What To Expect When Buying A New Construction Home

In this blog post, I’ll share my firsthand knowledge of what to expect when buying a new construction home, from the initial planning stages to the final walk-through.

Here’s what to expect when buying a new construction home

You walked through the model home. You put in an offer, and it was accepted! Congrats, you’re building a new home! Sooooo, what now??

The first thing you should expect when buying a new construction home is a longer timeline than buying an existing home. 

When you buy an existing house, you’re just waiting a few weeks on final mortgage approval and for the old homeowners to move out.

But when you’re getting a new build home, you’ll be waiting a lot longer to move in.

How long does it take to build a new home?

The home building process typically takes several months, if not longer, from the planning stages to the final walk-through. 

I learned that there are 5 stages of building a house, and some of these overlap each other.

We were quoted 7 months until move-in when we went under contract, and it ended up being exactly that long.

If you think about all the issues with supply chain since 2020, that’s actually pretty good!

What to do when waiting for a new construction house to be built

I learned quickly with our own homebuilding adventure that time will seem to go by faster if you focus more on the things you can control and not on things out of your control.

You can’t control things like supply chain delays.

Or rain and snow delays.

You can’t control when permits get issued and inspections get completed. So let your builder handle all of that!

It can be hard to wait when you’re so excited, but there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy the process of seeing your home come into existence.

One thing you can control is planning for how you’ll decorate once you move in! I passed the time by creating mood boards for each room in my new build house.

One of many mood boards I made when planning the design elements of our new construction home.

Not only was it fun, it was a good way to stay focused on the outcome and helped us get settled into our new home quicker after we moved in.

One of the funnest parts of the building process is getting to work with the builder directly to select any finishes and upgrades you may want.

Just be sure you’re investing wisely and choosing the best upgrades for a new build that are worth the money!

Expect to check in on the building process often

That is basically the entire homebuilding process summarized!

If your new construction home is being built near where you already live, you’ll probably get the urge to drive by and look at the progress everyday. I mean…we did! That’s part of enjoying the excitement of the build process.

If you’re going to check on the progress of your new build, you’ll probably notice that some weeks nothing seems to get done at all.

You’ll start to feel frustrated and wonder, “What the heck are they even doing?”

Then all of a sudden you’ll go check and half a dozen new things have been completed seemingly overnight!

Buyers’ inspection & final walkthrough

Just because you’re buying a new construction home doesn’t mean you won’t need to get your own independent inspection done.

Hire an inspector to carry out a detailed review of the finished house before your final walk-through. 

Finally, be prepared to do a thorough walk-through of the home before closing. This is your opportunity to identify any issues or defects and ensure that everything is up to your standards. 

Expect some things WILL need to be fixed with your new construction home

The ability to highlight issues and ensure everything looks good before moving in is one of the best reasons to buy a new construction home!

So take your time during the walk-through and don’t be afraid to ask questions or request repairs if necessary. 

You’ll go through and mark anything that needs to be fixed with blue tape or stickers. This could include anything from scuffed paint on the wall to a forgotten bathroom sconce and anything in-between.

Depending on how many things you spot, you could wait another week or two for the builder’s crews to finish requested repairs…but don’t let that deter you!

You’re paying for a beautiful new home, and that’s what you should receive at closing.

Around the time you’re doing your final walk-through, you’ll probably also be in the moving process.

This is a good time to ensure that you’ll have all of the new home essentials with you and ready for move-in day.

Buying a new construction home can be a rewarding experience, but it’s important to know what to expect during the new home construction process.

Be patient, stay excited, and don’t be afraid to ask questions throughout the process. With the right mindset, you’ll enjoy every part of this journey!