A new build with a 2-bed, 2-bath guest house, launching in Redondo Beach.

A new build is inspected and negotiated differently from a resale. Nine things Becky checks before a client signs, in the order they come up:

• Final permits and the certificate of occupancy are signed off by the city, with no open permits.
• The builder’s warranty: what it covers, for how long, and who to call. California also sets minimum construction standards for new homes.
• Waterproofing and drainage: roof, decks, windows and where the water goes in a storm.
• The ADU: its own address, its own meters where separate, and what the city allows for renting it.
• Finish schedule: appliances, fixtures and materials listed in writing, so what you saw is what you get.
• An inspection anyway. New does not mean checked. A general inspection on a new build is money well spent.
• Property tax: the home is reassessed at your purchase price, and a supplemental bill follows in the first year.
• Insurance quoted before contingencies are removed, not after.
• Who lives where: with a main house and an ADU on one lot, the paperwork, the utilities and the insurance need to match how you will use it.