New construction is finally giving buyers a bit of a win. There are more brand-new homes to choose from right now, and builders are offering incentives that can make them surprisingly affordable. For a lot of buyers, that means getting the home you actually want—at a price that feels doable.

It’s not often everything lines up like this, but right now buyers are in a really strong spot. That’s why this moment matters—and why having a local agent on your side can make all the difference in taking full advantage of it.

1. More New Homes Are Available Now – and That May Not Last

There are more new construction homes available right now than we usually see—and for buyers, that opens up some great opportunities, including:

More innovative communities to explore
More homes ready for you to move in
More floor plan options to choose from
More modern designs and upgraded features

But that kind of variety might not stick around for long.

According to Zonda, it might seem like new homes are popping up everywhere—but builders have actually been slowing down. The number of new construction starts (that’s when they break ground) has been gradually dropping over the past few years. The upside? It helps prevent overbuilding across the country.

Here’s the real insight that could give you an advantage: forecasts suggest that this slight downward trend is expected to continue into next year (check out the graph below):

It’s a sign that the new homes available right now might be the biggest selection you’ll see in a while.

Right now, Redfin reports that about 1 in 3 homes (27%) on the market are new builds. That’s above the usual level, but actually the lowest share we’ve seen in the past four years—which lines up with the trend shown in the graph above.

So if you’re hoping for more choices, now’s the perfect time to start looking.

And if you’re wondering why builders are pulling back, it’s pretty straightforward. With more new homes already on the market than usual, they’re focusing on selling what’s available instead of adding even more. Which brings us to point two.

2. Builder Incentives Just Hit an All-Time High

Here’s the exciting part for buyers: to keep their current inventory moving, builders are rolling out incentives we haven’t seen in years—many of which make homes more affordable. Right now, buyers are seeing:

Lower Prices: Builders are lowering prices on new homes to attract buyers.
Closing Cost Assistance: Some are covering thousands in fees to make the upfront cost easier.
Extra Upgrades: Premium finishes, appliance packages, and designer touches—often included at no extra cost.
Mortgage Rate Buydowns: Builders may pay to secure a lower mortgage rate for you, which can lower your monthly payments and make the home more affordable.

The good news? You don’t need luck to take advantage of these perks. In fact, most builders are offering deals like these right now. According to the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), 65% of builders report using some kind of sales incentive, and:

“. . . 41% of builders reported cutting prices in November, a record high in the post-Covid period and the first time this measure has passed 40%.”

That’s huge—it really shows how open builders are to negotiating these days.

If you take a closer look at the graph, you’ll see that incentives usually peak early in the year, just as buyer demand ramps up heading into spring. Acting now gives you an advantage—this could be the perfect window to find more options and better deals.

If you work closely with your agent and know what to ask for, you could score some of the best perks buyers have seen in years. And when every dollar matters, any incentive that helps your bottom line is definitely worth exploring.

More choices and bigger savings = a deal that’s hard to resist.

Bottom Line

With many builders offering great incentives and a bigger selection of new homes, this could be one of the best times in years for buyers to snag a new build.

Let’s connect if you want to see which communities, builders, and incentives give you the most value right now. Having your own agent—rather than the builder’s—makes the whole buying and negotiating process a lot smoother.

What if you could get a brand-new home for less than you might expect—would that catch your interest?