Choosing between a spec home and a custom home is a decision that many homebuyers contemplate. There are differences in what you’re buying in terms of the quality, the timeline for construction, and the flexibility of the finishes.
Let's start with a spec home. A “spec home” is a “speculative home”. This is a home that is being built by a home builder with the speculation that they will be able to sell it to a buyer without deviating from their initial concept and plan . These homes are the homes that you will come across in your search for new homes for sale in Columbia SC. Our market is filled with spec homes and home builders tend to have a lot of success selling homes that are already constructed.
A custom home is somewhat different. This is a home that is constructed and designed by the property owner. A custom builder is hired to build a new home based on the buyer's ideas and house plans. This gives the homeowner the flexibility to build exactly what he/she is wanting. You’ll find that custom homes in Columbia tend to be waterfront homes or homes with acreage. There are reasons for this that we will explain in another blog, but in short, spec built homes typically don’t have much variation to take advantage of different placement for waterfront views.
(There is enough information to write an entirely new blog on this topic, so we will touch on a few points.)
Quality of Spec Homes: This all depends on the builder. It’s just as common getting a quality built custom home as it is getting a quality built spec home. Spec homes are also called, “production homes” or “tract homes”. They're built similar to how a factory would build a vehicle. They are able to buy wholesale parts, know exactly how much material to buy, and can retain sub-contractors for multiple homes.
Quality of a Custom Home: Again, quality depends on the builder. The process is somewhat different from a Spec Home. The custom builder is likely to use some of the same contractors, the same building inspector, and the same suppliers. The difference in quality is not so much in “the bones” of the house...although there are some variations there too...But more so in the trim and finishes. You’ll likely have custom cabinetry, light fixtures, appliances, colors, trim work, plumbing fixtures etc. This will give you a full custom home. If you go with a spec home, you may have to hire a handyman to upgrade your fixtures and add the trim work that you desire.
If you’re looking for new homes for sale in Columbia, reach out to us and ask us your questions. We have years of experience and knowledge to help you navigate your way through the process and it’s extremely important to have the best realtor that understands your needs. Even if you are buying a home directly from a builder, use a real estate professional. 99 times out of 100, you will NOT have to pay your real estate professional any additional money to represent you and builders encourage realtors to bring a buyer to help them purchase a home.