How we work
How we work with new construction buyers in Charlotte.
Builder sales reps work for the builder. We work for you. Here's exactly what that means — and what it costs.
Written by Brian McCarron, lead agent at Home Grown Property Group, a real estate team serving Charlotte, Fort Mill, Indian Land, Waxhaw, and Lancaster.
What we actually do
Most buyers walk into a model home and assume the friendly person at the desk is helping them. They're not. They work for the builder, and their job is to close the sale on the builder's terms. Here's what we do instead, from your first tour to closing day.
Tour the right communities — not just the loud ones
Builders spend heavily on signage, model homes, and digital ads. The ones that market hardest aren't always the ones that build best, sit on the best land, or hold value longest. We pull active builder data across Charlotte metro every week, and we walk you through which communities fit your budget, school priorities, commute, and resale outlook. We'll also tell you which ones to skip — and why.
Browse new construction communities →Read the contract before you sign it
Builder contracts are not standard real estate contracts. They're drafted by the builder's lawyers to protect the builder. Earnest money, change-order language, delivery date guarantees, warranty terms, and arbitration clauses all vary widely from builder to builder. We read every page before you sign, flag what's unusual, and tell you which terms are negotiable and which aren't.
Negotiate the offer, the upgrades, and the closing terms
Builders rarely move on sticker price — but almost everything else is on the table. Closing cost credits, upgrade packages, lender concessions, design center allowances, rate buydowns, and timing all get negotiated regularly. We know what's on the table at each builder right now (we track this weekly for the incentives page), and we know what other buyers are getting. We push for the package that's actually best for you — not the one the builder wants to give you.
See this week's verified incentives →Walk every inspection with you
New construction inspections matter, and they're different from resale inspections. For the pre-drywall walk, we review the inspector's report carefully and send corrections to the builder before the walls go up — that's the window where structural and rough-in fixes are cheapest. For the pre-closing walk, we attend the final hour of the inspection alongside you to review what the inspector flagged. The 11-month warranty walk is between you and the builder directly — we don't attend that one, but we'll send you a checklist of what to look for and we're a phone call away if the builder pushes back on anything you flag.
Stay involved after closing
Most agents disappear at closing. We don't. Builder warranty issues tend to surface across your first year of ownership, often when you least expect them. We help you track the warranty deadlines, push the builder when they drag their feet on punch-list items, and help you decide what's worth fighting and what isn't. We're also the first call when you eventually sell, because we already know the home and the community.
How we get paid
Our compensation comes from the builder at closing, not from you. The builder pays a buyer-agent commission as part of how new construction is priced — that money is built into the deal whether you bring an agent or walk in alone. If you walk in alone, the builder keeps it. If you bring us, we get paid out of it.
Most builders on our list pay a similar buyer-agent commission, though the exact amount varies builder to builder. Occasionally a builder will offer an elevated commission on a specific home or community — usually homes that have been sitting, or communities the builder is trying to push. When that applies to your deal, we disclose it to you in writing before we accept it. We never judge a builder by what they're paying, and we don't let it influence which communities we recommend.
If a specific builder pays meaningfully below market, we'll tell you up front and we'll work out together how to handle it. We won't hide it.
About the buyer agreement
A buyer agreement is the contract that establishes that we represent you. As of August 2024, NAR settlement rules require buyer agents and buyers to sign one before touring MLS-listed homes together. This isn't HGPG-specific — every buyer agent representing buyers on MLS transactions operates this way now.
Our agreement is short, plain-language, and time-limited. It covers a defined period (usually 6 months, renewable) and a defined geography. It spells out what we'll do for you, what we're paid, and how either side can end it.
The most important thing to know: in new construction, the builder pays our fee out of the existing buyer-agent commission. The agreement makes that explicit so there's no surprise at closing.
We send the agreement before your first tour. Read it, ask questions, sign when you're comfortable. If you want to talk it through with us first, that's what the call is for.
Common questions about working with a new construction buyer's agent
Do I really need a buyer agent for new construction?
You don't need one — but you almost certainly come out ahead with one. The builder pays the same buyer-agent fee whether you bring representation or not. If you don't bring an agent, the builder keeps that money and you negotiate alone against a sales team that does this every day.
Can't I just use the builder's on-site agent?
You can talk to them, but they don't represent you. They're paid by the builder and have a fiduciary duty to the builder. They'll be friendly and helpful, but they can't advocate for you in a negotiation against their own employer. That's not their fault — it's the structure of the role.
Will using HGPG cost me anything out of pocket?
In nearly every case, no. The builder pays our fee at closing out of money they've already budgeted for buyer-agent compensation. On the rare occasion a specific builder pays below market, we'll tell you in writing before you're committed and you decide how to handle it.
Do you have preferred builders or get paid more for selling certain homes?
We don't have a preferred-builder list, and we don't pick communities based on what a builder is paying. Builders do occasionally offer an elevated commission on a specific home or community — usually homes that have been sitting. When one applies to your deal, we disclose it to you in writing before we accept it. We never judge a builder by what they're paying, and our recommendation is always based on what fits your budget, timeline, and lifestyle.
What if I've already started talking to a builder on my own?
Tell us right away. The risk is real: if you've registered at a community website or visited a model home without naming a buyer's agent, some builders will refuse to pay a buyer-agent commission later — and a few will stonewall us entirely. The protective move is simple. At every interaction with a builder — every website registration, every model home visit, every phone call — say you have a buyer's agent representing you, and name us by name. If you've already had a first interaction without us, call us before you do anything else and we'll figure out the best path. The window stays open longer than people think, but only if we move quickly.
How long does the buyer agreement last?
Our default is 6 months, with a defined geography (typically Charlotte metro: Charlotte, Fort Mill, Indian Land, Waxhaw, Lancaster). It's renewable if you're still looking, and either side can end it early with written notice. We're not trying to lock you in — we're trying to make the representation explicit so the builder pays our fee.
What if I find a home before I sign with you?
Call us before you do anything else. If we can be added to the deal before you sign the builder's contract, the math usually still works. If you've already signed without representation, we can't retroactively add ourselves. The window is real but tight.
What happens after closing?
We stay involved through your full warranty period — typically a year. We track the warranty deadlines, push the builder on punch-list items they're slow-walking, and help you sort out what's a real defect versus what's normal house behavior. When you eventually sell, we're the first call because we already know the home and the community.
Two ways to start.
See what builders are offering this week, or skip the list and just send Brian a note.