Buying a Home and Changing Mind, What to Do

If the spec house has everything you like, but this one room.....I say buy the spec house. It can't cost that much to change it back. Get more bids. I can't even imagine all the time and DECISIONS that go into building a new house and you can move into one already like you like it except for that one room! Think of all the headaches you will be getting just for that one room to be different! Wouldn't be a hard decision for me....I can't even pick out the tile for my backsplash without having major anxiety! Good luck!

I would say do whatever you have to do to be happy. This is your only chance to make it right!!! You may lose a little money in the process if you change things up a little, but that may be worth it, if the other way is the way you really want your house. You need to make sure of your location too. If you change it up, will you lose your lot? Some lots are specific to certain houses because of the way the land lays. Keep that in mind too. Good luck!!

First, most contracts allow 3 days to change your mind regardless of the reason. Check the fine print and see if the contract allows for any outs. Second, if you are buying from the developer, they want you to be happy anyway and will probably let you change to a custom build. They also might be willing to convert the area back into the room that you want. I would go in tomorrow and explain the situation and see what they offer up.

Have your realtor ask the builder to convert the room or to convert it at cost. Building is stressful. We paid cash and the little things kept adding up to the point we were hating our builder, a very common experience.

If you made an offer on the house then they changed the space on you then I'd pull my offer unless they offered to fix it for the original quoted amount. Right? I mean that makes the most sense? What did your realtor say, surely she can go to bat for you and get it done? My MIL is a RE agent and something like that would never fly with her.. You thought you were buying one thing, it changed and that's not okay.

You mean a bonus room? I am not sure if you can back out now. Do you
have the patience to build a home? I think you need to sit down with
builder/contractor and agent and then decide what to do.

You would have to check the laws of your state for specifics about whether you can get out of it or not.

It also depends on if you are under contract or not (which it sounds like you are). Once you are under contract (an offer has been made and accepted) usually the only ways out of that contract are if your income/ability to pay changes (job loss, etc) your financing doesn't come through, or if the home fails an inspection (with a new build the chances of that happening are slim to none).

To the best of my knowledge the three business day grace period to cancel a contract doesn't apply to a contract on a house. But again that's something you'd have to check with your state about to be sure.

You can try to talk to the builder about a different house built by them, but chances are once you start getting all the "options" you want with the new house it'll be more expensive than just buying this one and either finishing the space yourself or having them finish the space.

Good luck.

I am kinda confused. They will build the same home with the room for the same price you offered and was accepted on the spec home? If that is the case then sure as long as you can get a lot you like. If there is a difference in price make sure you take that into account on your figures along with the extra time it will take, location and all that jazz.

Another thing you may want to consider if there is a difference in price is how much it would cost you to convert the room back. It really isn't that hard to do yourself.

Ahh yes the other responder brings up good points. All fixtures are not included in the price. Our home is 10 rooms, two baths, we spent over $3,000 on light fixtures.

If you have a house built from scratch (I am assuming you mean the same builder and same town house community) how much more or less will this cost than if you just buy this spec house and you have the builder finish the room? Is it a wash? Or will the spec home cost more than building from scratch? That's what I think is the most important consideration here.

To be honest, if it's a wash to have it finished, what's the problem? I'd just take the spec house and have them finish the room and be done with it, if it costs the same as starting from scratch. It will be heck of a lot less headache and wait time for sure.

I however, can undertand the hesitation if you are telling us you would be spending same amount of money on this incomplete house as you would just starting from scratch for the same style house but with the finished planning room.

That would mean the builder is overcharging you for what amounts to a home with less living space, and that would be very unfair! And if that is the case, I'd point that out to the builder and insist he remedy this by renegotiating with you a lower price on the spec home since you'd be getting less finished space square footage-wise than what is typically offered for this particular model.

Or demand they finish it at no extra cost since it is afterall the spec home. It probably has wear and tear from people walking through, and so on. Maybe a tougher argument to justify, but it can't hurt to try.

Bottom line, I wouldn't pay anything extra for the spec home if it was a model that was supposed to have more features but didn't. Not because it wasn't what I wanted, or that this was an opportunity to "get what I wanted" but because the builder is cheating you and needs to be called on the carpet! Demand he lower the cost or finish the room to your liking and only then, will you pay what the house with a finished room should cost anyway. If that makes sense. :P

By the way, how much would it cost you to finish the room yourself? Have you gone to a Home Depot or Lowes to find out? I would! How much needs to be done to make it a room versus storage? If it's matter of pulling out shelves and painting the walls, I'd take the spec house as-is if you're getting a significant price cut from the price of a house with a finished planning room.

I can assure you, the cost of making the room livable would be minimal if the change is strictly cosmetic. Even if the room is merely framed up (like an attic with wood beams and exposed insulation) and all you need to do is add sheet rock and carpeting, it still might be cheaper to take a price cut and do it yourself, then to build from scratch and wait who knows how long before you can move in, or have the builder finish the room. They can pad/hide alot of expense in the estimate and labor time if you let them call the shots. The only thing you save by having them finish the room is time and energy. But sometimes putting in the sweat equity yourself is well worth it and better for the pocket book.

If you have the time, do some homework and see what finishing it off yourself would cost. The builder might be over inflating the cost to finish this room in hopes of making a profit at your expense. Just sounds like he's trying to do alot of stuff here. I'm still hung up on the fact you have to pay extra to finish the room. You should be paying what it costs to build a new home from scratch with a planning room or less (even with finishing the room) because it IS the spec home. Hmmm. He sounds like a slick one for sure. Stick to your guns. Do your homework.

Sounds like you haven't signed the contract to buy yet, just waiting on approval. Tell the builder you want the planning room but not at that outrageous price. If they aren't willing to work with you, back out. They will contact you within days (if they don't stop you right then and there from leaving, that is). Get what you want now or you'll regret it.

On a side note: Try not to obsess over these things, too. (I've been there and focussed on something very similar to what you're talking about). God has blessed you and your family with a job, home and good schooling for your kids...let alone a brand-new home. You have many many things to be thankful for, so try not to get greedy. (and I say that with all due respect and good intentions; like I said, I've been right in your shoes and had to snap myself back to reality)

Good luck, God bless, and congratulations on your new home!

What's a planning room? I've never heard of it.

I would talk with the builder, as other's have suggested. See if they will negotiate and do the construction for you, at their cost, which would be less than the cost directly to you.

If you do have the option to back out of the contract (which I am not sure you do at this point), just back out. Use the back out as a negotiating tool for getting the room finished/converted. Of course, you have to truly be willing to back out (which means - not discussing with him building a different house for you). Also, you might want to check and see if there are other builder's in a subdivision. I build in a division where there were three builders. There was one builder I really liked, but he only had lots available on the main entrance road (which wasn't an option for me with a toddler). I asked him if he could get a lot on one of the side roads and he said no. I said, "Okay then, nevermind" and got up to walk away (I was serious too). (I was going to discuss building with one of the other buildres). And, at that point, OF COURSE he was able to get a lot on one of the side roads. They don't want to lose an entire sell over a small issue.

Good luck,
L.