Why the timing matters
Most builder warranties cover workmanship and materials for one year. A house that has been through a full South Florida summer has been stressed in ways it had not been at closing: the slab has settled, the stucco has moved, the HVAC has run continuously for months, and the roof has been through a rainy season. Problems that were invisible at closing are visible now, and for a short window, they are still someone else's bill.