Honest Answers · New Construction
What Should I Know Before Buying New Construction in Colorado?
By Benjamin Urban, Broker Associate, REALTOR®, Licensed Fiduciary · Urban Companies Real Estate, Denver · Last reviewed June 2026
The builder's contract, the builder's sales agent, and the builder's preferred lender all work for the builder. None of that makes new construction a bad purchase. It means you should bring your own representation, read the contract as the builder's document, and treat incentives as numbers to check rather than gifts to accept.
Know who works for whom
On the builder's side
·The contract. Drafted by the builder's attorneys, not the balanced state forms. Deposits are harder to recover; timelines flex in the builder's favor.
·The on-site sales agent. Often genuinely helpful, and representing the builder. That is the job.
·The preferred lender. Incentives can be real, and can also be quietly offset by rate or fees.
On your side
·Your own agent. Negotiates design credits, closing costs, and contract terms; watches the timeline; attends the walkthroughs.
·Your own lender quote. The honest comparison that tells you whether the incentive is real.
·Your own inspector. Yes, on a brand-new home. Twice.
Before your first model-home visit
In most cases the builder compensates your agent, so representation costs you little or nothing. Confirm that in writing, and bring or register your agent at the first appointment. Many builders require it then, or you lose the option entirely.
Run the preferred lender against an outside lender
Builder incentives tied to the preferred lender can be real money, and sometimes the preferred lender genuinely wins. Sometimes the incentive is quietly offset by a higher rate or higher fees. The only honest way to know is to run both options side by side, full math, same day. I help clients do exactly that comparison.
Warranties and Colorado law
Builder warranties vary widely in length, coverage, and claim process, and Colorado's construction defect laws shape what remedies look like if something goes seriously wrong. Understand what your specific warranty covers, how claims must be filed, and what deadlines apply, before closing rather than after the first problem appears.
Inspect twice
1
Pre-drywall. Catches what the walls will cover: framing, plumbing, wiring, ductwork.
2
Pre-closing. Catches the rest. Builders fix documented items; they cannot fix what nobody documented.
New does not mean flawless. The inspection fee is small insurance on the largest purchase most people make.
Benjamin Urban
Broker Associate · REALTOR® · Licensed Fiduciary · Urban Companies Real Estate
Honest Guidance. Confident Decisions.
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