Tips on Buying a New Construction House

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Posted: January 8, 2016 - Homebuyer's Blog

Couple embracing in front of construction site

Being the first person to live in a new construction home is a wonderful feeling. Everything is fresh and new, in good repair, and exactly how you want it. However, some people find the process of building a new home a little daunting. Relax! Here are a few tips to tame this process and make it enjoyable and rewarding.

New Construction Tip #1: Set a reasonable budget. The Hartz website offers tools that can help you: Mortgage Payment Calculator and Mortgage Affordability Calculator. Getting pre-approved with a lender can also help you decide how much you want to invest in your home. Choose a reputable lender that has experience in financing new construction homes. This experience will save you time and aggravation down the road. Hartz Homes has a preferred lender that is skilled in new construction financing. This preferred lender can quickly and easily help you get pre-approved.

New Construction Tip#2: Pick the best way to buy. There are three basic ways to buy a new construction house:

  1. A “spec” house is a home that has already been started, or finished and move-in ready. You may give up some flexibility and choices, but you can gain a lot of time.
  2. You can build a semi-custom home as part of an active subdivision. You pick the basic model, and then make the changes and selections that meet your needs. Hartz Homes, unlike a lot of builders, allows you to easily and affordably make structural changes to the plan.
  3. A custom home can be designed and built specifically for you. Contact Hartz Homes to get the ball rolling.

New Construction Tip #3: Choose the right builder. Look for a proven, responsible builder that lives up to its promises and is available for you during the construction process and beyond. Make sure the builder has an excellent ranking with the Better Business Bureau. Hartz Homes is a family- owned builder that has built over 15,000 homes in the Chicago area, and has completed over 100 subdivisions. Hartz Homes has been building quality homes for over 50 years and has the highest Better Business Bureau rating.

New Construction Tip #4: Research the neighborhood. Check out the school district, distance to jobs and shopping, and major highways. This information is given on the Hartz Homes website for each subdivision, such as Hibernia in New Lenox. Ask the builder about neighborhood amenities like a clubhouse (in Lago Vista and soon to be in Bella Vista), or parks and walking trails (in Hibernia, Sky Harbor, Leigh Creek, Whisper Creek, Bella Vista and Lago Vista). Walk around the area and talk to the residents. Ask the builder about potential home owner association fees. Hartz Homes offers homes in the Chicago West Suburbs, Chicago Southwest Suburbs, Chicago South Suburbs, and has an Active Adult Community.

New Construction Tip #5: Know what you are getting. Don’t be fooled by builders who deck out their models with all the high-end bells and whistles that virtually no one ever buys. In most subdivisions, Hartz Homes has a model that is very basic to give you an idea of what comes standard. Another Hartz Homes model in the same subdivision may feature upgrades that are typically purchased by the average buyer. In all Hartz Homes models, the list of upgrades featured in the home is predominately displayed.

New Construction Tip #6: Understand the new construction warranty. Warranties can help protect your investment. The Hartz Homes Warranty gives you peace of mind by covering your home from the foundation to the roof. And, a highly responsive customer service department is there for you if the need should ever arise.

New Construction Tip #7: Walk-though your home before closing. You can stay abreast of the construction process with a construction timeline provided by the builder. The construction timeline provided by Hartz Homes informs you of the building process every step of the way. Importantly, it points out when you can walk through your home and make inspections with a Hartz Homes employee. The most important “walk-though” is just before closing, so that you can get any possible concern on the superintendent’s punch list. This way everything can get taken care of before you move in and start enjoying your brand new home.