Buying New Construction
Articles, New Construction Charlene Echerivel

Buying New Construction: What’s Different From a Resale Closing

You're Often Working With the Builder's Contract, Not a Standard Purchase Agreement Resale transactions typically use a standard state or local real estate association purchase contract that's fairly consistent from one deal to the next, regardless of which agents or attorneys are involved. New construction purchases, by contrast, usually run on the builder's own proprietary …

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New Construction Closings in Ohio: What's Different From a Resale
Articles Charlene Echerivel

New Construction Closings in Ohio: What’s Different From a Resale

A Different Kind of Closing Closing on a newly built home involves several steps that don't typically come up when buying an existing house. Because the home and often the underlying lot are brand new, the title work, inspections, and financing process all look a bit different from a traditional resale closing. Title Considerations Unique …

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Builder Contracts and Warranties: What to Read Closely
Articles, New Construction Charlene Echerivel

Builder Contracts and Warranties: What to Read Closely

The Completion Date Clause Most builder contracts include an estimated, rather than strictly guaranteed, completion date, along with detailed language addressing delays caused by weather, material shortages, labor availability, or local permitting backlogs. Look closely at what remedy, if any, you actually have if the home isn't finished on time — some contracts offer essentially …

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Construction Activity and Housing Supply: What It Means for Buyers
Articles, Economic & Real Estate Trends Charlene Echerivel

Construction Activity and Housing Supply: What It Means for Buyers

A Mixed Signal: Permits Up, Starts Down The U.S. Census Bureau and HUD's July 2026 New Residential Construction report showed a notable divergence that's worth understanding if you're tracking future housing supply. Building permits, a forward-looking indicator of construction that hasn't broken ground yet, rose 5.0% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,443,000 …

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How New Development Projects Can Affect Your Home's Value
Articles, Neighborhood & Community Information Charlene Echerivel

How New Development Projects Can Affect Your Home’s Value

Development Can Cut Both Ways New construction nearby — a shopping center, a subdivision, a road widening, a new school, or a mixed-use project — can raise or lower a home's value depending on what's built, how it's built, and how close it sits to the property in question. A new grocery store, a highway …

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