Buying new construction is different from buying a resale home. The builder writes the contract, the home may not be finished yet, and there are more choices to make. This checklist follows the process from the first visit to move-in.
Before your first visit
- Bring your agent and tell the sales office you are working with one at your first visit. Registration is usually the moment it counts; see why use an agent for a new build.
- Know your budget with the mortgage calculator, and talk to a lender. Builders often offer incentives with their own preferred lender; compare them with an outside quote.
- Explore the new construction map to find communities that fit.
At the sales office
- Ask what is included in the base price, what is optional, and what the lot premium is.
- Ask about special taxes and HOA dues. See HOA and Mello-Roos explained.
- Ask which homes are ready now and which are still to be built, and when the final one in your phase is expected.
- Ask how deposits are handled, and whether options and upgrades are refundable.
Before you sign
- Read the whole contract, including the closing timeline, what happens if there are delays, and how the builder's warranty works.
- California law sets standards for new homes and a process for repairs. See the Right to Repair Act, Civil Code section 895.
- Ask for the community's public report or disclosure documents and read them with your agent.
- Consider an attorney's review for the contract.
While it is being built
- Ask to visit at key stages, and if you can, arrange an independent inspection before the walls are closed up.
- Choose your options and upgrades by the deadline, and keep copies of every selection.
- Keep your lender up to date, and keep your finances steady.
The final walkthrough and move-in
- Walk the home with the builder's representative, and take your agent. Test the doors, windows, outlets, faucets, appliances and heating and cooling.
- Write a punch list of items to fix, with photos, and get it in writing with a date for each.
- Get the keys, manuals and warranty information. Keep them together with your closing documents.
- Ask when your first warranty service visit will be, and how to request repairs.
Related
Talk to a lender. Rates, loan programs and approvals come from lenders, not from websites or real estate agents. Talk to your own mortgage broker, or use our preferred lender, Point Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #231073), at (619) 475-4095. You are always free to choose any lender you like, and you can verify any lender’s license at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules, schedules and programs change, so confirm current details with the official source.
More guides
- Choosing Upgrades in a New Home: What to Buy Now and What Can Wait — A way to decide which builder options to choose, which to skip, and how to compare them with doing the work later.
- The Best Time to Buy or Sell in San Diego, Month by Month — Charts and numbers show which months San Diego homes sell most, when prices peak and when buyers have the most room to negotiate.
- Printable Neighborhood Sheets by ZIP Code — A one-page, printable snapshot of any San Diego County ZIP code: typical values, rent, days to sell, income and the age of homes.
- Questions to Ask a Mortgage Lender Before You Choose One — A printable list of questions that help you compare lenders on equal footing, and what to look for on the Loan Estimate.