Reasons to Build Your Own Home

Chris Remington
Published Aug 31, 2025



The housing market in the United States is a mess. In fact, most housing experts go well beyond that description and call it an outright disaster. There are a lot of people who blame it all on a lot of different things. Some cite COVID as the reason that America's housing market is in such shambles, while others blame the current government and claim that Joe Biden is inept. Some even take that back further and suggest Donald Trump's policies are to blame. Regardless of who or what is at fault for the state of the housing market, pointing a finger does not fix the problem. Millions of people are out there looking for homes right now, and most of them will not be able to find one. This is why more and more people are deciding that it's best if they build their own home instead of getting into a bidding war and paying four-times market value for a typical home.

One of the biggest reasons people are opting for building their own home today is that there are over 2 million more people in the housing market in 2021 than there were in 2020, and there might be another million or more extra in 2020. This is because every single person who has crossed America's southern border is allowed to stay, and they are all looking for homes. The kicker here is that these people are actually qualifying and getting government money to get homes, so they out-compete American citizens and take precedence with America's government. Yes, things have gotten that crazy in the country, and people who need homes are noticing.

Here are a few reasons that more and more people are turning to building their own home instead of trying to compete for the few available.

1: Finding Land is Easier than Houses



The first reason here is that getting land on which to build a home has become a lot easier than getting a home that's already been built. Although the government cannot actually build any new land in the country, what they can do is allow different zoning grants in order to transform some areas into residential home areas. A lot of people are finding vacant lots around their towns and cities, and they're actually going to their local housing and zoning commissions and requesting approval to build there. While this process can be slow, more and more local governments understand this problem and are actually allowing this zoning to happen.

The typical cost for a lot that's roughly a half acre in size is about $50k. This size of a lot is more than enough room to build a good-sized home on and to have an actual big yard. It's something that a lot of folks are turning to, especially in rural areas where no new homes are being built at all, and fewer people are interested in moving out because they enjoy the rural life.

2: The Costs are Cheaper



In 2020, a single family home that was valued at $250k is now valued at over $400k, and that's assuming that you're not getting into a bidding war over it. It's a very ridiculously artificial price increase that threatens to collapse the entire housing market again; however, it's exactly where the market is at, and it's what people have to deal with. Unless, of course, they build their own home, and then they do not have to deal with that.

With the average cost of a lot being 50k, and another 50k or so to tie everything into the municipal grid, that's $100,000. Add another $100,000 to have the actual home built from the ground up, and people are finding that they can get a brand new home for $200k, and that this home is actually much better than one they would have spent twice as much on.

3: You Won't Carry as Much Debt



You're simply not going to carry as much debt by building your own home. For starters, the price isn't as much to begin with, and so you're not going to have to pay back but about half of what you would have to with a typical home. You also don't have to worry about mortgage companies, as the means by which you can get a monetary loan are entirely different here.

The basic gist here is that if you need a house, you might be a lot better served by building one yourself.

Related articles

VA Benefits for Specially Adapted Housing: How Veterans Can Apply for Housing Grants...

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers housing grants to veterans who have disabilities related to their military service. These grants help veterans buy, build, or make chang...

5 Best Mortgage Lenders for First-Time Home Buyers (October 2025)...

Buying your first home can be tricky, so picking the right mortgage lender is important. Here are five of the best options, explained in simple terms:   1. Rocket Mortgage   Available Na...

8 Simple Tips to Get the Lowest Mortgage Rates Right Now...

Mortgage rates dropped a bit before the Federal Reserve’s recent meeting, but haven’t really dropped much since. Experts say rates probably won’t go down much more before the end of 2025, even if ...

How Selected Households Can Save on Utility Bills...

California has a program called the California Climate Credit that helps residents save money on their utility bills. This credit is given as a discount directly on your electricity or natural gas bill with no extra paper...

Guide to Applying for Public Housing: Steps and Essential Information...

Public housing provides affordable and safe rental homes for low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. If you think you might qualify and are interested in applying, here’s ...

Section 8 Waiting Lists and Public Housing Opening in October 2025...

Are you looking for affordable housing? New openings for Section 8 and public housing waiting lists are coming up in Florida and New Jersey in October 2025. Here’s what you need to know about the...