Do I have to use the builder's lender?

Usually not, but the incentive is often tied to it — that's the real question. Builder incentives are frequently structured as closing-cost credits contingent on using the in-house lender, and the loan behind them may or may not be priced competitively. Run it both ways before deciding. I'm not a lender, so compare the builder's offer against one of my lender partners and let the actual numbers settle it.

Do I still need an inspection on a brand-new house?

Yes, and you want two. New does not mean flawless — it means never lived in. A pre-drywall inspection catches framing, plumbing, and electrical issues while they're still visible and cheap; a final inspection catches the punch-list items before your leverage disappears at closing. Builders' own quality-control passes are not the same as an inspector working for you.

Is the builder's warranty enough protection?

It's real coverage and worth having, but read what it actually covers and for how long — coverage typically steps down over time, with the longest terms limited to major structural components. Know the claim process before you need it, and keep your inspection reports.

Way to Buy

Buying New Construction — With Someone on Your Side

The agent in the model home is friendly, knowledgeable, and paid by the builder. Bringing your own representation costs you nothing, because the builder has already budgeted for it — but it has to happen before you sign a visitor card on your own. Most builder policies treat that signature as registering you unrepresented, and in a lot of communities it can't be undone afterward. Everything after that is the ordinary work: comparing base price against what the model actually contains, reading a contract written on the builder's paper rather than the standard TREC form, and inspecting twice — once before drywall closes the walls, once before you close.

Browse homes for sale

Is this right for you?

The honest fit

Best for

You want a home nobody has lived in, with a warranty and current code
You're shopping the fast-growing Cypress, Katy, Tomball, Magnolia, and Montgomery areas where most new inventory is
You'd rather choose finishes than inherit somebody else's

Maybe not if…

You need to be in a home in the next 60 days — build timelines rarely cooperate
You want mature trees, established schools by reputation, and a proven resale history
Your budget only works with negotiating room on base price, which builders protect hard

The process

How it works

01
Register me with the builder ON YOUR FIRST VISIT — this is the whole ballgame, and it's explained below.
02
We compare builders honestly: base price versus what the model actually contains, lot premiums, and what the incentives really cost you.
03
I read the builder's contract with you — it is their paper, not the standard TREC form, and it is written for them.
04
We inspect. Twice: before drywall closes the walls, and again before you close.

The trade

What you get — and what to weigh

What you get

Somebody reading a one-sided contract who isn't paid by the builder
Independent inspections at the two points where problems are still cheap to fix
An honest read on incentives — most are financing credits, not price cuts, and they aren't equal
Comparison across builders instead of falling in love inside one model home

The trade-offs (straight talk)

Base price is close to non-negotiable; the real negotiation is incentives, upgrades, and lot premiums
Timelines slip — plan your lease or your sale with slack in it
Design-center upgrades carry enormous margin and rarely return their cost at resale
You are buying into an unfinished neighborhood; the streets around you will be a job site for a while

Typically qualifies

• Nothing special — but you must bring representation before you register on your own
• Financing lined up, though you are rarely required to use the builder's lender
• Patience with a timeline that will move at least once

“The single most expensive mistake in new construction is walking into a model home alone on a Saturday and signing the visitor card. In most builder policies that registers you as unrepresented, and it can permanently disqualify you from bringing an agent to that community. It costs you nothing to bring me — the builder has already budgeted for it — and it costs you everything to forget.”

Homes sold: 175+Homes sold
In closed sales: $54M+In closed sales
Texas markets served: 2Texas markets served
Counties served today: 6Counties served today

Career totals across two Texas markets — DFW, then Greater Houston.

Questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

In the standard arrangement, no — builders budget for buyer representation and pay it out of the transaction, exactly as a resale seller does. What it costs you is remembering to do it first. Register me on your first visit, before you sign a visitor card on your own.

Shopping new construction?

Tell me which communities you're looking atbefore you visit.Getting represented takes one message and it has to happen first.

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Call (832) 709-2540

Not sure this is the right path? Let's figure it out together.

A quick, no-pressure conversation is all it takes.