Buying new construction in Utah County is more popular than ever — and more complicated than most buyers expect. Walk through a model home in Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, or Lehi on a Saturday afternoon and you'll understand the appeal. The kitchen is gorgeous. The ceilings are tall. The finishes look expensive. The sales rep is knowledgeable and friendly. The whole experience feels like a preview of the life you're about to start living.
Then you sign a contract, and the learning curve begins.
I'm a local real estate agent who works with buyers across Utah County every week — in Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and across the Wasatch Front. I have the same new construction conversations constantly. Not because builders are doing anything wrong — but because the process has real landmines that most buyers don't know about until they've already signed. This is the guide I wish every buyer read before their first model home visit.
The #1 thing to know about new construction homes in Utah County: the model home is not what you're buying
This is the most important thing to understand about buying new construction in Utah County, and almost no one gets told it directly.
Every model home along the Wasatch Front — whether it's a Lennar in Parkway Fields, a Richmond American in Brylee Farms or Sage Park, a Fieldstone in Traverse Mountain, a Century Communities home in Lehi, or a Flagship home in Harmony — is built to showcase every available upgrade. The quartz countertops, the hardwood floors, the designer tile, the custom lighting, the finished basement with the wet bar — almost none of it is included in the base price you're being quoted.
When buyers walk through a beautifully staged $550,000 model home and then see a base price of $469,990 for a similar floor plan at Brylee Farms, they often assume the difference is just the lot or the timing. In many cases, what they're actually looking at is $50,000–$80,000 worth of design center upgrades not included in the base price.
Before you tour any Utah County model home, ask the builder for their standard features catalog. This document tells you exactly what the base price includes. Every builder has one. Not every builder offers it proactively. Read it before you fall in love with a home.
What is the design center trap — and how do Utah County buyers get caught?
Here is the sequence that catches Utah County new construction buyers off guard more than anything else:
- You tour the model home and love it
- You go under contract and pay your earnest money deposit
- Weeks later, you schedule your design center appointment
- At the design center, you learn what things actually cost
- You discover the kitchen you want is $35,000 more than base — and your deposit may already be non-refundable
This happens to buyers across Utah County regularly — at Ivory Homes in Overland in Eagle Mountain, at Century Communities in Lehi, at D.R. Horton at Inverness, at Richmond American communities in Saratoga Springs. It's not specific to any one builder. It's how the production home business works.
What to do before you sign: Ask the sales rep directly — "What do buyers in this community typically spend at the design center?" Push for a real number. A good rep will tell you the average. Ask if you can see a previous buyer's design sheet to understand the options and pricing. Some reps will share this; some won't. Either way, you'll learn something.
"Builders rarely drop the base price because it affects the value of the entire neighborhood. Instead, look for incentives like free upgrades or rate buydowns." — Arive Homes, 2026
Landscaping: the hidden cost that surprises nearly every Utah County new construction buyer
In Utah County, most new construction homes are delivered with a bare graded lot. Sod, irrigation, trees, fencing, patios, and hardscaping are almost always buyer-paid — and in Utah's semi-arid climate, you can't just leave it.
Your HOA almost certainly has a landscaping completion deadline — typically 90 to 180 days after closing depending on the community. Miss it and you face fines. HOAs do enforce this. I've worked with buyers who closed in November, couldn't get landscaping installed over winter, and were still fined by spring because their deadline expired.
The cost catches people off guard. A basic front yard in Eagle Mountain or Saratoga Springs — just sod, irrigation, and a couple of trees — can easily run $8,000–$15,000. A full front and back setup with patios, fencing, and xeriscaping? Realistically $20,000–$40,000 or more depending on lot size.
Utah's water-wise landscaping rules matter here. Utah law now protects homeowners' right to install xeriscape on single-family lots — HOAs can't outright ban it. But many HOAs still have aesthetic requirements about how it looks and what materials are used. The Holbrook Farms xeriscape dispute in Lehi is a real, documented example: a homeowner installed decorative river rock landscaping trying to do the right thing for water conservation, and faced pressure from his HOA to change it. He had the law on his side, but the conflict was real. Get HOA approval for your landscaping plan before you hire anyone.
Budget for landscaping before you budget for upgrades. I'd rather have a client skip the quartz countertops and have money left for their yard than max out at the design center and have nothing left for the lot.
How do builder incentives work in Utah County right now?
Nearly every major new construction builder in Utah County is currently offering some form of incentive. The Deseret News reported in 2025 that Utah builders were following a national trend of incentives averaging 7.2% of purchase price — and in Utah County, that's playing out in real, specific ways:
Interest rate buydowns are the most common and often the most valuable incentive right now. A 2-1 buydown lowers your rate 2% in year one and 1% in year two — which can mean several hundred dollars less per month in that first year. Several Utah County builders are currently offering buydowns into the 4s on specific homes. Pulte Homes at Sunset Flats in Eagle Mountain has recently advertised rates as low as 2.99% in year one. Lennar is offering up to $20,000 toward loan costs or a rate buydown through Lennar Mortgage on Parkway Fields homes.
Design center credits sound great and often are — but with limits. A $20,000 design center credit can only be spent at the builder's design center, at their prices. You can't apply it to your down payment, take it as cash, or use it for closing costs. If you don't spend it on upgrades, you lose it.
Closing cost credits put actual cash back in your pocket at the table. Often more flexible and more immediately useful than design center credits.
The preferred lender catch: Most Utah County builders offer their best incentives when you use their preferred lender. That's a legitimate business arrangement — but their preferred lender doesn't automatically have the best rate for your specific situation. Always get a competing quote from an outside lender first. The incentive may be worth it. The math may not be. Run the numbers before you decide.
Chris Gamvroulas, president of Ivory Development — Utah's largest homebuilder — said it plainly in a Deseret News interview: "We spend a lot of time. We analyze what people need and then we help them with what is going to be most helpful for them. Everybody's got a different story." Incentives should fit your story — not the builder's sales goals.
Upgrades raise your property taxes — and almost no one mentions this
In Utah, your property is assessed based on its full value — including the cost of upgrades installed during construction.
If you add $100,000 in upgrades to a $500,000 base price home, your taxable basis is $600,000. At Utah County's effective rate of roughly 0.5–0.7%, that's approximately $500–$700 more in annual property taxes than the base home buyer next door pays. In communities with PIDs (more on that below) the number compounds further.
This isn't a reason to avoid upgrades. It's a reason to budget with the full annual carrying cost in mind — not just the line item at the design center.
Utah's SB 240 first-time buyer program: $20,000 most buyers don't know about
Utah Senate Bill 240 — the First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program — provides up to $20,000 toward a qualifying first home purchase. As of 2026, the program is still active.
- Applies to new construction homes priced at $450,000 or below
- Administered by Utah Housing Corporation
- Can be used for down payment, closing costs, or a permanent rate buydown
- No monthly payment — typically repaid at refinance or sale
For buyers shopping new construction homes in Eagle Mountain or Saratoga Springs at the more attainable price points — Candlelight Homes at Firefly from the low $370s, Lennar and Meritage in Eagle Mountain from the $430s–$465s — SB 240 can meaningfully change what's possible.
Utah County also has local down payment assistance programs that can stack on top of state programs depending on income and purchase price. Ask your agent and lender what you qualify for before you assume new construction is out of reach financially.
What is a PID — and why do Utah County buyers get blindsided by them?
A growing number of new construction communities in Utah County — particularly in Eagle Mountain and parts of Saratoga Springs — are built within a Public Improvement District (PID). A PID is a financing mechanism that funds community infrastructure (roads, utilities, parks, amenities) through bonds, which are then repaid by homeowners as an additional annual fee tied to the property.
PIDs show up on your property tax bill — not your HOA statement — and they don't go away until the bond is fully paid off. The annual amount varies by community and phase. And because PIDs are disclosed in fine print rather than front-and-center, buyers frequently don't ask and don't find out until they're reviewing closing documents.
In Eagle Mountain, Firefly — one of the most compelling new construction communities in all of Utah County — has a PID. Buyers who understand this going in can make a fully informed decision. Buyers who discover it at closing cannot. Before you go under contract on any new construction home in Utah County, ask directly: "Does this community have a PID?" Then ask for the annual assessment amount and factor it into your total monthly housing cost.
Quick move-in homes in Utah County: the smartest option most buyers overlook
Every major Utah County new construction builder has homes that are either already finished or within weeks of completion — called quick move-in or spec homes. These are frequently the best deals available, and most buyers don't even ask about them.
Why quick move-ins often make the most sense:
Lot premiums are already baked in. Design choices are already made — what you see is what you pay. Builders are typically most motivated to move completed inventory, which means better incentives than you'd get on a to-be-built lot. And you close on a known timeline, not a builder's construction schedule.
The trade-off: you get what's been built. But for buyers who are flexible on finishes — especially buyers relocating from out of state for work at places like the Williams power plant or QTS data center in Eagle Mountain, or tech companies in Silicon Slopes in Lehi — a quick move-in is often the best combination of certainty, speed, and value.
The best time to find quick move-in deals in Utah County is fall — September through November. Builders have construction loan obligations and year-end targets that make them most motivated to close completed inventory before December. If you're shopping in that window, you're shopping when the power is most in your favor.
The builder's sales rep works for the builder — not for you
The sales rep at every model home in Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, and Lehi is employed by the builder. They're professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely trying to help you find the right home within their community. They are not, however, obligated to flag contract terms that favor the builder, point you toward a competitor's product that might suit you better, or negotiate against their own employer.
Builder purchase contracts in Utah are not standard REIAR contracts. They're written by builder attorneys and include non-refundable deposit provisions, flexible construction timeline language, and change order terms that can be confusing for first-time new construction buyers.
A buyer's agent in your corner doesn't cost you extra — builders pay the commission — and it means someone has reviewed the contract before you sign, knows where to push back, and is legally obligated to represent your interests, not the builder's.
Frequently asked questions: new construction homes in Utah County
Is new construction in Utah County a good investment in 2026? The University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute noted in 2026 that Utah's housing market remains resilient with demand for new units continuing to outpace supply — which supports the long-term value case for new construction. Builders are also offering meaningful incentives right now that reduce the effective cost of buying. That said, new construction requires understanding the full cost picture beyond the base price — design center upgrades, landscaping, PIDs if applicable, and the tax implications of upgrades all affect your real total.
What are the biggest mistakes Utah County buyers make with new construction? The most common are: (1) not asking for the standard features catalog before touring the model, (2) not budgeting for landscaping — typically $10,000–$40,000 in Utah County, (3) not shopping their preferred lender against outside lenders, (4) not asking about PIDs before going under contract, and (5) not asking what buyers typically spend at the design center before the earnest money is non-refundable.
What is Utah's SB 240 first-time homebuyer program? Utah Senate Bill 240 provides up to $20,000 toward the purchase of a new construction home priced at or below $450,000 for qualifying first-time buyers. The funds can be used for down payment, closing costs, or a permanent interest rate buydown, and are administered by Utah Housing Corporation. As of 2026 the program is still active — verify current availability and eligibility directly with Utah Housing Corporation.
What is a PID in Utah County new construction? A Public Improvement District (PID) is a financing mechanism used in some Utah County new construction communities — particularly in Eagle Mountain — to fund infrastructure through bonds repaid by homeowners as an annual fee on their property tax bill. Unlike an HOA fee, a PID is tied to the property for the life of the bond. Always ask whether a community has a PID and what the annual assessment is before going under contract.
When is the best time to buy new construction in Utah County? Fall — September through November — is typically the best window for quick move-in deals. Builders are working toward year-end targets and are most motivated to move completed inventory before December. You'll often find better incentives and more negotiating room than at the height of spring selling season.
Do I need a buyer's agent for new construction in Utah County? You don't legally need one, but having your own representation doesn't cost you extra — the builder pays the commission. A buyer's agent who works regularly with Utah County builders knows the contracts, knows where to negotiate, and is legally obligated to represent your interests rather than the builder's. Walking into a model home unrepresented means you're negotiating alone against a professional sales team on the builder's home turf.
Does landscaping come with new construction homes in Utah County? Almost never. Most Utah County builders deliver new homes with a graded bare lot. Sod, irrigation, trees, fencing, patios, and hardscaping are typically buyer-paid — and HOAs have landscaping completion deadlines (usually 90–180 days after closing) that carry fines if missed. Budget for landscaping separately before you budget for design center upgrades.
The bottom line
New construction in Utah County — in Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and across the Wasatch Front — is genuinely compelling in 2026. Builders are motivated. Incentives are meaningful. Quick move-in inventory is available across multiple price points. State programs exist to help qualifying buyers get into homes they might not think they can afford.
But the headline price is never the full price. The model home is never what you're buying. The design center always costs more than people expect. The landscaping always surprises people. The PID is always in the fine print.
The buyers who end up happiest with their new construction purchase in Utah County are the ones who went in informed, knew the right questions to ask before they signed, and had someone on their side who'd been through the process before.
That's exactly the conversation I have with every buyer before their first model home visit. If you're considering new construction anywhere in Utah County, let's talk before you walk through that first door.