Your guide to the new home construction process, from choosing a floorplan to closing on your new home.
Building a new home starts with a few important questions. Where do you want to live? What fits your budget? How soon do you want to move? And how much flexibility do you want when choosing your home's design and finishes?
With Allen Edwin Homes, you have options. Explore Move-In Ready homes, choose a home already under construction, or get involved earlier in the building process when more design selections may be available. Understanding these options can help you find the right balance of timing, budget, and personalization.
For more than 30 years, Allen Edwin Homes has helped homebuyers across Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio navigate the new construction process. Our experienced team provides guidance through financing preparations, floorplan selection, construction milestones, and closing, helping you understand what to expect at every stage.
Whether you're building your first home, exploring new construction instead of buying an existing house, or comparing home builders in Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio, this guide covers the essential steps, factors that influence construction costs, financing considerations, building timelines, and important decisions along the way.
Your guide to new construction
A clear path from your first decision to your front door.
Building a new home in Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio starts with choosing the right approach. You can begin earlier in construction with more selection opportunities, or purchase an Allen Edwin home that is already underway or complete.
Explore both paths, find out which may fit your timing, and see what happens from purchase agreement through closing.
Start with the basics
Two ways to buy new
Both options give you a newly constructed Allen Edwin home. The difference is when you enter the process and which choices remain available.
Start before construction with an available floorplan and homesite. Depending on your home, you can review structural options and make eligible Design Studio selections.
Choose a home already under construction or complete. You can review its included features, existing selections, construction status, and expected path to closing.
Interactive home path finder
Answer three quick questions. We'll point you toward the option that may suit your priorities.
Your next step
Tell us what you're looking for. Our team can help you compare floorplans, available homes, and next steps for your preferred buying path.
Complete the form below and an Allen Edwin Homes team member can follow up.
No questionnaire required. You can submit the form directly.
Explore the journey
Choose a buying path and open any milestone to see what happens and how you can prepare.
Seven easy-to-follow milestones summarize Allen Edwin Homes' 14-step process, organized into two phases. Expand any milestone for more detail.
Choose your available floorplan and homesite, review eligible structural options, and complete your purchase agreement. Your signed agreement gives your lender the details needed to begin the financing process.
Apply with your lender and complete the documentation needed for mortgage approval. Your approval helps determine the budget available for eligible selections. The Closing team will explain any applicable lot transfer or deposit requirements.
At the Design Studio, review and finalize the selections available for your home and approved budget. A pre-appraisal may also be required before construction moves ahead.
Plans, permits, homesite placement, material orders, and scheduling are prepared. After the home is authorized to start, your Production Manager will contact you about the next construction steps.
Meet with your Production Manager at your New Home Review to understand the building process and major milestones. Construction proceeds through the home’s structure, mechanical systems, and finishes, with updates as work progresses.
Your lender works through final approval before closing. At your New Home Orientation, you'll be introduced to your completed home and review important features, operation, and care information.
When final requirements are complete, you move through closing and loan funding before receiving your keys. After closing, Customer Care and warranty resources help you with eligible service needs.
Five key moments summarize the eight-step Showcase Home process. The exact remaining construction steps depend on your home's stage.
Choose a specific Showcase Home and review its floorplan, homesite, included features, design selections, construction status, and purchase details.
Begin the mortgage application with your lender. The Closing team will clarify applicable down payment, deposit, and lot transfer requirements, which can vary by area.
Your lender works through mortgage approval and final verification. If your home is still under construction, your team can explain its current status and remaining steps toward completion.
Before closing, attend your New Home Orientation to learn about the features, operation, and care of your new home.
When completion and closing requirements are met and funding is received, you receive your keys. Customer Care and warranty resources remain available after move in.
Guidance at each step
The right people help you make decisions, understand updates, and prepare for closing.
Helps you compare communities, floorplans, available homes, timing, and the purchase process.
Explore floorplansExplains major building milestones, leads your New Home Review when applicable, and provides construction updates.
See the ground-up stepsProvides home care information and resources for questions and eligible warranty service after move in.
Visit Customer CareThe numbers behind the build
When you're comparing new homes, the details matter. Explore the measures behind our construction process, energy performance, and homeowner experience.
Contract to closing
On average, Allen Edwin Homes spec home buyers close approximately 30 days after signing their purchase agreement.
Independent structural coverage, subject to the applicable warranty terms.
Homes are built to RESNET Energy Smart standards and independently tested.
Serving buyers across Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.
Recognition informed by employee feedback.
Frequently asked questions
Most Allen Edwin Homes spec homes close within 30 days of contract; to-be-built homes take roughly eight months from purchase agreement to closing in our Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio markets, depending on the stage of construction at purchase. Your actual timeline will depend on the specific home, construction progress, inspections, weather, and financing. Explore Showcase Homes or learn about building from the ground up.
Start by choosing a community, home, and purchase path. Next come the purchase agreement and financing. Buyers building from the ground up may select available structural features and Design Studio finishes before preconstruction and home construction begin. Your team will communicate construction milestones, followed by final mortgage approval, New Home Orientation, closing, and Customer Care. A Showcase Home follows a shorter list of remaining steps because construction may already be underway or complete. View the ground-up process or view the Showcase Home process.
A spec home, which Allen Edwin Homes calls a Showcase Home, has already been planned and may be under construction or complete. Its homesite, floorplan, and many finishes are typically selected. A to-be-built home starts earlier in the process and may offer more opportunities to choose an available homesite, floorplan, structural options, and eligible design finishes. Showcase Homes can offer a quicker path to closing; to-be-built homes generally offer more choices at the start.
If your home is eligible for selections, the Design Studio team helps you review choices such as cabinets, countertops, flooring, colors, lighting, and other available finishes within your approved budget. Availability depends on the home and its construction stage. You can also explore options in the Allen Edwin Homes Virtual Design Studio before your appointment. Once selections are finalized, changes are not available.
Every Allen Edwin home is built to RESNET Energy Smart standards and tested by an independent Home Energy Rater. The process includes reviewing the home's energy design, inspecting construction details, and testing air leakage and duct performance. These results contribute to a HERS Index score, which measures the home's modeled energy performance. See how energy testing works.
Every Allen Edwin home includes a 10-year third-party structural warranty. Your warranty documents explain which structural conditions are covered, the coverage period, limitations, and how to request service. Other homeowner service and warranty provisions depend on the applicable terms. Visit Customer Care for warranty information and service resources.
Tour opportunities depend on the home's construction stage and jobsite safety requirements. Do not enter an active construction site without authorization. Ask your Sales Counselor or Production Manager whether a scheduled visit is possible. If access is not available, your team can help you explore a model home, similar floorplan, or other available home previews.
Let your Sales Counselor know early that you're buying from another city or state. Your team can explain the communication schedule, construction updates, key decision deadlines, and which appointments or closing steps may require your presence. You can research finishes in the Virtual Design Studio and review relocation resources. Ask your team which steps can be handled remotely for your specific home.
Pricing depends on the community, homesite, floorplan, structural options, available design selections, and current inventory. Compare specific homes and included features to understand your options. Explore floorplans to get started.
Allen Edwin Homes offers a guided, semi-custom new construction process with available floorplans, homesites, structural options, and eligible Design Studio selections. It is not a fully custom process starting with completely original architectural plans. Choices vary by home and construction stage.
No. Once construction has started, all structural options, design selections, and finishes have been finalized. Buyers who want to personalize their home can explore building from the ground up, where eligible selections are made before construction begins.
Your next steps depend on the home you purchase. In general, you begin the mortgage process, complete any available selections, receive construction information as applicable, attend New Home Orientation, and prepare for closing. Your team will explain the milestones for your specific home.
You should begin the loan application promptly after signing your purchase agreement. Your lender will explain required financial documents, approval timing, and final mortgage approval before closing. Learn about financing options.
A New Home Review is a meeting with your Production Manager to discuss the construction process, your home's progress, important milestones, and how you will communicate as the build continues. The timing and applicability depend on your home's construction stage.
Your Production Manager provides updates as a ground-up home moves through construction. If you purchase a Showcase Home already in progress, your team can explain its current stage and remaining steps toward closing.
At New Home Orientation, your Production Manager introduces your completed home's features, systems, operation, and care information. Final lender and closing requirements must also be completed. Once closing is complete and your loan has funded, you receive the keys to your new home.
Questions? We're here to help.
Whether you're exploring new construction or ready to compare specific homes, our team can help you understand your options.
Share a little information and we'll help you with the next steps.