Screening Your Custom Builder
July 12, 2023
If you choose to build a house from the ground up using a One-Time Close Construction Loan, you’ll need to find a professional contractor to do the work. FHA and VA single-close lenders typically require you to hire a licensed professional to do the work, and it’s necessary to pick a contractor from your local pool of professionals.
But how do people screen these service providers to find a good, reputable builder?
If you’ve ever checked out product reviews online, you know that reading those reviews involves sorting the fake reviews out from the reason ones. Fortunately, there are ways to spot fake reviews and telltale signs of legit reviews.
Reading Customer Reviews Of Your Home Builder
It pays to research the reputation of the builders you are considering. It pays to shop around, and it’s never a smart idea to look at only one or two options.
No matter how many builders you screen, count the reviews they have gotten.
Also relevant? How many of them are positive, and how many are not? What’s the ratio? Does it seem suspicious or overly optimistic?
Some believe consumers are less inclined to write positive reviews and more are inclined to write negative ones. A builder with zero neutral or negative reviews may be either a VERY customer service-oriented contractor, OR...they may be padding out their review pages with bogus praise.
It’s smart to consider the date of the most negative review. Is it fairly recent, or has it been a while? The older the last negative entry, the better.
Reviews To Ignore
Does the writer of the review use excessively positive language? Does the review read like an advertisement for the company? What about positive reviews with no details in them? These can all be warning signs.
If you can’t find any specific details about the quality of service, compare that review with a builder with more specific, detailed reviews.
More Detail = More Honest Review?
In the same way, you can ask, “What color is the house?” and get three different answers. A review works in much the same way. Some might describe a barn as being painted red; others will say it is crimson, and some might say it’s maroon. Reviews work the same way.
Some will fixate on the builder’s timeliness, others on the level of communication, and some others may review the process from the perspective of someone clueless about how it all works but who liked how the contractor does business overall.
You’ll need to read many reviews (15 or more is best) to get a reasonable picture of the builder’s online reputation.
Want More Information About One-Time Close Loans?
We have extensively researched the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) and the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) One-Time Close Construction loan programs.
We have spoken directly to licensed lenders that originate these residential loan types in most states, and each company has supplied us with the guidelines for their products. We can connect you with mortgage loan officers who work for lenders that know the product well and have consistently provided quality service.
If you are interested in being contacted by a licensed lender in your area, please send responses to the questions below. All information is treated confidentially.
OneTimeClose.com provides information and connects consumers to qualified One-Time Close lenders to raise awareness about this loan product and to help consumers receive higher-quality service.
We are not paid for endorsing or recommending the lenders or loan originators and do not otherwise benefit from doing so. Consumers should shop for mortgage services and compare their options before agreeing to proceed.
Please note that investor guidelines for the FHA and VA One-Time Close Construction Program only allow for single-family dwellings (1 unit) – and NOT for multi-family units (no duplexes, triplexes or fourplexes).
In addition, the following homes/building styles are not allowed under these programs: Kit Homes, Barndominiums, Log Cabin Homes, Shipping Container Homes, Stilt Homes, Solar (only) or Wind Powered (only) Homes.
Contact Us: Send Us Your Request – Spam Safe
Please send your email request to [email protected], which authorizes OneTimeClose.com to share your personal information with one mortgage lender licensed in your area to contact you.
1. Send your first and last name, e-mail address, and contact telephone number.
2. Tell us the city and state of the proposed property.
3. Tell us your and/or the Co-borrower’s credit profile: Excellent – (680+), Good - (640-679), Fair – (620-639), or Poor- (Below 620). 620 is the minimum qualifying credit score for this product.
4. Are you or your spouse (Co-borrower) eligible veterans? If either of you is an eligible veteran, down payments as low as $0 may be available up to the maximum amount your debt-to-income ratio per VA will allow – there are no maximum loan amounts as per VA guidelines.
Most VA lenders will go up to $1,500,000 and review higher loan amounts on a case-by-case basis. If not, the FHA down payment is 3.5% up to the maximum FHA lending limit for your county.
But how do people screen these service providers to find a good, reputable builder?
If you’ve ever checked out product reviews online, you know that reading those reviews involves sorting the fake reviews out from the reason ones. Fortunately, there are ways to spot fake reviews and telltale signs of legit reviews.
Reading Customer Reviews Of Your Home Builder
It pays to research the reputation of the builders you are considering. It pays to shop around, and it’s never a smart idea to look at only one or two options.
No matter how many builders you screen, count the reviews they have gotten.
Also relevant? How many of them are positive, and how many are not? What’s the ratio? Does it seem suspicious or overly optimistic?
Some believe consumers are less inclined to write positive reviews and more are inclined to write negative ones. A builder with zero neutral or negative reviews may be either a VERY customer service-oriented contractor, OR...they may be padding out their review pages with bogus praise.
It’s smart to consider the date of the most negative review. Is it fairly recent, or has it been a while? The older the last negative entry, the better.
Reviews To Ignore
Does the writer of the review use excessively positive language? Does the review read like an advertisement for the company? What about positive reviews with no details in them? These can all be warning signs.
If you can’t find any specific details about the quality of service, compare that review with a builder with more specific, detailed reviews.
More Detail = More Honest Review?
In the same way, you can ask, “What color is the house?” and get three different answers. A review works in much the same way. Some might describe a barn as being painted red; others will say it is crimson, and some might say it’s maroon. Reviews work the same way.
Some will fixate on the builder’s timeliness, others on the level of communication, and some others may review the process from the perspective of someone clueless about how it all works but who liked how the contractor does business overall.
You’ll need to read many reviews (15 or more is best) to get a reasonable picture of the builder’s online reputation.
Want More Information About One-Time Close Loans?
We have extensively researched the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) and the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) One-Time Close Construction loan programs.
We have spoken directly to licensed lenders that originate these residential loan types in most states, and each company has supplied us with the guidelines for their products. We can connect you with mortgage loan officers who work for lenders that know the product well and have consistently provided quality service.
If you are interested in being contacted by a licensed lender in your area, please send responses to the questions below. All information is treated confidentially.
OneTimeClose.com provides information and connects consumers to qualified One-Time Close lenders to raise awareness about this loan product and to help consumers receive higher-quality service.
We are not paid for endorsing or recommending the lenders or loan originators and do not otherwise benefit from doing so. Consumers should shop for mortgage services and compare their options before agreeing to proceed.
Please note that investor guidelines for the FHA and VA One-Time Close Construction Program only allow for single-family dwellings (1 unit) – and NOT for multi-family units (no duplexes, triplexes or fourplexes).
In addition, the following homes/building styles are not allowed under these programs: Kit Homes, Barndominiums, Log Cabin Homes, Shipping Container Homes, Stilt Homes, Solar (only) or Wind Powered (only) Homes.
Contact Us: Send Us Your Request – Spam Safe
Please send your email request to [email protected], which authorizes OneTimeClose.com to share your personal information with one mortgage lender licensed in your area to contact you.
1. Send your first and last name, e-mail address, and contact telephone number.
2. Tell us the city and state of the proposed property.
3. Tell us your and/or the Co-borrower’s credit profile: Excellent – (680+), Good - (640-679), Fair – (620-639), or Poor- (Below 620). 620 is the minimum qualifying credit score for this product.
4. Are you or your spouse (Co-borrower) eligible veterans? If either of you is an eligible veteran, down payments as low as $0 may be available up to the maximum amount your debt-to-income ratio per VA will allow – there are no maximum loan amounts as per VA guidelines.
Most VA lenders will go up to $1,500,000 and review higher loan amounts on a case-by-case basis. If not, the FHA down payment is 3.5% up to the maximum FHA lending limit for your county.
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