Big front or back yard?

   The most obvious decision you can make when it comes to visualizing your future home on a lot is in relation to the size of the front and back yards. This will depend not only on your personal preference but on the lot itself.

   We’ve already talked about imagining sliding your home towards one side lot line or the other to make way for future room additions. Now you’ve got to determine what will work best for your need as far as yard space. Sound like an easy decision? It can be however it also has a big impact on how your home will be affected by your surroundings. 

   Placing your home close to the road offers you a larger back yard for gardening, a pool or deck, play area for kids, a dog run and so forth. This also, obviously, leaves you with less front yard to maintain. Another possible benefit is, when building a home closer to the road, you’ve got less distance to run your services (water, sewer, power, gas, etc.) Depending on your area and soil type (if it is especially rocky or difficult to dig it may cost more per foot to run your services). Negatives to this can be increased road noise, a diminished feeling of privacy from being right on the road, more headlight flash and others.

   Placing your home further back on the lot can offer a statelier look with an expansive front yard and longer driveway. The front yard becomes the focal point of the property. If you’re one that takes a lot of pride and enjoyment in cutting, fertilizing and maintaining your grass this might be something you’d enjoy. 

   At the same time, this will obviously push your home toward the back lot line and whatever is back there as well. (If you’re not a big fan of yard work this will also present a larger uncut front yard to the neighbors.) As mentioned above you might want to factor in the added costs of running service lines. Pushing the home back will also result in a longer driveway. No matter if you are installing an asphalt driveway or a concrete driveway there will be added costs. Future maintenance costs , such as driveway sealer, may be more as well. In dealing with a large, or very long skinny lot, the added costs may be significant. Something to think about.

   When considering lots to purchase, keep in mind how you’d like your home positioned. If you are one that likes a home far back from the road and the lot you’re looking at backs up to something undesirable, then you may want to reconsider and look for another lot. Just one more bit to keep in mind when you are looking for land to buy.