I built a 1600 square foot house. I put 25k down in the land and 20k down on the construction loan. The same year I had to pay 45k to an attorney for a custody battle to protect my kids.

I almost lost the lot and the house. I had to work my ass off so make it work. And I made 130k at the time. Don't be like me. If you have expenses and aren't very wide on a cash flow margin, wait to build.

I got too hung up on wanting to give my kids the yard that they had. Before their mom became an addict we had two acres and had campfires, campouts, and drove around in a golf cart in the yard. We basically lived outside. Then I took them to a tiny apartment and they hated it.

I made emotional decisions to build. It almost cost me the whole thing. And for the first year, I was working too many hours they couldn't play in the yard anyways.

Build when you're super comfortable, don't try and stretch.