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Consider These Things When Buying a New Home

18 March 2020

Cody Day

Buying a new home is a great way to ensure you don't have to do a lot of maintenance in the next few years. You can often customize a lot of elements of the home. Plus, knowing that nobody else has ever lived in the home can be reassuring. However, when you are shopping for new homes, it is easy to get carried away with the newness of things, and in that process, overlook things that could become an issue later on. To avoid disappointment post-purchase, make sure you check for these things when buying a new home.

1. Know what you can customize.

People who are buying new construction for the first time often assume they can customize almost anything. But this is not usually the case. When you purchase a home that has already been slated for construction, there will be some things you can customize and some things you can't. You will want to ask for a list of the things you can change and make sure they meet your needs. Things like the number of bedrooms and size of the kitchen are not usually modifiable, so if a home is that far off from meeting your needs, you may want to look for a different one rather than attempting to make changes.

2. Figure out what finishes are included in the base price.

New construction homes are usually advertised at a base price. Then, you will be given the real price once you choose all of your own finishes and options. So a home may be advertised at a base price of $200,000, but after you add your options, it could come to $230,000 — which is substantially more. Always ask what finishes are included in the base price. If you can't live with those finishes and the price is already near your limit, you might need to look for a different home. It's best to find a home with a base price well under your limit so you have room in your budget to customize.

3. Ask about home warranties.

What if the paint starts peeling in the first year? What if the furnace fails? Many new construction homes are protected under a home warranty, but it's up to you to ask more about that warranty. Figure out exactly what it covers and how long it lasts. The better the warranty, the more confident you can feel buying the home.

Buying new construction is a great way to get a home that meets your needs more fully. Just make sure you check for the aspects above before signing anything.

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