Blog • July 8, 2026

Capital Gains Tax When Selling Your Home in South Carolina

by Ambur Davis

One of the most common financial questions I hear from sellers is whether they’ll owe taxes on the profit from selling their home. For most homeowners selling a primary residence, the answer is genuinely reassuring, but understanding the specifics helps you plan with confidence rather than uncertainty.

The Primary Residence Exclusion

Under federal tax law, homeowners who sell their primary residence can generally exclude a significant amount of capital gains from taxation. Single filers can typically exclude up to $250,000 in gains, while married couples filing jointly can typically exclude up to $500,000. For the large majority of Upstate SC home sellers, this exclusion covers the entire gain from the sale, meaning no capital gains tax is owed at all.

The Ownership and Use Requirements

To qualify for this exclusion, you generally need to have owned the home and used it as your primary residence for at least two of the five years leading up to the sale. These two years don’t need to be consecutive, which offers some flexibility for sellers who may have rented the property out for a period before returning to it as their primary home.

There are some exceptions and partial exclusions available for sellers who don’t fully meet the two-year requirement due to specific circumstances like a job relocation, health reasons, or other qualifying unforeseen circumstances, though the specifics of qualifying for a partial exclusion are worth discussing directly with a CPA rather than assuming eligibility.

When Capital Gains Tax Might Actually Apply

If your gain exceeds the exclusion amount — which becomes more likely for sellers of higher-value homes who’ve owned their property for many years of significant appreciation — the excess above the exclusion is generally subject to capital gains tax. The rate depends on how long you owned the property and your overall income situation, with long-term capital gains rates, which apply after more than a year of ownership, generally being more favorable than short-term rates.

Investment properties and second homes don’t qualify for the primary residence exclusion at all, meaning gains on those sales are generally fully taxable, which is an important distinction for anyone selling a rental property or vacation home rather than their primary residence.

Calculating Your Actual Gain

Your gain isn’t simply your sale price minus your original purchase price. It’s calculated based on your adjusted cost basis, which includes your original purchase price plus the cost of significant capital improvements made over your ownership, minus selling costs like commission and closing expenses. Keeping records of major renovations and improvements over your years of ownership can meaningfully reduce your calculated gain and is worth organizing before you list, not scrambling for after the sale.

Why This Matters for Your Selling Decision

Understanding your likely tax exposure — or confirming you likely have none — helps you approach your selling decision and pricing strategy with clarity rather than uncertainty. This is genuinely a conversation worth having with a CPA specific to your situation, particularly if your gain is substantial or your ownership and residency history is more complicated than a straightforward primary residence sale.

If you’re thinking about selling and want to talk through the market side while you coordinate the tax conversation with your CPA, I’m happy to help. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Power of Attorney at Closing: Buying or Selling Remotely in South Carolina

by Ambur Davis

Not every buyer or seller can be physically present at the closing table, and South Carolina law provides a path for handling this through a power of attorney. Whether you’re relocating from out of state, deployed overseas, or simply unable to attend in person, here’s how this process actually works.

What a Power of Attorney for Closing Does

A power of attorney, often abbreviated POA, is a legal document that authorizes another person — your attorney-in-fact — to sign documents and act on your behalf for a specific transaction. In a real estate context, a properly executed POA allows someone else to sign your closing documents, including the deed and loan documents, when you can’t be physically present.

Types of Power of Attorney Used in Real Estate

A specific or limited power of attorney is the most common and generally preferred approach for a real estate closing, since it authorizes the attorney-in-fact to act only for the specific transaction and purposes outlined in the document, rather than granting broad authority over your affairs. This limited scope protects you by ensuring the authority granted doesn’t extend beyond what’s needed for the closing itself.

Getting Your POA Approved by Your Lender and Title Company

This is the step buyers most often underestimate. Not every lender accepts a power of attorney for closing, and those that do often have specific requirements about the document’s language, notarization, and sometimes require their own review and approval before closing day. Some lenders require the POA to specifically name the property and transaction rather than being drafted in general terms.

Getting your POA reviewed and approved by both your lender and your closing attorney well before your scheduled closing date — not the week of — is essential, since a POA that doesn’t meet the specific requirements can cause a real delay to your closing timeline.

The Attorney-in-Fact’s Role

The person acting as your attorney-in-fact should be someone you trust completely, since they’re legally signing documents that obligate you financially. They’ll need to bring valid identification and the properly executed POA document to the closing itself, and they’ll sign in their capacity as your attorney-in-fact rather than signing your name directly.

Remote Online Notarization: An Alternative Worth Knowing About

Depending on the specific transaction and your closing attorney’s capabilities, remote online notarization may be available as an alternative or supplement to a traditional power of attorney, allowing you to sign and be notarized virtually rather than delegating signing authority to someone else entirely. Availability and requirements vary, so this is worth discussing directly with your closing attorney if being physically present isn’t possible for you.

Planning Ahead

If you know in advance that you won’t be able to attend your closing in person, raise this with your agent, lender, and closing attorney as early as possible in the transaction. The paperwork and approval process for a power of attorney takes real time, and starting it early prevents it from becoming a last-minute scramble that threatens your closing date.

If you’re navigating a purchase or sale from a distance, I’m happy to help coordinate this process. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Protecting Yourself From Wire Fraud During Your Real Estate Closing

by Ambur Davis

This is one of the most important posts I’ve written, and I mean that sincerely. Real estate wire fraud has become a significant and growing threat, and buyers losing their entire down payment and closing funds to scammers is a real, devastating occurrence that happens across the country every year, including here in the Upstate. Understanding how to protect yourself is essential.

How This Scam Works

Wire fraud targeting real estate closings typically follows a similar pattern. Criminals gain access to email communications related to a real estate transaction, often by hacking or spoofing the email account of an agent, attorney, or title company. Once inside that communication thread, they send an email to the buyer, appearing to come from the closing attorney or title company, with new or “updated” wire instructions for sending closing funds.

The email often looks completely legitimate, sometimes even replying within an existing email thread to appear authentic. The buyer, believing they’re following standard closing instructions, wires their funds — sometimes their entire life savings — directly into the criminal’s account. Once a wire transfer is sent, it is extremely difficult, and often impossible, to recover the funds.

The Single Most Important Rule

Never trust wire instructions received solely by email, even if the email appears completely legitimate and even if it comes from an email thread you’ve been using throughout your transaction. Always verify wire instructions by calling your closing attorney’s office directly, using a phone number you obtained independently — from their official website, a business card, or a prior verified conversation, never a phone number provided in the email containing the wire instructions themselves.

This verification step should happen every single time you’re preparing to wire funds, even if you’ve successfully wired funds earlier in the same transaction without issue. Scammers sometimes wait until the final, largest wire — your closing funds — to strike, after building trust through smaller, legitimate-seeming exchanges earlier in the process.

Other Warning Signs to Watch For

Be suspicious of any last-minute change to previously provided wire instructions, especially if it arrives with urgency or pressure to act quickly. Watch for email addresses that look nearly identical to a legitimate contact’s address but contain a subtle misspelling or different domain. Be wary of any communication that discourages you from calling to verify or claims that verification isn’t necessary this time.

What to Do If You Suspect Fraud

If you’ve already sent a wire and suspect it went to a fraudulent account, contact your bank immediately and request a wire recall, then file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Time is critical — the faster you act, the marginally better your chances of stopping or recovering the funds, though recovery is never guaranteed once a wire has been sent.

How I Protect My Clients

I always encourage my clients to call our closing attorney’s office directly using a number I provide from a verified source, confirmed independently of any single email, before sending any wire transfer. I’d genuinely rather you call and double-check every single time than assume it’s unnecessary because everything else in the transaction has gone smoothly.

If you have any questions about wire safety during your upcoming transaction, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Call or text me at 864.913.8295 or email Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com — this is one topic where I’d rather you ask twice than not ask at all.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Gift Funds for Your Down Payment: What Buyers Need to Know

by Ambur Davis

Not every down payment comes entirely from a buyer’s own savings, and using gift funds from family is a common and completely legitimate part of many home purchases in the Upstate. But lenders have specific rules around how gift funds need to be documented, and getting this wrong can genuinely delay or derail your closing. Here’s what to know.

What Counts as a Gift Fund

A gift fund is money given to you by an eligible donor — typically a family member, though some loan programs allow a broader range of relationships — with no expectation of repayment. This is distinct from a loan, and lenders need documentation proving that distinction clearly, because undisclosed debt used toward a down payment can affect your qualifying debt-to-income calculations and, if discovered later, can constitute mortgage fraud.

Who Can Give Gift Funds

Eligible donors vary somewhat by loan program. Conventional loans generally allow gifts from family members, and some programs extend eligibility to domestic partners or close relationships with a documented history. FHA loans have their own specific list of eligible donor relationships. Your lender can confirm exactly who qualifies as an eligible donor for your specific loan program before you assume a planned gift will be acceptable.

The Documentation Lenders Require

A proper gift fund transaction typically requires a signed gift letter from the donor stating the amount, confirming it’s a gift with no repayment expected, and specifying the relationship between donor and buyer. Lenders also want to see paper trail documentation — the funds moving from the donor’s account to yours, matched by bank statements on both ends showing the withdrawal and deposit.

Large, undocumented deposits into your bank account during the mortgage process are one of the most common triggers for delayed underwriting, precisely because lenders can’t distinguish an undocumented gift from undisclosed debt without proper paperwork. The safest approach is looping your lender in before the gift transfer happens, so you know exactly what documentation they’ll need and can gather it correctly from the start.

Down Payment Minimums and Gift Fund Limits

Depending on your loan program and down payment percentage, some lenders require that a portion of your down payment come from your own funds rather than being entirely gifted, particularly on conventional loans with lower down payments. FHA loans are generally more flexible about the entire down payment coming from gift funds. Your lender can walk you through exactly how this applies to your specific loan scenario.

Timing Matters

Coordinating the timing of a gift fund transfer with your lender’s documentation requirements — rather than moving money first and explaining it later — makes the whole process significantly smoother. If gift funds are part of your down payment plan, bring this up with your lender at the very start of your pre-approval process, not after you’ve already found a home and are trying to move quickly toward an offer.

If you’re planning to use gift funds and want to understand how it fits into your specific home search, I’m happy to help connect you with a lender who can walk through the details. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Are VA Loans Assumable? What Buyers and Sellers Should Know

by Ambur Davis

Assumable mortgages have become a genuinely relevant topic again in recent years, and VA loans are one of the few remaining mortgage types that offer this feature. If you’re a veteran seller or a buyer specifically hunting for an assumable loan opportunity, here’s what you need to understand.

What Loan Assumption Means

Assuming a mortgage means a buyer takes over the seller’s existing loan, including its interest rate and remaining terms, rather than obtaining an entirely new mortgage. In an environment where a seller’s existing rate is meaningfully lower than current market rates, this can represent real value for a buyer willing and able to qualify for the assumption.

Why VA Loans Are Different

Most conventional mortgages contain a due-on-sale clause that requires the loan to be paid off in full when the property changes ownership, effectively preventing assumption. VA loans, along with FHA and USDA loans, are structured differently and generally allow qualified buyers to assume the existing loan under the right conditions.

Importantly, VA loan assumption is not limited to veterans or military buyers. A civilian buyer can assume a seller’s VA loan, provided they qualify under the lender’s and VA’s requirements, which typically mirror standard mortgage qualification — creditworthiness, income, and debt-to-income evaluation similar to originating a new loan.

What Sellers Should Understand About VA Entitlement

For veteran sellers, one of the most important considerations is what happens to their VA entitlement — the benefit that allows VA loan eligibility — when their loan is assumed by a non-veteran buyer. If a non-veteran assumes your VA loan, your entitlement tied to that specific loan typically remains restricted until the loan is paid off, which can affect your ability to use VA financing again in the future without addressing that restriction. If the assuming buyer is also a veteran with their own eligible entitlement, they can substitute their entitlement for yours, freeing up your entitlement for future use. This is a genuinely important conversation to have with a VA loan specialist before agreeing to an assumption as a seller.

The Process Isn’t Instant

Loan assumption still requires lender approval and processing, including a credit and income review of the buyer, and the process can take meaningful time — often comparable to or sometimes longer than originating a new loan, depending on the loan servicer’s specific assumption procedures. Buyers and sellers pursuing this path should build realistic time expectations into their transaction timeline rather than assuming it’s automatically faster than a standard purchase.

Is This Worth Pursuing?

For a buyer, assuming a well-below-market interest rate can represent genuine long-term savings worth the extra process and paperwork. For a seller, the tradeoffs around entitlement and process complexity deserve a real conversation before you market a home specifically around its assumable loan feature.

If you’re a veteran seller wondering how this applies to your situation, or a buyer interested in exploring assumable loan opportunities in the Upstate, I’m happy to help you think it through. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Jumbo Loans in South Carolina: What Luxury Buyers Need to Know

by Ambur Davis

If you’re shopping in the upper end of the Upstate market — a substantial home, significant acreage, or a lake or golf community property — there’s a good chance your financing conversation will eventually involve a jumbo loan. Understanding how these loans differ from standard conventional financing helps you approach a luxury purchase with realistic expectations.

What Makes a Loan “Jumbo”

A jumbo loan is any mortgage that exceeds the conforming loan limit set annually by the Federal Housing Finance Agency for conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That limit changes each year and can vary somewhat by county, so rather than quoting a specific figure that may already be outdated, the most reliable step is asking your lender for the current conforming loan limit applicable to your specific Upstate SC county before you assume which category your purchase falls into.

Because jumbo loans exceed what Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will purchase, lenders hold more risk on these loans directly, which shapes both the qualification requirements and the loan terms you’ll encounter.

How Qualification Differs

Jumbo loan underwriting is generally more rigorous than conventional financing. Lenders typically look for stronger credit scores, lower debt-to-income ratios, and larger cash reserves after closing — sometimes requiring six months or more of mortgage payments held in reserve. Down payment requirements also tend to be higher, commonly starting around 10 to 20 percent depending on the lender and loan amount, though this varies meaningfully across lenders.

Income documentation tends to be more thorough as well, and self-employed buyers pursuing jumbo financing should expect an even more detailed review than what’s typical for conventional self-employed underwriting, given the larger loan amounts involved.

Interest Rates on Jumbo Loans

Jumbo loan interest rates have historically sometimes run higher than conforming loan rates, though this relationship isn’t fixed and has shifted over different periods depending on broader market conditions. Getting quotes from multiple lenders who actively originate jumbo products in the Upstate market gives you the clearest picture of current rate positioning rather than relying on general assumptions.

Finding the Right Lender

Not every lender actively originates jumbo loans, and among those that do, terms, rates, and underwriting flexibility vary meaningfully. Working with a lender who has genuine experience closing jumbo loans in the Upstate SC market — rather than one for whom it’s an occasional exception — tends to produce a smoother process and often more competitive terms.

If you’re shopping in the luxury segment of the Upstate market and want an introduction to lenders experienced with jumbo financing here, I’m happy to help. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Buying a Second Home or Vacation Property in South Carolina

by Ambur Davis

Upstate South Carolina isn’t typically the first place people think of for a vacation home compared to the coast or the mountains, but a growing number of buyers are specifically looking here for a second home that offers four genuine seasons, outdoor access, and proximity to family — without the price tag of a beachfront or ski-adjacent property. Here’s what makes second home buying different from a primary residence purchase.

How Lenders View Second Homes

Financing a second home is different from financing your primary residence. Lenders typically require a larger down payment, often in the range of 10 to 20 percent depending on the loan program and your financial profile, along with somewhat stricter credit and reserve requirements. Interest rates on second home mortgages also tend to run slightly higher than primary residence rates, reflecting the marginally higher risk lenders associate with a property that isn’t your primary living situation.

An important distinction: a true second home purchase requires that you intend to occupy the property yourself for a meaningful portion of the year, and cannot be rented out full-time as an investment property. If your intent is primarily rental income, you’re looking at investment property financing instead, which carries its own distinct requirements.

Where Buyers Are Looking

Lake Bowen and the surrounding Spartanburg County lake communities draw buyers looking for a genuine getaway property within reach of family who may live in the area. Landrum and the northern foothills communities appeal to buyers who want mountain proximity and a retreat-style property without the premium of Asheville or the immediate mountains. And buyers with family already living in the Upstate sometimes choose a second home here specifically to have a consistent home base for visits, planning an eventual full-time move once retirement or another life transition arrives.

Property Tax Considerations

Remember that South Carolina’s favorable 4 percent primary residence property tax assessment ratio doesn’t apply to second homes — those are assessed at the 6 percent non-owner-occupied rate. This meaningfully changes your annual carrying cost calculation compared to what a primary residence in the same community would cost, and it’s worth factoring into your budget from the start.

Maintenance and Management From a Distance

If you won’t be at the property full-time, think through how it will be maintained and monitored between visits — lawn care, HVAC monitoring especially in summer, and general upkeep all matter more when you’re not there to notice small issues before they become bigger ones. Some buyers arrange informal check-ins with neighbors or local property management services for peace of mind.

Is a Second Home in the Upstate Right for You?

If you’re drawn to the idea of a retreat property that offers genuine seasons, outdoor access, and a slower pace without an oceanfront or mountain-resort price tag, Upstate SC deserves a serious look. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com to talk through what that could look like for you.

Blog • July 7, 2026

How a HELOC Works and When It Makes Sense

by Ambur Davis

A home equity line of credit comes up often in conversations with homeowners who are thinking about renovations, a future down payment on another property, or simply want to understand their options for accessing the equity they’ve built. Here’s a clear explanation of how HELOCs work and when they genuinely make sense.

What a HELOC Actually Is

A home equity line of credit is a revolving credit line secured by the equity in your home, similar in structure to a credit card but typically with significantly lower interest rates because your home serves as collateral. Rather than receiving a lump sum, you’re approved for a credit limit and can draw against it as needed during what’s called the draw period, typically paying interest only on the amount you’ve actually borrowed.

This is different from a home equity loan, which provides a lump sum upfront with fixed monthly payments over a set term. A HELOC offers more flexibility but typically comes with a variable interest rate, meaning your payment can fluctuate over time.

How Much You Can Borrow

Lenders typically allow homeowners to borrow up to a certain combined loan-to-value ratio, often in the range of 80 to 85 percent of your home’s value when you add your existing mortgage balance and the new HELOC together, though this varies by lender. Your specific credit profile, income, and the lender’s current guidelines all factor into your actual approved amount.

The Draw Period and Repayment Period

Most HELOCs have a draw period, commonly 10 years, during which you can borrow, repay, and borrow again up to your limit, generally making interest-only payments on the outstanding balance. Once the draw period ends, the HELOC typically enters a repayment period, often 10 to 20 years, during which you can no longer draw additional funds and must repay both principal and interest. Understanding this transition, and what your payment will look like once it happens, is important before you take on a HELOC for a longer-term purpose.

When a HELOC Makes Sense

Home renovations are the most common and often most sensible use, particularly improvements that add genuine value to the property. Bridge financing for buying a new home before your current one sells is another situation where a HELOC can provide the flexibility to move forward on a purchase without waiting for your existing sale to close, though this requires careful planning with your lender.

Using a HELOC to consolidate high-interest debt can make financial sense in specific circumstances, but it converts unsecured debt into debt secured by your home, which is a meaningful risk shift worth thinking through carefully rather than treating casually.

When It Doesn’t Make Sense

Using a HELOC for ongoing living expenses, discretionary spending unrelated to your home or long-term goals, or as a substitute for building genuine savings and emergency reserves generally isn’t a sound long-term strategy. Because your home secures the debt, the risk of a HELOC used irresponsibly is meaningfully higher than unsecured credit.

If you’re weighing a HELOC as part of a bigger financial picture — buying, selling, or renovating — I’m happy to talk through how it might fit into your specific plans and connect you with a lender who can run the numbers. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

Understanding Mortgage Escrow Accounts: Taxes, Insurance, and Your Monthly Payment

by Ambur Davis

If you’re financing a home purchase, there’s a good chance your monthly payment includes more than just principal and interest — and understanding what an escrow account is, how it works, and why your payment can change even with a fixed-rate mortgage will save you a lot of confusion down the road.

What an Escrow Account Actually Is

An escrow account, sometimes called an impound account, is a fund your mortgage servicer maintains on your behalf to pay your property taxes and homeowners insurance premiums when they come due. Rather than you paying these bills separately once or twice a year, your lender collects a portion of the estimated annual cost with each monthly mortgage payment and pays the bills directly when they’re due.

Your total monthly payment, often referred to as PITI, includes Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance. The taxes and insurance portions flow into your escrow account, while principal and interest go toward your loan balance.

Why Lenders Require Escrow

For most conventional loans with less than 20 percent down, and for essentially all FHA, VA, and USDA loans, an escrow account is required. Lenders want assurance that property taxes and insurance stay current, since an unpaid tax bill can result in a lien that takes priority over the mortgage, and a lapsed insurance policy leaves the property, and the lender’s collateral, unprotected.

Buyers with significant equity or down payment sometimes have the option to waive escrow and pay taxes and insurance directly themselves, though this typically requires meeting specific loan-to-value thresholds and sometimes comes with a small rate adjustment.

Why Your Payment Can Change Even With a Fixed Rate

This is one of the most common sources of confusion for new homeowners. Your principal and interest payment stays fixed for the life of a fixed-rate mortgage, but your total monthly payment can still increase or decrease because your property tax bill or insurance premium changed. Property taxes can shift due to reassessment, a millage rate change, or, for a newer buyer, simply the property being reassessed to the purchase price for the first time. Insurance premiums can rise due to market conditions, claims history, or coverage changes.

Your servicer conducts an annual escrow analysis, comparing what was collected against what was actually paid out, and adjusts your monthly escrow contribution accordingly for the coming year. An escrow shortage from this analysis typically results in either a lump sum request or a spread-out increase to your monthly payment.

What Happens If There’s a Shortage or Surplus

If your escrow account has a shortage after the annual analysis, your servicer will notify you of the amount and give you options to pay it as a lump sum or have it spread across your next twelve monthly payments, increasing your payment temporarily until it’s caught up. If there’s a surplus beyond a certain threshold, servicers are generally required to refund the excess to you directly.

Understanding this process ahead of time means you won’t be caught off guard by a payment change letter arriving in the mail. If you have questions about how escrow will factor into a specific purchase you’re considering, I’m happy to help connect you with a lender who can walk through the specifics. Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com.

Blog • July 7, 2026

What Does a New Construction Home Warranty Actually Cover?

by Ambur Davis

If you’re buying new construction, you’ve likely heard that your home comes with a builder warranty — but understanding exactly what that warranty covers, for how long, and what it doesn’t cover is essential before you assume you’re fully protected. This is a different product entirely from a purchased home warranty service contract on a resale home, and it deserves its own explanation.

The Standard Structure: 1-2-10

Most new construction in the Upstate follows what’s commonly called a 1-2-10 warranty structure, though specific terms vary by builder and should always be confirmed in your actual purchase contract rather than assumed.

The first-year coverage typically addresses workmanship and materials broadly — issues with fit and finish, minor defects, and problems that emerge from the construction process itself. The second-year coverage generally narrows to specific systems, most commonly mechanical components like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC distribution systems. The ten-year coverage is typically limited specifically to major structural defects — issues that affect the load-bearing elements of the home, not general wear, cosmetic issues, or non-structural systems.

What’s Generally Not Covered

Builder warranties typically exclude normal wear and tear, damage from buyer neglect or lack of maintenance, cosmetic issues that don’t affect function, and problems caused by buyer-made modifications after closing. Appliances are usually covered separately under their own manufacturer warranties rather than the builder’s structural warranty.

Settling cracks in drywall, minor nail pops, and small cosmetic issues that commonly appear as a new home settles during its first year are typically addressed through a builder’s initial walkthrough and punch-list process rather than treated as ongoing warranty claims indefinitely.

The Walkthrough and Punch List Process

Before closing, and often again shortly after move-in, most builders conduct a walkthrough where you identify any visible issues to be addressed before or shortly after closing. Taking this walkthrough seriously and documenting everything in writing protects you far more effectively than assuming issues will be caught and handled automatically later.

How to File a Warranty Claim

Builder warranty claims typically go through the builder’s customer service or warranty department directly, not through your real estate agent or lender. Documenting issues with photos, dates, and written communication creates a paper trail that protects you if a dispute arises about whether an issue is covered or was properly reported within the applicable timeframe.

Should You Also Buy a Separate Home Warranty?

Given that builder warranties already cover major systems and structural issues for the first two to ten years, purchasing an additional third-party home warranty service contract on top of new construction is often redundant during those early years, though some buyers still find value in the appliance and additional coverage some plans offer. I’m happy to help you think through whether it makes sense for your specific situation.

Reach me at 864.913.8295 or Ambur.Davis@Century21Blackwell.com with questions about a specific builder’s warranty terms.

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