Mortgage Calculators finance center spacer calculatorslibrarylink to uscontact
the people who'll put it all together.
realtorsbuildersmortgagesprogramsresourcesspacer
BUILDERS - putting it together.

What's a custom home?

Before you jump into the middle of your custom home building process, it's helpful to understand some of the terminology used in the home building industry. Here are a few useful definitions:
bullet Custom built home
A truly custom built home is one that is designed from scratch to be built on a specific lot and purchased by a specific buyer. Price doesn't determine whether a home is "custom". That adjective applies when the home has an original and unique design.
bullet Semi-custom home
A semi-custom home starts with an existing home design, which then is modified to fit the site where the home will be built and the individual home buyer's needs.
bullet Production home or tract home
A production or tract home is built according to a standardized plan, usually as one of a group of homes that are similar in size and style. Subdivisions typically are developed entirely by one builder. You usually don't have many opportunities to change or customize a production or tract home within a housing subdivision.
bullet Spec home
A spec home is one that is built "on speculation" by the builder before a buyer has been identified. The builder hopes to sell it during the construction phase or shortly after it is completed. When buyers decide to purchase a home during construction, they probably will be able to request some degree of customizing. A spec home could be a custom home, a semi-custom home or a production home.