Welcome to Your Dream Home Journey!

Buying a new construction home is an opportunity to get a fresh start in what could be your dream home. The key is preparing for the unexpected twists and turns that make this different than buying a previously owned home. Here is how I help you make the journey of purchasing a new home seamless:

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Personalized Consultation

Begin with a one-on-one consultation. I will listen to your ideas, understand your lifestyle and craft a personalized plan tailored to your preferences. Your role in the construction and design of a newly built home can be wide ranging. It might involve purchasing an open spot of land and overseeing the entire home construction project; or it could be buying a home in a neighborhood planned and constructed by a builder with limited options. Though technically you may be able to get a new-construction home without representation, having the right trusted real estate advisor can be an invaluable resource to help you find the best fit in a new home and community. Because a builder’s agent works for the builder, I will help you negotiate details and stay protected in the transaction.

01.

Get Pre-Approved

A common step for prospective home buyers is to secure preapproval from at least one lender. Mortgage pre-approval represents what a lender is willing to offer you based on financial circumstances and specific terms, including your credit, employment, income, assets and/or tax returns. The process of getting pre-approved is more accessible than you might think. You can take the reins and apply online, discovering the loan amount you qualify for based on your current income and debt.

Here's a valuable piece of advice – don't settle for the first preapproval offer that comes your way. In fact, it's in your best interest to shop around and compare offers from at least three lenders. This ensures you're not only getting the best terms but also the most favorable deal tailored to your unique financial situation. Most builders offer their own lender to finance your home and often provide a form of credit for using their lender, but it’s always a good idea to shop around.

After you receive your pre-approval letter, you are not limited to that one lending option. You are still able to obtain a loan from a different lender if you find a more favorable option.

02.

Set A Budget

The first step for any prospective homebuyer is to evaluate how much they can afford to spend on a house. This is especially important with new construction since these homes tend to be a bit pricier upfront. It is easy to get caught up in the model home and start adding options that bump the price of the home up dramatically. Some options are worth the cost up front while others are decidedly not.

03.

Research Home Builders and Neighborhoods

Seek out a homebuilder with a good reputation among homeowners and real estate agents and check out their reviews online. Also look at the floor plans they offer. You want to make sure they build a floor plan that will suit your family and meet your growing needs—not just today but in the future, too. Builders can range from locally owned operations to major national corporations, and there are plenty of ways to find out about their track record, including online reviews and Better Business Bureau ratings. What’s more, it’s a good idea to drive around the neighborhoods that most interest you, look at the amenities, talk to current homeowners and review the homeowner’s association rules and costs. In Southwest Florida, new construction communities vary greatly in size, types of homes being built and amenities available to residents.

04.

Know Your Timeline

The more custom your home is, the less likely of a reliable timeline of completion. That creates a ripple effect if you’re trying to sell your current home and need to figure out where to live between that sale and the new home completion. You’ll need to work with the builder, your realtor and lender to determine how to manage the situation because you can’t close on the home loan until you are able to move in. When working with an established new home community, the builder will have a reasonable time-frame to provide to you for the completion of the home.

05.

Negotiate and Review Your Options

Before you settle on a final sale price, you'll need to review your options. For custom and semi-custom homes, you’re going to have waves of interior and exterior items to consider, from the type of roof and siding to the size and design of the kitchen. The choices for production homes are much more limited but will still affect the final price. There are many nuances to negotiating new construction homes. While price is seldom negotiable, almost everything else is negotiable. However, market pressure dictates how much a builder is willing to negotiate.

06.

Contracts and Deposits

Once you find a reputable builder, you’ll want to review the construction contract. It is crucial to have a full understanding of your construction contract. That is where I come in. I help break down the terms of the contract and explain pricing (i.e., types/brands of appliances, carpet, fixtures, etc.) as well as how change orders work and their costs should they be necessary. It is important to pay close attention to the pricing, timelines, payment schedule and materials.

07.

Schedule Inspections, Final Walk-through and Utilities

Just because something is new doesn’t mean it will be perfect. For a few hundred dollars, you get an unbiased and trained set of eyes making sure things are in order and up to code. A good inspection gives you the opportunity to work with the builder to correct problems before you close. Most times, the builder will fix any code issues, but you aren't able to simply walk away based on inspection results. That’s why even though your new-construction home has a home warranty included, it’s still important to have an inspection before you officially take ownership.

08.

Close on Your New Construction Home

Your builder will give you a minimum of a 30 day notification of closing as they near completion. That date can usually be adjusted to accommodate your schedule or the lenders if needed. Closings usually take place at a title company or at the builder office and are attended by all buyers and the escrow officer, unless you are doing a mail-out closing. All buyers that are party to the contract should be present to sign, including non-purchasing spouses. If it is a financed contract, the escrow agent will have all of the lending paperwork for signature at that time. Once all documents are signed, and funds are wired from lender to escrow then on to the builder, you will be given the keys to the home along with instructions of what to do and who to contact if you have any issues with your new home.

09.

The Transaction Process

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