New build homes are becoming a hot commodity in Colorado. In lieu of buying a preexisting house, people are opting to invest in their own unique property. Malone Real Estate has been keeping an eye on these new build opportunities. We have also been gathering our own team of professionals so that this home buying process is simple and exciting. We know what to look for in a new construction builder, and we figured those home buyers should, too.
Most buyers are solely focused on the community they will live in but these questions will help you evaluate the builder as well.. You will want to make sure they respect your budget, have a working communication system, and work out an arrangement that won’t elicit any surprises. So before you sign a deal with a specific company, make sure you go over these questions to ask your builder so that you know what to expect. Here is what you should look for in a new construction builder.
1. What’s Their Experience?
A new construction builder should have relevant experience under their belt that will determine their knowledge on new home builds. Without experience, you won’t be able to gauge how the process will run and it leaves you vulnerable as a home buyer with money on the line. Granted, everyone has to start somewhere, so even if a builder lacks in experience, perhaps they make it up with a strategic regime. Or maybe they have a select team of individuals with their own hand in experience, which is extremely telling of new companies.
Don’t skip asking your builder about this experience. It’s as common as asking a potential employee for references to a job. It shows where they’ve been, how far they’ve come, and generally gives you an outline of how much you can trust this builder which putting together your dream home.
2. Do They Have A Network?
You are going to want a new construction builder that has a team of people at their disposal. Although you should do your due diligence in seeking out alternative designers or lenders, builders who have a team in place will make the process seamless. It also speaks to their company’s candor if they have enough allies that are in the loop with them as a builder. If you find a builder who lacks connections, it could mean that other companies realize where this company is falling short and moved out fast.
3. Is There A Portfolio You Can Look At?
Just like any reputable business, your new construction builder should have a public website for their customers. If their portfolio is not already available on their website, ask them if they can send you some samples of their work. This can help you get a better feel of their process as well as if their design suits your tastes. While you’re looking over their work, you might also want to check out their “About” page to see who all you might be working with and take a look at their blogs to see what free information they have available about new builds.
4. What’s Included?
Builders may have properties that you can inspect. When you turn the home, make sure to ask what features are included in the base pricing, and which are upgrades that will cost you more. Also, ask them what warranties the home will come with.
5. How Long Will The Project Take?
Make sure that your new construction builder is aware of your preferred timeline and ask them how long they expect your specific home building experience will take.
Want to know what other questions to ask your builder? Team up with one of our agents at Malone Real Estate for more information!