New Construction
New Construction in Central Florida
Thinking about building new? Katrina can represent you while you explore new-construction options throughout her service area, so you have someone reviewing the details on your side from the first model home visit onward.
Building vs. Buying Resale
New construction works differently
A brand-new home has real appeal: nothing to renovate, modern layouts, and the chance to pick finishes that are actually yours. But the process looks very little like buying an existing home, and the timeline is longer. Knowing what's coming makes the whole thing far less stressful.
Katrina helps buyers navigate new construction across Central Florida — reviewing the paperwork, tracking the schedule, and asking the questions that are easy to miss when you're standing in a model home.
01
A different process
Instead of negotiating with a seller over a finished house, you're signing a builder's contract for a home that may not exist yet. Those contracts are written by the builder, run long, and cover things a resale contract never touches — deposits, change orders, delays and what happens if plans shift.
02
Timelines move
Build schedules are estimates, and weather, permitting and material availability all affect them. Plan your lease end or the sale of your current home with flexibility built in, and ask how the builder communicates schedule changes before you commit.
03
Choosing a lot
Two identical floor plans can live completely differently depending on the lot. Consider orientation and afternoon sun, what backs up to the property, drainage, how close you are to the entrance or the amenity area, and what's planned for the vacant land nearby.
04
Finishes and upgrades
Model homes are usually shown with upgrades, so the base home can look different from what sold you on it. Get clear on what's standard versus an add-on, understand how upgrades affect your total cost and your loan, and know the deadline after which changes aren't possible.
05
Walkthroughs and inspections
New doesn't automatically mean flawless. You can still hire your own independent inspector, often at more than one stage of the build. At the pre-closing walkthrough, document every item carefully and get the list of fixes in writing before you sign.
06
After you close
Ask how the builder's warranty works, what it covers and for how long, and how you submit items once you've moved in. Also understand how the community is governed and what ongoing costs come with it so your monthly budget is realistic.
Before You Visit a Model Home
Bring your own representation
The friendly person at the sales office works for the builder. They're there to represent the builder's interests, not yours, and that's exactly what they should be doing. Having your own agent means someone is reading the contract on your behalf and telling you what it actually says.
One important detail: most builders ask that your agent accompany you on your very first visit and register with them at that time. If you tour alone first, you may lose the ability to have representation on that community. So make the call before you go, not after.
- Have Katrina register with you on your first visit to any community.
- Read the builder contract fully before putting down a deposit.
- Ask what is standard, what is an upgrade, and what each one costs.
- Confirm what happens to your deposit if the build is delayed.
- Compare the builder's financing option against an outside lender.
- Hire your own inspector — you are allowed to.
Considering a new build?
Reach out before your first model home visit so you have representation from the start. Katrina is happy to answer questions either way.