If you’re thinking about building a new home selecting the right builder is just one key step to creating your dream home. As a former new home builder and partner in an award-winning local residential building company I possess real world experience to understand how imposing it may seem to build a new home.
Building a new home from scratch is a rush. And there’s no feeling quite like moving into a home built expressly to your specifications. I’ll help you define what is your dream home and at what budget. What’s your style? Are you casual chic? Traditional? Transitional? Modern? Or somewhere in between? And when you can’t quite articulate it all I’ll help you ask the builder the right questions that matter most.
As exhilarating as it may be to build a new home it can be equally intimidating. And that’s why you need a new home sales expert to help you from start to finish whether it’s related to home design to finding the right lot in a community where you want to live to deciphering confusing pricing, negotiations, contracts and types of financing.
You’re probably asking many of these questions:
• What are sub-division building requirements? And how much will they cost?
• Who buys the lot? Me? The builder?
• Do I reserve a lot? What happens to my deposit?
• Should I hire an architect and how much are the fees?
• What are the implications of my lot’s topography on my future home?
• What are the cost differences for building on a level, daylight or walk out lot?
• I want a side entry garage, but how much does it cost and will my lot accommodate it?
• What are the cost differences between 1.5-story, reverse 1.5-story, 2-story floor plans?
• What are reasonable builder allowances for cabinets, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures?
• What happens if I exceed my allowances?
• Do I have to select one of the builder’s floor plans? What if I make changes?
• What should I expect to pay per square foot for finished space?
• Do I secure the construction loan or the builder?
• Who pays the real estate commission on a custom build job?
• What’s a reasonable time period to build from concept to closing?
• What warranties should I expect from a builder?
• What happens if my builder goes bankrupt while my home is under construction?
There are many other questions to review with a builder so it makes sense to have an experienced new home buyer’s agent representing your interests. You’ll also learn how to discern construction quality when evaluating a home and how to inspect the quality of cabinetry, carpeting, trim work, paint and mechanical components. In addition, we’ll collaborate together to learn if you want a ‘custom’ or ‘customized’ home and determine how flexible the builder is to deliver what you’re envisioning. And as a bonus I bring up-to-date insight with the latest building and design trends in the market today.
Relax. I’ll advise and navigate you every step of the way with knowing the right questions to interview a builder to help you realize your dream home.