Should You Use a Realtor When Buying New Construction?

By Chip Hodgkins

The Hodgkins Homes Team specializes in Residential Real Estate Selling and Buying, mortgage, title, development, new construction and remodeling.

If you’ve been searching for a home in Central New York and can’t find what you’re looking for on the market right now, new construction is an option worth considering. But before you walk into a builder’s office, there’s one decision that will shape the entire experience: are you going to have your own Realtor, or are you going to let the builder guide you through the process alone?

You probably won’t out-negotiate a builder on your own. That’s not a knock on anyone’s ability. Builders do this every day. They know their contracts, they know their margins, and they know exactly where they can give and where they won’t.

A Realtor who’s skilled at dealing with new construction knows how to negotiate on your behalf, knows what to look for in the contract, and knows the pitfalls that trip up buyers who go in without representation. According to NAR, 88% of buyers used a real estate agent, and negotiation was one of the top reasons buyers valued their agent’s involvement.

Upgrades, finishes, and contract terms. How many recessed lights do you want in the house? What type of flooring? What countertops? How do you negotiate all of those little things into the contract? Builders want to do everything they can to help you choose them, and they’ll guide you through every option. But they’re guiding you for their benefit, not yours.

Having your own Realtor means someone is reviewing every upgrade, every line item, and every decision through the lens of what’s actually worth the money and what’s in your best interest.

A builder’s agent represents the builder. This is the part a lot of buyers don’t fully understand. The person sitting in the model home works for the builder. They’re helpful, they’re friendly, and they’ll walk you through everything, but their job is to sell you the builder’s product at the builder’s terms.

Your Realtor’s job is to make sure you’re protected, that the timeline works for you, and that you’re not overpaying for upgrades or missing things in the fine print.

If you’re considering new construction in Central New York and want someone in your corner who knows the process inside and out, reach out. We’d love to walk you through it. Call or text us at (315) 449-6697 or email us at Info@Hodgkinshomes.com. You can also visit www.HodgkinsHomes.com for more. We’re here to make sure the process works for you.