Hot Days, Fresh Ground, and 20 Years in the Making — The Scotts Are Building Their Dream Home

It’s July in Sioux Falls. The heat index is real. We’re talking step-outside-and-immediately-regret-it levels of South Dakota summer — and there is nowhere else we would rather be than standing on a piece of ground with a client, watching their vision take its first real step toward becoming a home. 

Because this moment has been 20 years plus in the making.

Larry and Rachael Weissenburger, Rosewood Homes & Real Estate & Team will soon be breaking ground on a new custom home build south of Sioux Falls, SD

A Folder Held the Dream

Mr. and Mrs. Scott have carried a folder — a real, actual folder — filled with ideas, photos, clippings, and plans for their dream home for nearly two decades. Not as wishful thinking. As a plan in waiting.

When they came to us, we had explored every option. The existing market. Remodeling existing listings. An addition on a home that was never quite theirs to begin with. At each turn, we talked it through honestly — because that’s the only way we know how to do this. And at the end of every conversation, the answer kept pointing the same direction: building from the ground up was right for them.

The location wasn’t random. Mrs. Scott wanted to be closer to her grandchildren. That was the deciding factor above everything else — not the square footage, not the finishes, not the price per square foot. Family. This will soon be their forever home. 

And inside that home, she knows exactly what she wants. A formal dining room where the whole family gathers around a table and shares countless meals. A den where everyone settles in, hangs out, and just is together. Twenty plus years of knowing what matters — and now we get to help them build it.

I have had the privilege of sitting across from Mr. and Mrs. Scott over cups of tea and shared meals, listening to what they want, what they need, what would make this home feel like thiers. Every note I take, every design, drafted sketched redrawn – those  decisions we worked throughEvery detail of this design comes back to their home, their style, their life. Not ours. Not a trend. Entirely to her and her family.

That’s why we do this.

What the June 2026 Market Told Them — and What It’s Telling You

The Scott family made this decision at exactly the right moment — and the numbers back it up.

June 2026 Sioux Falls market stats show pending sales up 75.7%. Buyers are moving fast. At the same time, existing inventory is down 30.5%, with only 3.6 months of supply available. The median price for a previously owned home hit $320,000. New construction came in at $385,500.

When you’re this specific about what you want — a certain layout, a certain lifestyle, a location chosen because of grandchildren — waiting for the right existing home to appear in a shrinking market is its own kind of gamble. Building gives you the certainty of getting exactly what you need.

The Scotts didn’t wait. And they won’t be disappointed.

Before You Fall in Love With a Lot: What to Budget For

Since we’re out here on this land and this question keeps coming up — let’s talk about what people consistently underestimate when building on a lot that isn’t a standard city subdivision lot.

The purchase price of the land is just the starting point. Here’s what also needs to go into your budget:

Soil Testing and Conditions

Before anything gets built, you need to know what’s underneath. High clay content, unstable fill, high water tables — these all impact your foundation approach and cost. Get a soils report before you commit.

Septic Systems

If the lot isn’t connected to city sewer, you’re installing a septic system. Depending on soil type, required size, and local regulations, this can run from several thousand to well over twenty thousand dollars. It’s not optional and it cannot be skipped.

Culverts and Drainage

Lots with road access across a ditch, or with drainage considerations, often require culvert installation. Your county or city sets the requirements — but budget for it. It gets overlooked constantly.

Utility Connections

Electric, gas, water — all have connection and tap fees. Rural lots may require longer service runs, which adds cost. Ask your utility provider before you purchase the land.

Road Access and Site Prep

Grading, clearing, and preparing a site for construction adds up fast on raw land. Factor in rock removal, tree clearing, and establishing access if none currently exists.

Permits and Impact Fees

Beyond standard building permits, some jurisdictions charge impact fees for new construction — water, sewer, road, school. Know what your municipality requires before you finalize your budget.

None of this is meant to scare you away from building on land. It’s meant to make sure you go in clear-eyed. When you know the full picture up front, you can plan for it — and the result is a home built right, in the right place, for the right reasons. That’s what we walk every client through. Every single one.

Following Along

A moment like this is never just about Larry and me. Behind every build are skilled tradespeople, subcontractors, suppliers, and their families — people who show up every single day and make this work happen. A home touches thousands of lives before the first family ever walks through the front door. We are grateful every day for the people on our team and for the trust our clients place in all of us.

This is what we think about when we celebrate the 4th of July — not just freedom in the broad sense, but the freedom to build something that lasts. Something that matters. Something that belongs to a family forever.

We’ll be sharing updates from the Scott build as it comes to life — from groundwork to framing to the moment that formal dining room takes shape. Check back here on the blog or follow us on social media for updates along the way.

And if you have a folder of your own — plans you’ve been holding for years, ideas that haven’t had a home yet — let’s sit down and talk. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about what’s possible.

📞 605-310-4475
🌐 builtbyrosewood.com

— Rachael & Larry Weissenburger and the entire Rosewood team
Rosewood Homes & Real Estate | Custom Home Builder & REALTOR® | Sioux Falls, SD | Since 2004