New Construction Mortgages
New-construction mortgage planning starts before the builder contract.
Compare builder incentives, preferred-lender offers, construction timelines, rate-lock choices, appraisals, taxes, insurance, HOA and CDD costs before choosing financing.
A builder’s lender may offer valuable builder-funded benefits. The right comparison uses the complete transaction and the written conditions—not one advertised rate or credit.
Compare the complete transaction
Use the same purchase price, loan structure, lock period, projected closing date, property taxes, homeowners and flood insurance, HOA dues, CDD assessments, mortgage insurance, lender charges, discount points, credits, and cash-to-close assumptions for every option.
Identify who funds each incentive
Separate incentives funded by the builder from lender credits and affiliated-service benefits. Confirm in writing whether an incentive depends on using the preferred lender, title company, closing date, loan program, or selected upgrades.
Plan for a moving completion date
Construction schedules can change. Income, assets, credit, employment, rates, insurance, taxes, appraisal timing, and lock expiration may also change before completion. Ask how the approval will be refreshed and what an extension or available float-down would require.
Review the property early
New does not mean simple. Confirm HOA and CDD obligations, estimated taxes after completion, insurance assumptions, appraisal treatment, condominium or planned-unit review, final inspections, certificate-of-occupancy timing, and any builder contract deadlines.
Choose execution as well as price
The lowest initial quote is not necessarily the strongest closing plan. Compare communication, documentation readiness, lock protection, appraisal coordination, deadline responsibility, and the financial effect of losing a builder-funded incentive.
A clear next step
Compare the builder offer with the complete outside option.
Send Gary the non-sensitive builder worksheet, expected completion window, and incentive conditions for an apples-to-apples review.