If you’re even thinking about buying a brand new home in San Antonio (or anywhere), I’m going to show you the biggest mistakes to avoid before even walking into the sales office.
Researching the Best Home Builders in San Antonio
#1. Not researching the builder or community – I’m not just talking about reading the Google reviews. Although it is smart to do that too, you can’t always get a good feel for a particular builder or community this way, since there do tend to be several negative reviews for every builder.
You’ve heard the expression that unhappy customers are 10 times more likely to leave a review than happy customers. If you used this as your main source of making a decision, you would likely never be able to choose one.
But, instead, one great way to research a specific builder or community that is often overlooked, is to speak with people that are already living in homes in the community that were built by that builder. They can usually give you tons of insight & an honest opinion on what to expect after closing and how easy or difficult it is to have warranty concerns addressed.
Inspect Already Completed Homes
#2. Not looking at other completed homes to measure quality of the finished product – It’s easy to see the model home and fall in love. The model should be pretty close to flawless.
But, you want to make sure to take a look at other homes that are near completion so that you can get a good idea of what their homes look like and the quality of their finished product.
Beware of the Features in the Model Home
The next mistake to avoid is expecting all homes to look like the model – Yes it’s true that builders go all out on their models and include all of the upgrade options that you can add.
But, they also make changes of basic finish outs that you would assume to be standard that are actually not.
I once had a client that completely changed his mind about a builder, even though it was the best option for him and checked all of his boxes because the model home had completely different standards from the inventory homes that were the exact same floorplan.
For example the model had higher ceilings, added lighting, tile flooring instead of carpet and a few other upgrades that were not even available as add-on options for their homes. This is common with production builders that already have their homes completely planned out and do not allow for changes to anything.
Find a New Construction Specialist in San Antonio
As a new construction specialist in San Antonio I’ve helped numerous clients navigate the building process, and all of the hurdles that come up along the way. I can help you figure out which areas and specific builders will work out for you based on your needs, wants & expectations.
So, if you’re looking for more info about buying a brand new home in San Antonio make sure to get my San Antonio New Construction Guide at the bottom of this post!
How Long Will This Community Be Under Construction?
The #4 mistake is not asking how long the community will be under construction – Some communities can be under construction for years, especially if there are multiple phases of development scheduled. Whether on that specific street or adjacent streets or blocks, you will want to consider that you will hear construction that is going on nearby.
You will potentially have dust from construction coming into your home, hazards like nails & screws in your tires, and even having to look at messy and cluttered construction sites.
Do You Need an Inspection on a Brand New Home in San Antonio?
#5 is not hiring a third party inspector. Depending on what stage of construction you contract on the home, you may be able to have phase inspection performed. These inspections are performed during specific phases of the construction process. They help to provide a “punch list” to the builder for corrections before they cause problems, or before it is too late to catch them.
What is a Phase Inspection?
Phase 1: Before slab pour-to ensure plumbing components are installed/connected properly.
Phase 2: After framing and electrical/plumbing have been completed (before walls go up)
Phase 3: When the home is complete, 1-2 weeks before closing. At the very least, I highly recommend to all of my buyers that they have this inspection done. No home,not even a brand new one is ever perfect, and you want to have the builder’s work checked by another professional.
Phase 4: 10-11 months after living in the home, before your 1 year warranty expires
Do San Antonio Builders Offer Warranties?
Another mistake is not asking about warranty coverage – Every builder has different warranty coverages and what qualifies for their warranty coverage, so you will want to find out their specific process when it comes to issues with their homes.
What Developments Are Coming Up in My Neighborhood?
Not researching future developments – Although this is a potential concern with any community that you buy a home, you will want to do research on what is being developed in the area.
Commercial development usually coincides with residential, so you will want to find out what will be coming up around the community.
Selling a Resale Home in a New Construction Community
The next mistake to avoid when buying a new construction home in San Antonio is HUGE, and one that most buyers don’t think about and that is not considering resale value. If you’re buying a brand new home in an area that is still building new homes, you really need to consider how long you plan on staying in that area.
If it’s only going to be for a short time, like 2-3 years, there is a good possibility that you will have a challenge selling that home when it’s time.
The reason for that is that new build homes are going to be your biggest competition, and the fact that the builders are going to be able to appeal to a larger market of buyers and offer the best incentives.
You may or may not have built up enough equity to break even when you consider the costs that go into selling a home.
Understanding the Purchase Agreement
Not reading the purchase agreement & understanding escalation clauses – A builder’s purchase agreement is totally one-sided. It will always be in the best interest and protection of the builder.
So, you will want to make sure that you look over every detail in this contract and understand what you are signing.
Do You Need a Realtor to Buy New Construction in San Antonio?
That brings me to the next mistake that you don’t want to make, and that is going into a builder’s sales office without having representation.
Hear me out because this is important.
A realtor that is experienced in new construction can help you understand the purchase agreement and what you’re signing and help you to avoid all of these mistakes and more.
Keep in mind that the sales rep that works in the sales office represents the builder and not you. And it should be a red flag to you if you ever have someone that tries to convince you not to use your own representation.
~ Tammy Dominguez, San Antonio Realtor & Relocation Specialist
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