10 Things to Remember When Working With Buyers on a New Build in Colorado Springs

Builders in Colorado Springs work really well with Realtors but they have different rules and without a working knowledge of what to expect you could be left out in the cold by your Buyers and the builder.  

1. Build a relationship with your clients:  If you don't appear valuable enough to your clients then you can expect them to bootleg you to another Realtor or sales rep with a builder.  On the initial visit explain their options for home purchases and give a brief overview of each one.
2. Register your clients on your first visit: By being present and accounted for with your clients you are taking control of the situation and won't have to backtrack later. Give them extra business cards to carry in case they walk into a model without you and explain the procedure to them.
3. Get a copy of the price sheet for upgrades and options.  Find out what is considered a standard; it can change from builder to builder.  No two builders are alike.
4. Take your clients through some of the same models that are resales in the area.  Getting to see a home lived in is so much more telling than going through a model. 
5. Run a CMA on a similar resale model to give your clients an idea of resale value. If their intention is to sell in the next 3-5 years what can they expect.
6. Investigate taxes on area homes that have gone through assessment just as a bench mark for your clients.  Have your clients call the city planning board to see what future projects might affect their area. 
7. Go over the list of upgrades with your clients differentiating between the most expensive upgrades after the fact and ones that can be put on the back burner.  Some suggestions might be to consider adapting furnace and plumbing for future A/C, plumbing for future bath in unfinished basement, putting in sump pump hole even if sump pump purchased later, choosing an upgraded panel for hot tub or pre wiring for such, framing out those French doors, and most importantly those 9 foot ceilings in the basement.
8. Preview models discerning which ones would work for your buyers before showing day for them.  A little foot work on the front end saves time for buyers on the back end
9. Suggest to your clients to walk the neighborhood and interact with owners that have purchased within the last couple of years from builder.  What was the service like after closing?
10. Go over the contract with your buyers pointing out specific areas such as allowances for delays built into contract, incentives being tied to certain criteria, and specifics for return of earnest money.  Always suggest they get professional legal advice for interpreting that contract. 

Thanks to Jeremy Isaac for his input as a previous sales rep for local builder

For more information on builders in Colorado Springs contact Lorraine Sayer CDPE LHP