New Home Construction - Going it Alone. New Home Buyer Myths That Will Cost You.

New Home Construction - Going it Alone. New Home Buyer Myths That Will Cost You.

New Home Construction - Going it Alone. New Home Buyer Myths That Will Cost You.

The Realtors of the Sarasota Suncoast Team in Lakewood Ranch, FL are part of a boom in new home construction. Along with that they are also seeing buyers making mistakes that are costing them more money than they are saving.

There are many of us savvy shoppers that do our homework online, do some preview shopping and go it alone to get the best deal as quickly as we can. Unfortunately for us independent types, home buying isn’t one of those items that should be done entirely alone…it’s a team event. Even the most experienced real estate agent knows it’s a good idea to get some feedback and fresh perspective from a fellow agent when buying a home for themselves. Here are 5 common buyer myths and comments that our team has heard over the years from buyers shopping for new homes in Lakewood Ranch, FL.

Buyer Myth:  If I don’t bring my agent to buy a home from a new home builder, the builder will pass the savings on to me.

Truth:  Builders don’t pass commission savings on to buyers. They actually prefer to pay buyer’s agents a commission to support the industry and to entice agents to bring more customers to them.

 As a buyer, you are more likely to save more money or get more value for your money when you are represented by an agent or Realtor. New home builders charge buyers the same price for a home regardless of whether they are represented by an agent or not. However, buyers with an agent are likely to get more features, benefits and upgrades than they would on their own!

As well, builders see an un-represented or “unsecured” buyer as a single home sale. Where as a buyer’s agent might represent multiple home sales to the builder. Builders treat buyer’s agents and their clients with a great deal of care and attention because of the relationship.  

Buyer Myth: New home builders don’t want to deal with a buyer’s agent. It just makes things more complicated.

Truth: Builders really appreciate buyer’s agents. Builders know that a secured buyer is better educated and more likely to be prepared to make a purchase than those without representation. Buyer’s agents enhance the ease of the purchase process by handling various aspects of the transaction. They explain and shepherd the buyer through the process whenever they have questions or are not familiar with what’s going on with the purchase.

Buyer Myth:  I already went to a builder without my agent. It’s too late to bring my agent in now.

Truth: You may have walked in and signed up without your agent, but by telling the builder later (before the transaction has closed) that you are working with an agent, most builders will likely welcome your agent into the transaction and compensate them. If you are working with a builder that does not want to accept your agent or pay their commission, it might be a sign that they are an unscrupulous builder and are not going to be very honorable with you at some point down the road.

Also, buyer’s agents only get paid and “bring home the bacon” to their families if their buyer buys a home. Agents spend countless hours working behind the scenes, preparing many details and doing research for their buyers to help them buy a home. A buyer that abandons their agent in order to save a small commission is not dealing fairly. Even if a buyer stumbles upon a home community on their own, the honorable thing to do is to at least try to get the builder to accept their agent in the transaction or pay the agent a fee for their time.

Buyer Myth: As a buyer, I don’t want to deal with a buyer’s agent. They don’t care about me. They are only going to take me to one or two builders and then try to rush me into something I don’t want. They just want to get their money and run.

Truth: An experienced agent takes into account their client’s wants and needs and are trained to help their buyers get the most home they can afford. Because the experienced agent has helped dozens of buyers, they can see the clear path that will lead to a successful match. In fact if you have a great agent, they won’t show you all the new home builders on the market, because they are taking you to the type of home that most closely matches the style you said you wanted to have.

Buyer Myth: My agent just wants to spend time in their office. They ask a lot of pointless questions and slow down the process. All I want to do is buy a new home. I already know what I want and they are wasting time.

Truth: Spending an hour or more in an agent’s office talking and filling out a few forms saves everyone from spending days of pointless driving around in the car. A seasoned agent knows their market and they know the new home builder’s products. They may know of a home builder that you haven’t learned of yet. They use the honest answers their clients give to go directly to the builders that sound like a good fit. If a buyer’s agent suggests you meet in their office first before shopping for homes, it’s a safe bet they are going to save you time and money.

Want to Buy a New Construction Home from a New Home Builder in Sarasota, Bradenton or Venice? We Can Help! 

If you’d like the guidance of a Realtor when you purchase a home from a new home builder in Lakewood Ranch or anywhere in Sarasota, Bradenton or Venice Florida, contact John and Anja Buetergerds of the Sarasota Suncoast Team at Keller Williams Realty at 941-894-4063 or visit our website at www.SarasotaSuncoastHomes.com