6 Tips for Buying a New Construction House

Builders are masters at getting a premium prices for their properties, and they do it by killing you with kindness. The methods they use aren’t exclusive to new construction.

That is why we want to provide you with a few tips for buying a new construction house. These tips will help guide you though the new construction buying process in order for you to receive the most the true price for your new home. 

6 Valuable Tips for Buying a New Construction House

Builders typically employ friendly, outgoing negotiators to catch you off-balance and convince you to pay more than you should by conveniently finding ways to “help” you get the home that you want.You can avoid this pitfall by keeping your head on straight and following these 6 tips for buying a new construction house.

1. Appraisal Contingency – Have you considered what will happen if the appraisal shows the property to be worth less than you’ve agreed to pay? If the comps are to close to comfort ask for this contingency, however most national builders will not allow this contingency unless you are using an FHA or VA loan. If you don’t work out this detail in advance you could be required to bring cash to the closing table to make up for any deficiency between the appraised value and the agreed-upon sales price. By requiring an appraisal contingency you can avoid this problem and get a better deal.
2. Negotiate in Your Comfort Zone – The builder’s negotiator will be skilled at the art of negotiation and they will pull out all the stops in order to win at any cost. Negotiating with the builder’s representative is high-level negotiating at its finest. A good way to throw the negotiator off their game is to negotiate by phone. It might sound crazy, but this strategy really works. If you’re not there in person you have the upper hand. You can’t be pushed to make a decision right away, which gives you the convenience of simply walking away from the deal at any time. 
3. Arrange Your Own Financing – A hidden profit center lies in the financing. Unless you have cash in hand, you’ll need to get a loan, but you don’t have to use the builder’s lender. Most builders receive a “kickback” from the lender if you utilize their services. Give the builder’s lender a chance to win your business, but ensure that the loan terms are competitive with what you can get independently.
4. Do Not Get Too Attached – Most people have a love affair with their home. An important point to keep in mind is that love can be expensive – very expensive. Try not to fall in love with a home based upon a quick walk-through. There are many other homes out there that could meet your needs for the long-term. Remember, you’ll make memories wherever you choose to live. You have options, so don’t overpay for your home especially when you’re writing out a monthly mortgage check for more than you should pay.
5. Make Reasonable upgrades – When making your purchase you’ll be offered numerous upgrades. While you could theoretically accept these upgrades, you’ll likely overpay substantially. Instead, arrange for upgrades yourself by hiring a competent contractor to do the work for you. The quality will be just as good or better, and you’ll save big.
6. Require Inspection – While the home you purchase is new, there’s only one way to know with any certainty that it is flawless. By requiring an inspection as a condition of purchase, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that everything is as perfect as it appears. If the builder balks at this requirement, remind them that you’re the customer and that they don’t have anything to worry about if the property checks out with the inspector.

You can come out on top when negotiating the purchase of your home without a real estate agent, but it will take some common sense and a willingness to keep your eyes open to some of the shenanigans that builder representatives will use to coerce you into paying more than you should. That is why you should keep these tips for buying a new construction house in the back of your head at all times. 

In our experience in dealing with builders we’ve seen it all. If you’ve never before dealt with a builder you don’t know what you’re in for, so let us know any questions or concerns you have about the process. It’s always better to arm yourself with the ammunition you need to shoot down the builder’s best efforts to get you to pay more than you should.

There are other ways you can save money on a new construction house other than these tips as well, such as taking advantage of a home buyer rebate which Glass House. Feel free to check out our testimonials to learn how home buyers like you received a cash back rebate for buying a new construction home!