You bought in a new construction community in Horizon West or Winter Garden. A few years later you’re ready to sell, and the builder is still selling right down the street. Their sales office is offering to pay closing costs and buy down the buyer’s rate. You can’t write a check that big.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to. When you’re selling a resale home next to new construction, you’re not competing on the same thing.
Why do builder incentives feel impossible to beat?
Because they’re built into the builder’s margin. A builder can pay closing costs and buy down a rate on a new home and still hit their numbers. A resale seller who tries to match that dollar for dollar ends up giving away their equity.
And every buyer who walks into your home has usually walked the builder’s model first. They’ve heard the pitch. That’s the comparison you’re up against.
What does a resale have that the builder can’t sell?
More than most sellers realize:
- Time. A new build can take months. Yours is ready now. For a buyer with a lease ending or a job starting, that’s worth real money.
- Finished upgrades. The model’s upgrades are on the price sheet. Yours are already paid for and installed.
- Landscaping and window treatments. Buyers forget these until they price them out on a new build.
- No lot premium. The builder charges extra for the pond or preserve lot. If you have one, it’s already part of your price.
- A finished street. No construction trucks, no empty lots next door.
How do you market a resale against new construction?
You sell those advantages before the buyer ever walks in. That means:
- Prep and stage before going live. Your first two weeks get the most attention. Don’t spend them looking unfinished next to a decorated model.
- Professional photos and video, including lifestyle video. Show the view, the amenities and the finished feel, not just the floor plan.
- Targeted ads, every week. Boost and retarget to the buyers most likely to want your home, well beyond the MLS.
Should you lower your price to compete with the builder?
Maybe, but only once, and only on data. Look at what the builder is offering right now and how long competing resales are sitting. Then make one adjustment and stop guessing.
What does this look like in real life?
Earlier this year, a seller in a new construction community in Horizon West, near Flamingo Crossings, was ready to downsize. The builder nearby was paying buyers’ closing costs and buying down their rate, and inventory was climbing.
We prepped and staged the home, reached more than 300,000 people with weekly targeted ads and averaged two showings a week. When she got nervous, we looked at the data together and made one price adjustment.
She sold at 97% of list with zero seller concessions, while competing resales nearby were selling for less. Read the full Horizon West case study.
The takeaway
Don’t try to out-discount the builder. Sell what they can’t: time, finished details and a lot nobody pays a premium for.
Thinking about selling near new construction in Horizon West, Winter Garden or anywhere along the Disney Corridor? Give me 30 minutes. I’ll show you what the builder is offering right now and where your home comes out ahead. Find out what your home is worth, or browse Winter Garden and Horizon West communities.
Semper Fi to your real estate needs.
Photos: Pexels (free license). Results reflect one transaction and are not a guarantee of future results. Jorge Martinez, REALTOR®, Keller Williams Classic Realty.