Process - Steps along the way
An account of your experience with the Centex way of building your new home.From viewing the models, hearing the Centex story, choosing your styles, colors, etc., and the process - start to finish.
If you aren't moved into your home, but are still going through the Centex process, this is the perfect place to start a status report.
Always take a camera on that walk-through inspection!
posted by escrobud @ 5:02 AM
11 Comments:
A good friend of mine has a contract with Centex and she is quite disappointed. Centex moved her contract to a later phase unit because of delays in selling her own home. That had a significant price to her, of course.
But then Centex moved up the closing of her second phase contract so it was only a week later than her first contract, so they did her no favor but got her money anyway. Now she's right back where she started with them and her Centex Agent never communicated any of this with her, she found out ONLY by her own calling them!
And Centex is being hardnosed about the whole thing, hiding behind their contract language.
It's lacking definition, the word "approximate" (to me) would mean +/- a week, but NOT a month or two!
Horrible way to run a business.
A horror story!!
I originally purchased my new Centex home in 1/05, closing scheduled for 6/15/05. Put my current home on the market and lost my escrow. Knew I could not meet the terms of this Centex contract, and went back to Centex and explained what had happened.
At a higher price, I paid to move into the next phase. Paid $5k to be pushed out 7 weeks (new closing per contract 8/05). Whew, I thought. I now had time to fix and market my current home.
Guess what? NOT THE CASE!!!!
Without telling me, Centex moved the closing of this phase up by 5 weeks (now closing 6/27/05). No one from Centex bothered to call and inform me. It was not until I called that I found out.
Centex assumes NO responsibility!!
I have fought Centex all the way to the top, yes, their President.
Along the way explaining that this change in closing is not considered "reasonable". I've
begged Centex to work with me. To please exend out my closing even til mid 7/05. Finally, asking if since they won't budge on the closing date, I'd like to be refunded a "portion" of what I paid for the August closing date.
Centex will not bugde.
Through all of this, Centex just told me (2 days ago) that the time I had to sell my current home and be in escrow had expired. That they can now show my new home as a available listing.
What?? My first contract allowed for 45 days. Centex states they changed the terms of this portion of their contract. Do you think my Centex Agent disclosed this?? Hell no!!!! She allowed me to sign a contract knowing I could not even begin to market my exisiting home as it was under repair. We specifically discussed the 45 day allowance for me to get back into escrow.
Here is the only solution Centex will offer; a two week extension to sell my current home and be in escrow, deadline 4/30/05.
Centex has forced my hand to save my new home. I had to sign an amendment that clearly read if I am not in escrow, I MUST release the home back to Centex, period!!
I am sorely disappointed in Centex. My Centex Agent knew how much I LOVE my new home, and as a single woman just how hard I've worked to get here. She openly
admits that I've jumped through all the Centex hoops. She claims to have fought for me? Hmmm.....
What have I gained? Absolutely nothing!! Just stress, tears, and being forced into a position of taking any offer to meet another Centex demand.
What has Centex gained?
1) $5,000.00 profit, for no services rendered.
2) Bank payment for a home they chose to close earlier than contracturally scheduled.
I recognize they are a HUGE corporation. I have heard the words "you signed a contract" more times that I can repeat. Centex is hiding behind this, using it as their leverage and are definitely exercising their lack of regard for their consumer.
Would I recommend Centex -
Absolutely not!!
Do not - I say DO NOT - let the site superintendent get by with his verbal "promise" to take care of anything. Not only did I have to insist that the items on the 1st walk-through inspection be completed [which none had been completed on the 2nd walk-through inspection] they certainly did not complete what they verbally promised to do. They attempt to find any/every excuse to get out of completing anything once the cleaning has been done. After having such a difficult time of getting a FEW things done, they were "Shocked" that they didn't receive their 10 on post-purchase survey. Don't buy the Mr. Nice Guy routine that they like to use.
I am purchasing a beautifull centex home in spring, tx (Houston Suburb)
I can say that it was an overall good exeprience. Anytime you make a purchase of this magnitude you will always have stress through the process.
I have followed my house every single step of the way! I think its the home owner's responsibility to make sure things are running well. I had the best Centex Agent!! He has helped me every step of the way! I am sure that if you look, you can find a blog about nightmares on every builder there is. I have kept in close contact with the super intendent of the site and have addressed concerns that he has always taken care of.
I do have to admit that I had the worst expereince with CTX mortgage, which is centex's mortgage company. It took 3 months to even get a good faith estimate. It ranged from telling me they were too busy. I finally made my way up the ranks and CTX ended up jumping through some major hoops to make me very happy. I am supposed to have my 1st walk through on 6/8. Any advice on what I should check for? I am supposed to close on 6/15 so hopefully everything goes as planned.
I did a lot of research and Centex by far out did the competition on the sizes of their homes and their prices. So as you can see, overall I am a Centex happy story. I will post if this changes.
I am in the Process of building a home with Centex right now. Please be very careful in each and every step of the Process. This people are not trust worthy and they will say or do anything to have you sign the purchase order.
I am in the process of taking these guys to the court and will be writing the entire story shortly.
Purchased a condominium in Hawaii -- they had standard granite countertops in all of the sales brochures and in phase I. Phases II and III received Corian substitutes which are not as nice. Phase IV had granite since the market slowed down considerably and they included many other inducements to close Phase IV. Be wary of their legal right to do a bait and switch.
I bought a house in Gainesville Virginia. I am 30 days from closing and I could not make the date "they" scheduled for closing. They won't even budge by 3-4 days to rearange. Total pain in the @$$. However, everything else has gone smoothly plus the incentives I was given was not bad, 3% governement employee discount, 40k towards options and closing. I know they just jack up the prices on options to cover it anyway. But even 20K value in options is not bad. I have not yet decided to recommend centex or not. I will wait until I finish closing on the house.
MY FASCIA HAS FALLEN OFF AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fascia issues again, and again. This is completely Ridiculous. Every time we get a gust of wind my house is falling apart. This fascia issue has to get resolved. Parts are flying off, and other pieces are barely hanging on which cause a loud bang when the wind picks it up and slams it against my house. I have talked to Butch about this in the past. Please get it right this time and fix my house. If this fascia fly off and hits a adult, child or cause damage to a house or vehicle, it will not be the homeowners fault, it will be Centex fault because this is an on going issue and there is plenty of documentation to back it up.
Looked at a community in a Dallas suburb. No inventory, and a nice agent. Confusing and scheming sales process however, in an effort to close the sale. No thanks. In general, EVERY new home sales agent will say whatever they have to say to get a sale. Tragic.
Really not exclusive to Centex, and there are some exceptions out there but you have to look long and hard to find them. DO NOT BE FOOLED. They claim to want to be your friend and sales advisor Baloney...it's all about the commission.
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Well...
I've seen more negative comments than positive comments on Centex. All I can say that is my closing is in 21 days. The building process has been good. I know they could have built my home and had it completed a month ago, but according to them, the 'schedule MUST be kept!'
My building superintendent has been great. He calls weekly with updates on what exactly is happening. Usually they are doing additional steps in the process. I have been going by and checking my home almost daily, taking pictures, and just staying on top of things.
Lastly, I plan to hire a company called "Pillar To Post." For about $300.00, they are going to do a white glove test and check every crack and speck on the house. I will then use their report to compare with my tick list that Centex will give me. From there, I'll get warranty work done by Centex... PERIOD!
As someone said earlier, most builders are the same. After actually building a brand new home prior to this, I feel a bit MORE informed and aware of things.
I'll keep you posted!
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