Katy buyers this fall have something they have not had in several years: time. Homes in the area have generally been taking around a month and a half to go under contract, list prices have been running roughly flat against a year ago, and builders across the big master-planned communities are actively competing for a finite pool of shoppers.
Most buyers respond to that by slowing down. Fewer respond by getting strategic — and that second group is the one getting better deals.
Builder incentives are market data, not just advertising
When a builder in one of Katy’s master-planned communities advertises a rate buydown, a closing cost package, or a design center allowance, they are publishing something valuable: the effective price at which a comparable new home will actually trade this month. That number is the real benchmark, not the base price on the sign.
Once you know it, you can do something most buyers never think to do — use it in a resale negotiation. If a nearby new home nets out meaningfully cheaper after incentives, that is a concrete, verifiable, non-emotional argument to bring to a resale seller’s agent. It is far more persuasive than “we think it’s overpriced.”
It cuts the other direction too
Sometimes the comparison favors the resale home, and knowing that protects you from overpaying for new. Consider what is genuinely not included:
- Landscaping, sod, and irrigation beyond the builder’s minimum
- Fencing, gutters, and window coverings
- Refrigerator, washer and dryer in many cases
- The wait — construction timelines can outlast a rate lock or a lease
- MUD rate and tax assessment differences between a brand-new section and an established one, which can change your monthly payment meaningfully even at the same purchase price
A simple approach that works
- Pick your two or three target areas of Katy and identify the active builders in each.
- Ask what is actually being offered right now — incentives move month to month and quarter-end matters.
- Convert every option, new and resale, into a monthly cost including taxes and insurance, not just a purchase price.
- Then negotiate with facts instead of instinct.
That fourth step is where an agent earns their keep, and it is where a lot of buyers leave money on the table by shopping new and resale as if they were two unrelated searches.
We will do the legwork
We track builder incentives and resale activity across Katy’s communities continuously. If you would like a side-by-side of what new and resale actually cost you per month right now, just ask — no obligation, no pressure.
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The Audra O’Neal Team | ONTX Realty Partners
Call or Text: 281-972-8200
Email: ONealTeamRocks@gmail.com
Web: http://www.ONealTeamRocks.com
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