What's the best part about working with a truly special builder? When the buyer becomes engaged early enough in the construction process, a passionate builder can involve them in the intricacies of the decision-making process.

That's exactly what happened for the amazing family that purchased 204 Lucerne Street. They indicated their interest and their family's unique circumstances to Laura, Savannah and the builder, and many of the decisions on finishes were made by the family. Their timing and commitment to the property allowed them to build a partially custom home.

What would have happened without this special connection between builder and buyer? The house would have still been amazing, but it would not have had several important details:

• A refrigerator upgrade that mattered a lot to the family and added very little out-of-pocket expense because of the builder's long relationship with the vendor
• Reconfiguring the basement living space to suit the family before everything was finished made the changes less expensive than if it had been done after everything was finished
• The front steps were "low enough" to not require a handrail for safety. Once the builder realized the grandmother would be coming and going regularly, he added a handrail to make things easier and safer for her.