New construction homes in Fresno, Clovis and Madera

New construction today

Where new homes are going up

• Loma Vista

  Southeast Clovis

  A 3,300-acre planned area, past 70% buildout and planned for about 10,700 homes. See our Loma Vista guide.

• Copper River Ranch

  Northeast Fresno, north of Copper Ave

  A golf community where Trumark Homes and Granville Homes are selling new homes in 2026. See our Copper River Ranch guide.

• Tesoro Viejo

  Madera County, east of SR 41

  A master-planned town of up to 5,190 homes, with McCaffrey Homes, De Young Properties and Lennar selling. See our Tesoro Viejo guide.

• Riverstone

  Madera County, south of Tesoro Viejo

  A master-planned community of about 2,000 acres in Madera County, north of Fresno's River Park.

• Harlan Ranch

  Northeast Clovis, by Highway 168

  A finished master plan with more than 1,500 homes, mostly built from 2006 into the mid-2010s, now sold as resales. A useful comparison for newer homes. See our Harlan Ranch guide.

• Sumner Hill

  Madera County, beside Tesoro Viejo

  A gated tract of 49 custom-home lots on the river bluff, all sold by 1989, where a custom build still comes up now and then. See our Sumner Hill guide.

How a builder sale works

Register your agent

Builders pay buyer's agents under their own co-broker policies, and many require the agent to come with you, or register you, on your very first visit to the community. If you visit alone first, the builder may decline to pay an agent you bring later. Bring your agent, or have them register you first.

Whom the sales staff work for

The on-site sales team represents the builder. A buyer's agent represents you, not the builder.

Lot premiums

Builders charge more for lots with features such as views, bigger yards, corner or cul-de-sac positions, a preferred orientation or closeness to a park. Ask for the premium on each lot you consider.

Upgrades and the design center

The design center is where you pick finishes and options beyond the standard package. Set a budget before your appointment, and put money first into items that are hard to change later, such as structural options and flooring.

Incentives and preferred lenders

Builder incentives, such as closing-cost credits and rate buydowns, often depend on using the builder's preferred lender, and rate buydowns almost always do. If a builder refers you to an affiliated lender or title company, federal rules require a written disclosure of the relationship, and you can't be required to use it except in narrow cases. Get quotes from at least two outside lenders and compare the total cost of the loan, not just the incentive.

The public report

Before marketing a new subdivision, the builder must get a public report from the California Department of Real Estate. It covers the CC&Rs, HOA costs and other disclosures, and you must receive it before you are obligated to buy. Read it.

Inspections

New homes are not flawless, and once the walls close, you can't see what's behind them. Hire your own inspector for a pre-drywall inspection, when plumbing, wiring, ducts and framing are still visible, and a final inspection before closing. Some buyers also inspect before the slab is poured and again before the one-year warranty ends. Ask the builder's policy on access first.

Warranties

California law requires at least a one-year written warranty on fit and finish, covering cabinets, flooring, countertops, walls, paint and trim. State construction standards set separate time limits for other items, such as 4 years for plumbing and electrical and up to 10 years for most claims. Builders add their own written warranties, so read the terms.

Taxes, HOAs and solar, and schools

Mello-Roos and CFDs

A community facilities district, created under the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982, levies a special tax on top of regular property tax to pay for streets, water, sewer, schools, parks and other public works in newly developing areas. The amount follows a formula set for each district, often based on square footage or lot size, not home value. Ask the builder for the district name, current tax and maximum tax for your lot.

HOAs

Many newer master-planned areas have homeowners associations. Dues and what they cover vary by tract, and the DRE public report lists HOA costs and the CC&Rs.

Solar

California's 2019 Energy Code made solar panels standard on new homes from Jan. 1, 2020, sized to the home's expected yearly electricity use. The 2025 code, for permits filed from Jan. 1, 2026, expands heat pumps in new homes. Ask whether the solar system is owned, leased or under a power purchase agreement, and whether a battery is included.

Schools

New communities fall in different districts: Clovis Unified, Fresno Unified, Sanger Unified in parts of Loma Vista, and Chawanakee or Golden Valley Unified in the Madera County master plans. See our Clovis Unified and Fresno Unified guides. Boundaries change, so confirm any address with the district.

New construction, by the numbers

Before you sign

• Notice before a lawsuit

  Under California law, a homeowner must send the builder written notice of a construction claim before suing. A request through the builder's customer service process does not count as that notice.

• Inspect before the warranty ends

  Most builders offer a one-year warranty, and inspectors suggest a check at 10 to 11 months, after the house has settled, so items can go on the builder's list in time.

• A developer can be the only voter

  When a CFD forms on land with few registered voters, the election can be held among property owners, and the developer may be the only voter.

• Registration can expire

  Some builders' agent registrations expire, after 30 days in one example, and must be renewed. Check the policy for each community you visit.