A large builder credit can be useful, but the headline number is not the deal. The useful comparison is the complete delivered home, the financing attached to the incentive, the contract that controls the transaction, and the neighborhood conditions that will still matter after closing.
Put every option on the same worksheet before deciding which incentive is actually worth more.
Start with the delivered price, not the advertised base
A base price usually describes a starting plan. Your actual number may also include the lot premium, structural options, design selections, appliances, window coverings, landscaping, fencing, utility or connection costs, and items the model home displays but the contract does not include.
Ask for a written option and inclusion list. Then separate every item into one of three columns: included, selected and paid by the buyer, or still excluded. That prevents an attractive base price from being compared with a completed resale home that already includes many of those items.
| Cost or term | Builder A | Builder B |
|---|---|---|
| Base or current home price | Record the written price | Record the written price |
| Lot premium and structural options | List separately | List separately |
| Design, landscaping, fencing, appliances | Included or buyer-paid? | Included or buyer-paid? |
| Financing incentive | Credit, rate, points, fees | Credit, rate, points, fees |
| Estimated cash to close | Use the Loan Estimate | Use the Loan Estimate |
| Completion and extension terms | Write the contract dates | Write the contract dates |
Compare financing with matching assumptions
A preferred-lender credit may be paired with a particular interest rate, points, origination charges, title arrangement, or closing date. Ask the preferred lender and an independent lender to quote the same loan type, down payment, lock period, occupancy, and property. Otherwise, the numbers are not comparable.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends comparing official Loan Estimates and looking beyond the monthly principal-and-interest number to lender costs, credits, cash to close, mortgage insurance, and the five-year cost of borrowing. Its Loan Estimate comparison guide explains where those numbers appear.
Read the builder contract as the controlling document
Builder contracts can handle deposits, selections, change orders, completion windows, extensions, inspections, defaults, warranties, and dispute procedures differently from a familiar resale form. The contract—not the sales-center conversation or brochure—controls the transaction.
Confirm who the onsite sales representative represents. If you want independent real estate representation, establish it early and follow the builder’s registration rules before relying on an assumption that an agent can be added later. For legal or tax advice, consult the appropriate licensed professional. The Utah Division of Real Estate publishes the state-approved Real Estate Purchase Contract as a reference, but a builder may use a different attorney-prepared agreement.
Put inspections and correction steps on the calendar
New does not mean problem-free. Ask what inspection opportunities the contract allows, when the buyer may access the home, how items are documented, which items must be corrected before closing, and which move into a warranty process. Depending on the construction stage and contract, buyers may discuss pre-drywall, pre-closing, or warranty-period evaluations with an appropriate inspector.
Compare the home you receive with the community you will live in
A finished quick-move-in home may still sit inside an active multi-year buildout. Review current phase maps, remaining lots, planned roads, amenity schedules, HOA budgets, transfer or capital-contribution fees, nearby land uses, utilities, taxes, and any special districts or assessments. Ask what is promised in a governing document and what is only a future plan.
A five-question incentive check
- What is the total delivered price with every selected and still-needed item?
- What exact conditions unlock the advertised credit?
- How do matched Loan Estimates compare on rate, points, fees, cash to close, and five-year cost?
- Which contract terms affect deposits, completion, inspections, changes, and cancellation?
- What will still be under construction or unfunded in the surrounding community after closing?
Start with the Washington County new-construction guide, then use the live home search to compare current inventory. Incentives and availability can change quickly, so verify the written terms for the specific home and date.