DENVER REAL ESTATE | COLORADO LIFESTYLESThe short answer
Ask a builder for the complete price, included features, deposit rules, inspection access, financing conditions, completion terms, and warranty before signing. Also verify taxes, community obligations, and nearby development for the actual lot. The goal is to turn a model-home tour into a documented purchase comparison, with enough clarity to understand what you are buying and what could change.
What exactly does the quoted price include?
Request a written specification and itemized price for the lot, elevation, structural selections, finishes, and required community features. Ask about appliances, landscaping, fencing, window coverings, utility connections, and any allowance. Identify what remains an estimate and when selections become final. A model-home sign, brochure, or salesperson’s summary may not describe the same product as the contract and construction documents.
What happens to my money if plans change?
Ask when deposits are due, whether selection payments are refundable, and which events permit termination. Discuss financing, appraisal, sale-of-current-home needs, and construction delays before signing. The CFPB specifically highlights understanding builder-deposit refund conditions. In Colorado, principal-created purchase contracts should be reviewed by a licensed attorney; your broker’s transaction support does not replace legal interpretation of a builder’s form.
How will quality and completion be verified?
Ask about independent inspection opportunities, notice requirements, access rules, and the process for documenting repairs. Clarify whether you can inspect before drywall and again near completion. Request the written warranty and identify who administers claims. Discuss how unfinished work, seasonal landscaping, and final approvals are handled at closing. A reassuring verbal promise should become a documented commitment if you expect to rely on it.
What will ownership cost after move-in?
Request completed-home tax estimates and identify the district, association, utility, and service charges. Obtain financing alternatives and read every condition attached to an incentive. Ask planning staff about nearby land and distinguish future phases from completed facilities. Finally, confirm the moving timeline and insurance arrangements. The strongest purchase decision is one you can explain from documents, rather than from assumptions made while walking through a furnished model.
Your decision checklist
- Obtain an itemized actual-lot price.
- Read deposit and termination conditions.
- Confirm independent inspection access.
- Request the written warranty.
- Verify taxes and recurring community charges.
Common questions
Should I ask these questions before reserving a lot?
Yes, especially before paying money or signing anything binding. Reservation and deposit terms should be understood at the time you commit.
Can the model’s features be assumed included?
No. Match each important feature to the written specification, selection sheet, and contract for the home you are purchasing.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked for this guide on October 28, 2026. Reporting periods and effective dates are identified where relevant; linked agencies may update their pages.
- CFPB: Finding the right home and new construction considerations — 2026-10-28
Official source consulted October 28, 2026; verify property-specific documents and current schedules before relying on them.
- Federal Trade Commission: Warranties for new homes — 2026-10-28
Official source consulted October 28, 2026; verify property-specific documents and current schedules before relying on them.
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, Title 12, section 12-10-408.5 — 2026-10-28
Official source consulted October 28, 2026; verify property-specific documents and current schedules before relying on them.
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