Have you considered buying a new construction home in San Diego? Anntoinette Trotty-Smith has helped over 100 families buy a new construction home here in San Diego County and these are her top 6 tips if you are thinking about purchasing a new construction home.

Are you thinking about buying a new construction home in San Diego?

I'm Anntoinette with Whissel Realty and I've helped over a hundred families with the process of buying a new construction home in Otay Ranch. If you're thinking about buying a new construction home, here are some tips to help you get started on your journey.

1. Hire your own real estate agent. Remember, the onsite agent works for the builder, not for you, so you're going to want someone in your corner, representing your interests and ensuring that you get the best deal.

2. Research the builder. You want to make sure that you're buying a good-quality home from a reputable builder.

3. Know the base price. The price listed is the price of the home without any upgrades or lot premiums. Lot premiums can be anything from a bigger lot or a lot with a view. Remember, builders do not like to negotiate their base price because it does affect the appraisals and hurt the value of the subdivision. They may consider negotiating credits for upgrades or closing costs.

4. Know what's standard and what's extra. Most builders offer construction upgrades like an extended master bath or a bonus room. Adding a bathroom now during the construction process will be a lot cheaper than adding one five years down the road. Cosmetic upgrades would be things like marble countertops, upgraded flooring and cabinets. Your trip to the design center can add up quickly, so my advice would be to set a budget and stick with it. The kitchen and the flooring throughout the home can be the most expensive and inconvenient to remodel later, so it's best to have these things done during the construction process and have the costs rolled into your mortgage, just as long as it doesn't put you over your monthly budget.

5. Get pre-approved by the builder's lender. Builders usually offer an incentive such as closing costs to use their preferred lender. Just remember that you do not have to use the preferred lender.

6. Beware of construction delays. Keep in mind that the builders run into delays like the availability of workers, weather conditions, supplies, also delays in inspections and permits. So, just keep in mind that delays do happen during construction and be prepared for them.
   
   Everyone wants to walk away from buying a home, whether it is new construction or not, with peace of mind. So, remember, who represents you matters. I'm Anntoinette, and if you're interested in getting started with the home buying process of a new construction home, give me a call or text at 619-514-3659

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