NEW HOME SALES facts to remember

New home sales…should be treated just like a new automobile sale.. ‘cosmetically’!

 I am sure if you had any imperfections in or outside your new car you would have the dealer correct it! And they would address it immediately, or you most likely wouldn’t purchase the car.

The same goes for a new home sale! Scott Cary, a real estate Broker in Modesto, Ca. with Homesmart PV and Associates, explains: I can’t tell you how often I sell a resale home or work with a buyer purchasing a home from an original buyer who simply accepted flaws on a new home that could have been corrected prior to closing their sale.

Most builders have improved their delivery process over the past ten years although I still see far to many cosmetic items unaddressed. Scott continues to explain that he constantly finds uneven texture splatter, bows in interior walls, missing corner grout on tile vanities, gaps at electrical switch plates, HVAC foundations leaning and off center…the list goes on!

Sadly, everything listed above, and more are simple fixes for the builder but if the buyer does not address it during their walk-thru, it gets forgotten. Builders just want their product closed, so you often hear that their superintendent will be available for six months after the close date, to come back and correct anything the buyer finds.

Well, it all sounds good and reasonable, but the builder knows that once your furniture is in the home, things get covered up and hidden!...Until its time to sell again and now you are paying to fix these cosmetic flaws yourself. Here is the good news! Scott shares the importance of involving a real estate agent prior to visiting a new home sales office.

Keep in mind, that not all real estate agents are experienced in assisting a buyer with a new home sale, so be sure to work with only experienced agents in this situation.  New home sales offices often pay an agents fee if they register you, their client on day one! But if the buyer signs into a sales office and then tries to include their real estate agent after the fact, most builders will not let the agent get involved.

Don’t let your emotions get the better of you! Viewing model homes can make you fall in love quickly…as the builder spends thousands of dollars to make the model homes impressive.  Removing doors, putting in the best furniture and adding every possible upgrade.  However you need to be clear on what is considered an upgrade and what is standard, as many upgrades increase the purchase price by merely 20% on average.

 Your real estate agent should be involved to point out what upgrades are beneficial. For example: if your backyard cement pad is to small for you…its more cost effective to hire a cement contractor to upgrade your pad after close!  If you have the builder do an upgrade, the builder gets a ‘kickback’ on the added charge and often you pay more for this option. This goes for many other items…appliances, window coverings, two-tone paint, flooring, etc.

But just to keep it simple and on topic, having another pair of eyes during your walk-thru (your agent) you should take notes and use either sticky notes or painters tape to place on flawed areas. I have helped buyers in the past and when we finished the walk-thru, the home had tape on nearly every wall and door. Now keep in mind, as crazy as this sounds…the builder simply had the contractor who previously completed the job, revisit your home to finalize the small touch-ups! Sheetrock, texture, doors, trim, lighting, electrical…!

Lastly, there are so many other important factors to consider when you purchase a new home…so do not take this for granted!

Scott Cary has been helping home buyers and sellers for over 30 years and is still actively engaged in the real eatate market. Call or email him today for more information about homeownership in the greater Central Valley area. (209) 402-8000 email: scottcaryrealestate@gmail.com or www.scottcary.net

 (Including: Modesto, Riverbank, Manteca, Tracy, Salida, Ripon, Turlock, Patterson, Newman, Los Banos, Oakdale, Ceres and neighboring communities.)