Ways to live
Start with something new.
What this actually means
New construction covers a wide range: a home already finished and standing, one part-way through construction, or one that exists as a plan on a lot. Each stage offers a different amount of choice and a different amount of certainty.
Much of what people expect from new construction — choosing finishes, selecting a lot, adding features — depends entirely on the builder, the community and how far along the home is. Some of it may be available; some may not.
What to think about
The things worth checking
- Who represents whom
- The sales representative in a builder's model home works for the builder. If you want someone representing your interests in the transaction, that is a separate arrangement, and builders generally ask that your agent accompany you on the first visit.
- Construction stage
- Move-in ready, under construction, or to be built — each changes what you can choose, when you would move, and how much is known about the finished home.
- Selections and upgrades
- What is included in the base price versus what costs extra varies by builder. Upgrade pricing, deadlines for decisions and what is financeable are worth understanding before you commit.
- Community fees
- Newer communities may carry HOA dues and, in some cases, additional special assessments or district taxes. Ask what applies to the specific lot.
- Timelines
- Completion dates move. Understanding what the contract says about delays, and how that interacts with a lease or the sale of a current home, matters more here than in resale.
- Inspections
- A new home can still be independently inspected, and many buyers do so before closing and again before any warranty period ends.
- Warranties
- Builder warranties differ in what they cover and for how long, and are separate from manufacturer warranties on appliances and systems. Read what is actually offered.
- Incentives
- Builders sometimes offer incentives, and sometimes do not. Any that exist are specific to a builder, community and moment, and are worth confirming in writing rather than assuming.
Tradeoffs
What you give up for what.
Every way of living asks for something in return. Knowing which trade you are making is more useful than pretending there isn't one.
- More choice over finishes generally means a longer wait and a less certain move date.
- A finished home offers certainty but usually less say over how it was specified.
- Newer communities may still be building around you after you move in.
- Landscaping, window coverings and fencing are often not included, and can be a real early cost.
What to talk through with Ardra
Worth a conversation.
- Whether a finished home or a build fits your timing
- What representation you want when visiting builder communities
- Which upgrades tend to matter and which are easier to do later
- How a build timeline fits with a lease or a home you need to sell
Ardra provides real-estate guidance. Contract terms, warranty coverage and construction questions may also call for a qualified attorney, inspector or other professional.
Where to explore next
- Coastal LivingLife closer to the coast.
- Single-Family HomesMore space to make your own.
- Condos & TownhomesA different approach to homeownership.
- Distinctive HomesHomes with something exceptional about them.
- Investment OpportunitiesLook at the property — and the numbers.
Still deciding on an area? San Diego Fit works through it question by question.