Model homes…I LOVE model homes! Designer decorating, the newest trends in flooring, kitchen cabinets and countertops and that new house smell...all that makes it very easy to be wooed by a new construction home. All emotion aside, in many ways, the practicality about new construction lures many home buyers. A new construction home also comes with many other "news"...new roof, new hvac, new hot water heater, new plumbing, not to mention how clean a new construction home feels.
All that being said, more than 1.1 million housing units were completed in the US in 2018 per the US Census Bureau. I think it's safe to say that I'm not alone with my love of new home construction. Here in Georgia...especially in the north Gwinnett ares...Dacula, Buford, Hoschton, Braselton...we see new home communities popping up all around us in 2019.
Many home buyers stop in to a new home community, "kick the tires" of the new home and quickly find themselves putting down a deposit on a lot. Builders staff their new home communities with salespeople to answer questions, view potential upgrade options, show floorpans, likening the process more to that of purchasing a new car rather than how most people expect to buy a home.
As consumers, we are used to the car dealership process of purchasing a new car. We know that the car salespeople work for the dealer, representing the dealer's interests at all times. With the similarities between the new car and new home construction buying processes, this might lead a potential home buyer to feel that "this is just the process" similar to the car buying process and resign themselves to this idea, not even considering that a Realtor® can represent a buyer for a new home purchase.
So why should a buyer use a Realtor® when purchasing a new construction home?
It's free to the buyer. The Seller pays the Buyer Agent's commission, not the Buyer. The majority of builders foster relationships with agents as builders know agents will bring buyers into their communities.
The details of building a house can be a bit overwhelming. I'm currently a Buyer's Agent for a client purchasing a new home. I created a spreadsheet to keep up with all the selections and details from tile, tile grout, paint colors for each room, flooring for each room, etc...I ended up with over 100 lines of items. A buyer's agent can help manage this very large project.
The builder has a representative..and that representative works in the builders best interest. The Buyer's Agent represent YOU not the builder and has experience in the process of buying a new construction.
So if you are considering a new construction home person, call your Realtor®! He or she will be happy to shepherd you through the exciting process of watching your new home spring from the ground, custom made to your specifications.
One last IMPORTANT thing to mention...you MUST take your Realtor® with you for your first visit to the new home community. Otherwise the builder will argue that your agent was not the procuring cause of the sale and not want to pay commission to your agent.