Why You Should Work With A Realtor When Buying New Construction
December 18, 2020 | amandasearlerealtor
REPRESENTATION
The builders site agent will always represent the builder and their best interests. Bringing your personal Realtor® to a new home builder is an extra set of eyes, ears + experience that will assist you in asking the right questions and making sure this particular builder is the right fit for you and your needs. Please keep in mind, some builders will require your Realtor® to be with you when you initially visit the model home/office or at least, you will need to sign you Realtor in. This is often the only way your Realtor® will get paid.
TIME
There are over 30+ different new construction home building sites in the Jacksonville market alone. When someone searching for a home is interested in new construction a Realtor® will be able to identify which pocket of town + builder will be the best fit. We have established relationships with the staff to set up your appointments and get pricing + lender information prior to driving out to any location. Don’t rely on the “Houses in the Low 200’s” marketing materials from the builder as these advertised stickers were prices simply created to “draw a crowd”. In most cases prices are higher + can outprice your budget. A Realtor® will already have pricing for the homes and floorplans as well preferred lender knowledge to help you make an informed decision before wasting your time on a lengthy drive.
RELATIONSHIPS
We work closely with the people we know and trust to give our customers the absolute best experience and value. Your Realtor® wants you to be happy with your purchase as well as the process. We work with established sales professionals from various builders to ensure to connect you with the right person.
INITIAL CONSULTATION
Every person buying a home might have a different need that has to be met. A trained professional Realtor® will have discovered this need during your initial buying consultation and assist in finding the best new home builder that can meet this need, as they can vary greatly in terms of what they offer and what they can negotiate.
NEGOTIATIONS
Home builders will always tell you they will not reduce the price of the home. Although this is true in most cases many homebuilders will negotiate appliance packages, lot specials, upgrade packages, flex cash, closing cost and interest rates (when using their preferred lenders). New home builders have fiscal years and quotas they need to meet, your Realtor® should know this and the various pockets of developments across their market to be able to take you to the sites that have the best deals and meet your new home search criteria. One of the most misconceived ideas is that having your own Realtor® will increase the price of the home. In reality, having your own Realtor® can potentially save you thousands on the overall cost of the home.
CONTRACT REVIEW
A builder’s contract can be upwards of 30+ pages, navigating this can be overwhelming. We can assist in being a second set of eyes for review + ask the right questions to ensure certain clauses are protect the buyer. Often builders won’t change their contract, however there are circumstances where Realtors® can ask for addenda’s that keep the sale moving forward by keeping everyone happy and most importantly protected.
DESIGN APPOINTMENT
Building your dream home can be stressful. The average design appointment takes 4hrs of selecting and customizing your personal home. Having a Realtor® to think through some of those options to determine what selections might be best for resale can be beneficial. We have helpful tips and recommendations that can help you save money.
OUTSIDE INSPECTORS
Depending on the builder and past experiences your Realtor® might recommend outside inspections. Although new homes often come with warranty it’s important to find out what type of warranty is included + their various time frames. Some new home builders only cover important items for 3 yrs. When the home has major defaults from the beginning that a city inspector missed it helps to have a second home inspection performed during the construction process. Your Realtor® will have a variety of inspectors they work with to assist in inspecting the home.
WALKTHROUGHS
When deciding on building a home, walkthroughs are part of the process. Having a Realtor® that will accompany you on your walkthroughs can be extremely helpful. We might notice things that the you might not We ask questions, raise concerns and express praise when things are going well.
PEACE OF MIND
Having a Realtor® on your side during any home buying process whether it’s new homes or resale is having peace of mind. We assist in various ways from saving money + time to bouncing ideas off of, identifying a functional floorplan + even choosing between wants and needs.
