checking out new homes

when i was a child, one of my favorite things to do with my mom was check out new homes.  she loved to do it.  we were never planning on moving, she just liked to dream a little and check out what was new and upcoming.  for a future home buyer, this is a really fun activity.  my girlfriend and i are doing it today.  we're going to check out two builders.  now, even if you are not going to buy a new home, this is still a great activity.  you get to check out brand new homes and see what you like.  if you are planning to buy an older home and remodel it, this will give you all sorts of ideas on what you can do.  checking out new homes also is a good way to keep yourself motivated.  it makes you want to save more.  and it's easy!  most builders don't require an appointment, just stop buy and check out what they are offering.  there will be blogs later on, going over the pros and cons of buying new versus old and vice versa.  if you are planning to buy new, but not for a year, like us, this is still a great activity.  the development you check out might be sold out by the time you are ready to buy, however, you will get a good idea of the style that builder is bringing to the table.  check out several different builders, take notes and pictures and save them somewhere.  then, when you are ready to buy, you can bust them out and see which builder you want to buy from the most.  hopefully, they'll have a brand new development where you want to buy!  a lot of builders have this kind of service on their websites to, which makes it easy to follow what the builder is doing in your region.  when viewing new homes, make sure you ask about the build out date, to get a better idea if it's a community you might still have a chance to buy in, in the future.  other important questions to ask:

ask for approximate property tax rates and mell roos
ask about h.o.a. fees or dues
ask what h.o.a. fees cover
ask about customizability and upgrades
find out what is included with the home
ask about lenders and programs they have
and ask about incentives they offer

the most important thing to remember when looking at new homes, is to have fun and get inspired.