To them, no news is good news if they have given you a preliminary nod that all is well. Your sales consultant, who attends the weekly meetings, however, will have knowledge of any red flags coming up. And don't run up credit card bills and put big-ticket items on credit unless there is plenty of leeway in your loan qualifications. Don't make special requests of the builder if you want a timely completion. Builders will try to accommodate as many special requests for custom-type changes as they can, but it throws them off their schedules, waiting for your decisions, paperwork, and special deposits to come through.
Buyers are the biggest part of the picture in so many ways.
You may not, as the home buyer, be in the driver's seat at all times, but there is plenty that you can do to help your builder move forward. Perhaps then you will be able to anticipate those glorious days of unpacking boxes, hanging pictures, and ordering take-out food, knowing you did your part to get your new house completed on time. A veteran of the homebuilding industry, Dena Amoruso is a recognized real estate columnist and author, specializing in new home issues, trends, products and designs. Written by Dena Amoruso Click here for a printer-friendly version of this article. Click here to translate this page to another language.