Everything You Need to Know About Buying a New Construction Homes in Omaha (Celebrity Homes)

If we are buying in Omaha and we have been focused only on resale homes, there is a very good chance we are missing one of the best options in the market: new construction with Celebrity Homes.

That is especially true for first-time buyers, relocation buyers, and anybody who has spent weeks getting beat up in multiple-offer situations on older homes. A lot of people still assume a brand-new house is out of reach, or that building means waiting eight or nine months, or that the final price is going to balloon with upgrades. In Omaha, that is not always the case.

Celebrity Homes has been building in the Omaha area since 1977, and one of the biggest takeaways here is simple: buyers need to look at all of their options before settling for a 20-year-old house with issues when a new home may be surprisingly close in price.

This guide pulls together the key things we need to know about buying a new Celebrity Home in Omaha, including pricing, locations, timelines, incentives, warranties, customization, and the common misconceptions that trip people up.

Table of Contents

• Why New Construction in Omaha Deserves a Look
• Who Is Celebrity Homes Home Builder
• Where Celebrity Homes Build in the Omaha Area
• Celebrity Homes Price Range and Home Types
• What the Buying Process Looks Like
• What Is Included in a Celebrity Homes
• How Long It Takes to Move In
• Customization Options and What You Can't Change
• Financing Incentives and Rate Locks
• Warranties Energy Efficiency and Practical Features
• Common Misconceptions About Buying New
• Why New Construction Can Be a Smarter Play Than Resale
• FAQ

Why New Construction in Omaha Deserves a Look

One of the most common mistakes buyers make is assuming they are limited to used homes. We see it all the time. Someone goes out and looks at a resale property priced around $285,000 or $290,000, and it is 20 years old, maybe older, with deferred maintenance, an aging roof, and a list of “we’ll deal with that later” items waiting around the corner.

Then we compare that to a new construction option and suddenly the math starts looking different.

That does not mean new construction is right for everybody. But it absolutely means it should be on the table. In Omaha, there are brand-new homes in price ranges that many buyers assume are reserved only for resale. When we factor in warranties, energy efficiency, included features, lower maintenance, and in many cases better insurance scenarios, the gap can shrink faster than people expect.

For relocation buyers, this point is even bigger. If we are coming from a higher-cost area, Omaha new construction often feels dramatically more affordable than expected. Buyers from places like Southern California, New Jersey, or other major metro areas are often shocked by what they can get here for the money.

Who Is Celebrity Homes Home Builder

Celebrity Homes is a family-owned builder that has been operating in the Omaha area since 1977. They build throughout Omaha and surrounding communities including Bellevue , Papillion , Gretna , and other nearby areas.

If we are local, chances are we have heard of them. If we are relocating, this is one of those names worth getting familiar with because they have a long track record in the market and a wide footprint across the metro.

Dave Lee, who represents Celebrity Homes, has been in real estate since 2015 and has spent that time helping buyers through the model-home and new-construction process. His practical message is straightforward: come out, look at the models, get familiar with what is included, and then decide whether it fits.

Where Celebrity Homes Build in the Omaha Area

One of the advantages of Celebrity Homes is that they build in multiple communities across the metro. That matters because buyers often fall in love with a floor plan first and a neighborhood second, or vice versa.

Celebrity’s model allows us to work both ways:

• We can start by identifying a floor plan we like.
• Then we can figure out which neighborhood offers that plan.
• Or we can choose the area first and then narrow down the available models there.

That flexibility helps a lot, especially since online home searches can be misleading. Many listing photos are pulled from model homes, not necessarily the exact spec home being sold. So if we are scrolling Zillow and wondering why everything looks a little too polished, that is often part of the reason.

Some communities also have extras like playgrounds, and one area, LakeView 168, offers lake access and walking opportunities around the water. These are not resort-style, amenity-heavy developments with pools and tennis courts, but they are communities built for owner occupants, which is important.

Celebrity Homes Price Range and Home Types

Celebrity Homes starts around $307,000, with base prices running up to about $455,000. The sweet spot is roughly between $310,000 and $425,000, where there are a lot of options.

That lineup includes:

• Ranch homes
• Two-story homes
• Multi-level homes
• Villa options
• Single-family ranch plans

For buyers asking whether they build ranch homes, the answer is yes, absolutely.

Two of the most popular plans mentioned were the Vista and the Weston. The Weston stands out because it offers a lot of square footage for the money, four finished levels, upstairs laundry, and in some versions a three-car garage option. The Vista is another strong seller and is available in multiple locations.

The takeaway here is not just the home type variety. It is that buyers can often find a plan that fits their lifestyle without jumping into a price category they assumed would be off-limits.

What the Buying Process Looks Like

The first step is simple: go to a model home and register.

This is the part buyers should not skip, and if we are working with a real estate agent, that agent needs to come with us on the first visit. That matters for representation and registration. If the buyer is represented, the builder wants that documented properly from the start.

From there, the process typically works like this:

1. Visit a model home and get registered.
2. Tour different floor plans and learn what is included.
3. Narrow down which model fits our needs.
4. Choose the neighborhood or location.
5. Review available homes or lots.
6. Select finishes and colors, depending on the stage of construction.
7. Work through financing and timelines.
8. Complete the walkthrough and closing process.

One thing Dave emphasized, and it is good advice, is not rushing the floor-plan decision. Celebrity has around 20 models available, so it pays to take our time and find the one that actually works for how we live.

What Is Included in a Celebrity Homes

This is where Celebrity Homes separates itself from a lot of builders. Their “everything’s included” approach can make a huge difference because buyers are not constantly getting nickel-and-dimed through the process.

Standard included features mentioned include:

• Kitchen appliances
• Washer and dryer
• Quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms
• LVP flooring in kitchen, dining areas, bathrooms, and entryways
• Full sod in the front and backyard
• Sprinkler system
• Professionally installed 2-inch faux wood blinds
• Backsplash
• Fireplace
• A tree in the front yard
• Passive radon mitigation system prep

That included sprinkler system is a big one, because not that long ago buyers often expected irrigation to be an upgrade. The same goes for some of the finish materials. When we walk through a model and realize much of what we are seeing is already baked into the price, the value proposition becomes a lot clearer.

And because the selections are already strong, we are usually not looking at a giant menu of expensive add-ons just to make the home feel complete.

How Long It Takes to Move In

This is probably the biggest misconception about new construction in Omaha: people think it always takes forever.

It can take six or seven months if we are picking everything from the beginning, including the lot, house plan, cabinets, and design choices. But that is only one version of the process.

There are also homes available on much shorter timelines:

• Some homes can close in around 45 days
• Many can close in 60 to 90 days
• Others land in the three- to four-month range

In many of those quicker-delivery homes, buyers can still make some meaningful selections, such as:

• Countertops
• Flooring
• Backsplash
• Fireplace surround materials
• Exterior paint

So the choice is not just “pick every detail and wait forever” or “take whatever is left.” There is a middle ground, and for many buyers that is the sweet spot.

Customization Options and What You Can't Change

Customization is available, but within a defined system.

Celebrity Homes does not do full custom structural changes. We are not moving windows, shifting doors, or redesigning the floor plan. What we can customize are color and finish selections.

At the design studio, buyers typically choose from:

• Multiple quartz countertop options
• Many carpet choices
• Various backsplash selections
• Exterior color combinations
• Stone selections

There are also a few optional upgrades that may add cost, such as upgraded carpet or pad, certain backsplash choices, or extending LVP flooring into additional areas. Those costs are presented clearly, and they are not hidden surprises.

That is an important theme throughout the process. The contract price is the contract price. Celebrity does not have a practice of changing the home price later because of shifting material costs. During the wild swings in lumber pricing during the COVID era, they still honored contracted pricing.

Financing Incentives and Rate Locks

Celebrity Homes works with five preferred lenders:

• CharterWest
• U.S. Bank
• Aksarben Mortgage
• Veridian Credit Union
• Veterans United

Using one of those lenders can come with some real benefits, including:

• $3,000 in closing costs
• Certain capped fees
• A more streamlined process because those lenders know the builder’s system

Rate locks are also available. In some cases, buyers can lock around 45 days out at no cost, and longer lock periods may be available depending on the lender and market conditions. Some buyers have locked for as long as six months.

Preferred lenders also offer rate buy-down options. A common example is a 2-1 buy-down, where the rate is reduced by 2 percent in year one and 1 percent in year two. The idea there is to create some short-term payment relief while leaving room to refinance later if rates improve.

As for earnest money, the standard deposit mentioned was $2,000, with additional earnest money sometimes required for things like finished basements or certain flooring options.

Warranties Energy Efficiency and Practical Features

This is where buying new can really shine, especially when we compare it to an older home.

Warranty Coverage

Celebrity Homes offers:

• 1-year warranty on basically everything in the home, aside from items signed off on during walkthrough like concrete and deck condition
• 2-year coverage on systems such as electrical, plumbing, and water-related systems
• 3-year appliance warranty, assuming the appliances are properly registered
• 10-year structural warranty, and it is transferable if the home is sold during that period

The walkthrough process is detailed. Buyers go room by room with the superintendent and sales rep, marking items with stickers and creating work orders for anything that needs attention. If weather delays some exterior work, those items are handled later.

Energy Efficiency

Celebrity also builds with strong energy efficiency standards. Their homes are HERS rated, and while code might target around 100, their homes often test in the mid to low 50s. A HERS score of 55, for example, means the home is 45 percent more energy efficient than the benchmark code level.

That matters because utility bills are part of affordability too. An older resale home may have a lower sticker price, but if it leaks energy and needs continual repairs, the monthly ownership cost can tell a different story.

Radon, Sump Systems, and the Things People Forget to Ask About

There are also a few practical, behind-the-scenes items that matter more than people realize:

• Passive radon systems are pre-installed and ready for fan activation if needed
• Sump pump and drainage systems are part of the package
• New PVC sewer lines mean fewer unpleasant surprises than some older properties with root intrusion
• Brand-new roofs can make insurance easier than on resale homes with aging shingles

These are not flashy features, but they can be the difference between a smooth ownership experience and an expensive one.

Common Misconceptions About Buying New

There are a few myths that come up over and over again.

“It takes too long”

Not always. Some homes can close in 45 to 90 days.

“There are too many decisions”

Actually, the process is more streamlined than many people think. We are not making hundreds of choices. In most cases, there are a handful of key selections.

“The price is going to grow during construction”

Not with Celebrity’s contract structure as described here. The price is locked at contract.

“A new home is automatically way more expensive than resale”

Sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. In Omaha, especially when bidding wars push up older homes, the gap can be surprisingly small.

“I should only look at homes under my max target number”

This is a subtle but important point Dave raised. Sometimes stretching the budget by $10,000 can open the door to exactly what we want, and the monthly payment impact may be much smaller than expected. That does not mean buying beyond our comfort zone. It means talking to the lender before ruling things out too quickly.

Why New Construction Can Be a Smarter Play Than Resale

In Omaha’s competitive price points, especially around the low $300,000s, resale buyers can end up in bidding wars, paying over list, waiving inspections, and taking on older systems with real risk.

That is where new construction can become the smarter move.

Instead of bidding a $285,000 resale house up by $20,000 and accepting it as-is, we may be better off considering a brand-new home with warranties, appliances, modern efficiency, and a cleaner insurance picture.

Another important point is that Celebrity Homes sells to owner occupants. They are not building entire communities and turning them over to hedge funds or build-to-rent investors. That supports neighborhood stability and pride of ownership, and frankly, that matters.

There was also mention of select opportunities to finish certain basements for around $20,000, adding a rec room, bedroom, and three-quarter bath in some cases. Deals like that can dramatically improve the value equation when they are available.

And all of this sits inside a broader Omaha housing market that remains relatively steady compared with more volatile parts of the country. Omaha may not get invited to every boom cycle party, but it also tends to avoid the worst hangovers. That stability has long been one of the metro’s strengths.

FAQ

Final Thoughts

If we are shopping in Omaha and have written off new construction because we assume it is too expensive, too complicated, or too slow, it is probably worth taking another look.

Celebrity Homes is not for everybody. No builder is. But for a lot of buyers, especially first-time buyers and relocation buyers, it checks boxes that resale homes simply cannot: fixed pricing, faster-than-expected timelines, strong included features, modern efficiency, real warranties, and fewer headaches out of the gate.

And in a market where older homes can still trigger bidding wars and expensive surprises, that matters.

The biggest lesson here is simple. Before we settle for a used home just because it feels familiar, we owe it to ourselves to walk a few models, run the numbers, and see what is actually possible. In Omaha, new construction may be a lot more attainable than we think.

Omaha homebuyers interested in new construction? Don’t just compare to resale—call me and I’ll help you explore what’s available with Celebrity Homes (timelines, included features, pricing, and current opportunities). Call 402-490-6771 to get started.

Read More: Omaha Homebuying Mistakes: 6 Costly Red Flags to Avoid Before You Buy a House