Buying a new construction home is exciting! If you’re building your first home in Southern Indiana, it’s a chance to start fresh with brand-new finishes and fixtures, modern appliances, contemporary open spaces, and the opportunity to make the home truly yours.
However, building your first home can seem overwhelming at first. Should you choose your new home community or floor plan first? When should you begin financing? How do design selections work? How long does construction take? What happens before closing?
Fortunately, you do not need to know everything about home construction before getting started. As an experienced home builder in Southern Indiana, Premier Homes can walk you through the major decisions along the way.
Here’s a high-level look at what to expect when building your new home.
Step 1: Start With Your New Home Budget and Financing
Before you fall in love with a homesite, a floor plan, or an open-concept kitchen design, you’ll need to establish a comfortable home-buying budget.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends preparing your finances before shopping for a home and mortgage, including checking your credit, assessing your finances, determining how much you want to spend, and gathering the paperwork you may need for a mortgage application.
Even if you qualify to borrow a certain amount, that doesn’t mean you should spend the full amount. If you’re looking for ballpark figures, you can browse Premier Homes’ new communities for price ranges in Southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky, where starting prices range from the $250s to the $290s.
Your new home budget should include the down payment, your monthly mortgage payment, property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA fees where applicable, utilities, and other expenses that come with homeownership.
Now is the time to talk with lenders about pre-qualification or pre-approval. Then you can focus your search for new homes in Southern Indiana that fit your budget comfortably.
Now is also a good time to decide what kind of construction fits your budget and priorities. Think about what matters most to you:
- If you want to make more design decisions and your schedule is flexible, building from the ground up may be the best fit. With Premier Homes, a ground-up build begins with a Builder Consultation and is built around your floor plan and lot selection.
- If you want a new home but need to move sooner, an under-construction spec home or completed home may offer a shorter path to move-in. Depending on the stage of construction, some partially completed Premier spec homes may still allow you to select finishes that have not yet been ordered.
Step 2: Decide Where You Want to Live in Southern Indiana
Before you find the perfect house, do some research on neighborhoods where you want to live. Look at quality-of-life factors like your commute, daily routine, schools, recreation, shopping, dining, and how easy it is to get to the places that matter most to you.
Premier Homes offers new-home communities throughout Southern Indiana, including Jeffersonville, New Albany, Georgetown, Charlestown, and Sellersburg. Current communities include Ellingsworth Commons, Hilton Farms, Kamer Crossing, Knob Hill, Rock Springs, Waters of Millan/Plains of Millan, and Ma Cherie Reserve.
We recommend exploring these scenic communities in person. What amenities does each neighborhood offer? Are there plenty of common areas for walking and recreation? Drive the surrounding roads and highways and look at nearby shopping and recreation.
And, of course, you’ll want to research each school district if you’re planning to raise a family in your new home. For example, our Knob Hill community is in the award-winning Floyd County School District and features lakes, a clubhouse, and a community pool.
Step 3: Select a Floor Plan for the Way You Actually Live
This is where the fun really begins: looking at floor plans to bring your new-home dream to life!
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want? Would you prefer a one-story or two-story home? Do you work from home? Do you entertain frequently? Does your dream kitchen include an oversized island with built-in features like seating, a sink, and prep space? Perhaps a bonus room could give your family more flexibility as your needs change (such as a play area for the kids that could transition into a wellness space).
Premier Homes offers a wide selection of floor plans with different bedroom counts, layouts, square footage, and features designed for different households and lifestyles. We encourage buyers to use the floor plans to imagine how they’ll move and function in the home day to day.
Think about how you will enter from the garage, carry groceries into the kitchen, do laundry, host family and friends, store everyday belongings, and use bedrooms or flexible spaces as your needs change.
Bigger is not always better. You want a new home plan that fits your Southern Indiana lifestyle and priorities. Need a little new-home inspiration? Visit one of our open houses.
Step 4: Make Your Design Selections and Upgrades
Which design features are most important to you? Maybe you’d like to add pendant lighting above your oversized island for your dream kitchen, along with stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and a walk-in pantry. Or perhaps your priority is a luxurious primary suite, featuring a large en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower, double vanity, and separate water closet and walk-in closet.
When selecting upgrades, think beyond appearance, such as convenient outlets for small appliances and charging devices. An attractive kitchen should also make it easier to prepare meals, store groceries, organize cookware, and host guests.
This is where customization comes in. Think of each Premier floor plan as a foundation for designing and building your dream home. If you are building from the ground up or purchasing a spec home early in construction, you’ll have the opportunity to personalize your home to your lifestyle.
Ask early what comes standard, what upgrades are available, when decisions need to be finalized, and whether selections can be changed later. For example, at Premier Homes, we’ll schedule an appointment with you at our Design Center after an accepted Purchase Agreement. This is where you get to select your finishes and upgrades. We then give you a defined timeframe to sign off on your selections.
You can review more details about this process in our FAQs.
Step 5: Know What to Expect During Construction
Once construction begins, one of the most common questions we get at Premier Homes is, “When will my home be finished?”
Of course, we can provide an estimated schedule, but new construction requires some flexibility. Weather can affect certain stages of construction. Heavy rains and extreme temperature changes can cause delays, along with changes in crew availability and supplies/materials.
Communication is key. Your Southern Indiana builder should stay in touch throughout the process. At Premier Homes, communication is a priority, and we provide our buyers the opportunity to schedule three construction tours through their real estate agent with a Premier Homes representative at different stages of the build.
Your home may start with a foundation and framing, but over time you will see walls, cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, finishes, and all those decisions you made earlier come together.
Step 6: Prepare for Your Walkthrough and Closing
As your new home’s construction nears completion, stay responsive to your mortgage lender and provide any updated financial documentation they request. Review the paperwork you receive carefully, and ask questions about anything you don’t understand.
For most mortgage loans, federal rules require lenders to provide buyers with a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends using that time to review your final loan information, compare it with your expectations, and ask questions about anything that does not look right.
Use your final walkthrough as an opportunity to become familiar with your finished home and get a clearer picture of how you will move and live in each room. If you have any questions prior to closing, this is a good time to check in with your real estate agent.
Then comes the part you have been waiting for: closing, getting the keys, and making your new house your home!
Step 7: Learn About Your Warranty and Post-Closing Support
Before you buy a new home in Southern Indiana, ask what type of warranty protection is provided, what it covers, how service requests are handled, and whom you should contact if you have a concern after moving in.
All new Premier Homes include an RWC Home Warranty. We also offer post-closing walkthroughs at approximately 30 days and again at approximately 11 months, if needed. This gives you time to live in the home, learn how everything works, and address eligible concerns that may arise after you settle in.
Your New Construction Home Starts With the Right Team in Southern Indiana
Buying and building a brand-new home involves plenty of decisions, but when you partner with Premier Homes, the process doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
Use this guide as a starting point, and our Premier Homes team will help guide you from the initial consultation through closing day. Whether you are purchasing your first new house or planning your forever home, our goal is to provide you with quality construction in Southern Indiana at an exceptional value.
Ready to take the first step? Explore our new home communities, browse our floor plans, visit one of our open houses, or contact Premier Homes to start finding the right new home for you.