Jacksonville New Home Construction is exploding. Here are three ways to buy in.

Posted by Donny Mak on Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 at 1:00am.

Custom Homes
By: Alan Aptheker

Nocatee, Durbin Crossing to the south, even at the beaches with developments like Paradise Key and Valencia, new home construction is undergoing a sharp upward curve. This series is all about three different types of new home construction available: Custom, Spec and Tract homes. 
 
Spec homes. No particular buyer in mind, so typically not a lot of upgrades and eclectic finishes that might turn off the mainstream buyer. But sometimes they're not fully formed yet, and it’s possible to jump in at the right time while they're still under construction, and sneak in a few personal touches of your own. 
 
PRO: They're "off-the-shelf" ready, and many of us just hate to wait. And you can see exactly what you're getting.
CON: It's someone else’s idea of what your home should be. 

Tract homes mean lower costs, and for the first time buyer, this is usually the way to go.
 
PRO:  If you're one of the early ones, you may not have construction on your street for a year or more, since the street in these subdivisions build out and sell quickly.
CON:Things like cabinets, hardware and appliances can stick out as areas where the builder clearly saved some money.

Custom Home. You don't have a builder, you have a financial partner, wedded to you for 6 months or more.

PRO:Since the final price is more or less the sum of the parts, plus the builder/contractor costs, you can dial back, or push for more as you go along, and still have a feel for the final cost.
CON: Uncertainty. It’s more an exercise in chemistry for customers, in that they hope they’ve found the right builder for their vision. And though the purchase spec or tract home may not be exactly what you want, at least you can see precisely what you're getting.

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