There’s a lot to love about new construction—the chance to make your house exactly what you want and knowing that all systems will be brand new and issue-free are certainly two things that come to mind. But, what do you need to know to make sure that the process goes smoothly and you really do end up with everything that you’ve been promised?

Get an Inspection

Just like purchasing an already existing home, one of the best things that you can do to make sure that the home is healthy and safe is to have an inspection done. Unlike with an already built home, however, the timing on this inspection with new construction is before the dry wall is put in and right after all mechanicals have been placed in the home, as this is the best time for an inspector to make sure that the guts of the home are all up to the standard they need to be, including plumbing, electrical, and functioning systems. While the county also inspects some of these items to make sure that they are up to code, getting an inspection done will not only give you the peace of mind that all has been built properly, but it will sometimes catch issues that the county doesn’t care about which could affect the health of your home later. Just make sure that you’re on top of the building process so that you can get the inspector in at the right time so that you don’t miss your window of opportunity. 

Have Your Own Agent Represent You

While the on-site agent can be an incredible resource for you throughout the process, their job is to represent the builder, not you. “But they helped me fill out the contract! Doesn’t that make them my agent?” We sometimes hear people ask. The answer is no. They are serving you as a customer, not a client when they do that, and they have no responsibility to advocate for your best interests throughout the process other than trying to get good reviews. Even if you find someone awesome who does go above and beyond for the customers, they tend to have hundreds of future and current clients all looking within their new construction neighborhood at any given time, so there’s no guarantee that they’ll be as on top of things as your personal agent would be. Other than this, what are the advantages of getting your own agent? First and foremost, at least as of the time of writing this article, builders typically offer to pay commission to your buyer’s agent so that you don’t have to pay them out of pocket. In other words, unless you have an additional payment due to them, having an agent represent and advocate for you may not cost you a penny. They will help you throughout the process with everything from staying on top of scheduling to serving as a seasoned, professional advocate if issues with quality come up throughout the process. 

Look Carefully When Doing Your Final Walkthrough

New construction is an awesome option, but it is important to remember that not all contractors are created equal. Builders do their best to present you with a quality construction when it is time for your final walkthrough, but sometimes the work will not be done to the standard you have been promised. Most common issues come in with poorly done drywall, missed paint spots, poorly installed outlet covers, and cracked mirrors and windows, so you will want to check all of these things and more when you are doing your walkthrough so that you can mark anything that needs to be corrected before closing. Especially if these items are “cosmetic,” it is common that your only time you are able to address this is before you close because warranties offered by builders usually only cover things that affect function and safety of your home. Don’t feel bad about marking anything and everything during a final walkthrough. This is your home, and you have paid good money for it. It should be completed to the standard shown in the model home and should be in full working order. 

When walking through the example of your floorplan, check the finishes to get an idea of what the neighborhood doesn’t do well

One of our best lifehacks is to be very discerning when you are walking through the example floorplans you are shown as well as the model home. After all, looking at the small details of craftsmanship on each of those will give you a very good idea of which contractors are doing an awesome job and which ones you might want to keep a closer eye on in your walkthrough opportunities. People are humans and make errors. After all, so the best way to make sure that you don’t end up unhappy at the closing table is to make sure that you know which issues might arise so that you can go ahead and put a stop to them or get them corrected as quickly as possible. 

Make Sure that You're Clear on Warranty Info

Most new construction homes come with some sort of warranty. Big builders are particular popular for this reason, as most will come with a 1 year whole house warranty and a 10 years structural warranty, along with any system-specific warranties given by the companies who made the mechanicals. One of your most important jobs as a new home owner is to make sure that you understand your rights and who you need to call about issues that arise after closing. 

Understand Your Protections

New construction contracts are typically written by the builder’s attorneys rather than using the common real estate forms, so you want to make sure that you understand what they say and what protections you have, even if you have bought multiple homes before. Some questions we recommend asking about in particular are: 1) When will we be able to have the home inspected? 2) Is there an appraisal contingency which protects us if the home doesn’t appraise? 3) Have you been having lots of closings get pushed back? If so, how long are those pushbacks so I can be prepared? 4) If you do push back closing, am I entitled to any sort of compensation? 5) How do your warranties and walkthroughs work?

If you have any more questions about the right steps to take when you are in an estate sale situation, We hope that all of this advice gets you off to a great start with your new construction adventure. If you aren’t currently working with an agent and would like someone with lots of new construction experience, please reach out to us by calling or texting (678) 242-9981. You can also send us a direct message by clicking on the messenger icon in the bottom right of your screen. We can’t wait to help you get set up with an amazing new construction property.