New construction
A different transaction,
with a different contract.
New builds have real advantages — current construction standards, a warranty, and often a better insurance outcome because of roof age and build method. They also come with a contract written by the builder, and a set of questions that resale buyers never have to ask.
Before your first model home visit
If you want an agent representing you on a new build, most builders require them to be registered with you on your first visit. It is a small administrative step that is difficult to undo afterwards — worth a text before you go.
01Before you sign
Twelve questions worth asking.
None of these are adversarial. Good builders answer them readily — and the answers are how you compare one community against another.
Who represents you?
The builder's on-site sales representative works for the builder. They can be helpful and well informed, but they are not representing your interests in the negotiation. If you want representation, arrange it before your first visit — most builders require your agent to register with you at that point.
What is base price, and what is not?
Base price rarely survives contact with the design centre. Ask for a written breakdown of what is included and what is an upgrade, before you fall for a model home fitted entirely with options.
Lot premiums
Corner, conservation, water and cul-de-sac lots often carry a premium on top of the plan price. Ask what the premium is and what specifically you are paying for.
Incentives — and what they cost
Incentives are commonly tied to using the builder’s preferred lender or title company. That can be a genuinely good deal or an expensive one. Price the alternative and compare properly.
Financing the upgrades
Not everything you select is necessarily financeable in the way you expect. Establish early what goes into the loan and what you pay out of pocket.
HOA and CDD
New communities in the growth corridors frequently carry both. Ask for the exact annual figures on the specific lot, not a range for the development.
Estimated completion
Dates move. Ask what the contract says happens if it does — for your rate lock, your lease, and your deposit.
Your own inspection
You can and should have an independent inspection before closing, even on a brand-new home. A builder’s internal quality check is not the same thing.
The warranty, specifically
What is covered, for how long, and by whom. Structural, systems and workmanship usually run on different periods.
Resale considerations
While the builder is still selling new phases nearby, you may be competing with them. Worth understanding if you might move within a few years.
What is next door
Check what is approved on adjacent parcels. In fast-growing areas the view and the traffic can both change within two years.
The contract itself
It is the builder’s contract, not the standard resale contract, and it generally favours the builder on timing, changes and remedies. Read it, or have someone read it with you.
02Ask
Ask about new construction.
Whether it's a specific community, a contract you've been handed, or just whether new build is the right route for you at all.