Are you thinking of moving to Stafford or Fredericksburg, Virginia and you want to build a home?

In this episode of Give, Work, Play, I'm talking the pros and cons of building new construction in the Stafford and Fredericksburg area. We’ll even explore some of the new construction communities so you can decide if building a home is right for you.

New Construction In Stafford County

Around Stafford County and within a 25-mile radius, there are actually 62 new communities being built in the area. In Stafford alone, there are 9 communities, while when you’re down in Fredericksburg, there's 18—though that's actually changing every day.

To give you just a couple of names of some of the new communities that are being built up, we've got Embrey Mill, Hampton Run, Aquia Overlook, and Smith Lake, just to name a few. The unique thing about these communities is that some of them are townhouse communities, some of them are single-family ones on small lots, and some of them are on three acres plus. There's something for everyone around the Stafford County area.

Abundant Options

When we talk about the types of builders we have in this area, we have very small boutique custom builders that'll build your home exactly the way you want it. We also have some of the bigger regional and national builders that offer you a couple of floor plans to choose from. You’ll have many options when you're looking at new construction.

When you think about it, who doesn't love the idea of building their dream home? I know I do. You get to pick your floor, your cabinets, and the bathroom tile. Do you want a three-car garage or a two-car garage? Do you want a colonial, a ranch, a basement, no basement, walk up, or walk out? Maybe you want a neighborhood that has an HOA, or maybe you want a neighborhood that doesn't have an HOA.

You can have all that and more. It just depends on which community and which area you're picking. Whether you're looking for a single-family home, a townhouse, or a condo in Northern Virginia, you can build it.

Accepted Offers And Maintenance

One of the big pros about building a new home is that you don't have to wait to put an offer in and get into a crazy bidding war. You're going to be accepted the day that you write the contract, which is a pretty unique opportunity when you're building new construction.

Another pro is that, because the house is new, there's really no maintenance. The home also comes with lots of warranties, and some of them are for up to 10 years. These might convey if you sell the house before that.

Remodeling And Energy

Don't forget: you probably won’t have any of those really big remodeling projects, because you built the house the way you wanted it. That's the great thing about new construction. Additionally, if you're military and you're here for only about three years, you're not going to have to worry about those bigger projects when you're selling a home—like replacing a roof, the A/C, or even the windows—that some resales might have.

Another pro is that many homes are energy certified. This means they have the latest energy-efficient appliances and materials, so you're going to save on your electric bill. The cool thing about some new houses is that they have smart tech in them. You may be able to operate your lights, your doors, and more with just the click of a button on your cell phone.

Growing Pains And Delays

There's one more pro that I want to mention. In 2025, we're expecting to have a sixth high school in Stafford County—which also leads me into some of the cons of living here. First, a lot of new construction in the area comes with a few growing pains. Roads are going to be a little bit busier, and they have to be widened. This means there's not only construction within the community, but there's construction within the area.

Additionally, when it comes to new construction, it’s a little more difficult to negotiate the price the way you may have the opportunity to do with a resale. Additionally, the doors, windows, and some of the fixtures in the home may be slightly delayed because of where we are right now in the industry. This means your closing timeline might be a little bit longer than you anticipated.

Unexpected Expenses

Another con of new construction is that there are costs you might not expect. One expense that some people forget to mention on new construction is that when you move in, you’ve got to paint the house. However, you really should wait a year before you do that so the house settles, though you’ll still need to paint.

Don't forget the expense of blinds; there are no blinds in the house typically, and that's something that you have to budget for once you've moved in. There’s also the exterior; it may not have a patio or a deck. These are some of the expenses that you might incur once you've moved into your new construction home.

What You See Isn’t What You Get

One huge misconception that people have when they're buying new construction is that when they walk into that big, beautiful model home with all of those designer details, that’s exactly what they’ll get in their home. That’s not the case, so really be careful about what you're looking at and what you're actually buying.

For example, some of the features that are probably not included in your new home include things like the pretty coffered ceiling that you see up above or some of the bigger molding you’ll find all around the house. You should also make sure that the model you're looking at wasn't bumped out, because there are usually some structural changes that they may have done to enhance the size of the home you're walking through.

One last thing to remember is the base price of the house doesn’t include extra details. There's the design center where you get to pick all those great things out, and that's going to add money to what the total cost of your new home will actually be. Keep that in mind when you're walking through the model home.

Working With An Agent

These are all reasons why it's really important to have someone on your side. When you're walking into the model home, don't forget to mention that you're working with a realtor. Why? Because we're going to be there through all the steps of the process of building the home.

We’ll be there when you’re picking everything out, when you sit down with the contractor, and all the way through that blue tape walkthrough and closing where you’ll get your keys. Whether you decide to build or buy, we want to make sure you love the house you're getting into.

Virginia Is For Lovers

Now that you about everything entailed in buying new construction, here’s a fun fact about Virginia. Have you ever heard the slogan, “Virginia Is For Lovers”? It’s one of the most beloved and iconic phrases that stand for Virginia. It’s about doing things that you love to do on vacation with the people that you love the most.

The neat thing about that slogan is that it’s evolved into about 275 love signs all across the state. They’re each from different painters and made from different materials, creating all different types of signs. It’s a cool spot to get photographs in front of, and they're definitely Instagrammable.

Out of those 275 signs in the state of Virginia, you're going to find 5 of them in Stafford and 8 of them in Fredericksburg. So if you want that Instagram shot, come and visit and I’ll be happy to show you where some of them are.

Get Into Your New Construction Home

I hope this gave you an idea of everything you need to know about new construction in Stafford County. If you have any questions about new construction or real estate in general, feel free to reach out to me and I’ll be happy to help.

LET'S CONNECT!

Ginger's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealgingerwalker

Ginger's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegingerwalkerco

Team Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGiveBackTeam

Team Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialgivebackteam