Why Buying a Brand New Home still makes Sense

Here is a very good posting taken from www.newhomeguide.com that spells out the advantages of investing in a brand new home versus buying a used home.

Advantages of Buying New

While owning a resale home holds great appeal for some, more and more home buyers are choosing to build their new dream home. Here are just a few reasons why your next home may be brand new:

Ease of Maintenance

New homes don't require as much upkeep as an older home. Many home buyers are finding they want to spend more time on valuable weekends with family and friends than performing home repair. And some home buyers just find they don't have the necessary skills to perform do-it-yourself maintenance and would prefer to live in a home that doesn't require those skills.



Customization

Of great appeal to many a new home buyer is the thought of making their home truly reflect their tastes and lifestyle. From the moment they walk in the door, the home feels like their own as they chose every paint color, cabinet, countertop, carpet, plumbing and lighting fixture.

Community

A community of new homes allows for the planned devlopment of that community. Whether it be active adults, families with young children or golf and tennis enthusiasts, new home buyers know they'll immediately have something in common with their neighbors when they move in.

Floor Plan for Today's Living

Buying a resale home typically means you're stuck with that home's layout (as most don't have stacks of cash sitting around for major renovation projects) that has a design appropriate for 10, 20, even 50 years ago. Today's homes reflect the changing lifestyles of home owners with amenities like more open kitchens, cable jacks throughout the house, more plentiful outlets, etc.

Energy Efficiency

The materials used in today's home are far more effective at reducing energy costs than resale homes. The savings provided in utility bills can quickly offset the price of a new home. (editors note: One study estimates that today's new homes are as much as 30% more energy efficient than homes built just 30 years ago!)

Safety

In addition to less energy efficient materials, older homes can have hazardous materials like asbestos, lead-based paint or faulty wiring contained within them. A new home is subject to the current building codes that require more stringent safety requirements regarding materials or severe weather.

Technology

Retrofitting older homes with today's technology can be an exercise in frustration and futility. They just weren't designed with those items in mind (and to be fair, it's hard to design for something that didn't exist at the time). It's significantly easier to add wiring for surround sound speakers or wired or wireless internet access to a new home while it's being framed.

Warranties & Customer Service

New homes will often come with a complete warranty that covers everything on the house, inside and out. While warranties are available for resale homes, they're typically for only for one year from the purchase date and only cover specific items in the home. A new home can have a much longer warranty and provide more options when something goes wrong.