A builder will fight you tooth and nail over $15,000 off the sticker price, because that comp goes public and reprices every other house in the neighborhood. That same builder will hand you $18,000 toward a rate buydown without blinking, because it never shows up in the comps. Same money in your pocket, completely different problem for them. That's why new construction is the better deal right now, not the resale market.

I'm Mickey Lawrence, a licensed Realtor in Georgia and Texas, covering the Atlanta real estate market and the Houston housing market every week on the Market News Brief podcast.

Why are new construction deals better than resale right now? Builders are sitting on 9.3 months of standing inventory, more than double the 4.6 months in the resale market. A builder isn't an emotional seller. They have a construction loan accruing interest, a lender with covenants, and a finished house with a lawn somebody is being paid to mow every week. That pressure is exactly what makes them negotiable, and it's the same story in both Atlanta and Houston this fall.

What percentage of builders are offering incentives in 2026? 63 percent are offering incentives, and 35 percent are cutting prices by an average of 6 percent, according to the August NAHB and Wells Fargo housing market index.

Should I ask a builder for a price cut or a rate buydown? Ask for the buydown. A price cut becomes public record and forces the builder to reprice every remaining house in that community. A rate buydown is a closing cost credit that never shows up in the comps, so builders say yes to it far more easily, even when it costs them more.

What else should I do before buying new construction? Bring your agent with you on the very first visit, not the second. Most builder registration policies pay whoever's name is on the sign in sheet first, so walking in alone gives away your representation for free, and the builder keeps that money instead of passing it to you. Also ask which finished, unsold homes have been sitting the longest. The pain isn't spread evenly across a builder's inventory, and the house that's been finished for 90 days is where the real negotiating room is.

This episode also covers what's actually happening with your other numbers. Georgia homeowners insurance is up 39.7 percent since 2021, and can now affect your loan approval, not just your closing costs. Texas homeowners insurance rose 60 percent between 2019 and 2024. Mortgage rates held at 6.67 percent, which costs about $24 a month more than a year ago on a $400,000 loan, and the September Fed meeting will not move that rate much either way.

If you're planning to buy in 2027, the groundwork for that deal starts with a builder conversation in 2026.

I'm Mickey Lawrence, licensed Realtor in Georgia and Texas. 770 373 4944.

Everything else, my socials, my free guides, and every way to work with me, all in one place.
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Educational content only. Not financial, tax, legal, or insurance advice. Rates, inventory, and program terms change, so verify current figures with your lender, insurer, and tax professional before acting. Mickey Lawrence is a licensed real estate agent in Georgia and Texas. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Chapters

00:00 Cold Open + Welcome
01:51 STORY 1 — Insurance is the line item eating your budget
10:07 STORY 2 — Mortgage rates hold at 6.67 percent
13:09 STORY 3 — Existing home sales, the flat market
18:22 STORY 4 — The Fed's September problem
21:16 STORY 5 — Builders are still the most motivated sellers in America
25:26 The Takeaway
26:49 Sign off