New homes for sale in Irvine CA are heating up the real estate market in Orange County. With its great schools, beautiful master planned communities and super low crime rates, Irvine is a desirable place to live and of course for builders to construct new home developments in Orange County CA.

There are 7 different communities in Irvine with new construction homes for sale:

• Cypress Village
• Stonegate
• Portola Springs
• Orchard Hills
• Woodbury
• Pavilion Park (Great Park neighborhoods)
• Central Park West (Airport Area)

Buying new construction is very similar to purchasing a resale home but there are some differences including negotiating strategy and timeline are just a few. Here are 5  facts you need to know as a home home buyer when purchasing new construction, specifically in the Irvine area.

1. Choose your upgrades carefully.

One of the most exciting things about buying new construction is the fact that you get to customize your home and choose your own floorplan, lot, and individual upgrades from crown molding to granite counter tops. However it’s important to know that upgrades are where builders make their largest profit because the industry standard is to charge buyers double the sub-trader’s fee. That means that granite counters tops that cost you $8,000 only cost your builder $4,000.

What is the lesson to be learned here? First of all, choose your upgrades wisely. Sandi Clark and her partner Debbie Miller are experts in the Irvine real estate market and when they have buyers interested in new construction, they make sure their buyers know what they’re paying for.

Sandi says, “I help out my buyers by going with them to choose upgrades based on their lifestyle and give them my expert opinion on prices. I’ve been in the business for years so I can let them know if the builder’s price is good on a certain amenity and what the buyers can easily upgrade themselves for less.”

There are over 20 different builders in Irvine with several different companies building in the same community. When you’re choosing where you want to buy, consider the builder and their price upgrade options as well.

2. Working with a buyer’s agent is in your best interest.

When you buy new construction you have the option of working with the builder’s sales agents or hiring your own real estate agent. It is in your best interest to work with your own buyer’s agent for several reasons. First of all the sales agents working for the builder ultimately get paid by the builder so they will keep their company’s interests in mind at all times. A buyer’s agent on the other hand will be focused on keeping your best interests first and foremost.

Secondly, agents can save you money when purchasing a new home. There’s not as much room for negotiating on a newly built home as there is with a resale but a trained agent can create wiggle room.  Sandi says, “I've negotiated on lot premiums for clients in Irvine and got builders to reduce prices. I've also increased credits at the design center if I couldn't reduce prices for my buyers.”

3. You’re moving into a construction zone.

Buying a new home means that you’re moving into a community that’s not yet built. There will be noise, dirt and dust and it’s important to prepare yourself for that added stress. Streets are not finished and the community is not quite pretty and manicured yet. Irvine CA houses for sale are all part of a master plan but in a new community that plan hasn’t become a reality yet.

Consider an already established community in Irvine like Woodbury or Stonegate if you’re worried about some of these issues. These Irvine Villages offer newly constructed homes but most of the community is already built and ready to be enjoyed immediately.  Pavilion Park, the first of the Great Park Neighborhoods, on the other hand is a completely new community which means construction will be ongoing and disruptive for some time before the area is completed.

4. Community amenities vary.

There are several different communities to choose from when looking at new construction in Irvine and while all of the neighborhoods have parks and pools, each one is different.

For example, Pavilion Park has a neighborhood greenhouse to promote farming and gardening culture as well as 320+ miles of bikeways. Research each community and its individual character before choosing the best newly constructed home in Irvine  for you.

Condos for sale in Irvine CA can be found in several of the communities with new construction including Woodbury and Cypress Village.  A condo or townhome could be a great way for your family to get into one of these exclusive communities and enjoy the amenities with a smaller mortgage payment.

5. You can’t go wrong!

Irvine is an amazing city. The award winning Irvine Unified School District is ranked 10/10 by GreatSchools. org based on test scores in the state, there are dozens of amazing parks throughout the area and the city has ranked as the #1 safest large city in America 9 years in a row. No matter where you end up buying in Irvine, it’s a great choice.

If you’re interested in new construction in the Irvine area, contact Sandi and her partner Debbie or any of the local experts at the First Team Irvine Office. You can call Sandi and Debbie at (949) 400-0987 or email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more about new homes for sale in Irvine CA.

Originally posted at: http://www.firstteam.com/blog/?p=8323