A new-construction purchase looks simpler than a resale purchase at first glance. There is no prior owner, no deferred maintenance list, and a builder sales office that presents the process as a sequence of choices. In practice, the contract, the financing incentives, the inspection decisions, and the warranty documents each require the same level of review as any other purchase — in some places, more.
At MaxxCity Realty®, the questions we work through with new-build buyers in Brevard County are consistent: where is building concentrated, what is an incentive actually tied to, what does the warranty say before signing, and who is representing whom at each step. The guide below follows that order.
The original guide identified three areas for the county’s new-construction activity: Viera, West Melbourne, and Palm Bay.
Viera was described as the Space Coast’s most established master-planned community, with a Town Center that provides retail, dining, and medical offices within the development footprint. West Melbourne was noted for builder activity along the Minton Road and Hollywood Boulevard corridors, with proximity to Melbourne Orlando International Airport and the employment centers along U.S. 192. Palm Bay was described as a primary source of entry-level and mid-range new construction inventory on the Space Coast, with building spread across the northwest and northeast quadrants of the city.
Those locations are useful as a starting map for a search. Specific builders, communities in active phases, lot availability, and current pricing change over time and should be confirmed for the community and date you are considering, rather than assumed from a general guide.
Builder incentives vary by phase and market conditions. Nationally, 61% of builders reported offering incentives in early 2024, including mortgage rate buydowns, closing cost contributions, and free upgrades.
On the Space Coast, the original guide listed the common forms those incentives take:
The critical detail is the condition attached to each form. Builder incentives are often tied to using an in-house or preferred lender. You are not legally required to use that lender, but declining may forfeit certain credits. Federal law gives a buyer the right to obtain competing loan quotes before committing, and that comparison should happen before a contract locks in an incentive structure. Compare the total loan cost with and without the incentive, not the headline credit alone.
Amounts, eligibility, and deadlines for any specific incentive are set by that builder for that phase. They should be obtained in writing for the home under consideration and not carried over from another community or another month.
New construction in Florida comes with layered warranty protections under Florida Statute § 553.84 and common contractual warranties. The typical coverage tiers described in the original guide are:
Those tiers are a general structure, not a substitute for the actual document. Read the warranty documents before signing the purchase agreement, not after. Some builder warranties require binding arbitration and waive the right to a jury trial. A buyer should know which dispute process, exclusions, notice requirements, and transfer terms apply to the specific contract being signed. No general guide can guarantee how a specific builder will handle a future claim or timeline.
A common misconception is that new construction does not need an inspection because it is brand new. Municipal inspectors check for code compliance — they are not working for the buyer. Independent inspectors look for issues municipal inspectors may not flag, including improper roof sheathing fastening, inadequate insulation, plumbing flow issues, and HVAC installation errors.
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) recommends three inspection phases for new builds: pre-pour, covering the foundation stage; pre-drywall, covering framing, plumbing, and electrical rough-in; and a final walkthrough inspection.
Timing is the practical issue. The first two phases can only be inspected while that stage of construction is still open, so inspections need to be scheduled around the builder’s construction sequence rather than added at the end. Cost will depend on the inspector, the home, and the phase, and should be quoted directly when the inspection is booked.
For production builds, where the floor plan is predetermined, the original guide gave an expectation of 6 to 12 months from contract to closing in Brevard County market conditions at the time it was written. Semi-custom and custom builds were given as 12 to 24 months, depending on lot availability, permit processing times, and material lead times.
Permit processing through Brevard County Building Services is a variable in that range. The original guide also noted that supply chain normalization since 2022 had improved lumber and window lead times, while electrical panels and certain HVAC components could still create delays.
Treat any range as planning information, not a promised completion date. Ask the builder for a written construction schedule with milestone dates for the specific home, and discuss in advance what happens — contractually — if milestones move.
Nationally, the median new construction single-family home price was $437,300 in early 2024, compared to $393,500 for existing homes — a premium of roughly 11%. That national comparison sets context; it does not price a specific Brevard County home in either market.
The comparison is not purely apples-to-apples. New builds typically include modern energy codes — Florida’s building code requires higher efficiency standards than most resale inventory — along with builder warranties and no deferred maintenance. Resale homes may offer larger lots, established landscaping, and locations closer to the coast that new construction cannot replicate at comparable prices.
A useful comparison therefore includes lot, location, warranty coverage, energy standards, upgrade costs, and expected maintenance, in addition to the base price of each option.
Builder sales agents represent the builder — not the buyer. Having your own buyer’s agent provides negotiation support, contract review, and an advocate through the build process. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 87% of buyers use a buyer’s agent. On new construction, that representation is arguably more important, not less, given the complexity of builder contracts.
Compensation for a buyer’s agent, including any builder-paid contribution, varies by builder and transaction and should be discussed and documented at the start of representation, rather than assumed. Registering a buyer with a builder on a first visit can also affect representation, so contact your agent before visiting a sales office if you want that representation in place.
If you are comparing a new build with a resale home on the Space Coast and want help reviewing incentives, contract terms, and inspection timing before you sign, contact MaxxCity Realty® at (321) 468-5992.
