If you are considering buying new construction in St. Augustine or St. Johns County FL and want to know why you may want a realtor on your side, stay tuned because that’s what we are talking about today.
Hi everyone I’m Kim Devlin with RE/MAX Leading Edge in beautiful St. Augustine Florida.
When you search real estate in St. Johns County FL, you may notice in your search that there are many new community developments and spec builders in the area to choose from. Buying a “new construction” property can be a great choice: you will enjoy brand new appliances and systems, modern floor plans and contemporary interior design, and you might even get to customize your features and finishing touches. But not all that glitters is gold!
When you visit a new home community you will typically find a model home and the sales office for the builder and you may likely be sweet-talked into committing to a contract. And while a new home may appear to be a turn-key opportunity, there are several reasons why you should work with your own Real Estate agent to represent you as a buyer in this process. But very important if you are considering buying a new home in St. Augustine and want to have your own representation, do not go to a new community without your Realtor, if they are not present on the first day to register you then you may be forced to go it alone.
Here are 5 reason why you may want your own representation:
1) IT’S FREE: The Builders Agent represents the builder so their focus is not necessarily in your best interest but in selling their builders inventory. Having your own Realtor ensures you have someone looking out for your interests and guess what, it doesn’t cost you a thing so why not do it.
2) Negotiating Terms: Like purchasing a new model car direct from the dealership, there is opportunity to negotiate on the sales price and inclusions for a new construction home. The builder’s sales representative will, of course, be most interested in getting the most money from you with as few concessions from the builder as possible. An independent REALTOR can help you to understand the comparable local market and be sure that you are not overpaying for the construction value and location.
3) Finding The Right Lifestyle
- Any community you walk into will be presented as the best community by the builders agent but is it the best community for you? Most new construction communities are developed with a “village” centric plan. There are often common amenities such as clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, and playgrounds. While these features can be desirable, they may come at a cost and they may be located in areas that do not work for the lifestyle you are looking for, such as location to the beach, walking trails, or restaurants and live entertainment. Your REALTOR can help you weigh the pros and cons of each community and get you into the neighborhood that offers the right lifestyle for you and your family.
- Your REALTOR can also help you understand any HOA or “CDD” (Community Development District) fees, sometimes the fees are worth paying for and sometimes they are not if the amenities are not something you are keen to use. There are also pros/cons of living in a new community, for example, if it’s in the early stage of construction, you may need to live with the mess, noise and unfinished amenities for a while]. So timing you purchase and your move is something to consider.
4) Building a custom home instead
- If the new construction SPEC communities do not suit your needs for a dream home, you may decide to buy a lot and build. Your realtor will already know what your desires in a home and lifestyle are and can assist you in finding the perfect vacant lot so you can build your own dream home! A local REALTOR will also be familiar with the architects, construction companies, building codes, municipal resources, and environmental restrictions needed to “build from scratch”. Your REALTOR could help you organize all the moving parts for a custom home keeping this process as stress free as possible for you.
5) This one is important, COMMUNICATION
- Time and time again when I’ve worked with new construction buyers the builders agent you sign the contract with will eventually be transferred to a different community and you end up losing your point of contact with the builder. Keeping a transaction moving forward smoothly and efficiently is a Realtors job and communication is key in any transaction. Your Realtor will voice your concerns with the construction mgr, title company and lender and ensure they are on task. Without a Realtor on your side the process can become extremely frustrating. So once again since you are not having to pay a dime for the representation why not take advantage of it.
New construction is always a good option especially with the low inventory we are currently seeing, so I hope these tips were helpful and if so give it a thumbs up
If you’d like to learn more about new construction communities in the area, let me know and I’d be happy to assist so
Feel free to email me at [email protected] or call me at (904) 747-0183
If you are looking to buy a home from out of state Check out my next video low stress tips.
I really appreciate you tuning in and I will catch you on the next one.