Before you fall for a model home, get pre-approved, then pull the lot’s records and read the full builder contract. Confirm the floodplain status, sewer or septic setup, what the price actually includes, the completion window in writing, and how incentives are conditioned. Those five checks decide your real cost and timeline.
What should you check before buying new construction on Lake Conroe?
To buy new construction on Lake Conroe with confidence, review the lot, the contract, and the price sheet as three separate items. The lot decides your floodplain exposure, your drainage, and whether you’ll be on public sewer or septic. The contract decides your timeline and your remedies if something slips. The price sheet decides what you actually pay.
Key Takeaways
- Montgomery County requires a development permit for construction, including property outside the floodplain unless a specific exemption applies, so ask the builder for permit status and approved plans.
- Properties within 2,075 feet of Lake Conroe may require proof of sewer through the San Jacinto River Authority, so confirm whether your home has public sewer, septic, or an SJRA-related requirement before you commit.
- Montgomery County requires floodplain review for properties within 100 feet of a floodplain or floodway, and elevation certificates may be part of the paperwork.
- TREC publishes separate New Home Contract forms for completed and incomplete construction, but a builder may hand you its own contract or addenda, so read what you’re actually signing.
- Any incentive tied to a specific lender, title company, or closing date belongs in writing before you compare it to a lower price.
I walk my clients through new builds all the time. The glossy brochure rarely tells you what the home will really cost or when you’ll move in. If you want the big-picture view first, my breakdown of new construction at Lake Conroe pros and cons is a good starting point. This post is the checklist for what comes next.
How do you vet the lot for new construction on Lake Conroe?
Treat the lot as its own due-diligence item, separate from the house. A beautiful floor plan can’t fix a drainage problem, a floodplain issue, or a septic restriction. Ask for a lot-specific document package before you commit.
Which jurisdiction and permits apply?
Start by confirming who has authority over the property. Lake Conroe-area land may fall under Montgomery County processes or a city’s separate permitting system, and some lots sit in an extraterritorial jurisdiction. Identify which office issued the building, floodplain, septic, and utility approvals.
Montgomery County states that development requires a permit, including construction outside the floodplain unless a regulatory exemption applies. Work within the 100-year floodplain requires one too. So ask the builder to show you the permit, the approved plans, and any outstanding inspections.
Is the lot in or near a floodplain?
The county’s guidance calls for floodplain review within 100 feet of a floodplain or floodway. It lists elevation certificates and conformity forms among the materials that may be required. What applies depends on the lot and the proposed construction.
Montgomery County also lists new floodplain regulations on its permitting pages. If your home was permitted under an earlier process, ask the builder or the permitting office which requirements applied to that project. Then confirm every required document was completed.
If the lot is lakeside, my post on waterfront homes in Lake Conroe and who to trust covers the extra questions that come with water frontage.
Will you have public sewer or septic?
Don’t assume. Properties within 2,075 feet of Lake Conroe may require proof of sewer through the San Jacinto River Authority. Confirm whether the home is connected to public sewer, served by a septic system, or subject to an SJRA-related permit requirement.
If public sewer isn’t available, the owner needs a septic permit. The county says the development permit and septic permit must be obtained together, not separately.
Verify the system, not just the existence of a permit. Ask for:
- The approved site plan
- Tank and field locations
- Operating and maintenance requirements
- Any reserve-area restrictions
- Confirmation that your planned driveway, pool, landscaping, fencing, and future additions won’t interfere with the system
For new residential subdivisions using on-site sewage, the county’s subdivision review asks for planning materials covering topography, the 100-year floodplain, soil conditions, water wells, easements, drainage, and the proposed sewage systems. A permit to construct the private sewage facility is required before construction.
What about drainage and grading?
Ask where water goes. Find out whether drainage routes cross the lot, whether fill was used, and where swales and retaining walls sit. Ask whether any part of the lot is restricted from building or septic use. If you can, walk the lot after a hard rain and look for standing water.
Here’s the document package I ask builders for, and what each item tells you:
| Document | What it tells you | Where to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded subdivision plat | Lot lines, easements, and building restrictions | Builder or title company |
| Survey | Exact boundaries and where the home sits on the lot | Builder or title company |
| Floodplain determination and elevation documentation | Flood exposure and whether elevation paperwork applies | Builder and the permitting office |
| Sewer proof or septic permit and site plan | How wastewater is handled and what you can build near it | Builder and the permitting office |
| Drainage and grading plans | Where water is meant to flow on and off the lot | Builder |
| Permit and inspection status | Whether required approvals are complete | Builder and the permitting office |
If the lot sits inside a community such as Bentwater, Grand Harbor, or April Sound, also ask for any association documents and fee schedules before you sign.
What should the builder contract and price sheet spell out?
They should spell out the price, the inclusions, the completion window, and your remedies if something goes wrong, all in writing. A sales rep works for the builder. I work for you, so I read these documents with your costs and timeline in mind.
Which contract form applies?
The Texas Real Estate Commission lists separate New Home Contract forms for completed and incomplete construction. The right one depends on whether the home is finished and whether anyone has lived in it. For a finished home, TREC’s New Home Contract (Completed Construction), Form 24-20, applies when the builder completed the home and no one has previously lived in it.
A builder may present its own contract or addenda instead. Don’t assume a sales brochure or incentive sheet contains all the binding terms. Have the actual contract reviewed by a qualified professional before you sign, especially the sections on earnest money, default, upgrades, allowances, warranties, delay, mediation or arbitration, and incentives.
What’s included, and what’s only available?
Advertised base prices rarely tell the whole story. Your purchase worksheet should itemize:
- Base price and lot premium
- Structural options and design-center selections
- Appliances and window coverings
- Landscaping, irrigation, and fencing
- Gutters and garage features
- Utility connection charges
- Any required association or community charges
If an item is “available” rather than “included,” assume it costs extra until the worksheet says otherwise. Your actual numbers depend on the lot, the plan, and your selections, so this is where we run the figures together.
How should you weigh incentives against price?
An incentive can be worth taking, but read the conditions. The agreement should say whether it’s available only through a designated lender or title company, or only with a certain closing date. Compare that against your own pre-approval and a lower purchase price before you decide.
This is why I tell buyers to get pre-approved before they walk into a sales office. You’ll know your real number before anyone shows you an incentive sheet. My post on how much money you need to buy a house in Lake Conroe helps you plan that conversation with your lender.
What happens if the build runs late?
Put construction timing in the contract. Look for the anticipated completion window, permissible extensions, notice requirements, material-substitution rights, change-order procedures, and your cancellation rights. Also look for what happens if financing approval, appraisal, inspections, or completion get delayed.
Earnest money matters here too. TREC guidance says earnest money is delivered to the escrow agent and generally deposited by the close of business on the second working day after execution, unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. The signed contract controls, so verify the deposit deadline, the refund conditions, and how builder incentives are treated.
What inspections and closing documents should you get before you close?
Plan inspections at more than one stage, and confirm the completion paperwork before your closing appointment. A new home can still have defects, and an unfinished punch list can hold up your move.
Ask the builder about these checkpoints:
- Pre-drywall inspection while framing, wiring, and plumbing are still visible.
- Drainage and grading inspection once the lot is shaped.
- Final inspection before closing.
- Independent inspection by an inspector you choose.
Then check the contract for access rules, repair obligations, deadlines, and whether unresolved items can delay closing. Get these in writing before you sign, not after.
Before closing, confirm with your title company that required permits, final inspections, utility approvals, surveys, lien-related documentation, and builder warranty materials will be available or addressed. The title company handles the closing process, but the builder’s contract determines many of your obligations and remedies. If this is your first purchase, my first-time home buyers step-by-step guide shows where these checks fit in the full timeline.
Curious how I work with buyers? Read my reviews on Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com.
FAQ
What should I look for in a new-construction contract near Lake Conroe?
Look for the completion window, extension rights, change-order rules, earnest money terms, warranty language, and exactly what’s included in the price. Check whether the builder is using a TREC New Home Contract or its own form with addenda. Have the document reviewed before you sign.
How do I find out whether a Lake Conroe lot is in a floodplain?
Ask the builder for the floodplain determination and any elevation documentation, then confirm with the permitting office. Montgomery County requires floodplain review for properties within 100 feet of a floodplain or floodway. The exact paperwork depends on the lot and the construction.
Does a new home near Lake Conroe need a septic system or public sewer?
It depends on the lot. If public sewer isn’t available, the owner needs a septic permit, and Montgomery County requires it together with the development permit. Properties within 2,075 feet of Lake Conroe may also need proof of sewer through the San Jacinto River Authority.
Are builder upgrades or closing incentives better than a lower purchase price?
It depends on the conditions attached. Check whether the incentive requires a designated lender, title company, or closing date, and compare it to a price reduction in writing. I’ll help you line up both offers so you can see which one fits your situation.
What happens to my earnest money if the builder delays completion?
Your contract decides. Look at the completion window, permitted extensions, notice requirements, and your cancellation rights, plus the refund conditions for earnest money. Get these terms reviewed before you sign, because they are hard to change afterward.
Ready to review a builder contract or lot?
The best time to catch a problem with new construction on Lake Conroe is before you sign. Check the lot, read the contract line by line, and get every incentive and date in writing. Send me the builder’s contract, the price sheet, and the lot details, and I’ll walk through them with you.
Call me at 281-900-9663 or search homes here.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Living Vogue Real Estate follows all federal, state, and local Fair Housing laws. Lisa Marie Sanders, License: TX Broker, regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). TREC Information About Brokerage Services and the Consumer Protection Notice are available on request. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your own numbers and contract terms with your title company, tax advisor, or lender.