Buying new construction in Gretna

Why use your own agent on a new build

The person greeting you in the model home works for the builder. That’s their job, and they’re usually good at it. You can still have someone who works for you.

Having your own agent typically does not add a separate fee on top of the purchase price. That compensation is typically paid by the builder. Confirm it in each contract, because the terms can differ.

Register your agent on the first visit. If you walk a model home without doing that, it can be harder to bring your own representation in later. Tell them who you’re working with before you get far into the process.

Spec home vs. build-to-order

A spec home is already finished or well under way. You can often walk the house, see the finishes, and know the price more clearly. The tradeoff is fewer chances to change the plan, the lot, or the selections.

A build-to-order home is planned for a lot that isn’t finished yet, or is just getting started. You usually get more say in the plan and the finishes. The timeline depends on permitting, weather, inspections, and how quickly selections are finalized. The number on the first sheet can change if you add options or sign change orders.

Neither path is automatically better. It depends on how soon you need to move, how much you want to choose, and how comfortable you are with a timeline that can still shift.

What’s standard vs. what’s an upgrade

The model home is a sales tool. What’s in the base price is in the written specifications, not in the furniture and lighting you see on the tour. Ask for that list and read it.

Some upgrades are much cheaper to do while the house is being built than after you move in. I usually push people to consider the structural and hard-to-change items now:

• Extra outlets, lighting rough-ins, and data drops—especially in the kitchen, garage, and basement
• Basement egress or a bedroom rough-in if you might finish the lower level later
• Plumbing rough-ins for a future bath
• Wider doors or hallways, if that matters for how you’ll use the house
• Insulation and window upgrades, which are messy and expensive to redo

Cosmetic items are often easier to change later: light fixtures, paint color, and some flooring. That said, if you already know you’ll rip out a finish, you’re paying for it twice. I’m not trying to upsell a package. I want you to spend money where it’s hard to go back.

The lot matters as much as the plan

Two identical plans can live very differently on two different lots. Walk the actual lot, not just a drawing.

• Orientation. Sun in the backyard, heat on the west side, and where ice tends to sit on a driveway are worth thinking about. Every lot is a little different.
• Walkout, lookout, or flat. This changes how usable the basement is, how you get outside, and what you’ll pay for a lot premium.
• Drainage. Look at where water will go after a heavy rain. A finished yard is not always part of the base price.
• What you back up to. A road, a future arterial, or a commercial parcel can mean headlights and noise later. Read the plat, not just the open field that’s there today.
• Future phases. If the development is still being built, expect construction traffic, dust, and more homes going up next door for a while.
• Lot premiums. Walkouts, cul-de-sacs, and backing to open space often cost more. Ask whether that premium is already in the advertised price and what’s actually included.

Reading the contract, and the costs people miss

The contract and the spec sheet tell you more than the brochure. I go through them with buyers line by line. I’m not a lawyer, and this isn’t a legal or tax review—but these are the items I see people overlook:

• Deposits: how much, when they’re due, and whether any of that money is refundable
• Change-order fees and the cutoff dates for making selections
• Landscaping: many new homes include only a basic grade and seed, or a small package
• Fencing: often not included, and an HOA may limit the style, height, or when you can install it
• Window coverings: usually not included
• HOA covenants: parking, outbuildings, and what you can add later
• SID or special assessments, and tax levies that can run higher in newer areas than in an older resale just down the road

For the tax side, use the levy calculator on this site as a starting point, then verify the parcel with the Sarpy County Assessor. Tax levies are subject to change; confirm the exact levy for that property with the Sarpy County Treasurer.

Inspections and walkthroughs

A new house still needs an independent inspector. The builder’s process is not the same thing.

I like two inspections when the schedule allows it: one before the drywall goes up, and one as a final walk before closing. The pre-drywall visit is the chance to look at framing, plumbing, electrical, and insulation while those things are still visible. The final walk is for systems, finishes, grading, and a written punch list.

Keep that punch list in writing, and don’t let small items fall off just because you’re close to moving in.

Many builder warranties have a one-year workmanship period. I like to walk the house again around the eleven-month mark, before that window typically closes. Confirm the dates in your own warranty paperwork, because the terms vary.

What usually slows a build

I won’t hang a standard number of months on a new Gretna build. It depends on the plan, the season, inspections, and how quickly selections get locked in.

Weather, failed or delayed inspections, and late or changed selections are the usual slowdowns. A change after framing, or after the mechanical rough-in, can add both time and cost. The earlier you finalize the important choices, the fewer surprises you tend to get.

A quick checklist

• Register your agent on the first visit
• Confirm in the contract how the buyer’s agent is paid
• Compare the written specifications to what you saw in the model
• Walk the actual lot, and ask about premiums, drainage, and what you’ll back up to
• Ask what’s not in the base price, including landscaping, fencing, and window coverings
• Read the HOA covenants and any SID or special-assessment terms
• Run the tax levy for that parcel, then verify it with Sarpy County
• Schedule an independent pre-drywall inspection and a final inspection
• Keep a written punch list, and plan a warranty walk before the first-year window closes