New construction · Knoxville + Nashville
Buy new with the full picture.
Compare the home, the lot and the terms before you commit.A new home can give you the layout, finishes and fresh start you're looking for. MaX House helps buyers in Greater Knoxville and Greater Nashville compare the options, understand the costs and work through the decisions from the first visit to closing.
Talk about buying newYou can start with a community, a floor plan or a few questions.
Start here
What would make buying new work for you?
The home you’ll live in
Start with the layout, storage, outdoor space and location you want to live with. Then compare what is included in the specific home and lot.
The money you'll spend
Put the purchase price, loan terms, added selections and ongoing costs together. A builder incentive belongs in that comparison.
The date you need
Know how much flexibility you have between your current home and the next one. Ask what is confirmed and what is still an estimate.
02 / Price + incentives
Price the home you’ll actually buy.
Ask for a written price and list of included features tied to your plan, lot and selections. Use that same level of detail when comparing another builder or a resale home.
Start with the lot and selections
Check for a lot premium—an added charge for a particular lot—and the cost of structural changes and finish upgrades. Ask which appliances, landscaping and outdoor features are included. Identify what you'll need to pay for after moving in.
Read the incentive conditions
Find out whether an offer requires a particular lender, title provider, loan type or closing date. Ask which homes qualify and whether you can choose a different use of the incentive. Get the conditions in writing before counting the offer in your budget.
Compare the financing
Ask the builder's preferred lender and another lender for written estimates on comparable loan terms. Compare the rate, payment, lender charges, points—upfront fees paid for a lower rate—and cash needed to close. If an offer reduces payments temporarily, ask what the payment becomes afterward.
CFPB's Loan Estimate guide shows where to compare those figures.
Include the cost of living there
Ask for property-tax estimates that account for the completed home, along with insurance and any HOA dues. An HOA is a homeowners association; review its fees, rules and maintenance responsibilities. Leave room for utilities, moving and purchases such as window coverings or a fence.
Still working out your overall budget? Our first-time homebuyer guide explains cash needed, preapproval and the steps toward buying.
03 / The lot + the location
Picture an ordinary week at this address.
Walk the actual lot when access is allowed. Look at the yard, driveway, neighboring homes and land around it. Then try the trips you'll repeat after the excitement of moving has settled.
Around Knoxville: look past the floor plan.
If you're considering Hardin Valley, test the neighborhood exit and your route along Hardin Valley Road or Pellissippi Parkway at the times you'd use them. Start with your actual destination—such as Oak Ridge or Downtown Knoxville—when comparing locations.
On a sloping lot, ask how the finished grading will affect the driveway and usable yard. Where is water intended to drain? Who maintains a retaining wall or drainage area? Review the lot plan and maintenance responsibilities before assuming the outdoor space will work the way you picture it.
Look at what is planned around the lot, too. Ask about later phases, road connections and the land behind the house. Knoxville–Knox County Planning's maps and development tools are a starting point for checking planning records within their coverage. Confirm the property’s jurisdiction and the documents that apply.
Compare Greater Knoxville locations
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Around Nashville: compare the address and the ownership.
An infill home may put new construction in an established neighborhood. A detached home can still be part of an HPR, or horizontal property regime. If the property is part of one, ask your title professional to explain the recorded ownership boundaries, areas reserved for your use and shared responsibilities.
Review parking, driveway access, yard use and maintenance. For an attached home, ask about wall separation and sound between living spaces. Use the property's documents and inspection information to understand the specific arrangement.
If you're considering a new community farther out, test the drive to your actual daily destination. A Mount Juliet route using I-40 and a Murfreesboro route using I-24 deserve separate comparisons. Picture the finished yard, available shade and any HOA rules alongside the space inside.
For a property in Davidson County, Metro Nashville's construction and permit resources provide a starting point for permit questions. Use the relevant local department for homes in other counties.
Compare Greater Nashville locations
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04 / Contract + timing
Put the terms beside your move date.
Before signing, understand what you're agreeing to buy, when money is due and what happens if the plan changes. Ask for an explanation of terms you don't understand and legal advice when needed.
Know where the money goes
Separate the purchase deposit from any deposits for options or upgrades. Ask when each is due, how it is applied and the circumstances in which it may be returned. Review contingencies: contract conditions that can affect your obligation to complete the purchase. Their wording and deadlines matter.
Keep changes in writing
Confirm the plan, specifications, included features and selections attached to the agreement. Ask how substitutions and change orders—written changes to the agreed work or selections—are approved and priced.
Give the calendar some room
Ask how the contract handles completion estimates and delays. Compare that with your lease end or current-home sale, the lender's rate-lock period and the cost of an extension or temporary housing. Confirm when closing and possession are expected before making firm moving arrangements.
If you're buying before arriving, ask for updates that show the actual home's progress and remaining work, with dates attached. A model-home video can help you understand a plan; updates on your home help you plan the move.
05 / Inspections + move-in
See what's finished. Record what still needs work.
Arrange an independent inspection
Ask early which inspections the builder allows, when access is available and how findings are handled under the contract. If the home is still being built, discuss whether an inspection before drywall is an option. Confirm the inspector's license, scope and any access limits.
CFPB's home-inspection guidance explains how to choose an inspector and plan for follow-up questions.
Make the walkthrough specific
Review the agreed selections and finishes, and ask how to operate and maintain the home's systems. Put outstanding items on a written punch list: the work still to be completed, who will handle it and the agreed timing. Confirm how completion will be checked and how unresolved items are handled before closing.
Understand the warranty
Read the actual warranty for coverage, exclusions, deadlines and claim instructions. Ask who handles a request after you move in and keep copies of the warranty, inspection reports and written follow-up. FTC guidance on new-home warranties explains the questions to ask.