Buyer

June 27, 2019

There are unmistakably unique allures built into every newly constructed home: the window for personal customization sits open, wide as it ever will. A bevy of brand new appliances, amenities and of-the-moment upgrades come ready for you and your family to experience. Lest we forget the most fundamental pull—there's the personal privilege to christen it yours, first.

If you’re wondering whether you can employ a real estate agent for a newly-built home purchase, the answer is an unequivocal “YES!” While the developer’s agent will be always ready to assist potential buyers, you're definitely going to want an expert of your own ready to represent your side of the deal. Suffice to say purchasing new vs. purchasing resale is a whole other ballgame, one requiring a buyer’s agent to successfully navigate complex headwinds, and protect your involvement at every step. Let’s break this down for a closer look.

The Builder's Agent vs Your Real Estate Agent

The Builder’s:

It’s important to identify who’s on what side of the transaction, along with the roles each person plays. In this situation the builder plays a dual role also functioning as the “seller.” The agent representing the builders sales office functions as that builder/sellers agent. It should go without saying the primary duty of this agent is to generate sales for their builder. Consequently, the agent's attention won’t be devoted to your best interests, but that of the builder.

While price negotiations with this agent (especially without your own agent) are bound to produce some spirited discussions, you can in fact rely on them for some valuable information. Builder agents can be a wealth of knowledge on things such as background details on home construction and housing development in regards to a newly built home.

Your Agent

Your realtor is your personal advocate. Not only will they ensure you’re aware of your rights at the table, securing the most value out of your budget is of top mind. These benefits and more all come together making for a relatively painless purchasing process.

Should you decide to move forward on a new home purchase working with an agent, make sure to disclose this detail to the selling party on your initial visit to the model home. It’s ideal to clarify upfront that you will have a representative, and that the builder agrees to this. This is good to remember because most builders require a serious buyer to be accompanied by a real estate agent on their first visit.

Here are some of the biggest reasons why you should hire a real estate agent to represent you:

A real estate agent will round out your knowledge of the builder, the home and its construction quality.

While the builder's agent is unquestionably knowledgeable there’s a risk in relying solely on their word. You may likely be getting just a narrow, potentially biased perspective of a fuller picture. It isn’t for lack of insight, but more-so about what can sometimes get lost in a property breakdown. An experienced real estate agent will be well familiar with every major area builder and their work quality, cluing you in on things that may have been omitted from the seller agent. If you’re at all unsure of where to buy, a qualified realtor can recommend the right builder and neighborhood for you.

They will help you make the right choices according to your budget.

Especially if you're a first time home buyer, purchasing new construction can not only be overwhelming, but expensive to boot. Considering the endless array of upfront upgrades and modifications to choose from your agent can help guide you through the personalization process, delivering the best options for your budget. From floor plans to the latest amenities, you can think of your realtor as your personal shopper here. They can make informed considerations on items better to install at present, versus items that are easier to improve upon in the future. An added bonus: if you’re thinking about selling your property a couple of years down the line, your realtor can appraise you on the features and amenities likely to attract future buyers in the long-term.

They're your negotiator.

An experienced agent will come into talks knowing prior what “is” and “isn't” on the table for discussion. In this approach, your realtor can better broker on things such as paint color, style of utilities and even closing costs. This is especially valuable since builders are far more likely to negotiate on fees or upgrades than they are on the purchase price of the home. It’s important to note, varying builder by builder, whether or not one is even willing to negotiate. Your agent will act as your guide through all of this, additionally making you aware of any “builder promotions” available to take advantage of.

No realtor fees on your end.

That's right. Hiring a realtor to buy new construction comes at no cost to you since the builder will be the one paying your agent’s commission. Builders rely on outside agents to bring clients to them. As such, they view commissions as part of their cost of doing business, usually adding it into the marketing budgets of the homes. However, this doesn’t mean the builder would credit you the commission should you forego a realtor; they would much rather dole it out to an agent on your behalf. Builders are also unlikely to reduce the price of the home because it sets the comparison price for future home sales in that neighborhood.

Your realtor will help you set and oversee a home inspection.

You may be thinking, “Why do I need a home inspection if it's a newly built home?” Well, even with the best construction, using only the best materials, contractors, etc., new homes can still have their fair share of defects just the same as resale homes. The builder’s agent is unlikely to push for or offer up an inspection, likely because the builder doesn’t necessarily want to inspect it themselves. You may be thinking you can depend on a new home warranty to cover unaccounted for issues despite this, but let’s just say we wouldn’t hold our breath on that.

It’s up to you and your real estate agent to set up a home inspection. An excellent realtor has connections to multiple independent inspectors who will work in your best interest. Your agent will help you set up an appointment then review the inspection report to identify potential areas of negotiation with the builder. Also, it’s best to attend the walkthrough with your agent so they can help spot errors on the new home.

What you see is NOT what you get.

You might be amazed when you tour the model home and see top tier granite countertops, upgraded appliances, crown molding, rough-in plumbing—you name it. However, it's prudent to remember that the model you visited is not necessarily the home you’ll end up purchasing. That model is worth more than the base price being advertised precisely because of all those amenities. In this case, keep that old adage in mind. Like buying a new car, your home could feel distinctly different from what you see on the showroom floor.

With the help of your realtor, you can differentiate between base price and whatever comes at the cost of an upgrade. With this you can accurately price compare between a model brimming with every possible bell and whistle, and a more sensible option, possibly with a little less flash, but a healthy amount nonetheless.

Your realtor is also your contract and paperwork guru.

Be honest, how familiar are you with real estate contracts? Unfortunately, every real estate purchase involves some level of exhaustive paperwork that can not only be confusing but also very intimidating. When buying new construction, you will have to sign a builder's standard contract, which covers all the pertinent details of a new-home purchase. Your agent, being an expert in the industry, will review any contracts you sign to ensure everything is in order, and most importantly, that you are protected. They will guarantee your comfort and understanding pertaining to every aspect of the agreement. Whatever has been agreed upon by you and the builder (fees, timelines, upgrades) a realtor is going to ensure it is incorporated into the contract. Moreover, they will make sure that all other paperwork is reviewed and filed correctly for a smooth transaction.

They can recommend financing.

A builder will typically have a preferred lender and will even offer incentives to ensure a buyer works with that lender. This reassures them that the buyer is a good credit risk. However, the smartest thing you can do is to shop around and find the best loan that works for you and your situation. Your agent can help you with your search by exercising their rolodex of connections, partnering you with only the most reputable of lenders and letting you compare rates. At the end of the day, you will need to find the best loan for you and not for the builder—an agent is a great resource to rely on.