What is a spec home vs a build-to-order home?

A spec home is a house a builder constructs without a specific buyer, anticipating it will sell once completed or during construction. It has finishes and features the builder selected, and you can often move in quickly. A build-to-order home, or custom build, is constructed specifically for you based on a floor plan you choose with finishes and upgrades you select. The timeline is longer because construction starts after you sign a contract and make your selections. Spec homes offer speed and certainty about what you are getting, while build-to-order gives you control over design and features. Both are new construction with builder warranties.