Updated July 24, 2026 · My Single Property Websites
Most builder warranties are tiered: roughly one year on workmanship and materials, two years on major systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC), and up to ten years on major structural defects — but the definitions and claim procedures vary by builder and by state, and third-party warranty companies often administer the longer coverage. Before you sign, get the actual warranty document, note what requires written notice and by when, and calendar the one-year mark: many builders do an 11-month walkthrough to catch first-year items before that coverage expires.
Independent inspectors routinely find issues in new homes — flashing and roof penetrations, grading and drainage, HVAC installation, missing insulation, plumbing left unconnected behind walls. Municipal code inspections check minimum code compliance at specific stages, not workmanship. For a home built from the ground up, many buyers pay for two visits: a pre-drywall inspection (while framing, wiring, and plumbing are visible) and a final inspection before the builder walkthrough, so the punch list is documented while fixes are still clearly the builder's job.
Model homes are typically loaded with upgrades — flooring, cabinets, countertops, lighting, sometimes even the landscaping and window count. Ask for the standard-features sheet in writing and price the specific upgrades you actually want; upgrade pricing at the design center is often where the advertised base price grows 10–20% or more. Anything promised verbally should end up in the contract.
Unlike a resale purchase on a standard state form, new-construction contracts are usually written by the builder, and they favor the builder — on completion dates, on changes to materials ("or equivalent" clauses), and on remedies. Read the escalation, delay, and earnest-money terms carefully, and consider having your own agent or a real-estate attorney review before signing. Your agent's commission is typically paid by the builder, but you generally must register the agent on your first visit.
Builders often offer meaningful closing-cost credits for using an affiliated lender. Take the incentive seriously — but get a competing quote anyway and compare the full picture (rate, points, fees, credits). The incentive is only a deal if the loan terms are competitive.
Builders protect their base prices (they set neighborhood comps), but frequently negotiate on upgrades, closing costs, and rate buydowns — especially on inventory/spec homes and at quarter or year end. The later in the community build-out, the less flexible the pricing usually is.
Delays are common and contracts usually give builders generous latitude. Understand what the contract actually promises about completion, what happens to your rate lock if it slips, and what your options are if the delay becomes unreasonable.
The builder, typically, until a set percentage of homes sell ("declarant control"). Ask what the dues will be after build-out, what amenities are actually committed versus planned, and when control transfers to homeowners.
Buyers researching new construction ask AI assistants and search engines pointed questions — warranty terms, included features, completion dates. If you're marketing a new or to-be-built home, publish the specifics: builder, warranty structure, standard features, and realistic timing. A dedicated single-property website presents the build cleanly, and its AI assistant answers warranty and features questions from buyers 24/7 — including the ones who visit at 11pm after touring models all weekend.
Give it its own website with an AI sales agent answering buyers day and night.
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