Building a home is stressful. This article includes five tips to help buyers in the beginning processes of building a home, from choosing a builder to gaining patience.
Purchasing a home can be intimidating; especially when buyers are faced with the enormous decisions that come with building from scratch. These decisions include the lot on which to build, the builder, the REALTOR they are going to hire to help them, the floorplan they want, the materials they wish to use, etc. The list is overwhelming. Still, there are things that buyers can do to help them through the beginning stage which are included below.
Find a Friend
The first place a buyer should turn when making the decision to build a home is a local, trusted REALTOR. REALTORS can assist buyers in the process of finding a closing on an appropriate lot and in finding the perfect builder for the dream home. When new home purchasers are in the process of finding a builder, it is important that they understand that the on-site agent, though he or she may be a REALTOR, is probably an agent of the Seller, meaning, he or she represents the builder and cannot truly represent them.
Research Builders
Perhaps the most important service provider the buyer of a new construction home is going to deal with is the builder. Builders come in all shapes and sizes. Some are nationally known with satellite groups in every other state. Others are local builders with smaller companies. Regardless of which type of builder the buyer chooses, research must be done ahead of time. This includes investigating the builder's reputation. What neighborhoods has he or she built in? Were the clients happy? Did he or she finish the job on time and budget? There are so many questions to ask, but the reputation of a builder among previous buyers and REALTORS is perhaps the strongest clue to a builder's strengths and weakneses.
Be Prepared for Delays
Once the buyer has found a REALTOR, a lot, and a builder, it is important for the buyer to know that most new construction projects face a delay here and there. The three biggest culprits are weather, mistakes and change orders. Rain delays set back work on new homes especially before the home is under roof. In addition to weather, mistakes can create delays in the builder's schedule. Mistakes can include anything from ordering the wrong windows to putting a wall in the wrong place. Finally, the third delay culprit is the change order. When buyers request changes well into the construction process, builders may have to retrofit previous designs to encompass the change. Thus creating lots of extra work on the builder.
Get Everything in Writing
When building a home, everything needs to be in writing. This includes the price, the specific floor plan and any changes the buyer wishes to impliment, material and design selections, and provisions for the buyer should the builder take too long to finish the home.
Avoid Closing Until the Work is Done
Many buyers and builders close on homes before all of the work is done and most of the time, it works out fine. But then, there are those occasions when the buyer's close because the builder promised he would deliver and install the shoe moulding, and four months later, the work is not done. Many times, builders push to close though there are things left to be done. Prolonging closing means delaying the builder getting the money he or she is waiting on. Still, it may save headaches if the buyer waits to close after the builder is finished with the home.
