5 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A New Build
You’re in the market for a home, and you decide you’re not into fixing someone’s else’s problems and head straight for the homebuilder communities you saw advertised online. It’s shiny and new and has all the latest efficiencies and styles you’ve been wanting. Besides, who wants to hire a contractor to fix an existing kitchen or bath when you can buy one brand new?? Yet, most people who buy new, often are distracted by form and ignore function. We’re going to talk about five problems new construction buyers often don’t think about before signing.
Here in Tacoma and Washington state, rain is a constant concern from November through May. Having a well-built home with good joint seals, well-painted siding and operable gutter system is really critical to keeping the elements out. But what happens to the water once it leaves your downspouts?? Builders are required to submit drainage plans to the city for review and approval before a property is built to ensure the water flows away from the property correctly. But I have seen time and time again, when underground drains that take water away from homes either become clogged or aren’t installed correctly. Or the water is funneled into another person’s property leaving them with a huge problem to take care of. Worse off, surface runoff can cause headaches for owners with basements that are older or not correctly built. Keeping moisture away from the home is key, so be sure to ask your builder about the drainage plan for the home. They may even be able to tell you about the soil chemistry of your area, so you know whether it’s prone to draining well or not.
Have you ever been driving down the highway at 60 mph and look over at new construction communities that abut the highway by a few hundred feet?? Clearly the homeowners knew the highway was there before they purchased, but it’s what you don’t know that’ll cost you. I remind my buyers whether resale or new construction to ensure they know, what’s around their property. Noise and air pollution not only reduce the value of your home, but it reduces your enjoyment of the property and could lead to health issues. Often, new build communities will be part of a larger subdivision. Knowing what’s going where, and what future development has been designed will often save you down the road, especially if you’re in a mixed use area with potential commercial nearby. I recently looked at a home near a commercial gravel company. All day long from 8am-5pm you would hear truck engines and back-up warning beeps, as you saw a plume of gravel dust, travel through the air to nearby communities. I hope homeowners didn’t ever need to open their windows for whatever fresh air was available.
Quality is a subjective term. Even here in the Puget Sound, we aren’t immune from mega subdivisions by builders looking to sell a lot of lower priced homes. How those homes are built, and what the longevity of the materials are, is so important to know. Not everyone can afford luxury, but everyone should be able to have quality. Whether it’s the wood, framing, roof, windows, flooring or fixtures. There is value and then there is cheap. Walk through a model home and ask good questions, so you know whether the home you’re building will contain the same level of quality as the model, since oftentimes the builder will drastically upgrade a model to help sell future inventory.
领英推è
On that same note, review your warranty!? Don’t assume the builder warranty will be ironclad. There are stipulations and limitations on warranties builders may lightly skim over. Review what is covered and what isn’t and even look into a home warranty with a company like American Home Shield which can often warranty appliances for several years at a fairly low annual cost.
Lastly, I always recommend talking to existing homeowners who have moved into the community before you. Don’t be afraid to knock on doors and talk to people. You’re making one of the most significant investments of your life, and a few minutes of questions about their experience in their home, may provide you with insight into things to ask for during the build process. I often recommend the same thing on resales, when a buyer asks me how a neighborhood is. The person best suited to answer that question already lives in the neighborhood and has broken in their home and may have some valuable advice to share.
Don’t let the sparkle of a new home purchase cloud you from taking a deeper look into the community, location, build quality and warranties. The goal is to have a beautiful new home to enjoy for years to come. And with any luck, you’ll gain equity and have a marketable asset to sell when the time comes.
As your resource for real estate in the Puget Sound, I welcome hearing from you on this topic or any other real estate topic.
Great insight, Erik. Thanks for sharing.