Finding the right builder for your new construction home is a huge part of the puzzle. If you’ve just started your search you may be seeing many similar-looking houses, and you could be thinking they’re all alike, so what does it matter which one you choose—it matters a lot.
How you judge and choose a builder that best suits your needs can be broken down into three categories: location, style, and reputation. Today, we’ll discuss each of these to give you a better understanding of how they should play in your decision.
When doing your preliminary research online, consider:
Location
Location seems like an obvious consideration when deciding where to buy your new home. But it’s not quite as simple as you may think. For example, some builders only build in certain areas because of proximity and the type of home they’re constructing.
So, if you have found the exact style of home you want and a certain builder is not building that style in the most ideal location for you, you may have to compromise a bit on location to get the prefect house for your family.
A great example of this comes when deciding on the size of home required to meet your family’s needs. If you decide the best fit for your family is a large, traditional, single-family home by CarrHomes, you won’t be able to live in Arlington, because CarrHomes isn’t currently building in that county. They are, however, offering three beautiful communities in Fairfax which is just a little farther down the road.
Style
We’ve discussed style before, but it’s an important aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked. And if you and your spouse are purchasing a home, style is an even bigger consideration. Couples often have vastly different opinions on what they want their home to look like. In your research, you’ll find different builders have particular styles they specialize in. Van Metre leans toward the modern townhome market—clean, meticulous lines and beautiful floorplans.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more traditional or craftsman-style single-family dwelling near great schools and other family-friendly amenities, Brookfield Residential has a wide selection of homes and neighborhoods to choose from.
Reputation
This portion should be a given, but you would be surprised how many people overlook the reputation of the builder they’re about to be working with. A good place to start is Google—look up the builder’s name to see if any ratings come up. Keep in mind, you can’t always trust reviews (good or bad), especially if only one has been submitted.
The next step is to use social media to find out if anyone you know has used this builder. Ask them for honest feedback—this is a big decision!
Lastly, ask the builder or sales associate for a list of references. They should have these and will be happy to share them with you if they are a reputable company. Picking the right builder is much more important than you may think. Not all builders are as upstanding as they appear to be. Do your research and be sure to ask around before you get in too deep. There are many great builders out there, and we know you’ll find the perfect one to build your new home
