cabinets in the kitchen, I would suggest custom deeper pull out drawers, which makes it much easier to find what you're looking for.

A friend built a new home last year in a new subdivision, and based on the lot, the contractor would only build 2 specific houses.  That made the choice easier since they did not want a two story house.   Theirs was a turn key job; they met with the contractor and saw the main samples of everything used in his builds, so it was easy to see cabinet choices, hardware, molding, tile, flooring, lighting, etc. in one place at one time.  

Best wishes to you with this process!

[sarahpanda]

@On It ...Loved your tips, thanks !!!

[sometimesQVCaddict]

At this point, I hope never to move & am remodeling accordingly.

First and foremost and my TOP #1 is going for quality over quantity or cheap builder grade. I'd rather wait to find someone who will do a project RIGHT and CORRECTLY than the cheapest or someone who cranks out homes/projects super fast. This can be from super tiny projects to super large! I need someone with experience and quality craftsmanship!!!!

I unfortunately know people who had new homes need new roofs, siding, etc in just a few short years because they were built en masse on the cheap. Sure they looked "nice" but that's how they reel you in. And of course it wasn't covered under warranty because it was human error in not installing correctly versus a product defect.

Do what YOU love in terms of colors, finishes, etc. I would NEVER pick from "limited builder grade" cabinets, finish, wall color, countertops, knobs, etc unless it truly is one of a kind and custom. Or if less choices are easier for you, maybe that would be ideal for you!

Personally love quartz countertops, & all built in cabinets, bookshelves, vanities, etc. in my home are SOLID wood. No mdf, particleboard, etc. You want something that's made to last!

A huge, multi cabinet pantry (or a long wall of built in cabinets)is a must, ideally on the same level as the garage. I wouldn't be able to be as near as organized without it!

[Desert Lily]

@sarahpanda  Did you purchase a lot within a development? If so, that developer has floor plans from which you'd be able to choose.

I am currently building a house on the east coast, and I live on the west coast. My new house will be ready in less than 2 weeks now. I picked out the lot in July. I've done everything from almost 3,000 miles away, using Zoom, Skype, smart phones, etc.

The developer I have has a design studio where many decisions are made. The design studio employees answered questions and gave me guidance when needed. Developers have standard choices and options at higher costs that they can present to you for the interior & the exterior. If you explain your specific needs & wants, the developer's employees would assist in the decision process. There was also a separate employee for structural decisions (extra windows, HVAC options, additional lighting).Those employees have experience, and the developer has processes in place.

I think of my new home as my "forever home".

I made new home choices that:

1) would be easy to maintain,

2) were in accordance with my aesthetic,

3) gave continuity to the home,

4) were made of quality materials,

5) would be convenient for my lifestyle, and

6) are right for this stage and future stages of my life.

[Kachina624]

Have you considered buying a home that already exists and making alterations to suit your needs.  Considering the shortage of building materials, this might be a long, tedious project, not to mention expensive.

[Kachina624]

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@Bri369 wrote:

Storage, storage, and more storage.  Make use of every little inch of space.  

I  love the idea of a pantry between the kitchen and the garage.  

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@Bri369   @sarahpanda   I like the idea of access to the master closet from the laundry room.

[Mom2Dogs]

@sarahpanda   No advice except hire a decorator to walk you thru the entire proess, paint, flooring, cupboards, etc.

 I am jealous, I am still in the same house going on 40+years, sigh.

[candys mine]

A portico.  Never knew how much I wanted something to keep the rain off my head while trying to open my front door until I didn't have one.  I love the look of them too.