When should buyers get the card?
At closing, every buyer, the same way, with the house keys. They can review whenever they're ready.
The buyer's agent is at closing too. Whose card?
Each business has its own card and profile. Your key tag points to your profile; the agent can give their own.
We have a model home with open hours. Storefront or service area?
If buyers can visit a sales office or model home during set hours, a storefront profile there may fit better. We check before setting anything up.
How does verification work for a home builder?
Google chooses how you verify; for a service-area business it's usually a short video showing your business and tools.
We build custom homes on the buyer's land. Does this fit?
Yes. Custom home builders use the same setup; the Google category is different (Custom home builder).
Is there anything we should avoid asking customers?
Yes: never ask for a specific star rating or wording, never offer anything in return for a review, and never ask only the customers you think are happy. The card simply makes it easy for everyone to leave an honest review.
Is “Home builder” the right Google category for me?
For most businesses like yours, yes. “Home builder” is the exact name in Google's category list, and it should be your primary category. Secondary categories some businesses add, only when they really offer that service: “Custom home builder”. Choose only categories that describe what you actually do. When we set up or clean up your profile, we check each one in Google's own category picker.