Potential Problems to Consider Before You Purchase a Model Home / Tract Home

The first house built within a subdivision – the one that contains all of the luxurious items to entice potential shoppers into making a purchase – is what’s known as a model home. The builder will construct the home and fill it up with extra features, nice furniture, stylish decor and more. This gives home shoppers a chance to experience the home as though they lived there and allows the home builder to up-sell them on upgrades.

Model homes must be beautiful because they offer the first glimpse into the style, utility and livability of a space – but is it worth it to purchase one? In some cases, model homes can be a great bargain – however, there are a few things you should be aware of. Here are potential problems to consider before you purchase a model home.

Problem 1) Model Homes Receive Numerous Visitors

While some home shoppers may jump at the chance to buy a model home, which are often priced lower than their unused counterparts, many are turned off by the thought of living in a home that possibly hundreds or even thousands of people have traipsed through.

Problem 2) A Model Home is the First House Constructed in a Subdivision

When a builder constructs homes on a tract of land, any number of problems could be uncovered during the process, leading the builder to make adjustments going forward that the model home did not receive. For example, by the fifth house, the construction crew could identify a better way to run certain pipes or electrical wires; the model home, unfortunately, is already finished and cannot be modified to the updated specs.

Problem 3) A Model Home is Generally Quickly Built

When it comes to purchasing a model home, always be aware that it could have gone up too quickly to be considered a high-quality job. In order to achieve funding and capacity goals, builders need to get the model home up quickly to entice buyers as soon as possible. This means that construction methods may be careless in the interest of optimizing the builder’s time. Similar to when people flip homes, the builder could be using cheap materials and doing the bare minimum to make it simply look nice. To avoid this problem, always hire a professional home inspector to conduct a thorough walk-through of the entire model house before purchasing.

Problem 4) Model Homes and Tract Housing are Considered “Cookie-Cutter”

If you’re an individualist who wants to avoid the suburban scene, a model home may not be the right choice for you. Often, the only difference between tract houses is the exterior color and features you choose to upgrade for a fee.

Problem 5) Shortened Warranty

Many home builders offer at least a standard 10-year warranty – however, it applies to new homes only. Since a model home can be used for months or even years, you lose that amount of time within the warranty. If you’re purchasing a three-year-old home, for example, you’d only have a warranty that amounts to seven years. Additionally, consider the warranties of other products within the home, like kitchen appliances, which normally only come with a one-year warranty. Your coffee pot or microwave may not even be under warranty by the time you move in.

Problem 6) Model Homes are Located at the Busiest Spot in the Neighborhood

Model homes need to be located at the most frequented point of the subdivision – usually at the front or entrance area. After all, the whole point of a model home is to get people in the house and interested in buying. Unfortunately, that means you’ll have the least amount of privacy on the block, which can be a concern for many potential homeowners.

Do you have more questions about purchasing a model home? Contact Treasured Spaces today!

We can help you with your upcoming home shopping activities so you can make the best decision, whether it’s through, remodeling recommendations, general home improvements or options beyond a model home. If you’re thinking about buying a model home, contact our team today to find out how we can help you turn it into the space you’ve always dreamed of.

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