Buying a New Home in the Fall

By Craig Axelrod

As the summer closes and fall nears, many home buyers consider whether it's the right time to buy a house. This can actually be the best time to buy since many real estate buyers wait for the spring. You can locate many opportunities on desirable houses. This is particularly true with new construction, such as with Emmy Homes in Commack New York.

When you visit EmmyHomes.com, you will see a variety of new construction houses available. Even in this fall, you may be able to buy a newly built home that had not sold over the summer. Similarly, if you want to choose your home and have construction begun, now is the time to speak to the builders. If they can get a foundation in the ground before the frost sets in (more of an issue in the North) your project can run through the winter. If you're looking for a new home to occupy at the end of this new school year, start construction now.

As you look for a new house, what questions should you ask?

First, is this a one project contractor or is this someone who builds complete developments? You want to work with a larger scale builder because they are more likely able to complete the task in the timetable that you've allotted. While we do not oppose small builders, if this is the only home that a construction company is working on, what will happen if the builder runs out of money? What if his roofer gets sick? What if his plumber walks off the job - you could be delayed for weeks or months.

When you're dealing with a more substantial builder, they have multiple people in each trade. If they are understaffed, they can quickly locate replacement workers. In the end, you are far better off with an established reputable builder who will complete the task, as opposed to a small contractor who, unfortunately, can bring a great amount of uncertainty.

Second, look at houses that the builder has already finished. Do you like them? The artist drawing may be beautiful, but the house may be something else. A builder who is consistently delivered high quality construction is worth their weight in gold. A shoddy construction company who under delivers is not worth the savings he can bring.

Finally, consider the long-term price of the home. Not only does it carry a buy price, but it must be maintained. A well built home may have lower maintenance costs. Also, is it energy efficient? An "energy star" house meet certain government requirements on energy efficiency. Not only is this great for the environment, but can yield substantial savings on your energy costs. An energy Star rated house is also desirable on resale. You may plan on living here for 20 years, but unexpected things happen and you want to choose a home that, if you need to, will be very marketable for resale. So yes, the summer of 2009 has passed. Nonetheless, there are vast options to buy new construction as we go into the autumn season. Websites, such as www.EmmyHomes.com can show you many choices of homes that are available in your market.

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