New home communities are more popular than ever! With good reason – new home builders are using popular, open floor-plans, including appliances, sod, and blinds, and helping make it easier than ever to get into a new home with little or no money. New home transactions typically seem a lot easier, as well. If a buyer chose to, they could get through a new home transaction without contacting anyone except the on-site sales agent! However, this would open you up to HUGE losses. Take these simple steps to protect your self in a new home transaction, and to ensure that yours is a success.

1. Use a Realtor Who Has New Home Sales Experience
   
   Many people think that they can save money by not using, or don’t need the services of a Realtor when buying a new construction home. This couldn’t be further from the truth! New homebuilders typically try to monopolize a transaction – they only give you their attractive incentive packages if you agree, in writing, to use their lender, their title company, and sometimes even their insurance company! A Realtor will walk you through the transaction and will make sure that you’re protected every step of the way. If you’ve agreed to use the builder’s lender, your Realtor will make sure that you get a fair interest rate & fair closing costs. Your Realtor will know what the industry standards are, and will make sure that the builder doesn’t try and stretch beyond these. And best of all, a Realtor with a lot of new home transactions under their belt will have established relationships with your homebuilder. Because of this, the homebuilder will be on their “best behavior.” The homebuilder doesn’t want to run the risk of getting a bad reputation in the Realtor community, who can potentially bring the builder lots of homebuyers in the future.

Builder Customer Satisfaction Ratings in DFW Provided by J.D. Power
Portrait Homes
First Texas
History Maker
KB Home
D.R. Horton
Wall Homes (Newmark)
Plantation (MHI)
K. Hovnanian
Choice Homes
Ashton Woods
Meritage Homes
Paul Taylor
Beazer
Landstar Homes
Mercedes Homes
Ryland Homes
Standard Pacific Homes
Drees Custom
Kimball Hill Homes
Lennar Homes
Horizon Homes
David Weekley Homes
Sotherby Homes
Highland Homes
Darling
Pulte Homes
Centex Homes
Fox & Jacobs
Huntington Award Recipient
Goff
Grand Homes
Gehan Homes
Del Webb
Morrison Homes

Scoring Legend

 Among the best        Better than most        About average        The rest

Please note that J.D. Power Consumer Center Ratings may not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards.

Builder Overall Design Ratings
Provided by J.D. Power

Portrait Homes
Gehan Homes
Del Webb
History Maker
Choice Homes
Grand Homes
D.R. Horton
Morrison Homes
KB Home
Plantation (MHI)
K. Hovnanian
First Texas
Beazer
Wall Homes (Newmark)
Horizon Homes
Ryland Homes
Lennar Homes
Ashton Woods
Mercedes Homes
Standard Pacific Homes
Drees Custom
Kimball Hill Homes
Paul Taylor
Meritage Homes
David Weekley Homes
Fox & Jacobs
Centex Homes
Pulte Homes
Highland Homes
Sotherby Homes
Darling
Huntington Award Recipient

Scoring Legend

 Among the best        Better than most        About average        The rest

Please note that J.D. Power Consumer Center Ratings may not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards.

Builder Overall Quality Ratings
Provided by J.D. Power

Goff
Del Webb
D.R. Horton
Morrison Homes
Portrait Homes
Choice Homes
K. Hovnanian
Beazer
KB Home
Paul Taylor
Pulte Homes
Plantation (MHI)
Ashton Woods
Standard Pacific Homes
Gehan Homes
Kimball Hill Homes
First Texas
Grand Homes
Wall Homes (Newmark)
David Weekley Homes
Landstar Homes
Lennar Homes
History Maker
Horizon Homes
Meritage Homes
Ryland Homes
Mercedes Homes
Darling
Drees Custom
Highland Homes
Centex Homes
Fox & Jacobs
Sotherby Homes
Huntington Award Recipient

Scoring Legend

 Among the best        Better than most        About average        The rest

Please note that J.D. Power Consumer Center Ratings may not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards.