[sschuler1]

We went down to TV about a year before we were ready to buy. We went with an agent from TV first to see the floor plans of the new homes like you are planning to do. We did not bother having her set up any showings with pre-owned at that time because we didn't want to put the resident out of their way for no reason. We also set up an appointment with an outside realtor so that we could meet. We planned to spend the time getting to know the realtor at his office. We went over the floor plans that we previewed with TV rep that we were interested in, and wanted his opinion on new vs. resale from an outside TV sales perspective. He also took us on a tour so we could get a better feel for where we might want to look. We told him about the activities that we would be interested in pursuing and he pointed out the areas that would be more central to those things for us. He also took us to view a few resales that he knew were vacant so we could get a feel for some of the older homes. We learned more from that visit than we did from TV sales rep. It would be worth your while making an appointment with an outside rep, but just let them know your time frame that you are looking at purchasing. It might take you a few times to find a rep that you even want to work with. We got very lucky and found someone we liked right away. I have kept in contact with this rep, and as soon as we sell our house I will be calling him to start looking for us. He knows what 3 floor plans we would accept and the general vicinity of where we want to be. Good luck with your visit!