Choosing the Type of Builder

When you decide to build a new home, the type of house you want influences what type of building company you select. Home building firms can have from one to hundreds of employees. Some buyers prefer the security a large corporate establishment represents. Others prefer the personal attention and family feeling of smaller companies. Careful consideration in choosing a builder can assure that the amount of time, emotion and money you will invest in a new home will result in a comfortable home that you can enjoy for years.

Is This Builder a Good Fit for Me? 

If you are in the market for a new home, you should shop for a builder as thoroughly as your shop for your home. Whether you are buying a condominium, a townhouse, a house in a subdivision, or a custom-built house, the quality of your home will be determined by the quality of the builder. 

Choosing A Builder

The builder that you choose is the coordinator who is charged with the responsibility of bringing your dream together; on time and within budget. The builder's ability to coordinate the hundreds of details that have to be addressed during the process of building your new dream home is essential to having a great building experience and ending up with the home you want. First, and probably foremost, in the process of selecting a builder, is feeling comfortable with the builder. You have to be able to communicate with the builder since the process of building a home is an intimate one. In order to do their job the builder has to understand your needs and wants. Therefore, you have to feel comfortable enough to share some details of your life with the builder in order to get the desired results.

Ask Questions of Your Home Builder

Lots of people like to go through model homes.  Some go to "dream of the day when", others go to look for interior decorating ideas and to see what's new, and the rest are there to buy a new home.

You might think that the sales person is there just to sell you a home.  But the sales representative should be considered as resource of information on the home, development and the area.  Besides the question of "how much does it cost?," and "when can we move in?," here are some other questions to note the answers to:

• Will the builder give you references of recent buyers/occupants?
• Does the builder have a financing plan established?
• Are there options in the floor plan -- can a basement or deck be added?, etc.
• Can a room such as the basement be left unfinished?
• How much "customizing" can be done versus standard features?
• Can appliances be up- or down-graded?
• Are there any additional fees relating to the home or development?
• Does the builder offer a warranty program?
• Does the price include landscaping?  and what if the plants die within a year?
• Are there any restrictive covenants?
• What are the estimated taxes on the property?
• How is the school system rated?
• Are day care and grocery stores convenient and satisfactory?
• What about emergency facilities--police, fire department and hospitals?