Introducing the New Home Collective: Bringing Experience, Collaboration, and a Personal Touch to New Construction on the South Shore Building a brand-new home is an exciting opportunity. From choosing the perfect floor plan to selecting cabinets, countertops, and finishes, there's something special about watching a home take shape from the ground up. But behind the excitement is a process that requires careful planning, communication, experience, and an understanding of how new construction differs from purchasing an existing home. At Boston Connect Real Estate, we've spent years helping buyers navigate that process throughout the South Shore of Massachusetts. And now, we're bringing together the experience, strengths, and perspectives of four dedicated real estate professionals through an exciting new venture. Meet the New Home Collective. On a recent episode of Talk Real Estate Roundtable, broker-owner Sharon McNamara was joined by Boston Connect Real Estate agents Mary Horton, Kristen Howlett, and Faith Bermingham to introduce their newly formed new construction team. The conversation went beyond announcing a new partnership. It offered a behind-the-scenes look at what buyers should know about building a home, why experience matters, and how collaboration can create a better experience for everyone involved. Four Professionals. Different Strengths. One Shared Vision. The New Home Collective brings together four experienced real estate professionals who share a passion for new construction and helping people find homes they love. Sharon McNamara, Mary Horton, Kristen Howlett, and Faith Bermingham each bring something different to the table. For Sharon and Mary, the decision to expand their longtime new construction partnership came from recognizing that their lives and professional priorities were evolving. Sharon, who has spent approximately 25 years in real estate, wanted more flexibility to balance her brokerage responsibilities, existing clients, marketing initiatives, and personal life. Mary, who began her real estate career working alongside Sharon, has experienced significant changes of her own, including becoming a mother of two young children. Rather than stepping away from a part of real estate they both love, they saw an opportunity to grow. By bringing Kristen and Faith into the partnership, they could continue building on their experience while creating a team with complementary skills and a shared commitment to client service. As Sharon explained during the show, the four agents operate collectively in their new construction business while maintaining their individual resale real estate businesses. It's a partnership built around the belief that working together allows each person to contribute their strengths while providing clients with a more connected experience. Why Experience Matters When Buying New Construction Purchasing a newly constructed home is not the same as buying an existing property. The process can involve selecting a homesite, understanding floor plans, reviewing builder specifications, choosing finishes, coordinating financing, and navigating construction timelines. And depending on the builder and development, the experience can look very different from one property to another. Mary Horton, who has approximately 15 years of experience in new construction, emphasized the importance of working with a real estate professional who understands these differences. Over the years, she has helped buyers navigate the many decisions that arise throughout construction, from understanding what is included in the purchase to managing expectations as the home progresses. One of her greatest strengths is helping buyers understand the process before challenges arise. Rather than simply reacting to situations, Mary believes in establishing a clear roadmap, communicating expectations, and helping clients understand what comes next. That experience can be especially valuable for buyers who have never built a home before. The more you understand the process before you begin, the more confidently you can navigate the decisions along the way. From a Floor Plan to a Finished Home One of the most rewarding parts of new construction is watching a vision become reality. Mary shared that she particularly enjoys the design process and seeing buyers' excitement as the home they imagined begins to take shape. Sometimes buyers arrive with inspiration photos, ideas from Pinterest, or a wish list they've been developing for years. But turning those ideas into a finished home also requires understanding budgets, construction options, and what makes sense to complete during the building process versus after moving in. Kristen Howlett described the excitement of working with buyers from their first visit through their final walkthrough. In some cases, buyers begin with little more than drawings or sketches rather than a completed model home. As construction progresses, they watch their choices become real. The kitchen cabinets are installed. The flooring goes down. The lighting brings the rooms together. And suddenly, what once existed only on paper becomes a place they can call home. For the New Home Collective, those moments are a reminder that they're helping people create more than a house. They're helping them create the setting for the next chapter of their lives. What Buyers Often Underestimate About Building a Home During the conversation, Faith Bermingham highlighted something that many new construction buyers don't fully anticipate. There are a lot of decisions involved in building a home. And those decisions extend far beyond choosing a floor plan. Buyers may need to consider cabinetry, countertops, flooring, tile, paint colors, fixtures, and how the various finishes will work together. At the same time, there's an entire construction process taking place behind the scenes. Planning, permitting, site preparation, septic installation, financing, material ordering, and coordination among contractors all contribute to the finished product. Many of these steps aren't immediately visible to buyers, but each plays an important role. Faith's familiarity with construction and renovation gives her a valuable perspective on how those pieces come together. With family connections to the construction industry and experience around renovation projects, she brings both practical knowledge and an eye for design to the team. That combination can be particularly helpful when buyers are evaluating materials, considering design choices, or trying to understand how a home will come together. The Importance of Making Selections on Time One of the biggest lessons from the episode was the importance of timelines. When you're building a home, your decisions don't happen independently of the construction schedule. For example, if a builder is waiting for signed selections before ordering materials, delays in returning those selections can affect the project's progress. Countertops, cabinetry, flooring, windows, and other materials may require ordering well in advance of installation. And even when everyone is doing their part, weather conditions and product availability can create unexpected challenges. Sharon discussed how the team works to establish realistic expectations from the beginning. If a project is estimated to take six months, buyers may be encouraged to allow additional time in their planning. That doesn't mean every home will experience delays. It simply acknowledges that construction involves multiple moving parts, and flexibility is important. For buyers coordinating the sale of an existing home, a move, or a mortgage closing, understanding those possibilities is especially valuable. A realistic timeline is just as important as an exciting floor plan. Communication Is Key, Even When There's Nothing New to Report One of the most relatable moments of the show came when Kristen and Mary discussed the importance of regular communication throughout construction. Kristen shared that she learned an important lesson from a buyer who wanted updates even when there wasn't any significant progress to report. Mary jokingly referred to these check-ins as a "no update update." And while the phrase brought some laughter, the message behind it was meaningful. When someone is building a home, they want to know they're still part of the conversation. They want reassurance that their questions matter, that the process is moving forward, and that the professionals involved haven't forgotten about them. Sometimes there's exciting news to share. Other times, the update may simply be that construction remains on schedule and there are no major changes. Either way, staying connected helps buyers feel informed and supported. For the New Home Collective, communication isn't something that happens only when a problem arises. It's an important part of the experience from beginning to end. Navigating the Emotional Side of New Construction Buying a newly constructed home can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Some buyers have been through the process before and know exactly what they want. Others are purchasing new construction for the first time and may feel uncertain about what to expect. Kristen Howlett shared that one of her priorities is understanding where buyers are emotionally and helping them move through the process at a comfortable pace. Rather than overwhelming someone with information, she believes in asking questions, listening to concerns, and making sure buyers understand their options. Sometimes a buyer's hesitation isn't about the home itself. It may be about financing, timing, selling their current property, or simply feeling uncertain about making such a significant commitment. Mary and Sharon both recognized Kristen's ability to slow down the conversation, identify the underlying concern, and help buyers work through it. That
