Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to build a custom home in the Wallingford area you’re ready for the next step. But you may ask yourself: “Do I need a real estate agent? Or can I just talk with a builder? Truth be told, it’s not always an “either/or” situation. Let’s look at what both of these professionals bring to the table.
How a Real Estate Agent Helps
They Can Help You Find a Reputable Builder
One of the keys to a successful home building experience is to select the right builder. It’s important to find a trustworthy builder with whom you’re comfortable. Because real estate agents tend to know a wide variety of builders, they can steer you away from builders with a less than sterling reputation. Plus, they can point you toward builders who specialize in exactly what you’re looking for.
An Agent Can Help You Filter Locations
If you aren’t completely familiar with the areas and neighborhoods, a real estate agent can help you sort through your options. Agents are generally familiar with various neighborhoods. They can help you evaluate which areas are most likely to fit your wants and needs.
They Can Help You Review Your Contract
You may have purchased a home before, but if you've never built a brand new home from the ground up, it's a different process. An agent can walk you through that process and point out important aspects may not have considered. Contract language can get a little dense and it's good to have someone on your side who is well-versed in the lingo.
They Can Help You Choose Upgrades (Wisely)
When you’re building a new home you’ll be faced with a lot of choices about upgrades and finishes. The good news is that you get to choose what you want. The bad news is that making those choices can feel a bit overwhelming. A builder will provide you with all kinds of options. An agent can help you make sense of your choices and help you figure out which ones make sense for you and which ones add cost without necessarily adding value.
Advantages of Working with a Builder
Take Advantage of Your Builder’s Experience
When you’re building a custom home you get to make choices that ensure your home fits your needs. That can include modifications to the floor plan. You can take advantage of your builder’s experience and expertise to find a solution that delivers what you want without blowing your budget out of the water.
A Lot Depends on Your Lot
You hear all the time about location being so important when building a new home. But location is about more than ease of access to work and schools. You aren’t just buying a house you’re also buying the lot it will sit on. Not all lots are created equal. A good builder knows how to ensure that your lot is suitable for building and won’t cost you extra because of extra preparation and grading.
Builders Pay Attention to the Boring Stuff
There is a lot more to building a home than the “glamorous” things such as fabulous floor plans, stunning cabinets, fancy fixtures, and fantastic flooring. Those are all great things that your builder can provide, but there are a lot of “boring” things that will have a huge impact on the comfort and convenience of your home. Plumbing, electrical work, HVAC systems, and insulation may not keep you up at night while your house is being built, but they can keep you up later if they’re not done properly. A good builder is just as committed to making sure those things are done properly as he is to building a great-looking kitchen or family room. Plus, your builder will ensure you have the proper permitting for everything that’s done in your future home.At the end of the day, both real estate agents and builders bring valuable knowledge, information, and expertise to the table. Often the ideal solution is the get the best of both worlds and find an agent and a builder who will work well together with you to help you create the home you really want.
