Buying a new construction home? Use an inspection to build your punch list before the final walkthrough.

Buying a new home can be a real rush, much like the one you get from buying a new car.  There's the smell of fresh carpet, paint, grout and concrete, the unscuffed trim work, and the clean, clean, clean appliances and cabinetry. There's something very satisfying in knowing that the home you are buying has never been lived in and is yours for the customizing. It's intoxicating to be sure.

However, just because the home is brand new is by no means a guarantee that the home will be free of defects. A buyer of a new construction home needs to be sure to write a home inspection into the agreement and make sure they perform it just as if they were buying a resale home.

Builders try to lure purchasers into a false sense of security by giving warranties and assurances that "no home is perfect" or "we'll take care of anything you find wrong after the close." A new construction buyer has to realize this universal fact: you will never have more power over the builder than that you possess before the closing, which is the power to walk away from the deal. Once the closing has occurred, the owner's power is significantly less than prior to the close and consists of the power to litigate, the power to defame and the power to annoy, powers that are far weaker than the power of withholding funds from the close.

Books could be written about all the things that could be wrong with your brand new home, so a good inspector that regularly inspects new homes is a must. What you need to do with the inspector is to build the biggest list of items you can and get the builder to address prior to close. The absolutely last thing you want to do as a new home buyer is to build a punch list at the final walk through, a practice encouraged by builders and their agents. Common occurances, to name a few, are paint-drywall issues, cabinet hardware-adjustment problems, siding anomalies, trim scratches, missing window screens, broken appliances, flooring problems, damaged fixtures and landscaping concerns.

Next, you need to write up an inspection addendum and present it to the builder. Make sure to get it signed and get a copy for your records. The builder may not agree to all items but you should try to get everything fixed you find deficient prior to close. A good idea is to stipulate the the items need to be completed at a date in advance of the closing, say a week or ideally two weeks before, that way if something is not completed to your satisfaction then you can have it remedied and reinspect.

If you feel the inspection items have not been completed to your satisfaction or you discover other defects you want remedied prior to your closing, you should dig in your heels and insist they be fixed or completed. You may decide however that the items in question are minor and that it would be a larger inconvenience to you to delay your closing and move than to move in and take the risk. In fact most builders will honorably complete items after the close as they have promised, or they or their warranty partners will indeed perform as pledged. Keep in mind though that you are taking a risk in doing this and that you may be inconvenienced further by having to vacate the house, move furnishings, etc for additional work to be performed. You may find your enjoyment of your new home is greatly enhanced by handling any conflicts over the condition of the property prior to the close.

   

Contact Matt Grohe Realtor® RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts - 3125 Douglas Ave #205 Douglas Ave. Des Moines, IA , or call 515-988-3726 to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, Clive, Johnston, Urbandale, Ankeny, Waukee, Norwalk, Carlisle or surrounding areas.

Online at: http://www.MyIowaHome.com