Here most people either lay sod or hydroseed after bringing in topsoil. The problem with that is that it is fairly expensive. We're entertaining the thought of seeding it ourselves and adding the necessary ingredients to make the soil more desirable. We brought back a well-abused and neglected lawn, over several years. We used the Scott's program of fertilizers, added grub control after learning from neighbors it was a recurring problem here, added lime as they and local nurseries suggested, and seeded where we need to, in the fall and spring.
Fall is better.
We also watered, gently but thoroughly, for several weeks after seeding, and watered as regularly as water conditions allowed. Be careful with fertilizer though - we burned one section by mistake. We would also recommend a broadcast spreader over a drop spreader. You're less likely to get that concentration of fertilizers that resulted in our burn patch. We too built our home and had to figure out how to get some grass in the backyard and sideyard, as only the frontyard was sodded for us.