BUYING New Construction When Moving to Columbus Ohio

Are you thinking about building or buying a brand new home in Columbus, Ohio? You might be wondering if building a new house is a good idea, whether it’s a good investment, how long it takes, how to choose a builder, and what else you need to know. Well, I’m going to break down six huge mistakes buyers make when building houses in Columbus, covering all these questions and more.

Understanding Proper Expectations

The first major mistake I see is not having realistic expectations. It’s really easy to get caught up in the excitement of designing and building your dream home, but you need to be practical about what’s actually feasible. You might have this vision of a grand, spacious home – you know, a fairy tale castle – but can your budget accommodate that dream? Building is expensive, and unless you have unlimited funds (who does?), you’re probably going to have to make some concessions.

Another common expectation is that everything will be perfect without any flaws. While it’s important to have high standards – I know I do – you also have to remember that construction is an on-site, imperfect process. You want to work closely with your builder, and more importantly, the superintendent who’s overseeing the construction, to keep those lines of communication open.

Location and Time Considerations

Remember the importance of location – something home buyers often tend to overlook. Men are often focused on the size, layout, and fixtures, and overlook the neighborhood and surrounding amenities. I had a client a few years ago who moved down to Alabama to build their dream house. They loved the home – it was in a gated community, fantastic views, great floor plans – but it was literally 45 minutes to the nearest grocery store and even further to the hospital, which they totally overlooked. Now, you’re probably not going to have that problem in central Ohio unless you’re building way out in the country, but it’s something that people often overlook and don’t put enough focus on.

The Importance of Third-Party Inspections

Let’s talk about mistake number two: not getting third-party inspections. While most home builders are on top of things, and of course the county will be inspecting the home as well, it’s important to have an independent inspector to ensure everything is being built properly. I can’t tell you how many horror stories I hear about things being forgotten in new construction or completely missed.

The reality is that builders leave it up to their subcontractors to do the right thing and rely on their superintendents to oversee the subs and the county code inspectors. Well, county inspectors are stretched thin and overworked, the subs sometimes don’t do the right thing and will take shortcuts, and builder superintendents might be overseeing dozens of homes being built at the same time. It’s not unthinkable that something could slip through the cracks – you just don’t want it happening on your home.

Working with Experienced Builders

This brings me to mistake number three: working with an inexperienced builder. While it’s tempting to work with a new or less expensive builder, it can lead to all kinds of problems. Newer builders may lack the necessary skills, financial stability, and relationships with subs to effectively build a home. I remember when a large national builder came into Columbus about 12 years ago, building at a pretty high price point. They were only here for three or four years because they couldn’t establish good relationships with subcontractors in town and, quite frankly, used inferior materials. I tell my clients to avoid those homes when they come on the market.

The Value of Representation

Mistake number four is not having any representation. Some people think maybe they can save a little money by not working with a realtor or an attorney, or they just don’t think they need someone to help. You have to remember, as nice and helpful as sales agents are, they work for the builder and have the builder’s best interests in mind – not yours.

Let me briefly give you an example of what I do when I work with a client on a new build package. First, it’s finding a quality builder that’s going to fit their style and needs. There are dozens of builders out there, and some you should avoid like the plague. Next is designing the home, helping my clients make the right choices based on their budgets, getting the right things in the home during the build, thinking and planning for future needs. Then we go to design meetings, making sure they choose styles that aren’t too trendy – I see this way too much where designers want to push these trendy decors and colors, then three years later it’s out of style.

Budget Considerations

Number five is not budgeting properly. Building a new home is expensive, period. You have to be realistic and have a budget in place before you start the process. Not budgeting properly leads to overspending, arguments, sleepless nights – I’ve seen it all. Every year I meet with homeowners who are selling newer build homes and it’s very evident they didn’t budget properly – empty rooms, skipping on things in the wrong places, no outdoor living space, you name it.

Floor Plan Design

Finally, mistake number six is designing the wrong floor plan. While you absolutely want to design a floor plan that suits your needs and lifestyle, you also have to take into consideration future homeowners. A big common mistake is designing a floor plan that’s too personalized to your own needs. I have a listing right now that has a room that neither I nor the homeowner knew what it was used for!

Instead, think about designing flexible spaces – what I like to call a first-floor flex room. This type of space can be used for kids’ playrooms, a secondary office, or with a bath nearby, it could be a guest or in-law suite. That’s exactly what one of my clients did – they built a flex room they were using as a secondary office, but there was an oversized closet off of it which they ran plumbing to during the build. If they or someone in the future needed to turn it into a full bath, it would be super easy.

These are just some of the biggest mistakes I see. I don’t want to be too preachy about this, but it’s just so important to me that people and my clients make good, educated decisions. I’ve seen way too many mistakes in my 19-plus years of doing this. If you’re thinking about building in Columbus, give me a call, shoot me a text, or send me an email – I’m pretty easy to find. Until next time!