Don’t let any contractors into your house until you’ve lived there for at least a few months, and learn how to recognize high pressure sales pitches from them. They’ll take advantage of you if you don’t. Always get more than one quote. If you’re as much as tell them you’re getting multiple quotes, they’ll start lowering their prices pretty dramatically.
Examples of high pressure sales tactics:
They’ll insist that your spouse be home during the demonstration. That’s red flag number one.
They’ll go to get something from their car, and Ithey’ll ask if it’s okay for them to let themselves back in. Most homeowners don’t think anything of this, but this is actually a psychological trick. The idea is that you wouldn’t allow someone to let themselves into your house unless you trusted them, and if you trust them, you’re much more likely to do business with them.
They’ll spend 3 hours talking about how great whatever it is they’re selling is, and it will start to feel like the only way to get these people out of your house is to sign a dotted line.
They’ll do whatever they can to stop you from talking to other companies. That’s why they’ll start lowering their prices as soon as you mention that you’re getting multiple quotes.
After 30 years of owning my own home my red flag is when they say “this is going to be a big job”.
Probably because it is, they don’t like you, or they don’t want the job.
I’m not trying to be mean, but contractors will price it outrageously or say “this will be a big job” because they don’t want the job, so you say no.
Ehhh some of this is great advice about sales tactics, but you should definitely get a contractor to come out and look over the place again.
Reason being is if there is something that was missed in your initial inspection that another contractor found, you can go back to the realtor and demand them to be fixed. Especially for new builds.
However you only have a small window for this, because if you wait too long the realtor and or contractors can say it was you and it’s not their responsibility.
Also you should always get multiple bids from several contractors. If someone is going to do the job at a really low price, that means that contractor will cut corners, and do more harm than good. If someone is giving you an astronomical price that is completely unreasonable that means the contractor doesn’t want the job.
There is also this other “tactic” that construction companies know very well. That is if the company is trying to give you a deal, you as a customer are going to nitpick every little thing. Flip side, if they mark it up the customer will always believe it’s the best job that was ever done.
Source: my step father owned a large legit construction company, that I worked for, and my bio father owned a small shady construction company, that I also worked for.
Hell yeah, one of the smart ones. I hope you got a fixed rate mortgage.
Not sure what this is implying. I personally know a few others (myself included) who have been working to get a house but stuck in the rent going up/cost of homes going up cycle. I feel (opinion) that most people would rather have a home instead of renting.
Many states have first-time homebuyers programs that will absolutely shunt the issue of transitioning to Rent/homebuying. Most people are too lazy or stupid to take the initiative though. Every person I have talked to about renting vs home owning has always managed to make excuses why they can’t do something, instead of working to make it happen. It’s daunting as fuck, for sure - but it’s possible if you scrimp and do without for a while. That short-term of doing without, ultimately ends up with you paying into something you OWN. You’re building your personal equity with a house, and many people will argue against that because of learned helplessness.
I would point to demoralized instead of lazy or stupid. If you talk to a lender they will immediately tell you about the programs as it’s in their interest for you to buy a home. A coworker and myself are military vets which lets us do the VA program. Even the finding a house to buy that isn’t paid for with cash 5-10% over asking is a nightmare. I lost 8 bids the first year trying. Also the prices for an home are just absolutely insane as starter homes don’t really exist anymore. New construction is focusing on McMansions and any 2 bedroom home is built in a 55+ community. Now I’m just venting.
Congratulations OP on the home. I hope to be in your shoes before I retire.