New Construction Sales Require Specialized Skills Often Overlooked in Agent Training

The distinction between selling new construction and resale homes is significant, yet most real estate agent training focuses only on resale. According to Bill Gaul, CEO of Builders Update and chair of the RESO Data Dictionary New Construction Subcommittee, the approach to selling new construction must differ fundamentally from resale. In a resale, agents typically show multiple homes until the buyer finds a fit. New construction, however, presents a single community with multiple floor plans at various stages of completion—from finished models to homes not yet built. Gaul explains, "You go to a community, and there are twenty homes for sale, maybe three model A’s, six model B’s, eight model C’s." Treating this like a resale by showing options in ascending order is counterproductive.

The recommended strategy for new construction is "best fit first." Instead of saving the best for last, agents should identify the closest match and present it early. This requires extensive homework before meeting the buyer. Gaul advises agents to visit every builder in their market to learn price points, construction quality, community demographics, and selling points. Additionally, agents must distinguish between what buyers need and what they say they want. "Understand what they need, not only what they want, then deliver the product that best matches their needs first," says Gaul. Showing homes that meet fewer criteria after the best fit can fatigue buyers rather than help them decide.

New construction also involves an additional party: the on-site sales counselor, who has detailed knowledge of the builder's product. The agent's role is not to compete with that expertise but to bring the buyer to the right community and establish trust. Gaul emphasizes that the agent, buyer, and on-site counselor should work together as allies toward the right home, which may not yet be built.

To address the training gap, Builders Update has created a course specifically for new construction. The course consists of six self-paced modules, each about thirty minutes long. The first module is free; the remaining five cost $149, or $129 for agents affiliated with participating MLS organizations. Agents who complete the course receive a certificate designating them as a new home specialist. Gaul notes that a more advanced tier is planned for agents who have closed a certain number of new construction sales.

The platform restricts detailed listing information to licensed agents, reflecting what Gaul describes as an agent-centric model. "We consider our information privileged, and we only make it available to licensed real estate agents," he says. As new construction grows as a share of available inventory in many markets, the need for specialized training becomes increasingly important.