By Jason Veenstra and the Veenstra Team | August 21, 2026
Quick answer: bring your own agent before your first visit
Yes—if you want a real estate professional whose job is to advise you as the buyer, choose that professional before you visit an Allen Edwin Homes model or schedule a private tour. Jason Veenstra is a Preferred REALTOR® Partner with Allen Edwin Homes and has worked with the builder for more than a decade. When you build with Allen Edwin Homes through the Veenstra Team, Allen Edwin Homes pays the Veenstra Team’s full buyer-broker compensation for the transaction, so there is no additional representation charge to you.
Veenstra Team clients also receive an additional design-showroom incentive to use toward eligible customization and upgrades in their new home. That means you receive independent, third-party buyer representation at no additional charge and extra money for selections that help make the home your own. Incentive amounts, eligibility, and available uses can change, so we confirm the current terms in writing before you register or sign a building agreement.
Allen Edwin Homes says buyers’ agents should register their clients before scheduling the first visit. The builder’s sales counselor can explain the builder’s homes, pricing, and process; your Veenstra Team agent helps you evaluate the purchase from your side.
That timing matters. Visiting first and trying to add an agent later can create questions about registration and compensation. Builder policies and incentives can change, so have your agent confirm the current terms directly with the builder before you tour.
This article is an independent consumer guide from the Veenstra Team, brokered by eXp Realty. Jason Veenstra is a Preferred REALTOR® Partner with Allen Edwin Homes, but the Veenstra Team is not Allen Edwin Homes and does not claim to be the builder’s exclusive representative.
Why representation matters in a new-construction purchase
A model home is designed to help you picture the finished product. The contract, however, determines what you are actually buying. A buyer’s agent can help you compare the base price with the realistic finished price, review location and resale factors, and identify questions for the builder, lender, inspector, title company or attorney.
The distinction between the two roles is important. Michigan law requires real estate licensees to disclose the agency relationships available and the duties attached to them. A builder sales professional is there to sell the builder’s product. Even when that person is helpful and knowledgeable, buyers should not assume the salesperson is acting as their buyer’s agent. Your agency disclosure and Buyer Agency Agreement should make your own relationship clear.
Since August 17, 2024, many real estate professionals who participate in an MLS must have a written buyer agreement in place before touring a home with a buyer, whether the tour is in person or live virtual. The agreement describes the services your agent will provide and how the brokerage will be compensated. Those terms are negotiable. You generally do not need an agreement simply to attend a public open house on your own, but Allen Edwin’s own FAQ separately asks agents to register clients before scheduling a first visit. Coordinating the two steps before you walk into a model is the cleanest approach.
What your agent should help you review
For a Greater Kalamazoo new build, useful buyer-side work goes well beyond opening a door:
Price and allowances. Separate the advertised base price from the lot premium, structural options, design selections, appliances, landscaping, irrigation, window coverings, deck or patio, and other items that may not be included.
Site and community fit. Compare commute, township services, utility setup, future phases, homeowners-association documents and likely nearby development. In Mattawan, Schoolcraft, Vicksburg, Paw Paw, Lawton, Gobles and other rural locations, confirm whether the home will use municipal utilities or a well and septic system.
Contract and deadlines. Builder contracts are usually builder-drafted. Review deposit rules, financing deadlines, change-order procedures, completion estimates, delay provisions, walk-through rights and warranty procedures. A real estate agent can flag questions, but only a Michigan attorney can give legal advice or interpret your rights.
Contingencies. Do not assume a resale-home template applies. Inspection, appraisal, financing and sale-of-home contingencies may be limited or structured differently in a builder contract. Understand exactly what happens to your deposit if a condition is not met.
Inspections. Ask whether the contract permits independent inspections and at what stages. Depending on construction progress, buyers may consider pre-drywall, mechanical or final inspections by qualified inspectors. The municipal code inspection is not a substitute for buyer-focused due diligence.
Financing and incentives. Compare the builder’s preferred-lender offer with outside financing on the same day and under the same assumptions. A credit or rate incentive can be valuable, but the best choice depends on the total loan cost, rate-lock terms, fees and closing timeline.
Closing and ownership costs. Michigan purchases commonly close through a title company. Confirm title insurance, survey needs, recording charges, prepaid taxes and insurance, lender escrows, HOA charges and any builder-specific closing items before signing.
For a broader overview, use our Southwest Michigan New Construction Guide and our dedicated Allen Edwin Homes resource.
The Kalamazoo details buyers often miss
New construction creates several Michigan-specific questions that can affect the budget after closing.
First, do not estimate future property taxes from a vacant parcel’s current tax bill or the builder’s carrying cost. In Michigan, taxable value can uncap after a transfer, and a completed home will be assessed differently from an unimproved lot. SEV is not the same as taxable value, and neither is simply your purchase price. If the home will be your principal residence, file the Principal Residence Exemption paperwork on time and confirm the local assessor has processed it. Our recent guide, How Are New-Construction Property Taxes Calculated in Kalamazoo?, explains the issue in detail.
Second, ask who pays which closing charges. Michigan state and county real estate transfer taxes are commonly seller expenses, but the signed contract controls the parties’ obligations and new-construction agreements can allocate costs differently. Request a written estimate from the lender and title company early enough to compare it with your contract.
Third, understand the disclosure package. Michigan’s Seller Disclosure Act includes exemptions, and the disclosures available for a newly built or builder-owned home may not look like the Michigan Seller’s Disclosure Statement buyers expect in a typical resale. Ask what representations, plans, specifications, warranties and reports are incorporated into the agreement.
Finally, think beyond the day you receive the keys. A $400,000-plus purchase can change significantly after lot and design selections. Build a working budget that includes cash due at each milestone, potential appraisal gaps, appliances or finishes excluded from the contract, moving costs, window treatments, landscaping and the first full tax cycle. If you must sell another home, establish a realistic sale timeline before agreeing to a nonrefundable deposit or a construction schedule.
For context on how buyer-broker compensation works after the national rule changes, read Do You Still Need to Pay a Buyer’s Agent Commission?.
A practical first-visit plan
Before touring an Allen Edwin community in Kalamazoo, Portage, Mattawan, Richland, Vicksburg or elsewhere in Southwest Michigan:
Choose the agent you want advising you and discuss the scope, duration and compensation in the Buyer Agency Agreement.
Ask the agent to register you with Allen Edwin Homes before the first scheduled visit, following the builder’s current instructions.
Share your full target budget—not just the base-price ceiling—and any home-sale or financing constraints.
Ask for current pricing, included features, site premiums, incentives, estimated completion timing and sample contract documents.
Compare at least the location, lot, realistic finished cost, taxes, financing and resale considerations before reserving a site or signing.
You can still enjoy the model-home experience. The goal is simply to enter it with your representation, budget and questions already organized.
Frequently asked questions
Does Allen Edwin Homes work with buyer’s agents?
Yes. Allen Edwin Homes’ current FAQ says it works with real estate agents and asks an agent to register the buyer before scheduling the first visit. Its published program details may change, so confirm the current registration and compensation terms before touring.
Is the Allen Edwin sales counselor my buyer’s agent?
Do not assume so. The builder’s representative explains and sells the builder’s homes. Your own agency relationship should be documented in the Michigan agency disclosure and Buyer Agency Agreement. Ask directly who each licensee represents.
Do I have to sign a Buyer Agency Agreement before a model-home visit?
If your agent is working with you and taking you on an in-person or live virtual tour, MLS rules generally require a written buyer agreement before the tour. A public open house can be different. Separately, Allen Edwin asks agents to register clients before scheduling the first visit, so coordinate with your agent in advance.
Does it cost extra to use the Veenstra Team with Allen Edwin Homes?
No. For Veenstra Team clients building with Allen Edwin Homes, Allen Edwin Homes pays the Veenstra Team’s full buyer-broker compensation for the transaction, so there is no additional representation charge to the buyer. We confirm the compensation terms in writing before the first visit and registration.
What is the Veenstra Team’s Allen Edwin Homes showroom incentive?
Veenstra Team clients receive additional money to use toward eligible customization and upgrades in the Allen Edwin Homes new-home showroom. The amount, eligible selections, and program terms can change, so ask us to confirm the current incentive for your specific home before you register or sign.
Can my agent change the builder’s contract?
An agent can help identify business terms, deadlines and questions and may help negotiate where the builder allows it. The builder decides what it will accept. For legal interpretation or advice, consult a Michigan real estate attorney before signing.
Talk before you tour
If Allen Edwin Homes is on your Greater Kalamazoo shortlist, the best time to organize buyer representation is before the model-home visit—not after registration questions arise. Schedule a 15-minute call with the Veenstra Team, or call or text 269-350-5514. We can discuss your target payment, preferred communities, existing-home sale and first-visit plan without pressure.
The Veenstra Team, REALTORS® with eXp Realty, serves buyers and sellers throughout Greater Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan. Jason Veenstra is a Preferred REALTOR® Partner with Allen Edwin Homes and has worked with the builder for more than a decade. Our team helps clients compare resale homes, condos, luxury properties, and new construction with clear local guidance, careful contract coordination, and practical planning. Email sold@veenstrateam.com or contact the Veenstra Team.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not legal, tax, lending or engineering advice. Builder programs, prices and policies can change. Verify current terms with the builder and consult the appropriate licensed professional for your circumstances.
