Your New Home, Step by Step
Buying a new construction home is a completely different experience from buying resale — different contracts, different timelines, different negotiation strategies. Most agents learn on the job at your expense. I’ve spent over 7 years at LGI Homes guiding buyers through this exact process. Every step below is one I’ve walked hundreds of times. Here’s exactly what to expect.
Discovery Call
A free consultation to understand your needs, budget, and timeline. We’ll talk about what matters most to you — location, layout, lifestyle — and map out a plan. No pressure, no obligation.
Community Tour
Visit LGI Homes communities in person. Walk model homes, explore floor plans, check out the neighborhood amenities, schools, and commute routes. Seeing it in person changes everything.
Floor Plan Selection
Choose your layout, lot position, and orientation. Not all lots are created equal — I advise on which positions offer the best privacy, natural light, and resale value so you make a smart choice, not just a quick one.
Financing & Pre-Approval
Connect with preferred lenders who know builder transactions inside and out. We’ll explore VA, FHA, and conventional options, compare rates, and lock in your financing so you’re ready to move. LGI Mortgage Solutions is the builder’s in-house lender; its weekly rate sheet is paused right now, but Heath introduces you directly to the on-site loan team for a live quote. While rates sit at market, the builder is moving aggressively on price — here is where the cuts are landing this week:
Live LGI builder price cuts
15 of 30 available LGI homes have an active price drop
Builder-initiated reductions across the six Portland-metro LGI communities Heath tracks. Pulled from the live LGI Homes feed on .
“This is the community I'm actively focused on right now. Sweet spot between Portland and Salem, builder is moving aggressively on price, and the FHA / VA lender pairing makes the monthly payment land lower than buyers expect. Walk it with me before you walk it with the on-site counselor.”
Floor plans here range from a 1,148 sq ft starter at the low end up to a 2,175 sq ft family layout. Most of the price drops on this whole inventory page are sitting at Dove Landing right now — that's the buyer signal.
| Plan | Current price | Builder drop | Beds / sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspen | $461,900 | — | 3br · 1319 sf |
| Cayuse | $369,900 | -$20,000 (-5.1%) | 3br · 1148 sf |
| Hawthorn | $497,900 | — | 4br · 1843 sf |
| Larch | $546,900 | — | 5br · 2175 sf |
| McKenzie | $384,900 | — | 3br · 1314 sf |
| Santiam | $404,900 | — | 3br · 1574 sf |
Prices and incentives change weekly at the builder’s discretion. Always confirm with Heath and the LGI on-site team before making an offer.
Across the other tracked communities
Copper Heights
Clackamas, OR
4 available · from $699,900
Biggest builder cut: -$96,000 (-10.7%) on the Pearl.
See all Copper Heights plans →Sunset Village
Gresham, OR
1 available · from $469,900
No active price drops this week.
See all Sunset Village plans →Park Meadow at Walnut Grove
Vancouver, WA
6 available · from $499,900
Biggest builder cut: -$14,000 (-2.2%) on the Mercer.
See all Park Meadow at Walnut Grove plans →Walnut Grove
Vancouver, WA
0 available
No active price drops this week.
See all Walnut Grove plans →Beverly
Battle Ground, WA
13 available · from $419,900
Biggest builder cut: -$30,000 (-6.7%) on the Ashland II.
See all Beverly plans →Inventory and prices pulled from the live LGI Homes feed on . Builder may change pricing and availability without notice. Heath is a licensed REALTOR®, not a mortgage lender; for the current LGI Mortgage Solutions rate quote, contact Heath and he will introduce you to the on-site loan team.
Contract & Deposit
Review and sign the purchase agreement. This is where I earn my keep — negotiating builder incentives, upgrade credits, closing cost assistance, and rate buydowns on your behalf. Every dollar counts.
Design Center Selections
Pick your finishes: countertops, cabinets, flooring, fixtures, paint colors. This is the fun part. I advise on which upgrades add real resale value and which ones you can skip — so your money goes where it matters most.
Construction Updates
Your home is being built — and you’ll see every stage of it. I provide regular progress photos and drone aerial updates using my FAA Part 107 certification. You’ll watch your home go from foundation to finish.
Pre-Drywall Walkthrough
Before the walls go up, we walk the framing together. I inspect electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and structural framing while everything is still exposed — catching issues that a less experienced agent wouldn’t even know to look for. This is your chance to fix problems before they’re hidden behind drywall and become warranty claims.
Final Walkthrough & Closing
This is where experience pays for itself. I inspect every inch of finish work — paint, trim, caulking, grout lines, cabinet alignment, countertop seams, flooring transitions, fixture installation — with the eye of someone who’s walked hundreds of new builds. Problems I catch here get fixed by the builder before you close. Problems that get missed? You’re on the phone with the warranty company, fighting for repairs on your own time. The right representative at your final walkthrough is the difference between moving into a perfect home and inheriting a punch list.
30-Day & 1-Year Check-ins
The relationship doesn’t end at closing. I follow up at 30 days and again at the 1-year mark to make sure everything is working as it should. If there’s a warranty issue, I help you navigate it with the builder so nothing falls through the cracks.
Why New Construction with Heath?
- No bidding wars — New construction means no competing offers, no escalation clauses, no heartbreak.
- Builder warranties — Structural, mechanical, and cosmetic coverage that resale homes simply don’t offer.
- Modern floor plans — Open layouts designed for how people actually live today.
- Energy efficiency — New builds meet current energy codes, saving you money on utilities from day one.
- Builder incentives — Closing cost credits, rate buydowns, and upgrade packages that I negotiate on your behalf.
- Drone progress photos — FAA-certified aerial updates so you can watch your home come to life from above.
- Expert negotiation on upgrades — I know which upgrades add value and which ones don’t. Your budget goes further with me in your corner.
The Right Representative Is Worth the Wait
Not all agents are built the same — especially in new construction. A newly minted agent might walk through a finished home and think everything looks great. I walk through and see the crooked cabinet door, the uneven grout line, the poorly caulked window trim, the paint bleed on the baseboards, the countertop seam that wasn’t polished, the flooring transition strip that’s already lifting.
Here’s why that matters: everything I catch before closing gets fixed by the builder, on the builder’s dime, on the builder’s timeline. Everything that gets missed? That becomes your problem. You’re the one calling the warranty company, scheduling repair windows, taking time off work, and hoping the fix gets done right the second time around.
After 7+ years and hundreds of new construction walkthroughs, I know exactly what to look for — and more importantly, what most agents don’t. I treat your money like it’s my money, and I inspect your home like my family is moving in tomorrow. That’s not something you get from someone who just passed their licensing exam or treats your purchase as just another transaction in a long week.
Finding the right person to represent you is one of the most important decisions in the homebuying process. Don’t settle for whoever happens to be available. Let’s talk about what I bring to the table.
Related Resources
- Current LGI Homes Communities — Browse available communities in Oregon & Washington with pricing
- VA Loan Resources — Zero-down VA loans work great with new construction
- Buyers Guide — Complete homebuying walkthrough for all buyer types
- Current Rates & Market Data — Compare financing options and Oregon market trends
- Real Estate Insights — New construction tips and market analysis
Ready to Tour a Community?
Let’s schedule a visit to an LGI Homes community and walk the models together. No commitment — just a chance to see what’s possible.
Ready to Tour a Community?