Are you looking for a new construction home? If so, finding a reliable and experienced builder is vital to ensuring you get exactly what you want. Selecting a builder can seem overwhelming, but with the right approach, you won’t have to stress.
In this article, we’ll share four steps to help you find the right new construction home builder. We’ll discuss how to find reputable builders, get all possible incentives, and what to look for in a qualified builder. This will ensure that the builder is a good fit for your project. With these tips in mind, you can confidently navigate buying a new construction home.
How to Find New Home Builders
If you’re looking to own a dream custom home, you need to find a builder that can achieve your home design vision within your budget. The buying process to get a new construction is more involved than buying an existing home, which makes vetting your builder very important.
Having a real estate agent with you throughout the home purchase process will greatly help you. If you need financing, you should also find out how much you can qualify for by getting a pre-approval letter from your bank. You can proceed to these four steps when you know your top dollar and have proper real estate representation.
Step 1: Research builders in your area.
Finding the right builder may require some shopping around. When you know where you want to build, research a few builders before committing. You can take this first step from the comfort of your home. Everywhere from social media to public business directories can have a treasure trove of reviews from people who worked with these builders before.
Step 2: Interview the runners-up.
Now that you have a list of builders with excellent reviews, you need to lean in to find out if they are a good fit for your project. Schedule a meeting or call with each one to get an idea of who they are and how they would handle your project. When interviewing, ask them about everything that’s important to you. Typical questions include:
- Their timeline for completing the project
- Available floor plans and where they can build
- If they offer any incentives and free upgrades
- If they work with a preferred lender that offers deals like closing cost credits, reduced interest rates,
- If they can share a portfolio of past work with verified customer reviews.
Take your time interviewing prospective builders. It’s best to meet in person if possible, especially if you can tour model homes and discuss the home-buying process in more depth. At this time, you may or may not want to bring your realtor with you. However, when you decide on an official builder, you must bring your agent along for the utmost new home construction guidance.
Step 3: Decide on a builder.
After meeting with your runners-up, it’s time to decide who fits your needs the best. How did you feel when you met them? Did they offer the type of floor plans, warranties, timeline, and price that fit your budget and vision? Did they make the building process transparent to you and your realtor? It’s quite simple, the one that has built your trust and made a great impression on you is the winner!
Step 4: Negotiate the contract.
Once you’ve chosen a builder, have your real estate agent negotiate the contract to ensure everyone’s on the same page regarding deadlines, budgets, incentives, and other details. It’s also best to have a real estate lawyer review these documents to ensure everything is fair and legal before signing.
The Importance of Having a Real Estate Agent
When buying a new construction home, working with a realtor is essential. Not only can realtors provide invaluable guidance, but they also can navigate tricky negotiations. Working with an experienced realtor when buying a new construction home will ensure your success for years to come!
You get even more benefits when you work with an agent with experience with builders. This ensures that your new build contract is fair and that everything is done according to industry standards. All these benefits make working with a realtor an invaluable part of the process when buying your dream home.
Find New Home Builders With Marketplace Homes
Following these four simple steps, you can narrow your choices to find a reliable new construction home builder. A little research and help from your real estate agent can set you on the right path. Soon enough, you’ll be stepping into your new house that has everything you’ve ever dreamed of.
Alicia Persson is a Content Strategist SEO writer at Marketplace Homes, utilizing previous years of experience on real estate teams that specialized in investments and property management. Before she joined Marketplace Homes, she was also a freelance writer for 7 years, leading to a specialization in real estate and home living content for boutique digital marketing agencies. During her writing years, she learned the basics of SEO and gained experience writing for many different clients, making her versatile at creating diverse content.
She is a proud University of Virginia master’s graduate and enjoyed her undergraduate years at the University of Mary Washington. When Alicia is not writing, she plays keytar and sings in a local 90’s rock cover band, or she spends time with her amazing family.