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Is It Smarter To Have A Realtor When Buying New Construction Homes?

Posted By: Sarah Schwartz

Are you thinking about building a new construction home but not sure if you should bring a realtor with you?

Well, stay tuned! I'm going to tell you why you absolutely need a realtor on your side. Hi, I'm Sarah Schwartz, a local realtor in Northeast Florida and I'm going to tell you why it is so important to bring a realtor with you the very first time you walk into a new construction appointment.

You might think that you're going to save money if you don't bring a realtor with you but most people don't know this, it's actually illegal for a builder to change the price or to give you an incentive for not bringing a realtor with you. So there's really no reason not to! There was once a time that you could go into the office and hand the site agent your realtor's business card, that doesn't always work anymore. If your realtor isn't with you during that first appointment, they probably won't let them work with you so they won't be able to help you at all during the process. When you buy new construction, the builder is considered the seller and the site agent is the builder's agent. I know that when you go in for that first appointment and you see the site agent, you're thinking "Oh, this is amazing, they're here to help me!". Well that's kind of true but not entirely. They're there to represent the builder and they look out for the best interest of the builder. This is why you want to bring a realtor, because you need someone on your side throughout the whole process. I'll be there, I promise.

Believe it or not, some site agents love it when you bring a realtor with you. Having a realtor represent you and work with the site agent is going to make the whole process so much smoother and easier for everyone. Your agent wants to make sure that your investment is protected and that you're getting what you're paying for. 

When you work with a real estate agent they should have knowledge of the local builders and everything that they have to offer. They should also know about their reputation, you know, do they meet their deadlines? What's their quality like? An agent should know this through their previous transactions with the builder and also through their colleagues and word of mouth from other homeowners in the neighborhood. Your realtor will help you with asking questions you might not necessarily think of. Like the model home you're walking in, how much does this actually cost? What's standard? What are upgrades? Did you know that a lot of the time garage door openers aren't standard and in Florida, gutters don't always come with the house either?

Kind of crazy with all the rain that we have. A builder usually has a preferred lender but that lender isn't always going to get you the best deal. Your real estate agent is going to help make sure that you're getting the best mortgage for your situation, whether it's with the builder's lender or not. I've worked with many builders that have incentives for people and it doesn't always benefit them. Sometimes the interest rate is higher, sometimes there's additional fees so it's best to just put everything side by side and weigh your options. Your agent is there to help take the stress away and guide you in the right direction. An agent should be by your side the whole entire process, from signing paperwork at the beginning to going to the walkthroughs with you to make sure that every little thing is pointed out and fixed before moving on to the next step and making sure that everything is finalized and in writing before you sign. Also, we're there to make sure that all of your questions are answered, whether it's about the new construction process, the neighborhood or the city as a whole.

All in all, bringing an agent with you makes sense and it makes the process so much easier for you and it doesn't cost you anything! If you're thinking about building, I'd love to help and I'm standing by for your call. Speaking of the city as a whole, if you're thinking about moving to Jacksonville, make sure you check out my videos, The Five Things They Don't Tell You About Living In Jacksonville and The Five Things I Love About Living In Jacksonville. 

That's all for this week! Have a great day!