Structural skeleton of a new construction home showing wood framing.

The Base Price Illusion

Dirt vs. Design

The "Starting At" price gets you the skeleton. It does not include the Lot Premium, the Structural Options, or the Design Studio upgrades. I force the sales rep to disclose the "Out the Door" price before you fall in love with the model.

The 20% Rule

Expect to add 15-20% to the base price for a livable standard. If the base is $800k, the real price is $960k.

Surveyor stake on a dirt lot with a high price tag, illustrating the cost of lot premiums.

Lot Premium Reality

Paying for Air

Developers charge $50k-$200k premiums for "views" that might be blocked by Phase 2 construction. I cross-reference city planning maps to ensure your expensive view isn't temporary.

Analysis of Lot Premium Retention Value
Premium Type Retained Value?
Strip View High
Cul-de-sac Moderate
Corner Lot Low (Traffic)
Luxury design studio showroom with a red mark-up correction on a flooring price tag.

Design Studio Traps

Overpaying for Flooring

Builders mark up flooring and tile by 40-60%. I advise clients to take "Standard" flooring at closing and rip it out immediately for higher quality, lower cost materials using my vendor network.

Structural Only

Only pay the builder for what you can't change later: extra bedrooms, structural wiring, and patio covers. Everything else is cheaper aftermarket.

Luxury backyard pool with a cost analysis clipboard showing 'Pool Included' savings.

Resale Value Math

The Backyard Gap

New homes come with dirt backyards. Finishing a luxury desert landscape with a pool costs $150k+. Resale homes often include this for pennies on the dollar.

The Window Treatment Tax

A 4,000 sq ft home needs $20k in blinds/shutters. Resale homes include them. New builds do not. We run the full "Cost to Complete" analysis.

Request a Developer Diagnostic

Don't walk into the sales office unrepresented.