Setting the Standard for Fair Home Buying

The state of the housing market hasn’t been easy on anyone the past year-and-a-half. Homebuilders in the market feel the pressure to increase supply while still providing high-quality products, and determined shoppers may sometimes spend more time than expected to find their next home. But even when times are tough, Homes by Taber keeps the same commitment to service, quality, and fair pricing and shoppers are appreciating the transparent home buying process. 

We’ve always talked about setting the standard for other builders in the area when it comes to included features, quality, safety, and technology—but we also strive to set the standard for customer service and honest communication amidst an ever-changing industry. Read on to see the promises we’ve made, and kept, to our customers. 

No escalation clauses

In the world of new construction homebuilding, an escalation clause is part of the purchase agreement or real estate contract that protects builders in the case of an increase in the cost of materials or labor—for which the buyer is then contractually responsible for covering. Many builders have relied on escalation clauses during the past year-and-a-half due to the increase in costs, meaning they can go back to the buyer and ask for more money later on in the build. With so many variables affecting the price of a home these days, builders are unsure of how to price their homes and use escalation clauses as a way to cover their costs—even though it’s the customers who suffer the consequences. 

Homes by Taber takes pride in the transparent, honest communication we have with our home buyers—which is why we don’t add escalation clauses to our contracts. Without these sneaky clauses, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting in your new home—for exactly what price—the day you sign on the dotted line. As price increases are incurred for materials and labor, Homes by Taber will honor the original contract price and not pass it along to our customers so they may feel confident in their financial decisions.  

No bidding wars or auction sites

While you may only think of the used home market when it comes to bidding wars, many new-construction builders have resorted to this tactic as well. With a low inventory of homes and lots on the market, both used and new homes are receiving multiple offers, which causes competition in the process and drives up prices further than they should be. Shoppers are submitting offers well above the asking price on new and used homes to “win” the home and beat out the other offers. Some builders are even updating their websites to create auction sites for their homes, with interested buyers offering more and more on a home from a buyer they may have never even spoken to. 

At Homes by Taber, we believe in accepting the first contract from the first buyer with a pre-qualification (or other proof of funds), and earnest money check. No gimmicks, no shady deals, and no fear that your offer will be beat—it’s that simple. 

Online home prices are guaranteed 

Nowadays, home prices can be hard to find on a builder’s website. Aside from the expensive escalation clauses mentioned above, many homebuilders have also resorted to ambiguous pricing in an attempt to offset the unpredictable market. But just like our commitment to transparent communication, we also have a commitment to genuine pricing—no matter the market. 

The prices for to-be-built homes and the showcase homes under construction are listed online, for all to see, on the Homes by Taber website. Additionally, homeowners who hope to add a little more personalization or enhancements to their home can find exactly how much those options will cost on the interactive floor plans. Existing homeowners know about our Proudly Overbuilt promise of including over $80,000 worth of upgrades, but potential customers can see for themselves exactly how far their money can go and which enhancements make the most financial sense for them. 

Personalize your home 

Speaking of personalization, many builders have halted the options and upgrades available for homes in construction. Personalizing a home is one of the biggest benefits of building vs purchasing a used home that needs updates. Whether the option seems minute (hardware, wall color, and light fixtures) or significant (flooring, kitchen cabinetry, and mud benches), it can be disheartening for a new homeowner to see the promise of personalization without a builder delivering on those expectations. Especially when those options are taken away because the builder might not have the strong buying power or the ability to source the materials needed.  

The option to personalize your home is one of the most exciting parts of buying new construction, and Homes by Taber doesn’t want to take that away from any of our buyers. We encourage every customer to search our photo and video galleries for inspiration, play around with the interactive floor plans and meet with our talented team of in-house designers who can help tailor your new home perfectly to your needs and personal style. Whether you’re building from the ground up or selecting a home that is early in the stages of construction, we will our customers make selections to make the home fit their style.

On-schedule closing 

Nationwide, materials and labor are in short supply, which makes it difficult for builders to accomplish the promised timeline of a new construction home. A prolonged timeline means close dates are extremely hard to assign during unpredictable markets, and even harder to meet. A recent Oklahoma City news report had comments from area builders stating that today’s market has created “the perfect storm” and wondered how to “predict or even schedule a closing and what month it would be in.”  

Homes by Taber doesn’t want our customers to suffer at the hands of today’s market—it’s part of our job to take that stress and worry off of their shoulders. Thanks to our long history of building homes in some of the most sought-after locations throughout Oklahoma, we’ve been able to stay in front of this issue. We have not missed any close dates on our homes, and we don’t plan on missing any in the future. If we expect customers to plan ahead and get the correct things to us on time, they deserve the same in return. 

Selecting the right lender can also play a major role in closing on time. That’s just another reason why we highly recommend looking into Stride Bank as your mortgage lender. Stride Bank guarantees close dates, whereas most other lenders won’t. This might not seem that important, but it will mean everything when you’re sitting at closing with a moving truck packed up and ready to start the next chapter in your new home. 

Buy a home from a builder you can trust 

Purchasing a home is perhaps the largest investment you’ll ever make, and Homes by Taber wants to make the process easy on you and your family. By sticking to an exact final cost, meeting deadlines, and keeping an open line of communication, we’ve helped thousands of customers create the homes of their dreams during one of the most volatile markets in industry history. 

If you’re looking for a trusted local builder to buy a new construction home, Homes by Taber is here to help. Browse our inventory of quick-move-in homes, learn about our family-friendly communities and contact us today to get started.  The process is simple and one that you’ll enjoy along the way.