With new home communities, not all sales are reported through the Multiple Listing Service. I always go back to the tax records to see exactly what recent homes have sold for INCLUDING ALL OPTIONS AND UPGRADES. The new, to-be-built homes that are listed for sale in the MLS are listed at the Base Model Price, and the final price can be anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 higher after selections.
So, if you are interested in comparable sales data when you are searching for a new home, make sure your Buyer Agent looks at all the data. There can be a delay of 3 or more months for sales to be recorded in the Tax Records, but we can get a pretty accurate idea of sales prices. The last sale recorded at Independence right now took place on May 1, 2012.
- In the 12 month period recorded, 17 homes sold and settled between November 16, 2011 and May 1, 2012.
- The average sales price during that time was $423,057.
- The highest priced home sold for $532,000. Two (2) other homes sold for more than $500,000 and four (4) homes sold between $450,000 and $500,000.
- Can you buy a home at Independence under $400,000? Absolutely. Four (4) homes actually sold between $300,000 and $350,000 and three (3) sold between $350,000 and $400,000.
When you compare comps, the challenge is to compare apples to apples. In a community like Independence where the builder offers so many upgrades and options as well as customizations, the price range can be substantial even in the same exact model.