Why use an agent for new construction?

The builder has a sales team. Choose your own guidance.

The builder’s sales team explains and sells the builder’s homes. A buyer’s agent represents you under the terms you agree to. Ask who will represent you, what help they provide and how any builder relationship is handled.

You can start by asking about services. Choose an agent whose new-construction experience fits the communities and type of home you are considering.

Look beyond the model and the starting price

• Compare the full cost. Look at plans, lot premiums, included features, upgrades, HOA charges and other fees across builders.
• Check the offer. Ask which homes qualify for an incentive, its deadline and whether it depends on a particular lender or title provider.
• Prepare your questions. Review deposit terms, important contract dates, construction updates and what to ask a qualified attorney or lender.
• Plan for inspection and closing. Coordinate your own inspector, walkthrough questions, written repair requests and the builder’s closing schedule.

An agent can help you compare choices and ask for written answers. Savings, incentives, construction dates and outcomes depend on the home and contract.

Check the rules before your first inquiry or visit

Some builder programs require your agent at the first visit. Others require registration before an internet inquiry, or an agreement at contract. Booking an appointment is not always agent registration.

Ask your agent to confirm the specific community’s steps before you register online, take a self-guided tour or walk into the model. Read the published builder policy highlights and confirm the current written terms.

Can the builder pay your agent?

A builder may offer to pay a buyer’s agent if its written conditions are met. That can reduce what you pay out of pocket, but it is not a promise that representation is free.

Your written agreement should explain the services, compensation and duration. Fees are negotiable. Confirm any builder payment and whether you would owe a difference before you commit.

• What is the agreed fee, and who is expected to pay it?
• What registration or purchase conditions apply to a builder payment?
• What would I owe if the builder pays less or does not pay?
• How long does the agreement last, and how can it end?

See NAR’s guide to negotiating a written buyer agreement. Arizona employment-agreement requirements are in A.R.S. 32-2151.02. These are separate from a builder’s registration policy.

Already contacted or toured a builder?

It is still worth asking about your options. Share the builder, community, date and how you registered, plus any agreement you signed. Your agent can check what is possible under the current written terms.

A previous visit can affect a builder-paid agent program. It does not mean you should assume you cannot seek representation, or that an exception is guaranteed.