El Paso County Real Estate + Mortgage Savings

Broker Owner — NMLS #1868052 | Ultimate Mortgage — NMLS #2086155

Buying New Construction?
Compare the Builder’s Offer Before You Commit.

Prime Home Team helps new construction buyers compare builder incentives, lender costs, mortgage pricing, and Prime Buyer Advantage savings before choosing a home or lender.

Builder incentives can look attractive, especially when a builder offers credits toward closing costs or special financing through a preferred lender. But buyers should compare the full cost of the offer before deciding.

A builder lender offer may include incentives, but it may also include rate differences, discount points, lender fees, processing fees, or other costs that affect the true value of the offer. Prime Home Team and Ultimate Mortgage help buyers compare the full picture.

Want to estimate your Prime Buyer Advantage savings? Start here.

The Builder’s Price Is Only One Part of the Decision

Buying new construction can be exciting. Buyers may get to choose a floor plan, lot, finishes, upgrades, and closing timeline. But new construction also creates decisions that can affect the buyer’s total cost.

Before signing a builder contract or choosing a builder’s preferred lender, buyers should compare the full cost of the home, the financing offer, the incentive package, and the long-term value of the purchase.

Key Questions New Construction Buyers Should Answer

How the Prime Buyer Advantage May Help New Construction Buyers Save

No 1% Loan Origination Fee

Ultimate Mortgage does not charge a 1% loan origination fee, which may reduce your upfront lender costs.

No Lender Processing Fee

Ultimate Mortgage does not charge a lender processing fee, helping reduce costs at closing.

Personalized Rate Quote

Request a rate quote using key preliminary information — no full mortgage application required to start.

Builder Lender Offer Comparison

Submit a builder lender quote, incentive sheet, Loan Estimate, or fee worksheet for review.

Future 1.5% Listing Fee

When you later sell the home purchased through Prime Home Team, we list it for a 1.5% fee, subject to program terms.

Builder Incentives Can Be Valuable — But Compare Them Carefully

A builder incentive may help reduce closing costs or make the purchase feel more affordable. But don’t assume the largest advertised incentive automatically creates the lowest total cost.

The better question isn’t “how much is the builder giving me?” It’s “what is the total cost of this offer compared with my other options?”

Items to compare

Already Have a Builder Lender Offer? Submit It for Review.

If a builder has offered an incentive or lender quote, buyers can submit the documents for review. The more complete the information, the more useful the comparison can be.

Builder Lender Quote

Shows rate, payment, loan amount, and estimated costs from the builder’s preferred lender.

Builder Incentive Sheet

A document or email showing the builder credit, closing cost incentive, or financing incentive.

Loan Estimate

Shows loan terms, projected payments, closing costs, and estimated cash to close.

Lender Fee Worksheet

Issued before a formal Loan Estimate — still useful for an early comparison.

Purchase Contract

If already signed, helps review price, deposits, timelines, incentives, and builder terms.

Email or Screenshot

No formal document yet? A screenshot or typed summary works too.

How to Buy New Construction With a Smarter Strategy

How to Buy New Construction With a Smarter Strategy
1
Understand Your Budget First

Before visiting model homes or selecting upgrades, understand estimated payment, loan type, cash to close, and potential Prime Buyer Advantage savings.

Request a Rate Quote → Get My Savings Estimate →
2
Compare Builder Communities and Homes

Compare location, builder reputation, floor plans, included features, lot premiums, upgrade costs, HOA dues, taxes, and estimated completion timeline.

Search Homes →
3
Review Builder Incentives

If the builder offers closing cost credits, upgrade credits, rate incentives, or preferred lender benefits, review the conditions carefully.

Compare My Lender Quote →
4
Request a Rate Quote

Request a personalized rate quote from Ultimate Mortgage to compare against the builder's preferred lender offer.

Request My Rate Quote →
5
Compare the Full Cost

Compare the builder lender offer against the Prime Buyer Advantage — lender fees, rate, points, credits, cash to close, and monthly payment.

Compare My Lender Quote → Home Buyer Savings Calculator →
6
Review the Contract and Timeline

New construction contracts and timelines may differ from resale. Understand deposits, deadlines, selections, completion estimates, and financing deadlines.

7
Move Through Construction and Closing

Design selections, inspections, appraisal, loan processing, underwriting, title work, insurance, final walkthrough, and closing.

8
Keep the Future Listing Benefit

When you later sell the home you purchased through Prime Home Team, you may qualify for the future 1.5% listing fee, subject to program terms.

Want a Rate Quote Before You Choose the Builder's Preferred Lender?

Many new construction buyers are encouraged to use the builder’s preferred lender. Before deciding, request a personalized rate quote from Ultimate Mortgage using approximate FICO score, estimated purchase price, income, loan type, down payment percentage, and first-time buyer status.

A requested rate quote is not a loan approval, pre-approval, Loan Estimate, commitment to lend, or guarantee of loan terms. Final terms depend on borrower qualifications, property details, loan program, and underwriting approval.

Best for buyers who are:

New Construction Costs Buyers Should Compare

Look beyond the advertised base price. Final cost may be affected by upgrades, lot premiums, HOA dues, taxes, insurance, lender fees, builder incentives, and closing costs.

Home & Builder Costs

Mortgage & Closing Costs

The Prime Buyer Advantage may help reduce certain lender costs by removing the 1% loan origination fee and lender processing fee through Ultimate Mortgage.

Example Prime Buyer Advantage Savings for New Construction Buyers

Examples use an estimated 1% loan origination fee and $600 lender processing fee, plus potential future listing fee savings if you later sell the same home through Prime Home Team.

Example Prime Buyer Advantage Savings
Conventional · $600,000
VA · $700,000
FHA · $450,000

Scenario

Purchase price$600,000
Loan amount$480,000
Loan typeConventional

Estimated Immediate Savings

1% origination fee avoided$4,800
Lender processing fee avoided$600
Immediate Savings$5,400
Total Potential Example Savings (incl. future 1.5% listing fee vs. 3%)
$14,400

Scenario

Purchase price$700,000
Loan amount$700,000
Loan typeVA

Estimated Immediate Savings

1% origination fee avoided$7,000
Lender processing fee avoided$600
Immediate Savings$7,600
Total Potential Example Savings (incl. future 1.5% listing fee vs. 3%)
$18,100

Scenario

Purchase price$450,000
Base loan amount$434,250
Loan typeFHA

Estimated Immediate Savings

1% origination fee avoided$4,342.50
Lender processing fee avoided$600
Immediate Savings$4,942.50
Total Potential Example Savings (incl. future 1.5% listing fee vs. 3%)
$11,692.50

Savings Example Disclaimer: These examples are for illustration only. Actual savings vary by borrower, loan amount, loan program, property type, market conditions, lender pricing, builder incentives, builder credits, third-party fees, title charges, appraisal fees, taxes, insurance, prepaid items, escrow costs, rate lock terms, construction timeline, and other factors. The 1% origination fee and $600 processing fee are example assumptions and may vary by lender. Listing fees vary and are negotiable. This is not a Loan Estimate, rate quote, pre-approval, commitment to lend, or guarantee of savings.

Search Tips for New Construction Buyers

The Builder Has a Sales Team. You Should Have Your Own Strategy.

Builder sales representatives work for the builder. They can be helpful about the community, floor plans, and construction process — but you should still have your own strategy when evaluating the purchase.

Prime Home Team helps buyers look at the new construction purchase from the buyer’s perspective — price, incentives, financing options, timeline, contract terms, resale potential, and long-term selling costs.

Compare builder communities

Understand included features

Compare builder & lender incentives

Understand the contract timeline

Plan for appraisal & financing

What can be compared

Already Have a Builder Lender Quote? Compare It Before You Commit.

Submit a builder lender quote, Loan Estimate, incentive sheet, pre-approval worksheet, or fee worksheet for review against Ultimate Mortgage and the Prime Buyer Advantage. A builder credit can be helpful, but it should be weighed against rate, points, lender fees, and other costs.

Common New Construction Buyer Mistakes to Avoid

Common New Construction Buyer Mistakes to Avoid
✕
Assuming the builder incentive is automatically the best deal

Compare the full financing cost before deciding.

✕
Comparing only the interest rate

Also compare APR, points, lender fees, credits, cash to close, rate lock terms, and monthly payment.

✕
Forgetting about upgrade costs

The model home may include upgrades not included in the base price.

✕
Not reviewing lot premiums

Some lots carry additional premiums that change the final purchase price.

✕
Not planning for timeline changes

Delays may affect rate locks, moving plans, closing costs, and financing.

✕
Waiting too long to compare lenders

Compare the builder lender offer early, before you feel locked into one financing path.

✕
Not thinking about future selling costs

The Prime Buyer Advantage helps you think ahead with a future 1.5% listing fee when you sell.

New Construction Buyer Help Request

This optional form is for new construction buyers who want help comparing a builder, community, home, or lender offer.

 

New Construction Buyer Help Request
1
Contact Information Name, email, phone
+
2
New Construction Information Timeline, builder, community, price
+
3
What Would You Like Help With? Select all that apply, plus optional upload
+

Drag & drop a file, or click to browse

Accepted: PDF, JPG, PNG, HEIC, DOC, DOCX

4
Message / Questions Tell us more about your situation
+

Important Buyer Choice Disclosure:  Buyers are never required to use Ultimate Mortgage. Buyers may choose any lender they prefer. The Prime Buyer Advantage applies when a buyer uses Prime Home Team for the real estate purchase and Ultimate Mortgage for financing.

A builder may offer incentives tied to using a preferred lender. Buyers should compare the full cost and terms of all available options before deciding which lender to use.

Because Prime Home Team and Ultimate Mortgage are connected through common ownership, buyers should receive the appropriate affiliated business arrangement disclosure as part of the process.

Common Questions From New Construction Buyers

Should I use the builder's preferred lender?

The builder’s preferred lender may offer a valuable incentive, but compare the full cost first — rate, APR, points, lender fees, builder credits, lender credits, cash to close, and monthly payment.

Yes. Submit a builder lender quote, incentive sheet, Loan Estimate, fee worksheet, screenshot, or email for review. Compare My Lender Quote →

Yes. Request a personalized rate quote from Ultimate Mortgage using key preliminary information. Request My Rate Quote →

No. You may choose any lender. The Prime Buyer Advantage applies when you use Prime Home Team for the real estate purchase and Ultimate Mortgage for financing.

Ultimate Mortgage does not charge a 1% loan origination fee and does not charge a lender processing fee.

Not always. Builder incentives should be compared against rate, points, lender fees, credits, monthly payment, cash to close, and total loan cost.

Yes. Start with a strategy before visiting builder communities — comparing price, payment, lender options, incentives, timeline, and potential Prime Buyer Advantage savings.

No. Actual savings vary based on borrower qualifications, loan amount, loan program, market conditions, property type, lender pricing, builder incentives, third-party fees, timeline, and other factors.

Yes. Use the Search Homes page to browse available homes. The MLS search may include new construction listings depending on builder participation. Search Homes →

When you purchase a home through Prime Home Team and later choose Prime Home Team to sell that same home, we list the property for a 1.5% listing fee, subject to the listing agreement and program terms.