[CTbrooktrout]

My endless search for a home to buy has lead me to one of Toll Brothers' new developments around the Danbury area.

For anyone else who's dealt with or built with them here in CT, how's the process been? Are there any things to watch out for, especially with the contracts or even their construction? I liked the models and can't find much bad press about them in CT.

Currently have a lot reserved for 10 days, then I believe a contract is required with 5% down. After which I have another 15 days to decide to go through with it or back out and be eligible for a refund of the deposit.

[NewJeffCT]

just make sure you realize that the model home has all the upgrades and is significantly more pricey than what they give you as the "standard" model. I know people in Avon that built with Toll Brothers and it was a good experience for them, but the base prices were $800,000 to $900,000, and everybody ended up paying 7 figures for their homes.

[CTbrooktrout]

Well that is the fuzzy part so far because the sales agent so far said many of the items I wanted were standard, especially the crown mouldings and shadowboxing that I saw everywhere. I'll be meeting with their design center to go over the finishes and options and get some more solid pricing.

One thing I've noticed in reviews is they require you to apply with TBI mortgage. You don't have to use them but you have to at least apply. Which I find annoying as it's a hard inquiry on your credit report, unnecessary if you never intended to use them. I can understand it from Toll's side as they have an interest to inquire if I'm even qualified for a mortgage, but I thought I could prove that with a pre-approval from my other lender.

[Stylo]

Which development?

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by CTbrooktrout

My endless search for a home to buy has lead me to one of Toll Brothers' new developments around the Danbury area.

For anyone else who's dealt with or built with them here in CT, how's the process been? Are there any things to watch out for, especially with the contracts or even their construction? I liked the models and can't find much bad press about them in CT.

Currently have a lot reserved for 10 days, then I believe a contract is required with 5% down. After which I have another 15 days to decide to go through with it or back out and be eligible for a refund of the deposit.

Rivington? Interested to hear how the process goes. we have friends -- recent empty-nesters - who are interested in the Rivington development

[CTbrooktrout]

Actually the Summit in Bethel. Closer to work for me; but not by terribly much. Rivington appears to be very nice as well. Heard the clubhouse is better.

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by CTbrooktrout

Actually the Summit in Bethel. Closer to work for me; but not by terribly much. Rivington appears to be very nice as well. Heard the clubhouse is better.

Ahh - I'm not familiar with that one. Good luck! Btw - I've always heard good reviews for Toll developments

[Stylo]

The Summit is nice. My only concerns would be the smell of the dump on a hot day, and the commuter train crossing nearby that would be sounding every half hour or so. Both might be worth spending a little time in the neighborhood, maybe it's far away enough from both to not matter.

As people have said, the options can get really pricey. I bought a new townhouse in that area and paid a good $15-25k in extras, and still didn't have all the fixings the model did. The only other thing you might want to check is the warranty, as you'll want them to fix any defects in the home. I believe 1 year is required, but am not sure.

Edit: I just looked at the pricing on some of those units. That's kind of crazy! The Baker units nearby weren't nearly that much, and they're just as nice. Is there any particular reason you want a townhouse? Opposed to doing maintenance/yard work? Otherwise, you might be better off with single family home. You'll get more for the money and probably will be a better investment. You can get a really nice SFH for the price of those townhouses in Bethel, plus the freedom to do what you want with it and no unpredictable common fee to pay.

[CTbrooktrout]

Whoa, which dump? How come I don't see one in satellite view on Google maps. The prices are high but isn't Rivington a bit more pricier? It's far enough from the train that I don't think it's a big deal. I'm much closer currently to a train line but still far enough that I never hear it inside my unit.

Maintenance free is a big deal for me. I rent in a condo now so obviously I don't do any yard work. I also work in Stamford so time is short on the weekdays and I don't want to be a slave to the yard on weekends.

Location is unique enough that I could see it holding value. Really like the general area.

The one thing I always wonder about... any reason the area would cause cancer or some weird illness? Would this "dump" be a health concern? What about the power lines to the north?

[JayCT]

I know one family that built with Toll in Southport years ago that had a problem because he lost his job while the home was under construction and could only find a job in his specialized field out of state. They had already put down a sizeable deposit and Toll refused to refund them any money. Eventually Toll put the house on the market as a "Quick Delivery" home and sold it for more than the couple had paid but I believe Toll took a 6% real estate fee and then only gave them credit toward another Toll Brothers home in the state they moved to. Fortunately there was a development they liked there but if they did not have the credit they likely would have bought a different home closer to the new job.

One thing I also remember with Toll is that they used to refuse to give you the costs of their options until you give them a deposit. I knew someone else who wanted certain options in the home they wanted but could not figure out if the home would be within their budget because they were unsure how much more those items would cost. It was kind of frustrating. They ended up going forward with Toll but did have to drop a few options when they figured out how much the house they wanted cost. I am not sure if they still do this but it can make things difficult. Also I remember the cost of options were certainly not a bargain. It is usually cheaper to install options in a new home during construction but Toll does not pass that savings on to the homeowner.

Overall Toll is one of the better large scale builders. The quality is decent but not spectacular. You have to watch the construction and finishes carefully. There can be some sloppy work but that could happen with other builders as well. Good luck with this and please keep us informed of the process and how it goes. Jay