You love the model home. Now let’s find out what’s actually included.
Maybe it’s the kitchen that gets you. Or the sliding doors opening onto a beautiful lanai. You can already picture your furniture, your morning coffee and the first friends you’ll invite over.
Then you see “starting from” beside the price and wonder: could this really be the one?
It might be. Before you start choosing cabinet colors, though, I want you to know what that number buys. For a new-construction search in Northeast Florida, that conversation belongs near the beginning, while you still have room to make choices.
A covered porch and carefully chosen details. The fictional pricing example below is not a quote for this home.
Start with the home behind the starting price
A model shows you possibilities. The included-features sheet tells you which of those possibilities come with the home you’re considering.
For example, David Weekley Homes’ FAQ explains that its starting prices are before options, homesite selection and upgrades. Its standard features depend on the plan and community. That’s one builder’s explanation, so ask for the same clarity wherever you tour.
Walk through with the sales representative and ask what differs from the base home: flooring, cabinetry, countertops, ceiling details, lighting, appliances and outdoor living space. A gorgeous room may combine included finishes, paid selections and decorative staging that isn’t offered with the house at all.
Ask to see the standard choices, too. You may genuinely like them. The point is to choose what matters to you, rather than accidentally budgeting for a home different from the one you fell in love with.
How a starting price becomes a contract price
Fictional illustration only: These invented numbers show how a home’s starting price can change as you select a desirable homesite, expand outdoor living and choose structural details and finishes that suit you. They are not a builder quote, a local average or an estimate for any Northeast Florida community.
Base home with standard features
Added amount: $750,000
Running total: $750,000
Selected homesite premium
Added amount: $60,000
Running total: $810,000
Structural options
Added amount: $50,000
Running total: $860,000
Design selections
Added amount: $40,000
Running total: $900,000
Illustrative contract price: $900,000
No further additions assumed.
In this example, the selections add $150,000 to the starting price, bringing the illustrative contract price to $900,000 before closing costs or anything purchased after closing. We’ve assumed no other builder charges or price adjustments; your written proposal and contract need to identify any that apply.
A homesite premium deserves its own conversation. Consider the setting, orientation and outdoor space you would enjoy every day. A desirable homesite may be worth prioritizing over finishes you can change later, but the premium alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s the right fit.
Think through the structural choices that would make the home feel right for you, whether that means expanded outdoor living or a different room configuration. Ask what is available and when those decisions become final. Then choose a design-selection budget that leaves room for the high-end finishes you value most, without feeling you need every upgrade in the model.
Porches, driveways and landscaping are part of the bigger picture. Confirm what is included for the specific home you choose; this home is not tied to the fictional price example.
Leave room for the things you’ll want on move-in day
Now imagine the home without the model’s furnishings. Are window blinds included? What about the refrigerator, washer and dryer? If you need a fenced yard, is fencing in the contract, an available option or a separate project?
Outdoor living deserves a close look here in Northeast Florida. A covered lanai, an extended patio and a screened enclosure are different things. Ask exactly which one is included, if any. For work after closing, confirm applicable approvals and restrictions before assuming you can add it.
Keep these purchases on a separate move-in list unless they’re already included in the contract price. That gives you a clearer picture without counting the same upgrade twice.
Your contract price is different from your cash to close
The $900,000 in our fictional example is the purchase price, not a check you add to your down payment.
Your down payment funds part of that price. Closing costs, prepaid expenses and initial escrow funding also affect the money needed at closing; deposits already paid and applicable credits affect the remaining amount due. Ask your lender and closing professional to reconcile those items rather than adding several headline totals together.
The CFPB’s Loan Estimate explainer helps distinguish closing costs from estimated cash to close. Ask separately when builder and option deposits are due, whether they’re refundable and how they’ll be credited.
A good incentive still deserves a side-by-side comparison
Builder incentives can be genuinely helpful. A preferred lender may also be the best fit. Give the offer a fair comparison rather than accepting or dismissing it based on the headline.
Get the conditions in writing: eligible homes, deadlines, required providers and permitted uses of any credit. If a temporary payment buydown is involved, ask what you’ll pay at each stage and after it ends.
The CFPB confirms that new-construction buyers can shop for another lender. Compare written offers using the same loan assumptions, ideally obtained close together. Review rates, points, fees, credits, payments and cash to close using its Loan Estimate comparison guide.
Look at the cost of living there, too
Keep recurring ownership costs separate from the purchase-price calculation: taxes, insurance, HOA dues and any applicable CDD assessments. Request figures for the particular property and confirm what is already included in escrow.
For new construction, ask whether the tax estimate reflects the completed home rather than an earlier land-only record. The St. Johns County Property Appraiser explains that new improvements affect appraised value. Its tax-estimator guidance also addresses ownership changes, exemptions and applicable non-ad-valorem assessments. Check whether CDD charges are included before adding them again. For another county, consult that county’s property appraiser. An estimate is not a guaranteed future bill.
Let’s price the home you actually want
You should get to enjoy choosing a new home. Understanding the numbers early helps you decide which details are worth it to you.
Send me the floor plan or model that caught your eye. We can start with what you love about it and the questions needed to understand its price. Talk with Syndi about your new-home search.
By Syndi Askew | Syndi Askew Homes
O.N.E. Florida Group | REAL Broker, LLC
Information reviewed November 2, 2026. Pricing, inclusions and incentives vary and may change. General information, not legal, tax or lending advice.
