As a homebuyer, there are many choices for what kind of home to buy: existing homes, new construction, semi-custom, or fully custom. With each of these, there are plenty of pros and cons that may extend the home buying process, adding stress to the experience: costs, construction time, necessary repairs. Luckily, spec homes provide a newly-built house without the headaches mentioned above.

Take the guesswork out of the homebuying process

When shopping for existing homes for sale, there is a constant give-and-take as each home is different and has unique amenities—some are desirable, others are not. However, spec homes as much uncertainty as possible. Spec home builders design and build these homes without a specific buyer in mind in favor of a more desirable catch-all design with desirable furnishings and amenities that buyers can be happy with. All of these add up to a home that provides a great balance between affordability and a modern living experience. At this point, it is up to the buyers to make the home their own with personal touches and stylings. Many builders have model homes that showcase certain spec home models that you can tour to get a feel for the layout, size, and design of the home. Your real estate agent can set up showing appointments for you very easily. It also helps if your agent has connections to local builders and developers so they get the inside scoop on upcoming new construction developments—like the agents at Build Idaho.

Spec homes, while more affordable, as well as cheaper and easier to build, are still built to stringent modern building codes. While there are little to no customization options, saving time, money, and stress is with it, especially for first-time homebuyers.

Bask in the benefits

When you choose a new spec home, peace of mind is built-in. With an existing home, certain appliances or recent repairs may be under warranty, but you will be on the hook for most repairs. Spec homes come with a full warranty included for the whole home. The Federal Trade Commission reports that most new home warranties will cover siding, doors, trim, and drywall for the first year; and HVAC, plumbing, and electrical for two years. Some warranties include a 10-year warranty against major structural defects. 

The biggest major benefit is that you get a turnkey new home. All you need to do is move your belongings in and settle into your new home.