Home Rebuild 2027 — Milestones & Decision Gates
Live tracking. Update as items complete or shift.
Q2 2026 (now → Jun 2026) — DISCOVERY
| Milestone | Owner | Status | Due | Notes |
|---|
| 4-point inspection on current home | Founder | Not started | 2026-05-15 | ~$200; lays cards on table for insurance + scope |
| Tampa zoning + flood zone verification (FEMA + City Planning) | Both | Not started | 2026-05-31 | Free; 30 min online + zoning verification letter |
| Apply for $300k HELOC on current home (use as dry powder) | Founder | Not started | 2026-06-30 | While MG income still on tax returns; don’t draw |
| Initial parent conversation (their budget, retirement income, target area) | Founder | Not started | 2026-06-30 | Determines mortgage qualification path |
| Tampa CMA from local realtor (validate $1.0M Zestimate) | Both | Not started | 2026-09-30 | Real comp-based estimate before planning |
Q3 2026 (Jul-Sep) — ANCHOR INCOME + SAVE
| Milestone | Owner | Status | Due | Notes |
|---|
| phData W-2 starts (June 2026) — first 3 months on the books | Founder | In progress | 2026-09-30 | Lender history starts accumulating |
| HYSA target: $370k by end of Q3 | Both | In progress | 2026-09-30 | $77k savings cushion above current |
| Schedule consultation with Tampa mortgage broker | Founder | Not started | 2026-08-31 | Early conversation; understand bonus inclusion rules |
Q4 2026 (Oct-Dec) — DESIGN
| Milestone | Owner | Status | Due | Notes |
|---|
| Hire residential architect for feasibility + concept design | Both | Not started | 2026-10-31 | $5-10k; needs to know zoning + lot constraints first |
| Architect feasibility + schematic delivered | — | Not started | 2026-12-15 | Determines real cost: $1.5M? $1.8M? $2M+? |
| HYSA target: $440k by end of Q4 | Both | Not started | 2026-12-31 | On track for $490-550k Q1 2027 capital |
| Initial parent home search begins (their lead, founder advises) | Founder | Not started | 2026-12-31 | Keep separate from Tampa build process |
Q1 2027 — DECISION GATE
Go/no-go on the full plan based on these criteria:
| Criterion | Pass condition | Status |
|---|
| phData W-2 history | ≥7 months on file | TBD |
| HYSA balance | ≥$490k | TBD |
| Architect concept + cost estimate | Total project ≤ $1.8M | TBD |
| Parents’ mortgage qualification | Pre-approved on retirement income alone, OR willing for founder to co-sign | TBD |
| Tampa CMA | Current home sale value validated at $950k+ | TBD |
| Wife alignment on temp rental for 10-12 months | Yes | TBD |
If all pass: proceed to Q2 2027 execution. If 1-2 fail: delay 6 months, reassess. If 3+ fail: drop to Renovation+Addition (Option A from initial analysis) or hold pattern.
Q2 2027 — EXECUTION KICKOFF
| Milestone | Owner | Status | Due | Notes |
|---|
| Parents close on $600k retirement home with $150k gift | Both | Not started | 2027-04-30 | Parents primary, founder co-signer if needed |
| List Tampa home with 90-day flexibility | Both | Not started | 2027-03-31 | Realtor pre-aligned in Q4 2026 |
| Tampa home under contract | — | Not started | 2027-04-30 | Bridge financing arranged for build down payment if sale slow |
| Sign construction contract with builder | Both | Not started | 2027-05-31 | Fixed-price contract, not cost-plus |
| Construction loan closes | Both | Not started | 2027-06-15 | Construction-to-perm preferred to avoid two loan closes |
| Move family into Tampa rental | Both | Not started | 2027-06-30 | ~$4k/mo, 12-month lease with go-month-to-month after |
Q3 2027 - Q3 2028 — BUILD
| Milestone | Owner | Status | Due | Notes |
|---|
| Tampa demo + foundation | Builder | — | 2027-08-31 | First 2 months of build |
| Framing + dry-in | Builder | — | 2027-12-31 | Major weather risk window |
| MEP rough-in | Builder | — | 2028-03-31 | |
| Drywall + finishes | Builder | — | 2028-06-30 | |
| Punch list + CO | Builder | — | 2028-08-31 | Certificate of Occupancy |
| Move into new home | Both | — | 2028-09-30 | ~12 months in temp rental total |
Ongoing Tracking
Each /finance-pulse monthly run should report:
- HYSA balance vs Q1 2027 target ($490-550k)
- Savings rate vs 30% sustainability bar
- Any project-related spend (architect retainer, inspection, HELOC fees, builder deposits)
- Days until next decision gate
Notion board has individual tasks for the Q2-Q4 2026 milestones. Future milestones will be queued as their predecessors complete.
Decision Log
| Date | Decision | Reasoning |
|---|
| 2026-04-18 | Reject “buy temp home + gift later” approach; keep parents’ home and Tampa build as separate projects | DTI can’t hold 2 mortgages + construction loan; gift-with-mortgage is title/tax mess |
| 2026-04-18 | Recommend tear-down + rebuild over renovation+addition | 1700 sqft 1963 home with 4-point failures + segregated layout makes renovation a half-measure for the cost; tear-down rebuilds completely |
| 2026-04-18 | Use $150k gift sizing for parents’ down payment | Keeps founder’s lifetime gift exemption use modest; leaves ~$450k mortgage for parents to carry on retirement income (typical FL retiree mortgage qualification ceiling) |
| 2026-04-18 | Target Q1 2027 decision gate, build start Q2 2027 | Allows phData W-2 history to season (~7+ months); phases capital accumulation and architect work into supporting roles |