Read the warranty before the brochure
Most production builders offer a 1/2/10 warranty — 1 year workmanship, 2 years systems, 10 years structural. The fine print on year-2 systems coverage is where most disputes happen.
Builder Guide
How to evaluate a new-home builder
Not all builders are created equal. Here's what to look for before signing a contract on the most expensive thing you'll ever buy.
Active in PG County
The builders you'll actually encounter
Ryan Homes
Production · Move-up
Largest production builder in the region. Strong value for the price, predictable product, and excellent design center options. Great first-new-home choice.
Active at: Stephens Crossing, Leeland, Westphalia
NVHomes
Luxury (NVR brand)
Ryan Homes' luxury sibling. Larger floor plans, higher-end standard finishes, more architectural detail. Same parent company, very different feel.
Active at: Leeland Luxury Collection
Stanley Martin
Production · Townhomes
Known for well-thought-out garage townhomes and strong design center inclusions. Good value in the $500K–$650K townhome band.
Active at: Mill Branch Crossing
DRB Homes
Production · Single-family
Mid-Atlantic regional builder with a strong presence in Bowie. Solid construction quality and competitive pricing on single-family.
Active at: South Lake, Westphalia
Mid-Atlantic Builders
Regional · Mixed
Local Maryland builder with a long track record. Smaller scale than the nationals, often with more flexibility on custom requests.
Active at: Melford Town Center, South Lake
D.R. Horton
Production · Volume
America's largest homebuilder by volume. Strong on price-per-square-foot. Inclusions can be thinner than competitors — read the spec sheet carefully.
Active at: Westphalia Town Center
Lennar
Production · Active Adult
National builder with strong active-adult expertise. 'Everything's Included' pricing model means fewer surprise upgrade charges at the design center.
Active at: Beechfield Manors (55+)
Caruso Homes
Semi-Custom
Maryland-based semi-custom builder. More design flexibility than a production builder, with build-on-your-lot options available throughout the region.
Active at: The Marais at Konterra (coming soon)
What to Look For
Six questions to answer before you sign
Tour a finished community by the same builder
Drive through one of their completed PG County neighborhoods. How are 5-year-old homes holding up? Talk to a homeowner washing their car — they'll tell you everything.
Understand 'standard' vs 'upgrade'
The base price is rarely the price you'll pay. Knowing the gap between the model home you toured and the base spec is half the negotiation.
Builder lender vs outside lender
Builder lenders are convenient and usually come with the biggest incentives. They're not always cheapest on rate — but the closing cost math often still wins.
Get the timeline in writing
Verbal commitments don't survive supply chain hiccups. Get start, frame, and close dates in the contract addendum, with consequences if missed.
Never waive your inspection
Even on a brand-new home. Especially on a brand-new home. Independent pre-drywall and pre-closing inspections catch real, expensive issues every single time.
Red Flags
Walk away — or at least slow down — if you see this
The sales agent pressures you to sign today
Real urgency is rare. Phase pricing closes at month-end, not 'this afternoon.' If you're being rushed, something is being hidden.
They refuse to give you the contract to read at home
Every reputable PG County builder will let you take the contract overnight. If they won't, that's the answer about how the rest of the process will go.
Verbal promises that 'don't need to be in writing'
Free fridge, finished basement, fence credit — if it isn't in the contract addendum, it doesn't exist on closing day.
Inspection waiver requirement
Any builder who blocks an independent pre-drywall or pre-closing inspection is telling you what they don't want you to find.
Their preferred lender won't show you a Loan Estimate
You're entitled to a written Loan Estimate within 3 days of applying. No exceptions, regardless of incentives attached.
Recent online reviews mention the same issue twice
One bad review is noise. The same HVAC, drainage, or warranty complaint from three different homeowners is a pattern.
Sales Office Script
Ten questions to ask the on-site sales agent
- 1
What's the all-in price with lot premium, structural options, and the upgrades shown in the model?
- 2
What's included in the base spec — and can I see a base-spec home, not just the model?
- 3
What's the closing cost credit if I use your preferred lender, and what's the rate today?
- 4
What's the realistic close date — and what's the penalty if you miss it?
- 5
Which structural options can still be selected at this phase, and when do they lock?
- 6
What's the design center allowance, and when is the appointment scheduled?
- 7
Will you allow an independent pre-drywall and pre-closing inspection?
- 8
What's the warranty — and who handles year-one service requests, you or a third party?
- 9
How many homes have you closed in this community, and how many are left in this phase?
- 10
Can I talk to two homeowners who've lived in your homes for at least three years?
Keep going through the new-home roadmap
Need help comparing two specific builders?
Quan tours these communities every month. She'll tell you exactly where each builder cuts corners and where each one shines.