You can represent yourself at a builder's sales office, and plenty of people do. We still recommend having your own agent, and so does Josh, a licensed broker who represents himself on resales. Start with who is on your side. The friendly rep in the model home works for the builder, full stop. Their job is to sell the builder's homes, which is why they rarely encourage a home inspection on new construction. Builder purchase contracts also run long, often 100 to 150 pages drafted by the builder's attorneys to protect the builder. That is a very different document from the balanced state purchase agreement most buyers have seen. An agent who knows new construction, and ideally that specific builder, can read those terms, flag what to watch for, and compare developments in a way the on-site salesperson never will. On cost, be precise: buyer-agent compensation is negotiable. Builders will often contribute to it, but confirm that in writing rather than assuming it comes free. One more thing we feel strongly about: get an independent home inspection even on a brand-new home. Builders juggling many houses at once miss details. Put anything found onto a written punch list routed to the person who actually makes decisions, and insist it is fixed before you close rather than deferred to a home warranty afterward. A warranty generally covers things that break later, and a pre-existing issue you signed off on at closing is a fight you do not want. Get it fixed first, then close.