Jacksonville, Florida New Construction Home Sales
The northeast coast of Florida is growing like crazy, and its no secret why!
The greater Jacksonville area offers a milder climate than south Florida, gorgeous beaches and waterways, great schools, loads of amenities, a young, vibrant population and some of the most affordable homes in the state. The area also offers plenty of undeveloped land - a rare find in coastal Florida!
Existing local housing in great demand, but you’ll still have a large selection of new construction homes as there are many new communities being developed in the area.
How to buy new construction in Jacksonville Florida:
1.
Find a local buyers agent familiar with the new construction process. While every builder has a sales agent on site, the builders agent represents the builder! The on site agents job is to get the best price and conditions for the builder – not you. You should always have your own representation for a new home purchase.
2.
Arrange financing. Unless you’re paying cash, you will want to arrange for your mortgage in advance. New construction financing is a little different from traditional loans, so you will want to be talking to a lender that does many of these. Ask your real estate agent for a reference. Many larger builders will also offer financing by a preferred in house lender. These loans may come with incentives. Weigh all your options!
3.
Research developments and builders. Once you’ve identified the general region you would like to live in, it’s time to look at the new construction projects. The greater Jacksonville region is humongous and incredibly diverse. If you are relocating from out of state without first hand knowledge of the area, a local experienced realtor can help you identify the area that meets your needs. From there you can identify specific communities under construction and research the builders current and past projects.
4.
Pick a home design. Building a new home can take six months or more currently. The builder will offer several home style options, and custom options. If you are building from scratch you can make changes the the floor plan and pick all your finishes. Often, builders will also have homes that are quick to move into as they are already built, or perhaps partially built. You won’t be able to make as many design decisions, but if you are looking to move sooner than later, a partially built home may be ideal.
5.
Construction. After the design appointment (if you are starting from scratch and have a design appointment) construction will begin/continue. You will generally have a few chances for a walk through/inspection. You will have the opportunity to view the home before the drywall goes up, which is an excellent time to spot and correct any defects, and get familiar with the location of outlets, mechanicals etc. Once the property is at or near completion you will have another opportunity for a thorough inspection. Hire an inspector to join you! Just because it was just built, does not mean it was built 100% right. Contractors make mistakes too. This is an optimal time to make any last minute adjustments/corrections.
6.
CLOSE AND MOVE INTO YOUR NEW HOME!