New Construction
Many buyers wonder if it is a good idea to hire a Realtor® when purchasing new construction. Some buyers believe that they will get a better deal without an agent. Actually, builders want strong relationships with agents. Many times they will encourage buyers to hire a buyer’s agent.
Why you ask? Well, the builder’s sales representative works for the builder and they have the builder’s best interest at heart, not the buyer’s. But they want to have a smooth transaction and good builders know that the best way to ensure a smooth transaction is for the buyer to feel like their best interest is being taken into consideration.
The only way to truly provide that security is for the buyer to have full representation from their own Realtor®. I have had buyers call me after finding a new construction home they want to purchase and tell me, “the sales representative told me to call you so that I can have full representation, can you help me in the negotiations to purchase this home.” Actually, the hardest part of an agent’s job is from the point you enter into contract to the close of the sale and coordinating everything in between. Peter will do the following to assure the buying process goes smoothly:
Peter will help to negotiate the best price for the home. As an agent with a construction background, I work with new construction quite a bit and have a sense of how much “room” the builder has on the price they are offering. A buyer, off the street, can try to negotiate, but will have a more difficult time without the leverage of knowing what that particular builder has done in the past.
Particular expertise can be expected in guiding a new construction buyer in areas such as lot selection, home orientation which, in Tucson, is imperative and building construction with special emphasis on navigating the home builder’s sales contract and often complicated incentive programs.
Peter will encourage a new construction buyer to get an inspection on the home and even multiple inspections, depending on the stage of the home being built. Builders do get their own inspections done throughout the building process, but it is very important that the buyer have their own inspections done as well.
There have been cases where our buyers have hired an inspector and the inspector has found very little to write-up on their report. This is ideal and gives the buyer the added comfort of knowing their house is sound. In the same regard, many times the inspectors do find items that are code or safety issues, that the builder’s inspector did not find. The builder then has the opportunity to correct the deficiencies prior to close of escrow.