Do’s & Don’ts Of Purchasing New Construction Homes
Buying a home can be a bit daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. After all, this will likely be one of the biggest purchases you ever make! If you’ve decided on purchasing a new construction home, you’ve probably been underwhelmed with the resale options in your area. For most homeowners, the last thing they want to do is sink their hard earned income into a money pit of a home. The truth of the matter is that many resale homes come with a long list of repairs and outdated finishings. Therefore, it’s easy to see the appeal of purchasing a brand new home!
At Hearthside Homes, we’re in the business of doing exactly that. We build beautiful and long-lasting homes that your family will cherish for years to come! Our goal is to not only deliver an amazing product, but to also make the home buying experience as smooth as possible for our customers.
Purchasing a brand new home definitely comes with it’s advantages. Not only will the material selections be in style, but you also won’t have to worry about the upkeep of an older home. Although buying a new construction home may seem like the obvious choice for many buyers, there are still some things to be considered before signing the dotted line. Here are some of the “do’s” and “don’ts” you should contemplate when purchasing a new construction home.
1) Don’t Forget To Do Research On Your Preferred Builders
If you’ve been on the hunt for a house for a while, it can be easy to jump at the first one you like. We highly recommend researching the builder before purchasing a house. Even though you might tour a beautiful model home, things aren’t always what they seem behind the surface. We recommend you check out Google reviews, customer testimonials and social media accounts. It’s important that you buy a home that’s not only aesthetically appealing, but one that’s also durable! You should also ask each builder about their warranty policy. Not every builder is created equal! A lot of new homes will experience settlement issues within the first year. Some of these are normal, and some issues should be covered by the builder’s warranty. It’s really important that you understand what you’re getting into in the long run!
2) Do Look Through As Many Floor Plans As Possible
At Hearthside Homes, we have move-in ready homes available as well as semi-custom build options. About half of our customers purchase one of our finished spec homes and the other choose to build with us from the ground up. Building a house from scratch is a great option for many homeowners because they get to be highly involved in every aspect of their new home. From choosing a lot to making material selections, you can really customize your home to your liking! One huge advantage of building a home is that you get to pick a floor plan that best suits your family. We offer dozens of floor plan options to our homeowners and are happy to help them pick one that meets their needs. We have built these designs time and time again, so we are confident that they will be functional and beautiful for years to come. Click here to see our floorplan options.
3) Don’t Forget About The Added Expenses
Just because you’ve been preapproved to spend $500,000 on your home, doesn’t mean you should. After all, there are other expenses to consider outside of your monthly mortgage payment! From HOA dues, property taxes and insurance, it’s important that you can budget for it all. At the end of the day, you want a home you can comfortably afford while enjoying other luxuries in life. No one wants to be house poor!
4) Do Tour Model Homes
Along with reviewing floor plan options and photo galleries, we highly recommend you tour some model homes! When you get the chance to look at homes in person, you’ll understand the care and level of detail the builder provides. Most builders do things a little different here and there. It’s important to see all of your options in person before committing to a builder.
5) Don’t Purchase The Most Expensive House On The Block
This may seem like common knowledge, but you should never purchase the most expensive house in the neighborhood! In most new neighborhoods, you’ll quickly discover that there are multiple builders. Although the houses can roughly share a similar square footage, they don’t always come with a comparable price tag! The value of the most expensive home will not increase at the same rate as others in the area, and you will likely struggle to find a buyer should you choose to sell one day. Leaving room for some upgrades is a wise investment.
6) Do Get A Real Estate Agent That Can Represent You Throughout The Process
Believe it or not, some builders actually want you to have a real estate professional guiding you throughout the home purchasing process! Although builders and realtors work along side each other, they both play very different roles! If you are wanting to purchase a Hearthside home, we will gladly connect you with one of our real estate team members!
7) Don’t Forget To Consider The Location & School District
You know what they say, “LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!” is key. It’s so important the home you purchase serves as a great investment. If you purchase a 400k home in a good neighborhood, your long term resale value will be a lot higher than otherwise. If your children are of school age, you’ll also want to check out the School District. Neighborhoods in great school districts are often safer. Not to mention, the homes retain their value better!
8) Do Work With A Loan Officer Before Signing A Contract
One of the first steps in purchasing a home is to start working with a licensed loan officer or mortgage broker. They can help you get pre-approved for a home and even help you score discounts. There are special types of loans for veterans and new homeowners that can help you save thousands!
9) Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions
You should never be afraid to ask questions! Remember, purchasing a home is likely one of the biggest investments you’ll make. With that being said, we encourage you to ask as many questions as possible along the way. We want you to be confident with your decisions!
So, What’s Next?
Think Hearthside Homes could be the builder for you? If want to see our move-in ready homes, check out our listings. If you are interested in reviewing our floor plan designs, click here. If you’re in the early process of building or buying a home, but don’t know where to start, consider downloading our design book.
Want to simply get the conversation started? We’d love to chat with you about potentially working with our team. Contact the Vice President of Sales & Marketing, John Zeller! He is more than happy to guide you throughout the process. Email John at jzeller@hearthside-kc.com or give him a call at (816) 781-0234. Our team at Hearthside is truly passionate about our business, and we’d love to help you create a home you love.