Where do you start when you’re ready to look for a new home? Your first thought might be to jump in the car and begin touring new home communities, and that’s perfectly valid. But without focus and a few ideas about what you want, you may be burning a lot of gas and time and seeing little in the way of results.

Virtual home tours are a great starting point. They were already popular before the pandemic, but in the last few years, the benefits of virtual tours have become more apparent, and the number of virtual home tours has been increasing. The pandemic accelerated the use of many virtual services, especially those for home buying. In 2021, 35% of marketers used virtual reality to market products and services.

Should you buy a home entirely via an online platform? There are many things to consider when purchasing a home, and some intangibles are not easy to gather from a virtual platform. But virtual tours are an excellent place to start the homebuying process while also avoiding the time and hassle of loading the family in the car and driving to multiple communities.

Here are our tips for getting the most out of a virtual homebuying experience:

Establish Priorities

Location will likely be the first factor you will want to consider.  Do you want to live in the city, the suburbs, or in a more rural area that has a small-town feel?  Consider the different price points in each of these types of communities and how this affects the size of home you can afford.

Next, take some time to talk with family members about the most critical priorities for your next home.  It could be helpful to make three lists: must-haves, nice-to-haves, and the icing on the cake.

For instance, four bedrooms, great schools, and a community pool and recreation area may be must-haves. Maybe your nice-to-have is a park nearby and walking trails for family fitness. Perhaps the icing on the cake is a nearby fishing pond.

Keep your location preferences and critical priorities in mind as you begin to browse communities and homes online.

Take Virtual Tours of Homes by Different Builders

Once you have identified some locations you like, look for available homes online.  There are many excellent new home communities that offer the charm of small-town life just a short drive from the excitement of the city.

Visit some new home community websites. Do they have homes for sale with virtual tours? Can you do a virtual home walkthrough or even a tour of the community’s amenities?  These options give you a place to begin investigating.

Most new home communities offer several builders for potential residents to consider. Take virtual tours of homes in the community built by different builders. Look for an easy way to compare prices and features the builders offer. This comparison will give you an idea of your options and whether the community fits your needs and budget.

Does the house look like a place you could comfortably live? Can you see yourself walking in at the end of a long day and sighing with relaxation? Perhaps enjoying family time at the pavilion and pool?

Write Down Your Questions

When touring a home or neighborhood virtually, it is easy to forget some of the most important questions to ask. Builder’s warranties, HOA policies, utility providers, and future development plans in the area are a few things you may want to learn more about.

If you write down the questions while shopping online, you’ll have those in hand when you are ready to visit a few communities in person. When touring physically, you’ll quickly be able to compare neighborhoods based on similar criteria.

Explore the Area

It’s just as important to know what’s around your new home and neighborhood as it is to have the ideal home. Once you’ve selected a few communities from virtual tours, take a little time to explore the surrounding areas.  You can even do this online to narrow your search further before visiting in person.  Online tools like Google Maps and Google Earth make this much easier than you might think.

Lilyana by Hillwood is conveniently located in beautiful Celina, Texas within the growing Collin County. The appealing area and proximity to Frisco and Plano make it an ideal location for a busy family, with shopping, dining, major corporate centers, and entertainment just a short drive away.

Investigate the Schools

One of the most critical priorities for families buying a new home is to ensure that the schools have academic excellence and extracurricular variety that keep students engaged in learning.

Lilyana is located in the highly rated Prosper School District, and children in the community attend Johnson Elementary School, Rogers Middle School, and Prosper High School. Lilyana Elementary School, located within the Lilyana new home community, is slated to open in fall 2023.

Make an In-Person Visit to the Communities You Like Best

A virtual tour is a wonderful tool to help narrow down your search. Once you have a pared-down list of the new home neighborhoods that excite you the most, go! Set an appointment to visit and get a feel for the place.

This stage is where the intangibles are most important. What is the feel of the neighborhood? Is it a place you could call home? Do the amenities measure up to the online version? Are your most-used services close to home?

Come Home to Lilyana by Hillwood in Celina

The families coming to Lilyana by Hillwood are not looking for a house; they’re looking for a home. They want a place to live whole, happy, and satisfying lives, which is what our residents have found here.  Find your new home by viewing our builders and the designs they offer at our community.

Lilyana welcomes you and your family to come and see our beautiful community. Contact our builders to schedule an in-person tour of model homes and Lilyana’s many amenities.

Buying a new home is a thrilling experience, but it’s important to make sure your new house is a good fit. That not only means familiarizing yourself with the home, its cost, condition, etc., but also the surrounding community.  Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or you’ve been around the block already, here are some excellent questions to ask when buying a new construction home in a new home community.

1. Who is the builder?

You want a builder who has a good track record and who stands by their work. Asking who built the home you’re considering can help you evaluate the overall quality of its construction. By choosing a home from a reputable builder, you can be certain that the house conforms to a high standard of craftsmanship.

At Lilyana by Hillwood in Celina, our builders are American Legend Homes, Highland Homes, and M/I Homes, all of whom are known for building high quality homes that homeowners love.

2. How much are HOA fees, and what do they cover?

Many of the best new home communities have homeowners’ associations. This is typically a good thing. In fact, one survey shows that about 73% of Texas residents believe their HOA provides needed value and support, so it’s worth asking about the local community association.

Naturally, you you’ll want to ask about fees, but don’t stop there. In addition to the total cost, make sure you get details on what those fees cover, whether that includes landscaping, maintenance of parks and common areas, etc.

3. What are the HOA’s rules?

HOA rules are also important. To make sure a community is a good fit for your family, you’ll want to get some details on the kinds of requirements the association has regarding the aesthetics of the houses in your neighborhood, noise complaint policies, parking guidelines, decoration restrictions, and so forth.

4. What’s the local school district?

For many, the key to a good community is a good school system. Asking about the local school district can help you make sure your child will get a good education. In addition, the quality of the school district often reflects the community as a whole.

A highly rated school district—such as Prosper ISD in which Lilyana resides—can be a major selling point for anyone looking for a place to live.

5. What community amenities are there?

New home communities often have shared amenities, so it’s good to choose a place that has options you and your family will enjoy. Those might include a community pool, parks, playgrounds, walking trails, pavilions, and more, so find out what the area has to offer. For instance, Lilyana has a number of scenic parks (including one with a pickleball court!), a beautiful pool, an outdoor kitchen and even a catch-and-release fishing pond, which can be wonderful for families who love the outdoors.

6. Who provides utilities?

Local utilities are, of course, vital. The city or companies supplying your utilities such as electric, gas, water, telephone, and more are not only important to know once you move in, but also a potential deciding factor beforehand. Cities with reliable services are more likely to provide a favorable experience and prompt repairs in the event of an outage.

7. What’s nearby?

Of course, it’s not all about what’s in the neighborhood itself. Location is a major deciding factor for many people moving into North Texas, and proximity to city amenities can be a major selling point. Asking what cities, stores, hospitals, airports, and other resources are nearby can help you decide whether a given neighborhood is a good fit. For instance, Lilyana’s proximity to Frisco, TX makes it a great option for people looking for a quiet neighborhood with small-town charm that is just a short drive from a vibrant city that offers a fantastic selection of shopping, dining, entertainment, and employment options.

8. What future developments are planned for the area?

Finally, new home communities are likely to continue growing long after you move in, so it can be helpful to consider what developments are planned for the neighborhood you’re looking at. If the aesthetic of the home’s surroundings is a selling point for you, you’ll want to make sure those surroundings will remain attractive for years to come.

Buying a New Home? Check Out Lilyana by Hillwood!

Asking the right questions when buying a house is an important part of making a purchase you’re happy with. If you’re researching homes near Celina or Collin County, you’ll want to consider Lilyana by Hillwood. Many answers to common questions can be found here, and you can even take a virtual tour to get a feel for the neighborhood. If you have further questions, get in touch!