Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County
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    • New Members
    • COVID-19 Related News
    • HBA Membership >
      • Membership Benefits
      • Member Savings Program
      • Membership Q & A
      • Get Involved
    • Councils >
      • Triangle Sales and Marketing Council >
        • TSMC Events
        • Sales Performance Awards
        • 2021 MAME Awards >
          • MAME Awards
        • MAME Sponsorships
        • Mentor Program
        • Big Give Back
        • About the TSMC
      • Remodelers Council >
        • Council Membership
        • Wake County Remodeling Awards
        • Remodelers Home Tour
      • High Performance Building Council
      • Professional Women in Building
    • Member Directory >
      • Find a Member
    • Job Bank
    • Member Login
    • Community Involvement >
      • Operation Coming Home >
        • Upcoming OCH Events
        • About Operation Coming Home >
          • Apply for a Hero Home
          • Get Involved with OCH
        • Meet Our Heroes
        • Meet Our Partners
  • Homeowners
    • Home Building Resources >
      • Benefits of a New Home
      • Tax Benefits of Buying New
      • Not So Obvious Benefits of a New Home
      • High Performance Homes
      • How to Choose a Home Builder
      • Questions to Ask Your Home Builder
      • Top Home Buyer Features
      • Advice on Financing Your New Home
      • Before You Move In
    • Homeowner Resources >
      • Routine Home Maintenance
      • Exterior Home Painting Tips
      • Interior Design on a Budget
      • Avoid Summer Lawn Stress
      • Protect Your Home from Severe Weather
      • After a Storm
      • Avoid Contractor Scams
    • Remodeling Resources >
      • Remodelers Home Tour
      • Thinking About Remodeling?
      • Hire a Professional Remodeler
      • 10 Tips To Remodel
      • Aging in Place Design
      • Understanding Remodeling
      • Wake County Remodeling Awards
  • Events
    • Calendar >
      • January - 2021 Kickoff Event
      • February - Member Meeting
      • March - The Masked Singer!
      • May, September - Golf Tournaments
      • June - Battle of the Builders
      • August - New Home Expo
      • October - Grill 'N' Chili Challenge
    • Education >
      • Classes
      • Designations >
        • Types of Designations
  • Advocacy
    • Local Issues
    • Vote
  • Home Tours
    • Parade of Homes
    • Remodelers Home Tour >
      • Virtual Home Tour Entries
      • Featured Remodelers
      • Remodeling Resources
      • Featured Vendors
    • High Performance Home Tour
  • About Us
    • Leadership 2020
    • Staff
    • Home Club
    • Join the HBA
    • Contact
    • Past HBA Presidents
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    • News >
      • Member News
      • NAHB Now

How to Choose a
​Home Builder

How to Choose a Home Builder
If you're in the market for a new home, you should shop for your builder as carefully as you shop for your home. Whether you are buying a condo, a townhouse, a house in a subdivision or a custom-built house, you want to know that you are buying a good quality home from a reputable builder. Here are some tips to help you choose a builder.

Make a List of Possible Builders

Once you have thought about the type of house you want, you can create a list of potential builders.

Look through our List of Member Builders.

Look in the real estate section of your local newspaper for builders and projects. Looking through the ads and reading the articles can help you to learn which builders are active in your area, the types of homes they are building and the prices you can expect to pay. Make a list of builders who build the type of home you're looking for in your price range.

Local real estate agents may also be able to help you in your search.

Ask friends and relatives for recommendations. Ask about builders they have dealt with directly, or ask them for names of acquaintances who have recently had a good experience with a builder.
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Do Your Homework

When you have a list of potential builders, it's time to start asking lots of questions — of both the potential builders and the owners of their homes.

Interview potential home builders to get the answers to all the questions you have. Here is a list of questions to ask builders.
Then, visit a builder's recently built homes and subdivisions. Drive by on a Saturday morning when home owners may be outside doing chores or errands. Introduce yourself and say you are considering buying a home from the builder who built their home. Talk to several owners, and try to get a random sample of opinions. The more people you talk with, the more accurate an impression of a builder you are likely to get.

Some questions to ask home owners include: Are you happy with your home? If you had any problems, were they fixed promptly and properly? Would you buy another home from this builder?

Usually, people tell you if they are pleased with their homes. And if they are not, they'll probably want to tell you why.
At the very least, drive by and see if the homes are visually appealing.
When you talk to builders and home owners, take along a notebook to record the information you find and your personal impressions about specific builders and homes. Doing so will help you to make comparisons later.
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Shop for Quality and Value

Look at new homes whenever you can. Home shows and open houses sponsored by builders are good opportunities to look at homes. Model homes and houses displayed in home shows are often furnished to give you ideas for using the space. You may also ask a builder to see unfurnished homes.

When examining a home, look at the quality of the construction features. Inspect the quality of the cabinetry, carpeting, trimwork and paint. Ask the builder or the builder's representative a lot of questions. Get as many specifics as possible. If you receive the answers verbally rather than in writing, take notes. Never hesitate to ask a question. What seems like an insignificant question might yield an important answer.


Credit NAHB ​​
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Contact Us

5580 Centerview Drive, Suite 115
​Raleigh, NC 27606

P: 919.233.2033 

Copyright 2016 Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County.  
​All Rights Reserved.
5580 Centerview Drive, Ste. 115  |  Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: (919) 233-2033  |  Email Us
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