A new home feels like the safe choice. Everything is new, the builder has a warranty, and the sales office is friendly and helpful. But the person greeting you in the model home works for the builder. That is not a criticism. It is simply how it works. It does mean two jobs are left open: someone to look out for you in the deal, and someone to look at the house itself. Those are two different people, and I would not skip either one. Reason one: your own agent The sales rep in

Buying a new home feels like the safe choice. Everything is new, the builder offers a warranty, and the city has already signed off. But there are two moments in the first year when an inspection can save you real money, and they catch different problems. One happens before you close. The other happens at month 11. Before closing: catch it while you still have not signed A city inspection confirms that a home meets minimum building code at a few set checkpoints. It does not c

The small vents under the eaves of an older home are what let the attic breathe. On a lot of houses, a paint roller sealed them shut years ago - and the roof has been paying for it ever since.

She'd been told that hiring an inspector for a brand-new house was a waste of money. The county inspected it. It has a warranty. Nobody had ever lived in it. We found nineteen things.

If you walked into a model home in Green Cove Springs or Middleburg without an agent, nobody in that transaction works for you - and nobody will mention that you can hire your own inspector. Here's what to know, and when.