Blog · New construction
A model home is a beautiful place to make an expensive mistake. Before you fall for the finishes in Lyon Township or Novi, here's how new construction really works — starting with the one move you have to make on your very first visit.
Two of the fastest-growing new-construction markets in the area — and two of the priciest, which is exactly why representation matters.
Pricing from local market and builder data, 2026. New-construction list prices move with phase, lot, and upgrade selections — bring an agent who tracks the specific communities.
This is the single most important thing in this entire guide. Most builders in Lyon Township and Novi require that your agent be with you and registered at the sales office on your first visit for you to keep your own representation. Wander into the model home alone "just to look," and you can lose the right to bring your own agent on that community later — leaving you to negotiate a six-figure purchase against the builder's rep, who works entirely for the builder.
New-construction purchase agreements are written by the builder's attorneys, for the builder. They're not the standard resale contract, and the fine print on deposits, delays, change orders, and warranty limitations can be very one-sided. Your agent's job is to read it with you before you sign — not after.
"It's brand new" is not the same as "it's perfect." Trades move fast, and framing, grading, plumbing, and electrical issues are common. A pre-drywall inspection (while the bones are still visible) and a final walkthrough inspection catch problems while they're still the builder's job to fix. The cost of inspections is trivial next to what they catch.
The base price is rarely what you pay. Lot premiums, design-center upgrades, and options stack up fast — and that's usually where the real negotiation lives, since builders protect the base price to keep community comps intact. Get the timeline in writing too: new builds run months, sometimes a year-plus, and financing and rate-lock strategy need to account for that.
After you close, register the builder warranty (some require it) and submit any claims promptly and in writing, documenting issues as they appear. A new home has a punch-list period; use it.
The salesperson in the model home is paid by the builder to sell you that home at the best terms for the builder. They're not your advocate, even when they're lovely. Your own agent — registered on visit one, typically paid by the builder — is the only person in the room representing you.
New construction fails inspections all the time — it's just that most of those issues are easy to fix if you catch them before drywall or before closing. Independent inspections, not the municipal sign-off alone, are what protect you.
Get pre-approved and bring your own agent to the first showing. Both are required to negotiate from strength — and to keep your representation.
The builder's contract favors the builder. Review deposits, delays, upgrades, and warranty terms before you sign, not after.
Register the warranty, work the punch list, and submit any issues in writing while they're still the builder's responsibility.
Yes — and the timing is critical. Most builders require that your agent accompany you on your very first visit and register you at the sales office. Walk in alone, and you may forfeit the right to your own representation later. The builder's on-site rep works for the builder, not for you, so having your own agent from visit one is how you keep someone on your side of the table.
Typically the builder does. New-construction commissions are usually built into the builder's pricing and marketing budget, so in most cases your representation costs you nothing out of pocket — but only if your agent is registered on that first visit. There's rarely a financial reason to go unrepresented, and real downside if you do.
Yes. New doesn't mean flawless — framing, mechanicals, grading, and finish issues are common and far easier to fix before you close. A pre-drywall inspection and a final walkthrough inspection catch problems while they're still the builder's responsibility. Skipping it because the home is new is one of the most expensive shortcuts buyers take.
In Lyon Township, new-construction list prices generally run about $539,000–$567,000, with luxury and custom builds reaching $600,000–$900,000+, while new townhomes start around $310,000 (local market and builder data, 2026). Novi's overall median sale price is about $498,000 (Redfin, 2026). Exact pricing depends on the community, phase, lot premium, and upgrades.
Often yes, but not always on the base price — builders protect the list price to preserve comps for the rest of the community. The real negotiation is usually in upgrades, closing-cost credits, lot premiums, and incentives (especially through the builder's preferred lender). Knowing which levers a given builder will move is exactly what an experienced buyer's agent brings.
It varies by builder and phase, but expect months, not weeks — from contract to close can run anywhere from a few months for a near-complete inventory home to a year or more for a build-from-scratch. Set the timeline in writing before you sign, line up financing early, and keep your own agent tracking milestones so nothing slips.
Start with the ZachSold guides for the new-construction corridor:
Bring me in before your first model-home visit. I'll protect your representation, read the builder's contract, and make sure new doesn't mean unprotected.
Talk to Zach