Tips to Remember When Buying a New Home in Utah

Tip #5: When Looking at Utah New Homes, Decide Whether To Build or Not

When you begin to look at new homes for sale in Utah, one of the first things you need to decide is whether you want to design and build your new home or purchase a move-in-ready home. Most Utah homebuilders offer both. These two options have pros and cons, and deciding on either depends on your timeline, preferences, and budget. Building your own home will take more time, but you will get to make most, if not all, of the layout, style, and finishing decisions to create the home of your dreams. Move-in-ready homes are available as soon as you close. Though you do not get to choose the layout or be a part of the design process, they still offer up-to-date styles and details thanks to your homebuilder’s expert interior designers.

Tip #4: Know Your Budget

Homes are one of the most important and most expensive purchases in your lifetime, so decide on a budget and get pre-approved for a loan before you begin looking at houses for sale in Utah. Shop around for the right mortgage lender before committing to a property. Experts suggest getting quotes from at least three lenders and choosing the one with stellar credentials, financially feasible options, and good advice for the individual factors that affect your payments. The benefit of a new construction home is that homebuilders often have in-house mortgage teams or partner closely with a preferred lender to make this process even easier.

When deciding on your budget, your cap should be what you know you can afford. Your price is usually lower than what your lender approves, and that’s okay! There are many different costs associated with home ownership that go beyond the purchase price. Remember to factor in these costs, which include:

• Insurance
• Homeowner Association (HOA) fees, if applicable
• Real estate taxes

Establishing and communicating your budget early on will also help your builder, realtor, and others understand your goals and expectations.

Tip #3: Research Location for Potential New Homes in Utah

Location is the top priority for potential homebuyers for a reason – it significantly impacts the quality of life for you and your family. When you look at houses for sale in Utah, consider the location in regards to:

• Your work. How long will your commute be? Is it close to public transportation hubs if that is how you commute? Do you have to worry about rush hour patterns?
• Proximity to places you frequent, such as schools, shopping, public transportation or main thoroughfares, parks, recreation, places of worship, friends, and family.
• The neighborhood. Do you like the way the lot is situated, where it is in regards to main thoroughfares, and its ease of access? How are noise levels? Is the neighborhood safe? Do you look forward to befriending your potential neighbors?

If you live near the location of your potential new home, take the time to drive around the area at different times to better understand traffic, neighborhood patterns, and more. If you are from out of state or live farther away, consider traveling out at least once to visit and get a feel for the area.

Many exciting new communities are being built in Utah with abundant choices for new or custom builds. If you have an area that you love, you can check out whether any new communities exist in the city and if it would be a good fit for you.

Tip #2: Write Down Your Wants, Your Needs, and Your Deal Breakers

Now is the time to write down your house wish list. Include all of your wants and needs on this list, and specify your dreams. Include items on the list such as:

• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms
• The preferred size of your home
• The preferred size, shape, and geography of your lot
• Storage and garage space
• Appliances
• Extras, including fireplaces, specialty rooms, pools, jacuzzis, hot tubs, outdoor living space, etc.

Highlight or note any items that would be deal breakers if they weren’t included in your home. Making your list gives you a leg up should you decide to build or finish a home. You will have a better idea of your style, wishlist, and what you want to avoid. When you build a new home, it is much easier, cheaper, and more efficient to build what you want as you go instead of renovating or adding on later.

Tip #1: Be Confident in Your Homebuilder

The best advice we can offer as you look at new homes in Utah is to find a proven and reliable home builder. Building a home is a monumental and momentous project that you can’t take on alone. Find a homebuilder you can rely on and develop a homebuilding experience built on trust.

At Henry Walker Homes, when you build with us, you become part of our family and are treated with kindness, loyalty, and respect. Our building process includes weekly follow-ups and expert communication. We are here with you every step of the way on your home journey. Combined with over 30 years of homebuilding experience and an exceptional in-house design team, we have faster build times to put you in your dream home on time. You can get a good idea about a homebuilder as you talk with other homebuyers and look at testimonials and reviews.