Susan Orick - Daniel Island, Mt. Pleasant, Charleston SC real estate

Charleston Real Estate News and more by Sue Orick

Stop! and step away from that New Homes Guide

You drive around the Charleston area and see all those New Home Subdivision signs. You pick up a brochure and see all the pretty floorplans and all the features you can customize. And you think "Wow, I have to have a new house!"

New homes are great. You get to pick your upgrades and features. You get a house that no one else has even lived in. You get to be part of the building process. Yippee!!!

You also get to fight it out with the new home builder and their construction staff. You get to listen to a builder representative tell you that nail pops are a natural part of the new construction process and there is nothing they can do to fix them. You get to hear the new home salesperson tell you that there is no use in having a home inspection for new construction. You get to let punch-out guys into your home for months after you've moved in because there is a problem that wasn't fixed before closing. Oh no!!!

Some buyers get swept away with the NEW HOME EUPHORIA and don’t think about the big picture. Do you know which upgrades and features will be the biggest payoff in the end?   It’s more important to opt for the structural upgrades when building the house, then trying to do it at a later date. At a later date it is much easier to spruce up the cosmetic aspects of the house. So maybe it’s a better idea to consider that bump-out, than it is to get that granite countertop when building.  Also builders can sometimes be unclear on what are upgrades in the model and will not be included in your home.   Do you think you are getting those great 42' maple cabinets in the kitchen? You better make sure...

Some people think that if they are buying a new house, then there is no need for an agent. That is simply not true. Having an agent when you are buying a new home will be an amazing help to you. We have worked with New Home Builders before, and know which questions need to be asked.

Do you have time to go to construction meetings, check on the progress of the house, touch base with the Mortgage Company, Title Company, Closing Company, Builder Representatives, and still have time to work a 40 hour week and spend time with the kids? Why would you even want to deal with all this stuff when you don’t have to! Speak with an agent, let them research area homebuilders, come up with a short list, then go and visit the builders together so you can be properly registered. Then just pick out your home, colors, features, upgrades, and then step back and let the professionals handle it from there.

And did you know it is no cost to you? One day this week I had the joy of overhearing a fellow coworker speak of now former clients who decided to build a new home—without their agent’s help. They rushed to the homebuilder and asked “well since we don’t have an agent that means we get a price reduction right?” The salesperson laughed them out of the office. You have to pay the same amount for your home whether or not you have an agent. So why wouldn’t you have one?

PS. You should ALWAYS get a home inspection, regardless if the house is new or not!!

Posted - 08/04/2008

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