More new homes are sitting finished without buyers, and builders would rather add incentives than cut their advertised prices. Those new home deals are real, but they're rarely on the sign out front. Do you know what to ask for?
My free Builder Incentives Guide shows you the kinds of offers Tampa Bay builders are putting on the table right now, the fine print that comes with them, and what they can do to your monthly payment at $400K, $500K and $600K.
Tell me where you are in your search and I'll send the guide your way.
What's Happening Right Now
A cut in a builder's posted price lowers the value of every home they've already sold in that community. So instead, many builders quietly add value on the buyer's side of the table. That's where the opportunity is.
Inside the Guide
Download The Tampa Bay Builder Incentives Guide free: 11 pages you can keep and bring to every model home visit.
Free · 11 pagesEvery type of incentive builders use, from rate buydowns to free pool packages, including the ones that never show up in an ad.
Side-by-side payment math at $400K, $500K and $600K, so you can see what each offer is worth.
How to tell which one saves you more for how long you plan to own, and when to ask for both.
Why finished inventory is usually where builders have the most room to negotiate.
A 20-point checklist (lender rules, builder fees, deposits, HOA and CDD increases, inspections, fences and pets) plus a worksheet to compare three properties.
Ten questions that get you real answers instead of a brochure.
Run the Numbers
Hypothetical examples comparing a market-rate loan with a builder package that combines a 5% price reduction and builder-paid 4.99% fixed-rate financing. The savings below last for the life of the loan, not just the first year.
²Hypothetical illustrations only, not an offer of credit, a rate quote or a commitment to lend. Each example assumes a 5% down payment and a 30-year fixed-rate loan with 360 monthly payments. "Market" uses the full list price at a 7.00% interest rate. "Package" assumes the builder reduces the price by 5% and provides financing at a 4.99% fixed rate, typically through its affiliated lender. APRs shown assume no lender fees, points or prepaid finance charges; actual APR will be higher if those apply. Payments are principal and interest only and exclude property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA and CDD fees and mortgage insurance, so your actual payment will be higher. Five-year figures are the monthly difference times 60. Rates are not current quotes and are not guaranteed. Builder incentives vary by builder, community and home, may require the builder's affiliated lender, may not be combinable and can change or end without notice. Talk to a licensed loan officer about your actual rate, APR and payment.
Your guide includes the math for your own price range, so you can compare offers on equal terms.
How It Works
Fill in the short form. I'll send the guide and a quick note on what fits your price range and timeline.
We line up the communities you like and compare their current incentives with the math side by side.
I go with you from the first visit, negotiate the package, review the builder contract and stay with you through closing.
Who This Is For
Understand rate buydowns and closing credits before a sales rep explains them for you.
Know which areas and builders fit your budget before you fly in to tour.
Time a new build around the sale of your current home, and use incentives to ease the transition.
Compare how incentives change cash flow and return on a brand-new property.
About Your Guide
Your Investment & Luxury Real Estate Consultant, representing new construction buyers across Tampa Bay

A builder's model home is designed to sell you. I'm there to make sure you buy well.
For 12 years I've helped buyers, sellers and investors across Tampa Bay make decisions with real numbers instead of sales pitches. New construction is where that matters most: the builder writes the contract, sets the incentives and staffs the sales office.
I keep track of what builders across Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough and Manatee counties are offering, which communities are flexible, and which are holding firm. When you're ready to tour, you'll walk in knowing what a good deal looks like.
Because I also advise investors and commercial clients, I look past the finishes. I'll tell you how a home is likely to hold its value, what the HOA and CDD fees mean for your budget, and how the incentive package compares to buying resale.
Where the New Homes Are
Whether you're looking at new construction homes for sale, quick move-in homes or a home you build from scratch, these are the areas where Tampa Bay builders are most active, and where incentives tend to show up.
One of Tampa Bay's busiest new construction markets, with master-planned communities in Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, Zephyrhills and Dade City. Many builders, plenty of quick move-in inventory.
New home communities in Riverview, Wimauma, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Plant City and the Lithia / FishHawk area, with an easy drive to Tampa.
Fast-growing new construction in Parrish, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto and east Bradenton, extending into North Sarasota County.
Fewer large subdivisions, so new construction is mostly infill homes and townhomes in established neighborhoods. Deals are rarer here, which makes knowing the incentives even more useful.
The free guide covers how to compare new home deals in all four counties. When you're ready, I'll show you where builders are offering the most right now.
Questions
No. It's free, and requesting it doesn't commit you to anything.
Many financing incentives require the builder's affiliated lender, but you're never required to use it to buy the home. The guide shows how to compare that offer with an outside lender.
Possibly. Builders have different registration rules. Tell me which communities you've visited in the form and I'll let you know where things stand.
Sometimes. With the right incentives a new home can cost about the same as or less than a comparable resale home, but it depends on the homes, fees and financing being compared.³ We'll run the numbers for the homes you're considering.
Common offers include price reductions on finished homes, builder-paid rate buydowns, closing-cost credits, design upgrades and, on select homes, free pool packages. They change often and vary by community, so it pays to check current offers before you tour. Call me and I'll tell you what's available right now.
A quick move-in (or "spec") home is a new construction home that's finished or nearly finished and can close in about 30 to 60 days. Builders often put their biggest incentives on these homes because every month they sit costs the builder money.
You don't have to have one, but the builder's on-site sales team represents the builder, not you. An agent can negotiate the incentive package, review the builder contract and help through inspections and closing. Agent compensation is negotiable and agreed in writing; many builders offer to pay it.
Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough and Manatee counties, extending into North Sarasota. Outside that area I can refer you to a trusted agent in my network.
Timing Matters
Current builder incentives can end at any time. Download the free guide, then let's talk before today's offers are gone.
Your next home, on better terms.
Don't wait. Let's connect before the month ends. Current builder incentives can end at any time.