The short answer
Choose move-in ready if you need to move soon and like a finished home as it stands. You tour it, make an offer and move in. Choose a custom build if you want to pick the lot, the layout and every finish and can wait about 8 to 12 months. Cozort offers both. Our move-in ready homes are built by the same team behind four Tulsa Parade of Homes 1st Place wins.
We get this question every week, and the honest answer is that it depends on your calendar and how particular you are. We build both, so we have no reason to push you either way.
Side by side
| Move-in ready vs. Custom build | |
| Timeline | Available now vs. about 8 to 12 months |
| Design control | Finished and staged vs. every layout and finish decision |
| Lot | Already chosen vs. your land or one of our homesites |
| Price clarity | You see the list price up front vs. set by plan, lot and selections |
| Seeing it first | Walk through the real house vs. tour similar Cozort homes and plans |
| Builder | Same Cozort team, same standards, same HBA one-year warranty book |
When move-in ready makes sense
- Your current home is sold, or a job move has a date on it.
- You want a Cozort-quality home without a year of decisions.
- You want to walk the exact house, in the exact neighborhood, before you commit.
Our available homes right now include The Opal in Broken Arrow, The Legacy and The Elle in Bixby, and The Erin and The Durant in Owasso. As Angela puts it about The Opal: "It is currently staged and available for showings." See them all on the move-in ready page, and ask about current builder incentives.
When a custom build makes sense
- You have a specific lot in mind, or acreage of your own.
- You have a list: a shop, a pool house, a scullery, a main-floor suite for parents.
- You have 8 to 12 months and want to be part of every decision.
Start from one of our 80+ plans or design fully custom with our architect. In-house design is included. See how we tailor a plan.
The middle ground: under construction
Some of our homes are already underway. Buy early and you may still have time to pick some finishes, and you move in sooner than with a ground-up build. See what is under construction now.
Four questions that settle it
- When do you need to be moved in?
- Is there a must-have that no finished home has?
- Do you already own the land?
- How much do you enjoy picking tile?
If your answers are "soon," "no," "no" and "not much," go move-in ready. If not, let's design one.
Financing and selling your current home
Many of our buyers work with Megan Neely at AMC Mortgage, and you are welcome to use any lender. Angela Cozort is a licensed Realtor and can list your current home, which makes timing easier either way.
"I'm a third-generation home builder, and what my father and grandfather have taught me is that you always take care of your clients, you make sure that you build a quality home, and you always do what you're supposed to do."
Matt Cozort, President and Owner
Custom builder vs. production builder
Whichever way you go, the bigger choice is who builds the house. Here is how we explain the difference:
"With a production builder, let's use tile for instance, you have limited selections. You might have four tile selections, when we have unlimited tile selections. You also have unlimited communication with us. Sometimes with a production builder, you might only be able to email five or ten times through the whole build."
Cozort Custom Homes
Buying move-in ready when you still have a home to sell
"If a buyer wants to build a custom home but has a home to sell, they need to get with a lender and determine if they can build a custom home without a contingency."
Angela Cozort, Realtor and Design
With a finished Cozort home, timing is simpler. You know the price and the move-in date. Angela is a licensed Realtor and can list your current home. If you are working with your own agent, we are glad to have them.
"At Cozort, we love to work with realtors. We have our own contract in-house and try to make everyone's job as easy as possible."
Angela Cozort, Realtor and Design
If you go custom, here is what to expect
- A first meeting at our Bixby office to talk budget, lot and lifestyle
- Plan selection or design with our preferred architect
- Selections with Angela, who books and attends appointments with you
- About 8 to 12 months of construction, run by our superintendents
- Pre-drywall checks so nothing is missed inside the walls
- A final walk-through and the HBA one-year warranty book
Same crews either way
"The best thing about working for Cozort is they're a third-generation builder. That means the consistency of the guys that show up to each house every day. It's consistent work, doing it the same way, which means fewer warranty issues, and we think through all the problems that could potentially be there."
Cozort superintendent
Our move-in ready homes are built by the same superintendents and crews as our custom homes. When you tour one, you are seeing exactly how we would build yours.
The real cost comparison
It is tempting to compare list price to build budget, but compare the whole picture:
- Carrying costs. A custom build can mean renting or paying two housing payments while you wait. Move-in ready avoids that.
- Change costs. With custom, every upgrade is your call, and your budget. With move-in ready, you see what you are getting before you sign.
- Rate timing. Talk to your lender about how a closing now compares with a closing 8 to 12 months from now.
- Incentives. Finished homes sometimes carry builder incentives. Ask us what is current.
A quick story we see often
A family comes in set on building custom. They walk a finished Cozort home, and the plan already has the study, the oversized garage and the outdoor bath on their list. A few weeks later, they are moved in. Other families tour the same home and realize they need a main-floor suite for a parent or a 40-foot shop. Those are the families who should build. Touring a finished home first helps either way.
What to look for on a move-in ready tour
- Open cabinet doors and closets and look at the finish work.
- Look at how the house sits on the lot, including drainage and the backyard.
- Ask what is covered under the warranty and who to call.
- Ask about HOA rules on fences and outbuildings if you plan to add later.
Who chooses what: patterns we see
| Relocating for a job with a start date | Usually move-in ready |
|---|---|
| Empty nesters downsizing with a clear list | Often custom, sometimes a modified plan |
| Growing family that needs space now | Often move-in ready or a home under construction |
| Owners of acreage or a family lot | Custom, built on their land |
| Buyers who want a shop, pool house or a main-floor suite for a parent | Usually custom or a modified plan |
None of these are rules. They are just what we have seen across years of building around Tulsa. The best way to decide is to tour a finished Cozort home, then sit down with us and talk about your list. We will tell you straight which path makes more sense, even if it means we don't build you a new house.
Questions to ask us either way
- What is the earliest realistic move-in date?
- What is included, and what is an upgrade?
- Who will be my point of contact during the build or closing?
- What does the warranty cover?
- Can I see other homes you have built nearby?
Ready to talk it through? Call us at (918) 364-5215, stop by the office at 7607 E 126th St S in Bixby (Monday to Friday, 9 to 5), or send us a message. Let's get cozy.
