A quick move-in home is one the builder started without a buyer and has finished or nearly finished, so you can close in weeks instead of months. Builders also call these spec homes or inventory homes; they mean the same thing. A to-be-built home is the opposite: you pick the lot, plan and options, and wait for the build. Right now 351 of the 878 new homes on my search are move-in ready (builder websites, verified Oct 12, 2026).
12 questions to ask the sales rep, eight builder-contract red flags, and a pre-drywall checklist you can print and take to the site.
I'm Wes Johnston, a Realtor with Trueblood Real Estate in Fishers. Before real estate I spent about ten years designing homes and managing their construction for a custom builder in Hamilton County. I drew the blueprints and ran the jobs, so I know what goes on behind the drywall and what to check before it's covered up.
The trade is simple: time versus choices. A quick move-in home gives you the house in weeks and the finishes someone else picked. A to-be-built home gives you every choice and a seven-month wait. Here's how to decide.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Quick move-in (QMI) | Started by the builder without a buyer; finished or within weeks of it |
| Spec / inventory home | Same thing, older names. "Spec" is short for speculative |
| Under construction | Started without a buyer, months from done; you may still get some finish choices |
| To-be-built | Not started; you choose lot, plan, elevation and options, then wait |
| Model home | The furnished sales office; sometimes sold at the end of the community, often with a leaseback |
My New Home Builds search labels every home move-in ready or under construction, from each builder's own site.
Speed: closing in weeks. Certainty: you can walk the actual house, not a model of it. Price flexibility: a finished home costs the builder money every day it sits, so this is where incentives are biggest (how builders negotiate).
Choices: the lot, plan, elevation and most finishes are already picked, and they're usually the builder's safe, neutral selections. And you missed the pre-drywall inspection; the walls are closed.
It depends on the stage. If the home is drywalled and trimmed, the answer is usually no beyond small items. If it's under construction and the design-center cutoff for that stage hasn't passed, you may still pick flooring, counters or paint. Ask what's still open; the rep will know the exact cutoff dates for that house.
Hire your own inspector for a full inspection before closing, same as a resale, and ask the builder for the municipal inspection record and any photos taken before drywall. Many builders photograph rough-ins now. A never-occupied home is exempt from Indiana's seller disclosure form, so your inspection and the warranty carry more weight than usual.
Buy quick move-in if you have a lease ending, a house already sold, or no patience for a seven-month build, and you can live with the finishes. Build if the lot or the floor plan is the whole point, or you want to do the things inside the walls your way. Plenty of my buyers start out wanting to build and end up in a standing home because the incentive and the timing made more sense. Start by filtering move-in ready homes in your price range and see what's actually there.
More new construction answers: How Long Does It Take to Build a House in Indiana?, Can You Negotiate With a Home Builder?, What Does a New Home Warranty Cover in Indiana?, Should I buy new construction or a resale home?. Everything I've written on buying new is on the Resources page, and every builder's available homes are on New Home Builds.
Tell me your move date and budget. I'll pull every move-in ready home that fits, plus the to-be-built options in the same communities, so you can compare real houses, not categories.
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This page is general information, not legal advice. Inventory counts come from builder websites on the date shown and change daily.