Alicia Lozano

Alicia, the framing of "competing with the builder, not the house down the street" is a sharp way to put it. Question on the timeline: is there a reliable way to gauge how long a builder will still be actively selling out a community before you buy in? Trying to figure out whether that "hold five years" rule should flex based on how far along the build-out already is when you purchase.

That is a great question, and yes, I do think the five year guideline should flex depending on how far along the community is when you purchase. There is no perfect way to predict the timeline, but I always encourage buyers to ask the builder how many total phases are planned, which phase they are currently selling, how many homesites remain and how quickly homes are selling. If you are buying in Phase 1 and there are four more phases planned, the builder could still be your competition well beyond five years. By year five, the homeowner is typically in a stronger position because they have had more time for appreciation and principal reduction, but I would never say a loss is impossible. The local market, the original purchase price, the homesite and the growth of the surrounding area all matter. That is why the second rule is just as important as the first. Where you build matters. Not every community grows or appreciates at the same rate.