Before you choose a new home, you’ll need to decide if a local Central New Jersey builder or a national builder is the right choice for you. Although both choices offer advantages and disadvantages, you’ll probably find that one is a better fit for you.

What Factors Should I Think About When Considering Local and National Builders?

These factors may play a role in your decision:

Reputation: Companies that are well-regarded are obviously the best choices, but reputation can vary from state to state with a national company. Established local builders usually establish strong relationships with community leaders and municipal employees (including those who approve building and construction permits) and are active in the community.

Homeowner Satisfaction: In addition to reviewing online opinions and complaints about both local and national builders, be sure to ask for references from people who have recently built houses with the builders. Ask the homeowners if they’re happy with the quality of their homes and if they’ve had any complaints about communication, quality, mortgage accessibility, repairs or other issues.

Finances: What financing options does each lender offer? Is there a significant difference in mortgage rates and terms between local and national builders?

Variety: National builders often create four or five floor plans to use in all of their similarly priced communities across the U.S. This standardized approach allows them to complete homes quickly and relatively cheaply. Local builders often offer more choices and tailor amenities and features to meet the needs of the local population.

Quality: Quality is an important factor whether you use a national or local builder and can vary based on design to the skill and expertise of the construction crew. Since local builders are invested in their communities, they may pay more attention to the little details. When you visit model homes, look for a few telltale signs that may indicate quality issues, such as uneven floors, visible seams in carpeting, sagging countertops, doors and windows that don’t open and close easily, significant temperature differences from room to room, or cracks in the foundation, siding or walls.

Resale Value: Sooner or later, all homes will be sold again. Although you may not plan to sell your home for a long time, it pays to consider resale value. You never know when you’ll receive an amazing job offer in another state or decide that you want to downsize or upsize. Take a look at homes for sale in the builder’s communities and compare the sales prices to other homes in the area. If the homes are poorly constructed, they’ll be priced lower than the median value for the neighborhood. Depending on where you live, you may notice that homes built by local builders appreciate in value more quickly than those constructed by large national builders.

Communication: How easy will it be to talk to someone who knows what’s going on with your new home? Although you may receive plenty of attention when you’re deciding if you want to build a home, will the staff be as eager to talk to you during the building process? If you choose a national builder, you may work with several different people during the sales, construction and closing processes. Local builders are more likely to assign one or two contacts who will help you navigate the entire process.

Features and Upgrades: It’s not unusual for national builders to limit upgrades to make it easier to streamline the building process. If you want the flexibility to enlarge your family room or to turn a home office into a guest suite, a local builder may be the better choice. It’s also important to consider the features and finishes included in the sales price and those available as upgrades. Again, choices for cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, lighting and paint colors can be more limited with national builders.

Problem Solving: Hopefully, you won’t encounter any problems while your home is being built or after you move in. If you do, you’ll want a prompt resolution. Ask every builder to explain how questions and concerns are addressed and how soon you can expect to receive an answer or resolution. If your home needs a repair covered by your warranty, will you need to contact a busy national warranty office, and then wait days or weeks until the problem can be evaluated? Local builders may be able to approve repairs and send out repair crews more quickly than national companies.

As part of the Central New Jersey community since 1988, Country Classics has helped more than 1,000 families build homes that offer all the luxurious features they deserve. If you’ve been looking for a new home with plenty of amenities and upgrades, get in touch with us. It would be our honor to build your dream home.