Posted by Maryann Quenet on Monday, July 14th, 2025 1:22pm.
Before you decide whether to navigate a new home purchase on your own, it’s important to understand that while you can technically buy new construction without a realtor, having one by your side brings significant advantages—from expert negotiation and contract review, to safeguarding your interests at no extra cost. A realtor ensures you’re not solely relying on the builder’s sales team, helps you access incentives, and guides you through complex milestones like inspections and walkthroughs, ultimately saving you time, money, and stress.
Purchasing a newly built home involves unique contracts, builder-specific incentives, and timelines that differ markedly from resale transactions. Builders employ their own sales teams—often called “builder’s agents”—whose primary duty is to represent the builder’s interests, not yours. As a buyer, you’re entitled to work with your own licensed realtor, who is bound by codes of ethics and professional standards designed to protect you.
Realtors serve as your advocate, ensuring that contract terms, warranties, and builder obligations align with your best interests. Because many builders are less flexible on pricing and incentives, a realtor’s advocacy during negotiations can be the difference between a standard package and valuable upgrades.
A realtor with new-construction experience will know how to negotiate upgrades—such as flooring, appliances, or finishing touches—often at little or no additional cost to you. They’re familiar with builder promotions, rebates, and incentives, helping you capitalize on the best offers before they expire.
New-home contracts can be lengthy and filled with legal jargon; a realtor deciphers the fine print, highlights potential pitfalls, and ensures you understand key deadlines, deposit structures, and penalty clauses.
Realtors coordinate and attend critical construction milestones—pre-drywall inspections, final walkthroughs, and closing inspections—spotting issues you might overlook and holding the builder accountable for repairs.
A seasoned realtor not only connects you with mortgage specialists familiar with new-build financing, but also provides local market knowledge—school zones, community plans, and resale values—to help you choose the right neighbourhood.
While you can legally buy new construction without representation, you’ll need to manage contract reviews, negotiate directly with the builder, and self-advocate during inspections—all tasks handled by a realtor.
Without a realtor, you risk overlooking unfavourable contract terms, missing promotional incentives, or paying full price for upgrades. In worst-case scenarios, problems discovered after closing may require costly remediation that you could have negotiated into the builder’s scope of work beforehand.
Choosing whether to engage a realtor for your new construction purchase ultimately comes down to how much value you place on expert guidance, negotiation power, and peace of mind. When you work with The Johnson Team—Toronto’s real estate experts—you benefit from unparalleled market knowledge, creative marketing strategies, and a commitment to representing your needs at no cost to you as a buyer.
If you’re ready to start house hunting, you can search real estate listings now. To start working with an agent right away, please contact us.