Last year a couple from California contacted me about help buying a new build in Palmetto or Parrish. We talked by phone several times – talking about areas, specific builders, prices, the house buying process in FL and what to watch for when buying a new build. A week later I got a text from them saying they arrived in FL the day before and had signed up to purchase a house directly from a builder, the builder told them they didn’t need an agent.
Two weeks later I got a call from them – they were being asked to make a second substantial deposit on their new home and also no one seemed to know about the upgraded appliances and countertops they thought they were getting…what can we do?
They could have avoided the issues and minimized risk of a whole host of other pitfalls if they’d engaged a good Realtor before approaching the builder.
Why do you need a realtor for a new construction home? Here are 7 ways I add value when we walk onto a new construction site together:
Representation
Newbuilds can feel like the easiest way to buy real estate. The showrooms are shiny and stylish, the show homes have that “new house” smell with a hint of citrus air freshener, everything is impossibly clean, the floors and countertops are perfect, and the on site sales agent is super welcoming. But don’t overlook this critical detail – the friendly person behind the desk works for the builder, not for you. Their job is to extract the highest price and best terms for the corporation building the home, you are just a conduit between them and your bank account. Your Realtor works only in your interest and is your expert advocate to help you get the best deal on the home you want with the least amount of stress.
Agent Fees
Builders always budget for buyer agent fees, it’s a cost of doing business. Without buyer agents promoting new builds and helping their clients with purchases they would lose a sizeable piece of business. If a buyer purchases without an agent, the builder does not credit the budgeted cost of an agent – they’ll dangle the same “concessions” they give to anyone to incentivize buyers and hold onto the buyer agent fee
Navigate the Bait and Switch
Many showhouses are completed with premium finishes such as a high end appliance package, crown molding and nicer counter tops so you could be talking about a $350,000 model but looking at a $400,000 one. Your Realtor will help you dig into what’s premium, what’s standard and exactly what are you getting for the price.
Negotiations
Builders typically won’t negotiate on price, they are quite rightly protecting the appraised value of the community and the value of past sales as well as future ones. There are a lot of other things they will negotiate on and this will vary from builder to builder. A Realtor knows how to negotiate upgrades, maybe a fence, or an extended warranty, or maybe an interest rate buydown or ‘flex cash’ to offset other closing costs. They can also help with identifying which ones of these are most significant in terms of value to the buyer. For example, an interest rate buydown could result in thousands of dollars over time, whereas upgraded appliances could just be a few hundred.
Contracts
A good Realtor knows their way around a real estate contract and how dates, deliverables and dollars are agreed to in that contract. Every builder’s contract is slightly different and a Realtor can help make sure that what you think you are buying, the price, key dates and the steps to get to ownership are all spelled out in the contract. Once that contract is signed a Realtor can help with keeping all parties on track with the key dates and actions spelled out in the contract.
Lenders
A lot of builders work with lenders directly and will help buyers get loans, in some cases offering juicy sounding incentives for using their lender. A good Realtor can help assess a loan package from a builder vs another source, considering not just the interest rate but also the type of loan, points and the myriad of fees lenders charge for originating a loan.
Cost and Value Clarity
Your Realtor knows typical buyer closing costs for purchasing a home and can get specific on costs associated with buying your newbuild – title fees, association fees, additional builder fees, surveys costs, etc.
In addition a Realtor can help get clarity on the true cost of ownership after close. Is there an HOA or master association, what about costs, caps on cost increases, rules and regulations. Are you in a CDD, how much is it and what do you get for the fees? What about taxes, insurance and flood zones? More and more of our roads are becoming toll roads, will you need to pay tolls to drive to the office?
Was the premium you paid for the lakefront lot worth it? Are homes on the entry road to the community holding value as well those on a cul-de-sac, or those at the back of the community 10 minutes drive from the main road? Can you get a house with the same features in a nearby community, but it costs less because the builder is closing out? Are there any resales, maybe a year old that are coming onto the market?
If you are buying infill in a city such as St Petersburg, what is the value of the newbuild in relation to the surrounding homes? How long will it take the neighborhood to catch up to your newbuild?
There are lots of questions your Realtor can answer regarding the value of what you are purchasing and really help you validate your decision to buy new in that location.
Engage a Realtor before you start talking to builders. When you first step into that showroom they ask you to register interest and you must have your Realtor physically present at time of registration. If you don’t, you won’t be able to have representation and you will lose a valuable resource to assist with the purchase of your new home.
There are lots of beautiful and great value homes being built in our area, level the playing field and make the purchase transparent and stress free.
Get your free 2026 Tampa Bay New Construction Smart Buyers Guide
If you are considering a newbuild anywhere in Tampa Bay, from Palmetto and Parrish to Odessa, Wesley Chapel and Land O Lakes call me for an initial chat on (727)401-5997, contact me online here or set up an appointment here Book an Appointment