Costs and loans
What it takes to get a lot ready, what a new home costs to own, and how people pay to build.
How power gets to an empty Triangle lot, and who pays for the line
Which utility serves a lot, what it asks for before the power goes on, and what two local co-ops' posted rules say about the cost of running a line.
What property tax will you pay on a new home in the Triangle?
How January 1 sets your tax, this year's county, town and fire rates in Wake, Johnston, Chatham and Durham, last year's county rate in Franklin, and when each county plans to reassess values.
Buying land taxed at present-use value? What rollback taxes mean for you
How North Carolina's farm and forest tax deferral works, what comes due when you buy or build, who usually pays, and how to check a parcel first.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Home in the NC Triangle? (2026)
Updated September 2026: published pricing on our 20+ plans runs $283,000 to just over $1 million. The full price list, what’s included, and what moves the number.
How Do You Finance a Custom Home Build?
Most clients finance a custom build with a construction-to-permanent loan — one loan for the lot and the build, interest-only on what’s drawn, often little or nothing down. Here’s how construction financing works.
Cost-Plus vs. All-In: Why a Lower Markup Doesn’t Mean a Lower Price
Most custom builders quote cost-plus, which pushes you to compare the markup percentage instead of the total. Here’s why a lower percentage can still cost you more, and how all-in pricing works.
The Triangle Building Report
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