Transitioning sellers
Single parents, downsizers, and folks who got burned the last time. You need someone who'll actually be there through the messy parts — and tell you the truth about what your house is worth.
Twin Cities · New construction specialist
New construction homes in Shakopee, Chaska & Chanhassen — with an agent who's only on your side.
REALTOR® at Pemberton Real Estate · Edina, MN
I'm Melissa Suddath. I represent buyers and sellers in the southwest Twin Cities — never builders — and run sell-to-buy timelines on a single coordinated schedule so the move actually works.
When you're buying new construction in Shakopee, Chaska, or Chanhassen, the on-site sales rep works for the builder. You need someone in your corner who reads the contract line by line, pushes on the upgrade pricing, and tells you when the floor plan won't actually work for your family. That's the whole job. I'm Melissa Suddath, and I do it full-time out of Pemberton Real Estate — Minnesota's largest independent brokerage. The builder pays my commission, your cost is zero, and you get a real agent through every step of the build.
Who I work with
Three people I help most.
First-time buyers
Excited and a little overwhelmed. You don't need hype, you need a plain-language walk-through of timelines, financing, and what surprises new construction can throw at you. I do that.
Life transitioners
New baby, new job, empty nest, divorce — the move is real and the stakes are real. Calm, data-first guidance, paired with someone who actually picks up the phone.
Why this is different
Not your regular realtor.
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Full-time, every day.
This is my real job, not a side thing. You get a working agent, working hours, all year — not a part-time pretender.
Est. 2018 · Twin Cities
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Data first, opinions second.
Every recommendation comes with comps, inventory data, and a timeline. If I can't back it with numbers, I won't say it.
Pricing decisions backed by current MLS data
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Honest answers, even the hard ones.
I'll tell you what the brochure won't — which builders cut corners, which upgrades are worth it, and when waiting beats buying.
130+ transactions closed
What I actually do
Three lanes, all run by me.
Buyer representation
I represent you, never the builder. That means I read the contracts, push back on padded upgrade pricing, negotiate incentives in writing, and make sure your inspection contingency actually protects you. The builder pays my commission — your cost is $0.
Sell-to-buy coordination
Most people buying new construction need to sell their current home — and the timing is brutal. I run both sides on one timeline so you don't end up paying two mortgages or stuck in a hotel with the kids while the closing slips a week.
Community expertise
I know which Shakopee, Chaska, and Chanhassen builders are easy to work with, which floor plans hold value, and which neighborhoods are worth the wait. DR Horton, Lennar, MI Homes, Pulte — I've sat at all those negotiating tables.
Her signature process
The Sell-to-Land Plan.
Most move-up buyers list fast and figure out the build timing as they go. That's how families end up with two mortgages or stuck in a rental. The Sell-to-Land Plan does the opposite: I map your whole move backward from your build's completion date and run both sides on one timeline, so you sell on schedule and walk straight from one closing into the next. Four pillars, one promise: you sell, and you land, nothing in between.
How it goes
Six steps from maybe to keys in hand.
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1
Strategy meeting
We sit down, you tell me what you're working with, I walk you through the process. No pressure, no pitch.
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2
Preapproval
I connect you with a lender I trust. You get clarity on what's actually buyable before we tour anything.
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3
Prep & list
Selling first? We price with data, not feelings. Photos, staging, MLS — done right, done fast.
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4
The search
Hard filtering, real feedback, no driving you all over the metro to look at things that won't work.
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5
Offers accepted
I run the negotiation — buy side, sell side, or both at once — and keep the timeline intact.
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6
Close & celebrate
Keys in your hand. New chapter open. I'm still your realtor — call me when something else changes.
Real client stories
People in their next chapter.
"Melissa is absolutely incredible! She made me feel completely comfortable and confident in the home-buying process."
"Melissa was very easy to work with on both a buy and sell. She kept me informed and positively managed the parties during stressful situations."
"Melissa was so wonderful to work with as first-time home buyers. She was patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive."
Communities I serve
Three cities. One agent. Every active build.
Questions people actually ask
The five things I get asked most.
- Who is the best real estate agent for new construction in Shakopee, MN?
- Melissa Suddath at Pemberton Real Estate is a Twin Cities new construction specialist serving Shakopee, Chaska, and Chanhassen. She represents buyers (not builders), runs sell-to-buy timelines on one schedule, and works full-time year-round. The builder pays her commission — your cost as a buyer is $0.
- Do I need an agent to buy a new construction home in Minnesota?
- Yes — and you want one. The on-site sales rep at any new construction community works for the builder, not for you. A buyer's agent reviews the contract, pushes back on padded upgrade pricing, negotiates incentives in writing, and protects your inspection contingency. In Minnesota, the builder almost always covers the buyer's agent commission, so it costs you nothing to be represented.
- Can I sell my current home and buy new construction at the same time?
- Yes. This is the most common move Melissa runs — a sell-to-buy on one coordinated timeline. The trick is sequencing: lining up your listing, your build's completion date, and your closing so you don't pay two mortgages and don't end up homeless between closings. Done right, you walk straight from one closing into the next.
- What new home communities are active in Shakopee, Chaska, and Chanhassen?
- Active developments rotate, but the consistent leaders include Highview Park, Arbor Bluff, Amberglen, and Valley Crest in Shakopee; Oak Creek, Reserve at Autumn Woods, and Rivertown Heights in Chaska; and Foxwood in Chanhassen. Builders on the ground include DR Horton, Lennar, MI Homes, and Pulte. Pricing and inventory shift monthly — ask Melissa for current availability before you tour.
- What does it cost to work with a buyer's agent on a new build?
- On a new construction home in Minnesota, the builder almost always pays the buyer's agent commission. Your direct cost is typically $0. What you save by being represented — through better incentive negotiation, smarter upgrade choices, and someone reading the fine print on the build contract — usually runs into the tens of thousands.
Let's talk
Strategy, not pressure.
Tell me where you are — buying, selling, or both — and what you're trying to make happen. I'll come back inside one business day with a plain-language read on the move and what the next 30, 60, and 90 days could look like.
Last updated: June 2026