There is still more to think about than that like interior damage. When you level the house, expect your walls to crack and your windows to jamb.(depending on when they were installed)
Call a house mover because your house will have to go up more than 12" so you can gain access to do the work.
Good luck,
Jason
When you said that you live in an old house in a new development, I'm geussing that your house was there before the development was built?