Buying a new-construction home

Is this you?

You have found a new development in Mountain View or Palo Alto, toured a model home, and talked to the onsite sales team. The floor plans are right, the finishes are striking, and the neighborhood is exactly where you want to be. But the purchase agreement is fifty pages long, written in language that keeps favoring the builder every time you read a clause carefully.

Or you are weighing a new build against resale and trying to understand what "completion in Q2" actually means in practice — and what your options are if it does not happen. You want the new home. You also want to understand what you are signing.

New-construction purchases on the Peninsula move fast and commit early. Having someone who has read these contracts before — and knows which terms have room to move — changes the outcome.

How I help

Reading the builder's contract

A builder's purchase agreement is not a standard California residential purchase contract. It is drafted by the builder's attorneys, structured to protect the builder's interests, and typically presented as non-negotiable. Some of it is. Much of it is not.

I read these documents in full before you sign anything. That means understanding what the price-adjustment clauses actually say, what triggers a change in your financing contingency, how the builder defines "substantial completion," and what your remedies are if the timeline shifts. In Silicon Valley new-construction transactions — Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and south toward Sunnyvale — these details carry real financial weight. A clause that looks standard can mean a six-figure difference in what you ultimately pay or what recourse you have if something goes wrong.

I also handle the negotiation directly with the builder's sales team. Buyers who walk in without representation often accept the first terms offered. Buyers with their own agent typically do not.

Upgrades and change orders worth it

The design center is where new-construction purchases get expensive in ways buyers do not anticipate. Builders mark up upgrades significantly — sometimes at two to three times what the same finish or fixture would cost on the open market. Not every upgrade is worth it. And some upgrades, particularly structural ones, are far more cost-effective to include during construction than to retrofit afterward.

I help you separate the upgrades that add genuine resale value or livability from those that are pure margin for the builder. I also flag which items to include in the initial contract versus which to negotiate as change orders, and what the process looks like when a change order affects the completion timeline or triggers a price adjustment. The design center walk-through is one of the highest-leverage moments in a new-construction purchase. Going in with a clear framework matters.

Inspections and the final walkthrough

A new home is not a defect-free home. Construction moves quickly on Peninsula development projects, and the work that happens behind walls — insulation, framing, rough plumbing, electrical — cannot be assessed after drywall goes up. Phase inspections, conducted at foundation, framing, and pre-drywall stages, catch issues when they are inexpensive to fix rather than after close when they become the owner's problem.

The final walkthrough before possession is equally important. A properly documented punch list — every incomplete or deficient item recorded in writing — gives you the foundation for holding the builder to their warranty commitments. Builders are motivated to clear punch-list items before close. After close, the urgency changes. I make sure the walkthrough is thorough, the documentation is formal, and the builder has a clear list of what needs to be resolved before keys change hands.

California builder warranties cover structural defects for ten years, but the specific scope of coverage — and the claims process — varies by builder. I walk you through what your warranty actually covers and what you will need to do to preserve your rights if a defect surfaces in year three or year seven.

Helpful next steps

Common questions

Do I need my own agent to buy a new-construction home?

Yes — and this is the part most buyers do not realize until it is too late. The sales agent at the model home works for the builder, not for you. Their job is to get the best terms for the builder's side of the transaction. Having your own representation means someone is reading the contract with your interests in mind, flagging clauses that favor the builder, and negotiating on your behalf on price, upgrades, and timeline. You get independent advocacy on your side of the table — someone whose job is to represent you, not the developer.

What should I watch for in a builder's purchase contract?

Builder contracts are written by the builder's legal team, and they look nothing like a standard resale purchase agreement. Key areas to scrutinize include the upgrade and change order process (what is locked in, what can be modified, and at what price premium), the completion timeline and what happens if the builder runs late, how the final purchase price can shift before close, and the warranty scope — what it covers, for how long, and what the claims process looks like. I review these documents line by line and flag the provisions that have the most leverage for a buyer to negotiate or clarify before signing.

Should I still get an independent inspection on a brand-new home?

Absolutely. A new build does not mean a defect-free build. Phase inspections — conducted at foundation, framing, and mechanical stages before walls are closed — catch issues that are far easier and less expensive to address during construction than after close. A final walkthrough inspection before you take possession is equally important: it documents every punch-list item in writing, gives you a formal record to hold the builder to, and protects your warranty rights. Skipping independent inspection on a new home because it is new is one of the more costly assumptions a buyer can make.