Tips for NEW home buyers

1) Know your wants & needs- If you’re not certain about your requirements and desires, then you may find they’re not met when the house is completed and you’re ready to move in. Try going room by room and figuring out what features of your current home are lacking or need improvement.

2) Know your builder- A great floor plan isn’t worth much if the builder doesn’t deliver what’s promised. Check past customers, suppliers and subcontractors for references. J.D. Powers and Associates conducts an annual survey of home-builder satisfaction in 24 large markets (www.JDPower.com). Small builders warrant a Dun & Bradstreet check by your agent to determine their financial soundness, especially under current market conditions.

3) Get it in writing- Make sure understandings between you and the builder about any aspect of the home, site or transaction are in the contract or an addendum.

4) Understand everything has a cost-  Don’t expect a builder to make free alterations or substitutions.

5) Make decisions early-  The earlier decisions are made, the less risk of incurring extra costs.

6) Stick with your decisions- Try to make your decisions final.  Changes, whether for a custom home or for a builder’s model, can add time and expense to the project.

7)  Check progress with a purpose-  Who can resist taking a peek at how your new home is coming along, even though builders usually discourage it (construction sites can be dangerous, so leave the kids at home). Take note that the home is being completed according to the plans and that any modifications are being done as agreed.
© 2009, Real Estate Information Services, Capitol Assets, Choice Real Estate, Inc.

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