The process · start to finish
Five phases. One calendar.
Buying new construction is a sequence, not a leap of faith. This page is the map: the five phases that every North Texas new build passes through, the team that carries you across them, and the chapter of the guide that covers each one. Reviewed October 19, 2026.
The phases
The map of the deal
Team, timeline, and money readiness
Agent, lender, inspector, and a 60 to 90 day calendar. This is the phase where remote buyers build their on-the-ground team.
The chapterChoose the home, negotiate, sign
Incentive stack, earnest money, and the builder contract. Understand what you are signing before the deposit moves.
The chapterInspect at the phases that matter
Pre-drywall and final walkthrough. The foundation, framing, and finish list are where your broker and inspector earn their keep.
The chapterJanuary 1 is the date that counts
Percentage-of-completion assessment, the homestead exemption, the 10 percent cap, and MUD and PID districts.
The chapterSign, wire, move
Remote online notarization or in person, wiring fraud care, then utilities, registration, and the moving truck.
The chapterWhy it is five phases and not one
The single biggest mistake new-build buyers make is treating the purchase as one event and the closing date as the finish line. It is a calendar with five decision points, each with its own paperwork, its own deadlines, and its own tax or cost consequence. Miss one deadline (inspection window, exemption filing, registration) and the cost is real.
The team
Four people you want on the job
Two of them you hire, one is free to you if the builder pays the commission, and one is a favor. Together they cover the ground you cannot stand on.
Your buyer’s agent
The anchor. They walk the community, video the build phases, negotiate the contract, and hold the timeline together.
Your lender
Texas or national lender that closes in Texas. Get the preferred-lender incentive comparison before you choose.
A third-party inspector
Hired by you, for you, at pre-drywall and at the final walkthrough. Builder inspections are theirs; this one is yours.
A local set of eyes
Relative, coworker, or friend nearby for drive-bys, traffic checks, and a look at the grading after a heavy rain.
Repeat after me
The three rules of new construction
Read the contract before the deposit
The builder contract is not the TREC form. The addenda are where the rules live. Chapter 5 walks every clause you must check.
Model the tax year before you budget
The January 1 snapshot, the first full-value year, and MUD and PID districts change your real payment. Chapters 6 and 7 do the math with you.
Inspect at pre-drywall, not just at closing
The finish walkthrough catches paint. Pre-drywall catches structure. If you only fly in once, make it that one. Chapter 2 schedules it.
Talk to a local broker
Map your dates with a broker
Tell us your moving-from city and your target month, and Theresa will map your phase dates: inspection windows, incentive deadline, and the closing calendar.
- 7 straight years#1 for corporate headquarters relocations Source: CBRE Dallas Business Journal
- 11interstate HQ moves to DFW in 2025 Source: CBRE Dallas Business Journal
- 100+HQ relocations since 2018 Source: CBRE Dallas Business Journal
- Answers from a licensed Texas broker, not a call center
- Or book a consultation right now: pick a time