How do I compare lender options on a new build?
Credits vs. rate. Timeline vs. savings. Run the real numbers.
How NewBuilt compares the builder's lender to your buyer's
It knows how the builder-lender deal really works.
Credits tied to the preferred lender, the rate premium that pays for them, the timeline pressure — NewBuilt knows the strings so you can weigh them honestly.
It runs credit-vs-rate to a break-even.
Give it both quotes and it shows the true cost over the hold — whether the credits beat a lower rate, and when they don't.
When your buyer asks which to take, it gives you the number.
Paste both offers and get the read, the dollars at stake, and the one move to make. No “it depends.”
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Example situation
“The builder's preferred lender is offering 6.75% with $12k in closing cost credits. My buyer's mortgage broker has 6.25% with zero credits. The builder says the $12k goes away if we don't use their lender. My buyer has a 760 credit score. I need to help them make the right choice.”
Judgment —
Both options have real value. This isn't about trust — it's about math at your buyer's specific timeline.
Reality —
Builders work with preferred lenders because they close on time more reliably — that's genuinely important on a new build where construction timelines and rate locks need to align. The preferred lender's $12k credit is real, but so is the rate difference. Run it on your buyer's actual loan amount — on a $400k loan, say, 6.75% versus 6.25% costs about $131/mo more with the builder's lender, and the $12k credit covers roughly seven and a half years of that. With a 760 score, your buyer qualifies for competitive rates with either lender.
Cost —
If your buyer sells or refinances inside that window, the builder's lender with the $12k credit is the better deal — so ask them how long they actually plan to stay rather than assuming a hold. If they're staying past it and rates don't fall enough to refinance, the outside lender wins long-term. Also factor in closing risk: ask the builder's lender how many closings they've done in this community and get the number from them, because a lender who knows the community's plans and its title work is worth something real on a build.
Move:
Get official Loan Estimates from both lenders — not just rate quotes. Compare origination fees, title fees, and any lender credits line by line. Then build a simple comparison: total cost at 5 years, 7 years, and 10 years. Show your buyer the crossover point where one option beats the other. Present it as 'here's when each option wins' — not 'one is better.'
Real OneShot output — 1 input, 1 answer, no comfort
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