Builder contract review in Bethesda

A builder contract review in Bethesda usually starts with the calendar. EYA projects all of its Westbard Square townhomes to be completed by 2027, and a projection isn’t a promise. Builder contracts generally give the builder wide room to move the delivery date and limit what you can recover if it slips. We read the delay clause first and tell you plainly what it allows.

Deposits come second. Under Maryland Real Property 10-301, any money a builder receives before a new house is finished has to be held in escrow, bonded or backed by a letter of credit. Ask which one your builder uses, and get it in writing. On a phased project like Westbard Square, a deposit can sit for a long time before your phase is built, so the protection matters.

Warranty language is the third piece. Maryland’s implied warranties on a new home run one year, or two years for structural defects. The builder also has to tell you in writing whether it belongs to a new home warranty plan. On the Brownstones at Westbard Square site, where 12.5% of the 32 proposed townhouses are Moderately Priced Dwelling Units, we also check how those obligations appear in the community documents.

Then come escalation and upgrade terms, which decide what the house finally costs. We mark every clause worth negotiating and work alongside your attorney, who reads the final draft before you sign. Don’t assume a builder’s form is non-negotiable. Some terms move, especially early in a phase. Rules that apply statewide are covered on our page for Maryland real estate representation. Builder contract review explains the service. If you’d rather buy a resale home, we’d work with you as your Bethesda real estate agent. Either way, nothing gets signed until you understand it. The related step is covered in new construction buyer representation in Bethesda. Builder contract review in Potomac walks through the same service in a different housing market.