A question I am frequently asked during MetroTex’s ‘New Homes Sales Professional Certification Program’ was answered in a recent NAHB Eye on Housing blog posting, How Long Does it Take to Build a Single-Family Home? You will learn by reading the article that the answer to the question varies by city and county but generally you can expect completion time of a single-family house to be around 7 months, which usually includes around 25 days from authorization to start and another 6 months to finish the construction.
The timeline from authorization to completion, however, will also vary greatly by product type. If your client is planning on building a one-of-a-kind custom home or a home with some modifications to a builder’s existing plan then you must add several months and in some situations a year in construction and administration time to your client’s timeline.
For this reason it is important that you speak to the builder or the builder’s sales representative to learn what to expect. Two questions I want my students to ask before signing a building agreement are: What is your normal administrative time from contract signing to start of construction and what is your normal building time? Notice, I use the adjective ‘normal’. Currently, the Dallas new home market is anything but normal. If you remember, we had a very wet spring and that effected development of new communities, administrative time increased because builders flooded the cities and counties with requests for building permits (at the same time) and building supplies and labor are in high demand and, unfortunately, in short supply and that adds to building time.
Also, keep in mind the time of the year does effect construction, so if you’re planning on building in the fall and spring you may want to add the possibility of weather delays to your timeline. And one good piece of advice is not to push the timeline. A quality built home is the goal. An extra 20 or 30 days building time is a small price to pay when you consider you’re building a lifetime of happiness.
To learn more about selling new homes consider taking MetroTex’s New Home Sales Certification Program. There are 6 seminars and you earn 12 CE credits. To learn more about the program you can call or email Bob Hafer at bob@homesusa.com or 972-795-5926. I look forward to talking with or seeing you in an upcoming New Home Sales Certification Program seminar.
Also, consider connecting with HomesUSA Alliance Builder members. In addition to other incentives, Agent Alliance members receive an additional $500 bonus for each sale of a participating Alliance builder member’s home where they are the procuring cause. Join Free →
With my best wishes for continuing success, good luck and good selling.
Bob Hafer has been a leader in the housing industry for 40 + years. His extensive experience gives him unparalleled insight into the mysteries and marvels of home buying and selling. His background includes new home success in consulting, management, administration, sales, marketing, merchandising, research and sales training. In 2009, to complement his new home experience, he earned his real estate license. He is currently the VP of Business Development for www.HomesUSA.com. In 2016 Bob co-founded www.homesusaalliance.com with Ben Caballero. Its mission is to connect Builders and Realtors through communication and education. Contact Bob at bob@homesusa.com or call him at 972-795-5926.
