wrote in message
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buying new home ...need help

My sister is thinking of buying a home in the Bay Area, California.

The developer is building 3 new houses. He is not a known builder.

What should one look for when buying such a new home ?

The builder does not have a web site ...the sale is being done thru a
real estate sales person.

The homes are pretty, have a good floor , good location etc.and that is
the attraction.

Can any one pls help ?

Is there a checklist ?

should she have a real estate agent represent her ?

Normally when one buys from a well known developer one does not need a
RE agent to represent oneself but in this case....the developer
appears to be a mom and pop type....so what to do ?

She should have a real estate agent. In the SF bay area there are many new
homes being built in less than desirable locations. The real estate agent
will be able to find out why this area was not built out before, and tell
her if that is going to be a problem in future resales. The real estate
agent would also be able to recommend a home inspector to check out the
construction quality and help make a punch list (check list) of stuff that
needs to be fixed. The agent would also be able to either provide or check
over the contract to ensure there are no weird provisions that will bite
your sister in the future. And finally, the real estate agent could show
them other comparitively priced homes in the immediate area, to ensure they
are getting a good deal on the house.

Some may also suggest a real estate attorney. In California it is rare that
a real estate attorney is called in on a basic sale because the realtors are
licensed by the state, and therefore held accountable. But you can hire a
real estate attorney if you wish, they are available, and especially for
folks used not familar with California real estate it could help the buyers
feel more comfortable.