tips for buying new construction home?

[Justin L.]

Hi all - I posted this over in the Starting Out forum which I realized is under the Investor Basics section, so perhaps not the best place. But here goes it again:

I'm currently looking at a new construction home as my primary residence. This will be my first home purchase so I'm hoping those with experience buying new build properties can weigh in here. Background: the contract takes place well before construction even starts and there are no model units to walk through. Some questions I have:

1. Do new home builders typically allow for negotiation around the refundability of the deposit (earnest money)? I've been reading mixed comments around the web about this one.

2. What are some common items that a buyer/agent should try to negotiate on? (e.g. deposit down, upgrades, etc) I'm aware that purchase price is pretty tough to get a discount on since it sets a bad precedent, but I'd like to make sure i don't leave anything on the table.

3. What are some standard protections a buyer should look for once the project is complete? (e.g., years of warranty, maintenance, etc)

4. Any other tips or advice?

5. This will be in the DFW/Dallas area so if anyone knows of a good agent/realtor/resource in the area to assist with the contract, I'd greatly appreciate any referrals.

Thanks for your time!