🚀 go-pugleaf

> We are lookin at a spec. home by PULTE Builder, and I had some
> questions.
> 
> 1. Any one have any  good or bad experiences with PULTE esp. in the
> DFW area?
> 
> 2. How do you negotiate the price on a spec. home. Is it similar
> to making an offer for an existing home?

By a "spec" house I assume you mean one that is already built.  If this is
the case then I would definitely make an offer.  If the builder still has
alot of work to do and you try to get his price down, he MAY look for
ways to cut costs on construction that he would ordinarily do.

> 
> 3. This home is in a new sub-division (less than one year old)
> consisting entirely of PULTE Homes. How do you go about finding
> the price on similar homes that were sold by PULTE in the sub-
> division? They would not be in an MLS?

Talk to the people who already live there.  Ask if they have had any troubles
and how the builder has dealt with them.  Find out if they are satisfied.  
You might also ask them how much they paid.  If the house is finished or nearly
so, you could pay to have a professional appraisel done to determine a fair
market value.  You could go to the registry of deeds in your area and find
out how much each house in the neighborhood sold for.  It is a matter of 
public record.

> 
> 4. Is there any advantage on having a Realtor for making an offer
> or would an attorney suffice?  Will the builder accept the fact
> that we are not using a Realtor, and so he should pass on the
> commision (of 3%) by reducing our purchase price?

If other buyers are using a realtor to represent them in the transaction
and the builder will let you buy without one then I would expect to get at
least some of the commission back.

> 
> 5. As this is a newly built home, does one skip the requirements
> of termite inspections and general home inspection. Would this
> stuff be covered by the builder's warranty, anyway?

I would not under any circumstances skip the inspection.  This represents
a very small percentage of the cost of the house. It may find some things
that could save you thousands.  I would not rely on the fact that the
builder gives a warranty.  If he goes out of business or just decides to
be a jerk you are out of luck.

> 
> 6. Can you ask the builder to give you a Window treatment allowance?
> How do you estimate the cost of reasonable window treatments?
> (this is a 4 BR / 2 LA home)

You can ask anything that you want.  It is all part of the negotiation 
process.

> 
> 7. Can you ask the builder to pay closing costs and/or points?

yes.

> 
> 8. How do you tactfully tell the builder that you are not interested
> in his 100& financing schemes without putting them off. I can
> get my own financing at much better rates than the builder is 
> offering. I can make a good down payment, but I do not want to
> jeopardize my negotaiting power by letting the builder know this.

tell him that you prefer to deal with financing on your own.  If getting
financing for you is a large profit maker for the builder I would be 
concerned that this builder is not very honest.  In fact if a builder told
me that he could get me %100 financing, I would be suspicous.  I think that
there were lots of scams like this before the S&L crisis.  It could be that
the %100 financing is for an inflated sale price, part of which goes to the
dishonest bank representative that approves your 0% mortgage.  This is illegal.


> 
> Thank you for any and all responses.
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> --
> Rizwan Mithani	(Rizwan_Mithani@i2.COM)				
> I2 Technologies, 1603 LBJ Fwy, 7th Floor, Dallas, TX 75234
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> WHY ASK WHY: "Why do we park on driveways, but drive on parkways"
>