One of the biggest decisions a new homeowner can make is that of whether to build a new home or purchase an existing home. Building a new home may be more expensive per square foot, but also offers fewer headaches and lower maintenance and utility costs.
Low Maintenance.
Since new homes must meet current building codes and have up-to-date technology, you probably won’t have to worry about big repairs or maintenance issues for the first few years. There should be minimal maintenance costs with a new home compared to an older home. New doors, windows, flooring, roof, furnace, wiring, plumbing, and everything else should ensure that maintenance costs stay very low for many years. The builder’s warranty should cover any problems with these items.
Energy Efficiency.
New homes can be built with state of the art insulation, windows, doors, and other building materials. Older homes can be extremely expensive to heat and cool in many cases. Improving these issues in an older home can be quite expensive.
Style and Customization.
Certain building styles, floor plans, and wall coverings can become outdated. For example, many older homes have a floor plan that is not as open as contemporary homes do now. Also consider how the style will affect the resale value down the road.
A new home can be whatever you want it to be. Building a house from the ground up lets you personalize it to suit your lifestyle and tastes—everything from the layout, cabinets and flooring to the sinks, lighting and doorknobs can be custom picked! Even tract homes built within subdivisions allow for some customization in color choices, flooring and certain finishes. So, whether you’re after a rustic feel or a fancy art deco vibe, you can make these style choices early on.
Construction costs.
On a square foot basis, new homes can be more expensive to build vs. buying an older home. But this higher cost can be offset by the potential utility savings you can expect with a new energy efficient home.
How long will you live there?
If you don’t plan on staying in the home for more than a few years, buying an older home probably makes better sense than building. If you’re in it for the long haul, then building is a smart decision.
There are many issues to consider if you’re planning a move. A new home offers a lot of peace of mind and customization to your specifications, as well as fewer maintenance issues and better energy efficiency. OL
