My Most-Asked Questions — Answered

If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you know I get a lot of questions. Some come up in my DMs weekly, some daily, and some every single time I post about our house, work, or life.

Instead of answering the same things one-by-one, I wanted to put everything in one place — so here are my most-asked questions, answered honestly and in one spot.

How did you get a construction loan without a general contractor?

This is, hands down, my most-asked question.

Short answer: relationships, preparation, and patience.

We were our own general contractor (owner-builder), which can make banks nervous. What helped us most was already having a relationship with our bank, being extremely organized, and understanding what they actually cared about — not just what people online said they cared about.

I break this down fully in this post → How We Got a Construction Loan as Our Own General Contractor (Owner-Builder).

Why did you decide to build instead of buy?

At the time, buying didn’t make sense for us. Inventory was limited, prices were high, and nothing fit our long-term vision.

We wanted:

• Land

• Privacy

• A home designed for how we actually live

Building felt intimidating, but it gave us control over the layout, functionality, and future — even if it meant sacrificing comfort temporarily.

Did you really live with your parents during the build?

Yes. And it was a season of trade-offs.

We sold our starter home and lived with my parents during our build so we could make the numbers work. Not glamorous, but a conscious decision that allowed us to build without long-term financial strain.

We’re fully aware not everyone has this option, and we’re so thankful we did. My parents were truly the best roommates, and we’ll always be grateful for that season.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. But truthfully, I hope I can repay the favor to them someday and build them a mother-in-law quarters in my backyard. Now that's GOALS.

How did you balance building a house while working full-time?

Between full-time work, commuting, and family life, there were limits to how much I could take on. My husband carried the majority of the build — managing the details, solving problems, and keeping things on track. I helped where I could, mainly by making timely finish decisions and staying out of the way when needed 😅

What helped most:

• Clear priorities

• Letting go of perfection

• Accepting that some seasons are just heavy

It wasn’t balanced every day, it was balanced over time. I do look back and wonder how the heck my husband did it all. He's the real person I should be asking this question haha I think he would say he went crazy but knew it was just a season, not forever. Either way, he built us a KILLER forever home and came out ok on the other side! Haha.

Do you regret being your own general contractor?

Well... Gotta ask my husband this, but for the short answer... No — but it isn't for everyone.

Being an owner-builder requires:

• Organization

• Time

• Communication

• A high tolerance for problem-solving

It saved us money and gave us control, but it also came with stress (like A LOT). I’m glad we (my husband) did it, but I always tell people to be honest with themselves before choosing that route.

How do you afford everything you share?

This one always makes me pause, because comparison is real.

We prioritize differently than some people do. We planned long-term, made short-term sacrifices, and were intentional with our choices. Social media only shows a snapshot — not the full picture or the years leading up to it.

We both invested in our careers in our twenties as well, building toward what we are now. And even then, nothing happened overnight. It was a series of small, often unglamorous decisions made consistently over time.

Everyone’s timeline looks different. This just happens to be ours.

Where do you find your home items and resources?

Most of what I share comes from Amazon. You can shop our entire house in my storefront:

Amazon Storefront

If I share it, it’s because it fits our life, not because it’s trendy.

What’s something people assume about you that isn’t true?

That everything was easy or fell into place because we lived with my parents while we built.

It didn’t. There were hard conversations, hard decisions, and moments we questioned ourselves. Growth rarely looks polished in real time — it only looks that way in hindsight.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever felt like you were behind, doing things differently, or making unconventional choices, you’re not alone.

I share our story, lessons, and resources so you don’t have to figure everything out the hard way like we did. If there’s a question you don’t see answered here, chances are it’s been asked, and I’m always listening! DM me on Instagram if you ever have any questions. I'm an open book and happy to share anything that can help you! Even our floor plans. 😉