Buying A New Home in Montgomery County? Need an agent?

New home builders have slowed down substantially over the last few years following the housing bubble. Still, new home sales have been on the rise as of late and there will always be a market for new homes. Modern amenities, sparkling counter tops, and shiny hardwoods continue to draw buyers into their sales office. However, is it best to stroll into a new home sales office without a Realtor to assist you in your process?

Many buyers feel they can get a better deal without a buyers agent. This idea is similar to buyers attempt to avoid an agent altogether on re-sales, but is much more prevalent because it appears to be more "cut and dry" when buying a new home. True, they have a friendly and knowledgeable sales agent there to walk the buyer through every step, but you should never forget who they represent and what their motives are. To sell you the home at the highest price possible! Buyers may feel that there is no haggling and that everything they choose during the upgrade process is a flat rate, but that is often times untrue. New builders can negotiate and without your own representation they will feel less inclined and try to to the job given to them. Again, to sell the home at the highest price.

Adversely, when you use a buyers agent, you have someone reviewing all the recent accessible sales, talking to other builders, having a background of other new homes, and they may have previously worked with the particular builder. Most importantly, professionally negotiating the purchase. I suppose the argument made is that the builder saves money because they do not have to pay a buyers agent commission. Valid point, but it will surely offset in other areas where your agent would have benefited you. Not to mention all the work that is needed to be done. If your buying pre-construction than you have to pick everything out and all the terms are changing as you go. This can be very time consuming and stressful when you are already trying to juggle your everyday life.

New home builders will also try to entice you to work with their financing company in order to obtain the loan. They will offer incentives and closing cost help, but this is completely attainable without using their affiliated business relationship with a certain bank. You should always shop your rates with multiple loan officers and should always have a buyers agent to represent you when buying a new home. In the end, you will save more money and have someone who actually has YOUR BEST INTEREST in mind rather than theirs.


Ben White -- Montgomery County Realtor® -- 240-848-3322