New Construction FAQs — Utah Home Buying Questions Answered

We provide independent, buyer-side guidance for new construction purchases across Utah. Our services include builder selection, upgrade cost planning, and comprehensive new build gameplans — helping buyers navigate the process with confidence from start to finish.

No. We are independent and not affiliated with any builder. Our role is to evaluate builders objectively and help you make an informed decision based on your priorities, budget, and timeline.

We serve the entire state of Utah, including Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, Weber County, Washington County, Cache County, Iron County, Summit County, Wasatch County, Tooele County, and surrounding areas — over 80 cities across 19 counties.

In most cases, buyer-side representation costs nothing to the buyer. Most production builders in Utah price the home the same whether a buyer has representation or not. Contact us for details on specific service pricing.

New Build Experts provides buyer-side guidance and coordination for new construction purchases. We focus exclusively on new construction and provide educational guidance to help buyers make informed decisions.

Traditional agents handle many types of transactions — resale homes, condos, land. We focus exclusively on new construction. This specialization means we know the builders, understand their contracts, track their incentives, and can compare options on an apples-to-apples basis in ways that generalist agents typically cannot.

Instead of starting with a purchase price, we start with a monthly payment comfort zone. By factoring in builder incentives like rate buydowns and closing cost credits, we can show you what new construction options fall within your monthly budget. This approach gives you a more realistic picture of what you can afford than purchase price alone.

Builder incentives — especially rate buydowns — can reduce your monthly mortgage payment by hundreds of dollars. A 2-1 temporary buydown on a $450,000 home at 7% can save $300–$500/month in the first year. Closing cost credits reduce your cash needed at settlement, and some credits can be applied toward buying down your rate permanently.

Common incentives include temporary rate buydowns (2-1 and 3-2-1), permanent rate buydowns, closing cost credits ($5,000–$20,000+), design center allowances, and price reductions on move-in-ready inventory homes. Incentives vary by builder, community, and lot. Contact us for the latest in your target area.

Many builder incentives are tied to using their preferred lender. This can be a good deal — but not always. Sometimes the preferred lender's base rate is higher than market, which can offset the incentive value. We recommend getting independent rate quotes and comparing the total cost of financing before committing to any lender.

Published incentives are generally available to all buyers, but there can be flexibility — especially on completed inventory homes where the builder is carrying costs. Having an experienced advocate negotiate on your behalf can sometimes unlock additional value beyond the standard incentive package.

In most cases, yes. Most production builders in Utah price homes the same whether the buyer has representation or not. The builder has already factored this into their pricing model. Going without an advocate doesn't create a discount — it just means nobody is independently reviewing the contract, comparing incentives, or coordinating inspections on your behalf.

Before. Once you register with the builder's sales office as an unrepresented buyer, it can be more difficult to add representation later. Connecting with an advocate before your first model home visit ensures your interests are protected from the start.

Common risks include missing unfavorable contract clauses, overpaying for upgrades, accepting incentives without comparing them to other builders, skipping independent inspections, and not catching issues during the final walkthrough. These gaps can cost buyers $15,000–$30,000+ in missed savings and unexpected costs.

We assess builders based on build quality, contract fairness, warranty terms, pricing transparency, timeline reliability, and buyer feedback. Our evaluation is independent — we are not affiliated with or compensated by any builder.

No. We provide a comparison framework so you can make your own informed decision. Our role is to give you the information, not to push you toward a particular builder.

Key areas to review include escalation clauses (can the builder raise the price during construction?), cancellation terms, construction timeline guarantees, warranty coverage, inspection rights, and change order procedures. Builder contracts are written to protect the builder — having someone review them independently is essential.

In the current Utah market, builder incentives commonly save buyers $10,000 to $40,000+ in total value. Rate buydowns alone can reduce monthly payments by $300 to $600. The exact savings depend on the builder, community, and timing.

Most production builders in Utah currently offer some form of incentive — but the type, value, and availability vary by community, lot, and time of year. Quick move-in homes and slower-selling communities often have the strongest incentives.

Yes, in many cases. Builders have flexibility that isn't advertised, especially toward the end of a quarter or when inventory needs to move. We help you understand where there's room to negotiate and how to approach it effectively.

Common incentive types include rate buydowns (lowering your mortgage rate), closing cost credits, design center allowances, price reductions, free upgrade packages, and lot premiums waived. Some builders offer multiple incentives that can be stacked together for maximum savings.

The most common issues include price escalation clauses that allow the builder to raise the price after signing, vague timeline commitments with no penalties for delays, restrictive cancellation terms, and warranty limitations that exclude common issues. Many buyers don't realize these clauses exist until they cause problems.

Some terms are negotiable, especially with semi-custom and custom builders. Production builders have less flexibility on contract language, but even then, certain terms — like escalation caps and timeline commitments — can sometimes be modified.

For complex or high-value purchases, having a Utah real estate attorney review the contract is a smart step. At minimum, you should have someone knowledgeable review the key terms — escalation clauses, cancellation conditions, warranty coverage, and timeline commitments — before signing.

A typical new construction timeline in Utah ranges from 4 to 10 months from contract signing to closing, depending on the builder, home type, and lot readiness. Move-in-ready inventory homes can close in 30-60 days.

Yes, absolutely. Builder inspections and city code inspections don't catch everything. We recommend hiring an independent inspector at the pre-drywall stage (when framing, plumbing, and electrical are exposed) and again before closing. This costs $400–$800 total but can catch issues worth thousands to fix.

Not necessarily. While the purchase price may be higher, builder incentives like rate buydowns can make the monthly payment on a new home comparable to — or even lower than — an existing home. Plus, new construction comes with modern energy efficiency, full warranty coverage, and no deferred maintenance costs.

Many current Utah homeowners hold mortgages at rates from 2020–2022 (2.5%–4%). Selling would mean giving up that low rate and buying at today's higher rates, so fewer owners are listing. This limited resale inventory keeps existing home prices firm and creates an opening for new construction builders who use incentives to attract buyers.

Key advantages include: modern floor plans and energy-efficient building standards, full builder warranty coverage, the ability to customize finishes and features, builder incentives that can reduce monthly payments, no deferred maintenance or hidden repair costs, and compliance with current building codes and safety standards.