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To Build or Buy Used? Buying New is the Better Housing Option

March 28, 2020
It's a question you’ve probably asked yourself in your home-buying journey: Is it better to buy an older home and renovate it, or build a new home? Maybe you’ve looked at a few used houses already and saw the costs of updates stacking up. Or maybe you’re concerned about the amount of time it would take to wait for a new build. We looked into it so you wouldn’t have to. Renovate or Buy New: Cost The initial price tag on a new home is higher than an older home. But that doesn’t mean the cost savings of that older home will stick with you for long.  By the time you add in all the things you need to change to make that home suite your style and lifestyle needs you may not be saving any money. Older homes tend to be less energy efficient, so they’ll cost more to heat and cool. And, depending on the state of the older residence, you may be reaching into your pocket to pay for updates sooner than you expect. When we dug into the numbers, we found that buying new makes more financial sense than buying a home that needs serious remodeling. That’s not even taking into account unplanned upgrades or issues. Which leads us to… Buy New or Used: Repairs, Replacements and Upgrades Here’s a big pro of buying a newly constructed home: No need for repairs or upgrades for the foreseeable future. That’s because you picked the layout, the flooring, the colors, everything ahead of time. Your bathrooms and kitchen are in pristine condition. The same can’t be said about older homes. You might need to think about replacing the hot water heater, HVAC system, or roof within the first few years of living there. Or you might need to do some serious renovations early on to fit your family’s needs. If you’re not a lover of home projects – and don’t want to deal with living in a construction site for a chunk of time – then you may want to seriously consider buying a new home. Buy New or Used: Does Your Home Match Your Lifestyle? Some renovations are doable, such as replacing your kitchen countertops or even adding a half bathroom. But others aren’t so easy, like adding on bedrooms or expanding a living room. When looking at homes, you need to make sure you pick one that fits your lifestyle. That means a house that can easily support you and your family (no matter the size). A new home is the clear winner when it comes to finding a match for your lifestyle. You can design the perfect home to fit your family’s needs, whether it’s an expansive kitchen for entertaining, enough bedrooms for everyone in the house, and a backyard big enough for all the activities you love. No compromising needed. Building a new home is the less expensive long-term option. There should be no hidden costs or unexpected repairs for years after moving in. That means no move-in renovations, no “dealing with it” for a while, and no frustration trying to fit your lifestyle into your older home. We did our research on buying an older home and remodeling it, but honestly, building a new home is the better option to fit your needs, your budget, and your expectations.
To Build or Buy Used? Buying New is the Better Housing Option

Build a New Home & Skip The Heartache of Used Homes Bidding Wars

March 8, 2020
You’ve probably heard people say that the housing market is hot right now, and there is not a lot of existing homes available. Lots of people are looking to buy a home right now and that means it’s a seller’s market. But what does that mean for homebuyers? Unfortunately, it often means competing with other buyers who might be putting down offers far more tempting than yours. We’re talking offers way over the asking price or offering to pay right now, in cash. It’s super hard to compete in a market like this, which just adds to the stress of buying a home. There is, however, another option. And no, we don’t mean just waiting until the market cools down. We’re talking about buying a newly constructed home. There are so many pros to working with a builder, and that’s why we put this list together! Here are a few of the reasons you should consider building a new home over buying a home. 1. Less Heartbreak, More Celebrating Imagine this: You find a dream home on the market. It’s got that open front porch you’ve always wanted, more than enough bedrooms, and a fully finished basement. You put an offer in and hold your breath. Before 24 hours are up, the sellers have twenty offers higher than your bid. You’ve lost another home. Yeah, that sounds pretty devastating. In today’s market, you may go through that heartbreak half a dozen times (or more, if we’re being honest). On the other hand, opting to build a home means there’s no competition. Nobody’s going to swoop in at the last minute with an insane bid and snatch your perfect home away. Instead, you can take your time to plan out a home that fits your family’s needs without the rush. 2. The Design Can Fit YOU (Instead of the Other Way Around) Buying a home is all about making compromises. The houses with spacious yards might have cramped kitchens or not enough bedrooms. Or they might have too-low ceilings. You get the point. When you buy a used home, you must weigh your wants and find a home that fits as many as possible. But when you build a new home? The world is basically your oyster. You can choose the layout to include that walk-in closet you’ve always dreamed of, the spacious master bathroom, and the ideal kitchen. You need to be mindful of your budget, but that’s about it. Design your home to fit your family. 3. Avoid Move-In Reno Projects If you’ve bought a home in the past, you know about the inevitable move-in projects. Right after an exhausting week of packing and moving, you need to start painting or planning to swap out the outdated bathroom tile. With all the unpacking chaos, trips to the hardware store, and late nights, moving can feel like a never-ending blur. It takes a while to finally take a breath and enjoy the new space. Say goodbye to all of that when you build a home. You will be able to choose all of that from the start: cabinet style, flooring, windows, wall colors, you name it. It’s a lot of work, sure, but it’s exciting to build your home from the ground up. And you’ll have a lot more fun imagining your gorgeous new countertops than if you were embarking on a home improvement project. 4. It’s a Balancing Act It’s necessary for us to talk about the other side of building a home. Some of the common arguments against buying brand new are cost and time. First of all, it’s usually less expensive to build a house than to buy it in the long run, so let’s dispense that myth right now. Second of all, yes. It takes longer to build a home than buying one. But the benefits of building a house from scratch designed to fit your family – and budget – is often enough to offset that time. When the housing market is hot, like it is right now, don’t spend time and energy bidding against dozens of people. Instead, consider building your home. No competition, no surprises, no compromises. Just a brand-new dream home for you and your family.
Build a New Home & Skip The Heartache of Used Homes Bidding Wars
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