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New Construction

Buying a New Construction Home? The Builder Typically Pays for Your Agent, So Why Walk In Alone?

In most new-home sales, the builder pays the buyer's agent, and in our experience skipping an agent rarely lowers your price. The builder's sales team works for them. We work for you.

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Call Us Before Your First Model Home Visit.

Many builders only pay a buyer's agent who is registered on your first visit.

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What You Get

What Does a Buyer's Agent Do for You on a New Build?

We protect you at the two points where new-home buyers gain or lose the most: choosing the right home before your first model visit, and negotiating incentives before you sign. In most builder sales, that representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

Choosing the Right Community, Builder, and Lot

Most buyers only compare the builders whose signs they drive past. We line them up side by side before you tour, so your first visit is to the right model.

  • Side-by-side comparison of builders, plans, and price per square foot across communities
  • Lot review: premiums, drainage, orientation, and what's planned behind the back fence
  • Total tax rate check, including MUD and PID assessments
  • Quick move-in versus to-be-built, weighed against your timeline and rate

Negotiating Incentives and Extras

Builders have a baseline of what they include, and extras aren't always volunteered, even simple things like grass, a sprinkler system, or blinds. We know what to ask for and negotiate before you sign, when you have the most leverage you will have.

  • A clear picture of what each builder includes as standard, so you know what's worth asking for
  • Negotiation of additional incentives, financial or otherwise, including closing-cost credits and upgrade allowances
  • The builder lender's offer compared against an outside quote
  • Every verbal promise from the sales office confirmed in writing

Why Buyers Choose Simien for New Construction

We Judge New Homes Like Future Resales

We also sell resale homes in these same Clear Creek ISD neighborhoods, so we evaluate a new build the way your future buyer will: the lot, the floor plan, and the upgrades that hold value.

We Know the Builders' Sales Teams

We work with the sales teams in these communities regularly, and builders count on agents to bring them buyers. Those relationships give us a real read on where a builder has room to move and what's realistic to ask for.

Independent From Every Builder

We aren't tied to one builder or developer. Our job is to find the right fit for you across all of them, including the ones you haven't toured yet.

Clear Lake Rooted Since 2009

Our office is on Bay Area Blvd in Webster, a short drive from both communities featured below. Jimmy Simien, our Broker/Owner, has worked this market since 2002.

Why Simien Properties, by the Numbers

$1.0B+
Homes Soldsince 2009
4.93/5
HAR Rating1,000+ verified surveys
5/5
Zillow Rating400+ reviews
Top 1.5%
Nationally RankedAmerica's Best RE Pros
17 yrs
Years in Clear Lakefounded 2009

Buying Direct

What Goes Wrong When You Buy Directly From the Builder?

Most costly surprises trace back to decisions made before construction starts: the incentives, the lender, and the lot. Builder sales teams are often helpful and knowledgeable, but their job is to sell the builder's homes on the builder's terms. Still weighing new against resale? Read our take on whether you'll regret not choosing new construction, or see our guide to buying a home in Clear Lake City and Greater Houston.

  1. The Contract Is the Builder's Contract

    In our experience, most production builders use their own purchase agreement, written by their attorneys, instead of TREC's New Home Contract forms. Texas rules allow that when the owner requires its own attorney-prepared form. Real estate agents can't give legal advice, and TREC's own New Home Contract tells buyers to consult an attorney before signing, so if you want the contract's terms reviewed, a real estate attorney is the right call. Our job is to negotiate on your behalf and make sure what you were promised is in writing.

  2. Incentives Come With Conditions

    The biggest incentive is often tied to the builder's affiliated lender or title company. Sometimes that is the best deal available. Sometimes an outside lender's rate or a straight price reduction comes out ahead. We compare the rate, fees, and total cash to close side by side, the same Loan Estimate comparison the CFPB recommends.

  3. The Lot and Tax Rate Matter as Much as the Floor Plan

    Lot premiums, drainage, easements, and what's planned behind the back fence all affect how a home lives and resells. In Greater Houston, MUD and PID assessments can add meaningfully to your total tax rate, so we review them before you choose a section. Our guide to what buyers often miss when calculating a monthly payment shows how much that line can move.

  4. Not Every Upgrade Pays You Back

    Design-center selections are priced by the builder, and many finishes can cost more there than they would after closing. We help you prioritize structural items that are hard to add later, like outlets, wiring, and garage or room extensions, and hold off on finishes you can change down the road.

  5. Brand New Does Not Mean Perfect

    Many buyers assume a new home doesn't need an inspection, and builders don't always bring it up. City inspectors check minimum code, and the builder's superintendent is checking their own crew's work. In our experience, independent inspections of brand-new homes regularly produce reports that run several pages. Ask before you sign whether the builder allows outside inspections at each stage: TREC's inspector advisory committee has noted that some builders set their own requirements for inspectors.

  6. The Timeline Moves, and So Can Your Rate

    Build dates slip for weather, permits, and supply. That can affect your rate lock, your lease, or the sale of your current home. We track the schedule, keep your lender aligned, and plan the handoff between homes.

The First-Visit Rule

When Should You Call a Buyer's Agent for New Construction?

Before your first model home visit. Many builders treat that visit as the start of the sale. If you tour a model, fill out the guest card, and bring an agent on the second visit, many builders will decline to pay that agent. You then either lose representation or pay for it yourself.

Builders publish these rules themselves. KB Home's agent policy asks the agent to accompany you on your first visit, and Lennar's asks you to register your agent at your first interaction with its staff. Policies vary by builder, which is why we check each one before you go.

Avoiding that takes one phone call.

  1. Call or Text Us

    Tell us which communities or builders you're curious about. We'll confirm each builder's registration policy.

  2. We Register You With the Builder

    We contact the on-site sales team and attach our name to your file before you arrive.

  3. Tour on Your Schedule

    Depending on the builder's policy, we join you for the first visit or register you ahead of time so you can browse models freely.

Already toured on your own? Call us anyway. If no contract has been signed, many builders will still add an agent to your file.

During Construction

What Should You Watch For While Your Home Is Being Built?

Watch five milestones: your design-center selections, three independent inspections (pre-slab, pre-cover, and final), and the 11-month warranty check. Once the contract is signed, the builder runs the build. Our main work happens earlier, when you choose the home and negotiate. During construction, we prepare you for each milestone, connect you with independent inspectors, and stay on call when something needs a second opinion.

Milestone 01 of 05

Design Center

Selections are due early, and changes after the deadline are costly or not allowed.

What to Watch For

  • Upgrade pricing that adds up quickly once it is rolled into your loan
  • Selection deadlines and change-order fees
  • Structural options that cannot be added after framing

How We Help You Prepare

  • Set an upgrade budget with you before the appointment
  • Share which upgrades tend to hold value at resale in the area
  • Review your selections sheet for errors before you sign it

Milestone 02 of 05

Pre-Slab Inspection

The first of three inspections we recommend, done before the slab is poured. Once it's poured, what is underneath cannot be checked, and much of the Houston area sits on heavy clay soils that shrink and swell with moisture.

What to Watch For

  • Form placement, steel reinforcement, and plumbing layout before the pour
  • Lot grading and the direction water will drain
  • Pour dates shared too late to schedule an inspection

How We Help You Prepare

  • Refer independent inspectors who know Gulf Coast clay soils
  • Ask the builder for pour dates early so an inspection fits the schedule
  • Walk through the inspector's report with you

Milestone 03 of 05

Pre-Cover Inspection

The second inspection, done before insulation and sheetrock go up. It is the last chance to see the electrical and plumbing inside the walls.

What to Watch For

  • Framing, truss, and fastener issues
  • Missing nail plates, loose pipes, or poorly sealed ductwork
  • Outlet, switch, and blocking locations that differ from your plan

How We Help You Prepare

  • Coordinate a pre-cover inspection before insulation and sheetrock go up
  • Help you send findings to the builder as a clear, written list
  • Keep your lender and rate lock aligned if the schedule shifts

Milestone 04 of 05

Final Inspection and Closing

The third inspection, before your final walkthrough with the builder. A new home should close with a written punch list and a second set of eyes.

What to Watch For

  • Cosmetic and functional items left unfinished
  • Grading, caulking, and flashing that affect water intrusion
  • Promised credits missing from the closing disclosure

How We Help You Prepare

  • Schedule an independent final inspection before the builder's walkthrough
  • Help you document the punch list and confirm each item is complete
  • Check the closing disclosure for the incentives and credits you were promised

Milestone 05 of 05

11-Month Warranty Check

Many builder warranties follow a 1-2-10 structure, like the one 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty describes: one year on workmanship and materials, two years on the plumbing, electrical, and duct lines behind the walls, and ten years on major structural parts, with equipment like HVAC units covered by the manufacturer instead. First-year coverage usually ends 12 months after closing, so month 11 is the time to find issues. Coverage varies, so read your own builder's warranty.

What to Watch For

  • Settling cracks and doors that stick after the first seasons
  • HVAC and plumbing issues that only appear with daily use
  • Warranty requests that stall without follow-up

How We Help You Prepare

  • Remind you to book an 11-month inspection
  • Help you submit and track warranty requests
  • Stay available for questions as long as you own the home

New Communities to Explore

Which New Master-Planned Communities Are Selling Near Clear Lake?

Two worth a look right now are Legacy by Hillwood in League City and Midline in the Webster area. Both are selling new homes now, both are in Clear Creek ISD, and both are a short drive from our Webster office. We can register you with any builder in either community before your first visit.

Legacy by Hillwood marketing banner reading "A Texas Tradition, New Homes From the $400s to $1M+" over a sunlit field

League City, TX

Legacy by Hillwood

Developed by Hillwood Communities at League City Parkway and Legacy Drive, with modern ranch-inspired homes, connected lakes, and trails.

Acres
700+
Home prices
$400s–$1M+
Builders
10
Acres of connected lakes
60
  • Homestead, the planned amenity center, with leisure and lap pools, an event lawn, and Legacy Hall, plus 10 miles of trails
  • Clear Creek ISD schools listed by the developer: Florence Campbell Elementary, Creekside Intermediate, and Clear Springs High School
  • Inside a MUD: the developer lists a current tax rate of $2.92 per $100 of assessed value (subject to change annually) and $1,400 in annual HOA dues

Builders

  • Coventry Homes · $400s
  • David Weekley Homes · $400s
  • Village Builders · $400s
  • Perry Homes · $490s
  • Beazer Homes · $500s
  • Shea Homes · $600s
  • Drees Custom Homes · mid $650s
  • Highland Homes · $670s
  • Westin Homes · $710s
  • Partners in Building · $1M+
Tour Legacy With Uslegacybyhillwood.com (opens in a new tab)
The Midline logo over a tree-lined outdoor shopping promenade

Webster Area, TX

Midline

Developed by Brookfield Residential in partnership with CDC Houston, just west of I-45 South between El Dorado Blvd and Grissom Rd, a short drive from our office.

Acres
1,066
Homes from
Low $400s
Builders
4
Homes planned
2,800
  • The Line, a signature trail with 15 planned trail nodes, and no home more than a quarter mile from a neighborhood park
  • The Midline Club, with a pool, splash pad, fitness center, and co-working space, planned for summer 2027
  • Clear Creek ISD schools listed by the developer: Greene Elementary, Brookside Intermediate, and Clear Brook High School
  • Baybrook Mall within walking distance, and six model homes open daily

Builders

  • Brookfield Residential · low $400s
  • Highland Homes · low $400s
  • Perry Homes · mid $500s
  • Toll Brothers · high $600s
Tour Midline With Usmidlinetx.com (opens in a new tab)

Community details are from each developer's website as of September 2026. Pricing, builders, amenity dates, and school attendance zones for new sections can change, so we confirm current details with the builder and the district before you tour.

Who Pays Your Agent

Who Pays the Buyer's Agent on New Construction?

In most builder sales, the builder pays the buyer's agent through a commission it offers to cooperating agents. That fee is part of the builder's cost of selling the home, so it does not come out of your down payment. Each builder sets its own conditions and its own amount, and some state plainly that they won't cover anything above it: KB Home's policy, for example, says it is not responsible for any commission above its own offer.

Walking in alone rarely gets you a lower price. Production builders protect their base prices, because every discounted sale becomes a comparable for the rest of the section. When they want to move a home, they offer incentives instead: closing-cost credits, rate buydowns through an affiliated lender, or design-center allowances. The advertised incentives are usually the same with or without an agent, but extras beyond them aren't always volunteered. Going alone means nobody on your side knows what to ask for or is negotiating it.

How the Money Moves

  1. The Builder

    Offers a commission to your agent, as long as your agent is registered according to the builder's policy.

  2. Your Written Agreement

    Texas law has required a written agreement before we show you any residential property since January 1, 2026, and national industry rules have required one before touring a home since August 17, 2024. We sign one before your first model visit either way. It spells out our services and our fee, which is not set by law and is fully negotiable, and we confirm the builder's contribution in writing.

  3. You

    In most builder sales, you pay nothing out of pocket for representation. If a builder's contribution ever falls short, you'll know the number before you sign anything.

Thinking About Building New? Talk to Us Before Your First Model Visit.

Schedule a call, send us a message, or call the office, whichever fits where you are right now.

Schedule a CallSend Us a Message(281) 280-8675

Common Questions

New Construction Questions We Hear Most

Rarely, in our experience. Production builders protect their base prices across a community, because every discounted sale becomes a comparable for the next one. When they want to move a home, they offer incentives instead. The advertised incentives are generally the same with or without an agent; what an agent adds is knowing what else to ask for, and negotiating it.

In most builder sales, no. The builder typically pays a commission to your agent. Your written buyer representation agreement, which Texas law requires before we show you any home, sets our fee. We confirm the builder's contribution in writing, and you'll know about any difference before you sign.

A MUD, or Municipal Utility District, finances water, sewer, and drainage for a new community and repays that debt through a tax on your property bill. A PID, or Public Improvement District, funds improvements like roads or amenities through assessments on the properties that benefit. Both can raise your total tax rate, so we check them before you choose a community or section. Texas law also requires the seller to give you written MUD and PID notices before you sign a binding contract.

Yes, though usually not on base price. Builders have a baseline of what they include, and extras aren't always volunteered, so it helps to know what to ask for. We help you negotiate additional incentives, financial or otherwise, even simple things like grass, a sprinkler system, or blinds, before you sign.

Not necessarily. If you haven't signed a contract, call us. Many builders will still add an agent to your file, especially when we reach out quickly.

Yes. It's easy to assume a new home will be perfect, and builders don't always suggest an inspection, but in our experience reports on brand-new homes often run several pages. City inspections check minimum code, and the builder inspects its own work. We recommend three independent inspections: pre-slab, before the foundation is poured; pre-cover, before sheetrock goes up, to check the electrical and plumbing in the walls; and a final inspection at the end. In Texas, a professional inspector working for a buyer must be licensed by TREC and follow its standards of practice. Our guide to what a home inspection report actually means explains how to read the findings.

Sometimes it is the right call, especially when a large incentive depends on it. We recommend getting a second quote so you can compare the rate, fees, and total cash to close side by side. The CFPB makes the same recommendation: request Loan Estimates from more than one lender, since each must send one within three business days.

Start with the builder's warranty process, and put every request in writing. If it ever comes to a legal claim, Texas's Residential Construction Liability Act generally requires you to send the builder written notice by certified mail at least 60 days before filing suit, and gives the builder a chance to inspect and make a repair or settlement offer. We help you document and track requests, and for legal questions we'll point you to a real estate attorney.

Building New? Let's Talk Before You Tour.

Tell us which communities or builders you're considering. A Simien Team member will reach out, confirm each builder's registration policy, and help you plan your first visit.