Building a Home in West MI

We are on your side when it comes to building a home in West Michigan!

First off, Congrats! Building a new home is such a fun process (if done right) where your dream home will come to life. A common misconception is that Realtors and builders are competing for your business. However, the best Realtors and builders create a strong relationship with your best interest in mind. By working together as a team, this process will be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences you will ever have.

Here are 5 reasons why it’s important to have a Realtor on your side when building a new home and a few things to know before you begin the building process.

Why choose The Local Element to help you with the home-building process?

The Legal Stuff

As your agent, we will be looking out for YOUR best interest. The builders’ standard contract will include a vast majority of the clauses that are worded to the builder’s benefit…not necessarily yours!

Help Finding the Right Builder

We will help you find the builder that fits the style, design, and aesthetic you have been dreaming of.

Someone on Your Side

We will be on your side through it all. It’s our mission to make it as simple as possible on your end.

Financing options

Don’t let the expense of building a home keep you from this option. We have some amazing lenders we would be happy to connect you with.

No extra realtor fees

Let’s not forget ’the feeling’ of building your own home. You get to start fresh and feel like everything in the home has your stamp on it. We want you to enjoy the process. Keep scrolling to learn more!

3 Things to Know Before You Build

Buying new doesn’t necessarily mean you are going through the process of building:

A lot of builders have standard blueprints that they build, so their process of building could begin before you even engage them.

The process of going through months of decision making can overwhelm buyers. A post-construction purchase could be a great option if that’s you.

With a post-construction home the builders already acquired the lot, built the home, and you will purchase it near the end of the build cycle and take possession relatively quickly after. This gives you all the benefits of new construction without the wait and uncertainty of what the final product will look like.

Pre-construction homes are the other way around. You know it’s going to be a much longer timeline because you are much more involved with customizing the design, choosing the lot, and finishes. This is a great option for someone who isn’t in a rush to move and is looking for a tailored housing solution for their household.

Examples:

If you want an east/west facing house to watch the sunrise and set with your book on screened-in porches overlooking rolling hills, you are going to be a pre-construction candidate. (side note, this is me. This is exactly what I want)
If you want a house where no one has ever used your bathroom and you can move right in, I’d highly suggest a post-construction purchase (side note, this is my husband and everything he wants)

Model Homes aren’t usually the standard home:

When a prospective buyer walks through a model home, it’s really used as an interactive showroom for the builder to show what’s possible.

The quartz countertops, hardwoods throughout, and finished basements are typically upgrades that are negotiated through the process and not what’s already included. If you like a feature in the model home, definitely ask if that is included with the build or an upgrade.

What’s also really cool is that a lot of the builders have a designer on staff to help you through the process of choosing your finishes. For many buyers, this is where the home starts to take shape beyond the cement, and 2x4s and vision start to come together! (it’s one of my favorite parts of the process).

Builders are exempt from seller disclosures, but you should still do an inspection:

According to the Michigan Seller Disclosure Act 92 of 1993, builders are exempt from providing seller disclosures to the new buyer which is why it’s a great idea to have an independent third -party inspector walk through the home, explain the systems and point out any unseen areas that need to be addressed before closing.

This is in no way suggesting that a builder is trying to hide something. There are just a lot of moving parts and contractors on site and doing a complete inspection is a great investment.

Like most lists, there are way more than 3 things to know and again our agents would love to walk you through this journey and introduce you to a local builder that can meet your wish list!