Most people walk into a builder's model home, fall in love, and sign something the same afternoon. That is usually where the trouble starts. A new build is a nine to fourteen month relationship, and the decisions you make in the first two weeks follow you all the way to closing.
Step one is the lot. Price per square foot gets all the attention, but the lot is what you cannot change later. Look at drainage, the retention pond, which direction the back porch faces in the Florida afternoon, and what is planned for the empty ground behind you. Ask the builder for the community site plan, not just the lot map they hand out at the sales center.
Step two is the contract and the deposit. Builder contracts are written by the builder's attorney, and they are not the same as a standard contract on an existing home. Pay close attention to the completion window, what happens if materials are delayed, and whether your deposit is refundable if financing falls through.
Step three is design selections. This is the fun appointment and the expensive one. Structural options have to be chosen before framing; finishes can often wait. Spend your money on the things that are hard to change later, such as layout, ceiling height, and the electrical plan. Backsplash tile can be swapped any weekend.
Step four is construction. Slab, framing, dry-in, mechanicals, drywall, finishes. I walk the house at framing and again before drywall goes up, because that is the last chance to see what is inside the walls.
Step five is the walkthrough and closing. Bring a real punch list. Anything not written down before closing tends to become a warranty argument afterward.
The short version: register me as your agent on your very first visit to any sales center, before you sign in. The builder pays the agent commission, it does not come out of your pocket, and it means you have someone in your corner for the whole nine months.
Written by James Greenwell, Someday Homes LLC — Jacksonville & surrounding counties.