Whenever I speak to gatherings of people intending to buy a log home, I pose the question: What do you need most to make it happen? They’re unanimous in their answer: money. I acknowledge that money is essential, but I tell them two other things matter more. They’re stumped, but a few take a stab. Land? A floor plan? A builder? Again, you need them all, but two things you need most to succeed in turning your dream into reality are passion and commitment.
Passion matters because nobody needs a log home. It’s one of life’s options. You have to want one. Really, really, really want one. You have to feel passionately about logs, about designing your own home and about building it on your land. You have to feel so passionate that you don’t even mind spending all the money that a new custom log home costs. And trust me, whatever you imagine it’s going to cost, it’s going to cost more.
Commitment matters because you’ll spend a lot of money and time getting your log home. As you embark on the process, you’ll probably have to forgo some simpler pleasures — vacations, a new car, etc. — so you can use the money for your log home, even if it’s years away. Sustaining your passion for that long really takes commitment. Even when you finally break ground, building the home will probably take six months to a year.
The reward is worth it, but you won’t feel that way if you’re an instant gratification kind of person. If your sense of urgency outweighs your patience, you can always buy an existing log home. Not long ago, pre-loved log homes were scarce. Thanks to the building boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s, some great homes are now available on desirable land. You might find one you like enough to buy. If so, the only thing you’ll need to make it happen is money.
Although your odds of finding a log home for sale are greater than ever, the chances that you’ll find exactly the home of your dreams are slim. Used log homes are someone else’s dream. If your passion to live in a log home outweighs other considerations, then you won’t object to making compromises. If you’re intent on living in your dream home, though, then you’re back to passion and commitment.
To succeed, keep your eye on the prize and take the time to get everything exactly the way you want it. When all is said and done, passion and commitment will bring you to a log home that is uniquely yours, one you’ll enjoy for many years.
– Roland Sweet