NEW HOME BUYER'S AGENT · DFW
Touring new construction homes?
Walk in with the guy who used to run the sales office.
I ran a builder's sales office. I know how the deal gets made, what the rep can give, and when. Now I make that deal for you. The builder pays my fee, so it costs you nothing.
$0 cost to you. Builder pays my fee.
FEATURED COMMUNITIES WITH INCENTIVES RIGHT NOW
New construction in South DFW.
Popular new home communities across South DFW where builders are offering incentives this month. Pick one, and I'll walk in with you.
FROM THE BUILDER'S SIDE OF THE DESK
Buyers with an agent get better deals.
I watched it happen every day.
What I saw
For 16 years I have sat on one side of this table or the other. I ran a builder's sales office and was its #1 sales manager, company-wide, for months at a stretch, mostly because the buyers who walked in without an agent paid the most. I know how reps are trained, what they are measured on, and what they will give when they need the sale. Before that I bought more than 60 homes a year for a corporate hedge fund and negotiated every one of them. The pattern never changed: buyers who walked in with an agent left with more. Better incentives, more upgrades, better terms. Buyers who walked in alone paid the price on the board and thanked the rep for it.
16+
years in real estate
600+
closings
What changes when I'm in the room
I know what the rep can give and when. Incentives have budgets, and budgets loosen at certain times. I know when.
I know what "we can't do that" really means, and what to ask for instead.
I negotiate price, incentives, lot premium, upgrades, closing costs and rate buydowns as one package, not one at a time.
I walk you through the builder's contract before you sign, flag the business terms worth negotiating, and tell you when a question needs an attorney.
I go into the design center with you knowing which upgrades hold their value and which you can do cheaper after closing.
I line up an independent inspection at pre-drywall and again before closing, not just the builder's walkthrough.
I take the inspection report back to the builder and push to get every item fixed or credited.
I stay on it from contract to keys.
Anyone can ask questions. I know what the answers should be, and I know what to do when the rep's answer falls short.
The builder's rep negotiates for the builder. I negotiate for you. It costs you nothing.
ON-SITE SALES REALITY
Sign in alone,
and you'll negotiate alone.
Builder registration rules vary, and many require your agent at your first visit. Register alone, and you may be negotiating across from a trained professional, alone, on their turf, for the rest of the deal. I confirm each builder's rule and register you before you go.
$0 cost to you. Builder pays my fee.
THE PROCESS
How it works.
Three steps from first click to keys, and none of them cost you anything.
01
Pick a community and request a tour
Tell me where you want to tour and when. It takes a minute, and you don't need to have picked a builder or a floor plan yet.
02
A 10-minute call
We cover what you're looking for, your timing, and how this works. No pitch. Then a short written agreement, which Texas law requires before I can show you homes, and I register you at every community you plan to visit.
03
We tour, and I stay on it
I walk in with you on the first visit at each community. After that you can tour on your own while I handle the negotiating, the contract, the inspection and everything through closing.
ABOUT TERRY
I have sat on the
builder's side of the desk.
I'm Terry LeBlanc, a Texas real estate agent with more than 16 years and 600 closed transactions. Most recently I was a Community Sales Manager for a DFW home builder, selling new homes out of a model just like the ones you're about to tour. Before that I bought more than 60 homes a year for a corporate hedge fund and negotiated every one of them. Now I put all of it to work on your side of the table.
Published author
Wrote Selling Secrets You Can't Afford to Miss. Chapter 5, Upgrading With ROI in Mind, covers which upgrades pay you back, which matters most at the design center.
TRANSPARENCY FIRST
Fair questions.
Straight answers before we step foot in a model home.
Won't I get a better deal if I skip the agent?
It's the opposite. I ran a builder's sales office, and I watched unrepresented buyers pay the price on the board while buyers with an agent left with more. Builders set the same price whether or not you bring an agent, so skipping me doesn't save you a dime. It just leaves you negotiating alone.
What does this cost me?
Nothing. The builder pays my fee, the same way it pays the sales rep's. You don't pay me at any point, and your price doesn't go up because I'm there.
Why do I have to sign an agreement?
Texas law requires a written agreement before an agent can show you a home or make an offer for you. Mine is short and non-exclusive, it covers only new construction in this area, and it says in writing that you owe me nothing beyond what the builder pays.
I already toured one of these communities. Is it too late?
It depends on the builder and whether you registered. If you signed in at the sales office without an agent, many builders won't add one afterward at that community. If you looked around but didn't register, or you're not sure, call me before you go back and I'll find out where you stand.
I already filled out a form on a builder's website. Can you still represent me?
Usually, yes. An online inquiry or a phone call isn't the same as registering in person, and builders generally still honor representation as long as I'm with you on your first visit. Tell me which builders you've contacted and I'll confirm before you go.
Are you affiliated with any builder?
No. I used to work for one, and I've worked across from many. I don't take anything from any builder beyond the standard fee they pay any buyer's agent, and I'll tour any community you want. My job is the best deal for you, wherever you decide to buy.
Will the sales rep treat me differently if I bring an agent?
No. Builders plan for buyer's agents, the fee is already in their budget, and the reps work with agents every week. The difference is that this time someone in the room works for you.
BEYOND NEW BUILDS
Buying Resale or Investing? I do that too.
Sixteen years and more than 600 closings cover a lot more than new construction. Tell me what you're looking for.
BEFORE YOU VISIT THE MODEL HOMES
Touring this weekend? Don't walk in alone.
Request your tour, then grab a 10-minute call on the next page. No pressure, no pitch, and it costs you nothing.
Already picked your builder?
Even better. Let's talk about the deal.
I'm not here to start your search over. Book 10 minutes and tell me what they showed you. I'll tell you what I'd push on before you sign.
Your info comes to me, not the builder.