Buying a new-construction home in Dallas-Fort Worth

A new home is more than a floor plan and an advertised payment. The builder, homesite, financing, selections, and contract all need to work together. Whether you are comparing communities around Frisco and McKinney or a new home closer to Dallas, start with the specific home and your everyday routine.

My starting point is simple: compare the full cost, confirm promises in writing, and understand the decisions that are hard to change later. Builder policies vary by community, lot, and construction stage. This is a planning checklist, not a promise of a particular incentive or contract term.

1. Talk before the first model-home visit

Many builders ask that your agent attend or be registered at your first visit. Contact me before you go so we can confirm the sales office's policy. Already toured a model? Tell me where, when, and what you signed so we can check the available options.

The builder's sales team represents the builder. We will discuss my role, our written buyer representation agreement, and compensation before moving forward. Do not assume a builder pays every cost or that representation is automatically free to you.

2. Compare incentives with the full cost

A price reduction, closing-cost credit, rate buydown, and upgrade allowance solve different problems. Ask what each offer requires: a particular home, lender, title company, or closing deadline. Finished inventory homes and homes that have not started may have different offers; compare the written terms for the actual home you would buy.

Request comparable Loan Estimates from the builder's preferred lender and an independent lender. A temporary buydown is not the same as a lower rate for the whole loan. Ask for the payment in every phase, the final ongoing payment, and the rate-lock expiration and extension costs.

• Final price, including the lot premium and selected upgrades.
• Loan type, interest rate, points, lender fees, and incentive conditions.
• Cash to close and monthly principal, interest, and mortgage insurance.
• Property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, and any district charges.

Use the CFPB's Loan Estimate comparison checklist alongside the worksheet in my guide. A lower estimate for taxes or insurance does not necessarily make the loan cheaper; ask why those assumptions differ.

3. Check the lot and the ongoing expenses

Visit the actual homesite, not only the model. Look at road access, afternoon sun, neighboring lots, drainage, and what is behind the property. Ask for the plat, easements, community plan, and current city planning information. An open field today is not a guarantee of a permanent view.

Read the HOA documents for dues, transfer or capital fees, and restrictions that matter to your plans. Ask whether a public improvement district (PID) or municipal utility district (MUD) applies and obtain the actual assessments or tax information. These are not interchangeable with ordinary HOA dues.

Budget taxes for the completed home, not just the land or a partially built property. Texas appraisal districts generally value property as of January 1, so the existing tax record may not reflect the finished house. Confirm the estimate with the lender and local appraisal district; the Texas Comptroller explains how property is valued.

4. Spend carefully at the design center

First separate the standard features from the model's upgrades. Prioritize changes that are difficult to make after construction: layout, structural options, electrical circuits, plumbing locations, and insulation. Compare later installation costs for easier changes such as light fixtures, cabinet hardware, and window coverings.

Get an itemized selections list and the final price in writing. Ask when choices become final, what a change costs, and whether upgrade deposits are refundable. An upgrade's price is not a guarantee of added appraisal or resale value.

5. Understand deposits, delays, and contract terms

Read the builder's actual agreement before paying a deposit. Do not assume it has the same cancellation or option-period provisions as a resale contract. Earnest money and design deposits may have separate rules.

• Who holds each deposit, and exactly when can it be refunded?
• What happens if financing falls through or the appraisal is below the price?
• Is completion a firm commitment or an estimate, and what happens after a delay?
• Who pays each closing cost, and which incentives expire if closing moves?
• What can the builder substitute, and how are disputes handled?

Put agreed incentives, features, and completion commitments in the contract or a signed addendum. I help you organize the practical questions; a Texas real estate attorney should advise on legal rights and unfamiliar contract provisions. Your lender should confirm financing and rate-lock terms.

6. Plan inspections and warranty follow-through

New construction still deserves an independent inspection. Confirm access, notice, insurance, and scheduling requirements with the builder before signing. Ask your inspector which stages make sense for this home: pre-pour if feasible, pre-drywall before systems are covered, and a final inspection before closing.

At the walkthrough, photograph concerns and get a written punch list with responsibility and expected completion dates. Read the actual warranty rather than assuming every builder offers the same coverage. Record the claim process, exclusions, and deadlines. If workmanship coverage ends after a year, discuss an inspection before that deadline and allow time to submit claims.

Your next step

Send me the builder, community, floor plan, and homesite you are considering, along with your timing and comfortable budget. We can compare the written offer, identify unanswered questions, and plan the next visit. Starting with a first purchase? Read the first-time Dallas buyer guide or browse current homes.

Adapted from Jenny Jun's New Construction Buyer Guide. General North Texas information, not legal, tax, engineering, or lending advice. Confirm current terms with the builder, HOA, lender, and appropriate licensed professionals.