Seven Advantages of New Homes Over Resale Homes
December 18, 2006 by
Filed under Real Estate
Joshua Ferris asked:
Once you start house hunting there is no doubt one of your first stops will be at a new homes website or community to see what they have to offer in the area you would like to live in. In fact, new homes have stepped up to win the hearts and minds of homebuyers for the better part of the past decade where we’ve seen an unprecedented explosion in new home construction and buying. What was once considered a luxury reserved for the rich and famous, new construction has opened the door to all price ranges and styles including luxury high-rise condominiums, townhouses, active adult communities and single-family homes.
There are a tremendous number of benefits to owning a new home including the ability to customize the home to your liking, meeting all the new neighbors as they move in and substantial savings in utility costs with new homes now being built to a higher, more energy efficient and green standard.
It’s your house. No, REALLY your house. - When you buy a resale home you are purchasing a home that someone else crafted to suit his or her lifestyle. Sometimes it’s just perfect and exactly what you are looking for but more often than not there are a few “Why did they do that?” issues with a home that you will have to renovate or remove when you move in to fit your lifestyle. When you build a new home you will be able to choose exactly what you want and where you want it so you can move in and not have to touch a thing.
Everyone else is new too! - Resale communities are great because you can see the neighborhood, how people care for their homes and everything is already established but those same benefits can prove to be cons when you are the only new neighbor on the block. Moving into a new home grants you the privilege of meeting the neighbors when they are also looking to meet new people and settle into the community. There won’t be any pre-established social circles to work your way into and you will be discovering new things about your neighborhood at the same time everyone else does.
Newer homes are more attractive when you resell. - Life happens. You might have to relocate or you make a lifestyle change a couple short years after you move in. The good news is that newer homes are more attractive to prospective homebuyers because it’s their opportunity to buy a newer home without the price premium associated with new construction. Better yet, you’ve already purchased all the appliances and upgrades for the home and many parts of the home are still under warranty making the home a great inclusive value. This will compare favorably to older resale homes that may require renovation or updating to make it livable for the modern homebuyer.
Location, Location, Location! YOU choose! - When you shop for resale homes the homes you find are obviously fixed to their current location. How many times have you seen a great resale that would be absolutely perfect if it were a little closer to the community clubhouse or offered a larger back yard for the kids to play? New homebuilders typically offer a range of model homes to choose from and you can usually place that model on a lot of your choice. Now you can have the home of your dreams in the cul-de-sac you’ve always dreamed of!
In the current market new homes may be a better deal than resale homes. - That’s right, the market shift has turned the tables. Now buyers have the market in the palm of their hands and can get some really outstanding deals on homes but you have to know where to look. Resale home owners may be willing to deal but in the past thirty days I have been able to successfully negotiate $69,117 off the asking price of a new home for a client and then shortly after located a home for another client and negotiated $91,000 off the asking price and we are still in negotiations to get even more from the builder. By the way, these home prices included upgrades! I have never met homeowners who were willing to accept a substantial reduction on the price of their home to the tune of more than $60,000. As a matter of fact, many homeowners have overpriced their homes on the market because they owe more than the home is worth and they cannot afford to go lower in price.
Buying Tip: To score a new home deal you can’t walk in and offer builders $400,000 under what they are asking for the home. Fantastic deals can be found however if you find the right buyer’s agent who specializes in new homes because their experience, relationships with builders and negotiating ability will help you save thousands of dollars.
That brown carpet and tiny kitchen? Soooooo 1970s! - Kitchen big enough for one? Small closets, shower only bathrooms and carpet everywhere? Not for today’s homebuyer! The modern lifestyle is drastically different from what it was even ten years ago and resale homes often lack the oomph and space to satisfy. Today’s homebuyer wants a bright, open kitchen with breakfast bar and high-end appliances. We now do most of our living in the kitchen! Soaking tubs in the master suite and walk-in closets are now considered standard staples of the modern home. New homes often feature these amenities as a part of their standard offering and are even starting to prepare homes for the future including the addition of whole house networking and walk-out basements that can be finished as future living space.
New homes save money with efficiency and green building techniques. - Many new homes are taking advantage of the Energy Star standard which sets forth a number of requirements that products like windows and doors must adhere to in order to achieve an Energy Star rating. In addition to Energy Star many builders are now offering green building and living options like the installation of solar panels on the roof of a home to harness the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity. If you install enough solar panels you may just have the electric company paying you for the electricity you are producing! These features are often very costly to retrofit a resale home with if it wasn’t initially built to these standards.
The next time you start searching for homes be sure to consider all of your options including new construction. When buying new construction you should take into account the fact that most new homes take approximately four to six months to build. You will also devote more of your personal time to building the home as you will need to choose home upgrades and work with your agent through the inspection and financing processes.
Happy hunting!
Once you start house hunting there is no doubt one of your first stops will be at a new homes website or community to see what they have to offer in the area you would like to live in. In fact, new homes have stepped up to win the hearts and minds of homebuyers for the better part of the past decade where we’ve seen an unprecedented explosion in new home construction and buying. What was once considered a luxury reserved for the rich and famous, new construction has opened the door to all price ranges and styles including luxury high-rise condominiums, townhouses, active adult communities and single-family homes.
There are a tremendous number of benefits to owning a new home including the ability to customize the home to your liking, meeting all the new neighbors as they move in and substantial savings in utility costs with new homes now being built to a higher, more energy efficient and green standard.
It’s your house. No, REALLY your house. - When you buy a resale home you are purchasing a home that someone else crafted to suit his or her lifestyle. Sometimes it’s just perfect and exactly what you are looking for but more often than not there are a few “Why did they do that?” issues with a home that you will have to renovate or remove when you move in to fit your lifestyle. When you build a new home you will be able to choose exactly what you want and where you want it so you can move in and not have to touch a thing.
Everyone else is new too! - Resale communities are great because you can see the neighborhood, how people care for their homes and everything is already established but those same benefits can prove to be cons when you are the only new neighbor on the block. Moving into a new home grants you the privilege of meeting the neighbors when they are also looking to meet new people and settle into the community. There won’t be any pre-established social circles to work your way into and you will be discovering new things about your neighborhood at the same time everyone else does.
Newer homes are more attractive when you resell. - Life happens. You might have to relocate or you make a lifestyle change a couple short years after you move in. The good news is that newer homes are more attractive to prospective homebuyers because it’s their opportunity to buy a newer home without the price premium associated with new construction. Better yet, you’ve already purchased all the appliances and upgrades for the home and many parts of the home are still under warranty making the home a great inclusive value. This will compare favorably to older resale homes that may require renovation or updating to make it livable for the modern homebuyer.
Location, Location, Location! YOU choose! - When you shop for resale homes the homes you find are obviously fixed to their current location. How many times have you seen a great resale that would be absolutely perfect if it were a little closer to the community clubhouse or offered a larger back yard for the kids to play? New homebuilders typically offer a range of model homes to choose from and you can usually place that model on a lot of your choice. Now you can have the home of your dreams in the cul-de-sac you’ve always dreamed of!
In the current market new homes may be a better deal than resale homes. - That’s right, the market shift has turned the tables. Now buyers have the market in the palm of their hands and can get some really outstanding deals on homes but you have to know where to look. Resale home owners may be willing to deal but in the past thirty days I have been able to successfully negotiate $69,117 off the asking price of a new home for a client and then shortly after located a home for another client and negotiated $91,000 off the asking price and we are still in negotiations to get even more from the builder. By the way, these home prices included upgrades! I have never met homeowners who were willing to accept a substantial reduction on the price of their home to the tune of more than $60,000. As a matter of fact, many homeowners have overpriced their homes on the market because they owe more than the home is worth and they cannot afford to go lower in price.
Buying Tip: To score a new home deal you can’t walk in and offer builders $400,000 under what they are asking for the home. Fantastic deals can be found however if you find the right buyer’s agent who specializes in new homes because their experience, relationships with builders and negotiating ability will help you save thousands of dollars.
That brown carpet and tiny kitchen? Soooooo 1970s! - Kitchen big enough for one? Small closets, shower only bathrooms and carpet everywhere? Not for today’s homebuyer! The modern lifestyle is drastically different from what it was even ten years ago and resale homes often lack the oomph and space to satisfy. Today’s homebuyer wants a bright, open kitchen with breakfast bar and high-end appliances. We now do most of our living in the kitchen! Soaking tubs in the master suite and walk-in closets are now considered standard staples of the modern home. New homes often feature these amenities as a part of their standard offering and are even starting to prepare homes for the future including the addition of whole house networking and walk-out basements that can be finished as future living space.
New homes save money with efficiency and green building techniques. - Many new homes are taking advantage of the Energy Star standard which sets forth a number of requirements that products like windows and doors must adhere to in order to achieve an Energy Star rating. In addition to Energy Star many builders are now offering green building and living options like the installation of solar panels on the roof of a home to harness the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity. If you install enough solar panels you may just have the electric company paying you for the electricity you are producing! These features are often very costly to retrofit a resale home with if it wasn’t initially built to these standards.
The next time you start searching for homes be sure to consider all of your options including new construction. When buying new construction you should take into account the fact that most new homes take approximately four to six months to build. You will also devote more of your personal time to building the home as you will need to choose home upgrades and work with your agent through the inspection and financing processes.
Happy hunting!
Why Should You Build A New Home In Daytona Beach?
December 3, 2006 by
Filed under Finance
G Beaty asked:
The benefits of building your new home in Daytona Beach are numerous. The Daytona Beach Area is known for its beautiful white sand beaches, excellent outdoor recreational opportunities like golfing, fishing and boating, an abundance of shopping and dining establishments and a wealth of exciting activities for the entire family. From fine dining to casual waterfront cuisine, flea markets to high-end boutiques, LPGA to NASCAR, Daytona Beach has something for everyone.
If you want to explore some of Florida’s other famous attractions, Daytona Beach is within easy driving distance of Orlando, St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Kennedy Space Center. Fine dining, music, art, museums, gardens, professional sporting events and so much more await you in these beautiful cities. Orlando’s world renowned theme parks are less than an hour’s drive.
Why build a new home rather than buying an existing home?
Primarily, because when you build a new home, you know exactly what you are getting. You can’t say the same for an existing home, and the older the home the more problems it could have. For instance, many Daytona Beach home buyers of existing homes find themselves faced with repair costs from day one. Some repairs are simple. Others, such as pluming and electrical failures, insect infestation or wood rot problems can require a large initial outlay of cash by the new owner.
When you build a new home, everything is brand new and often under warranty. There is no need to worry about the possibility of costly repairs. As an added bonus, materials such as windows and trim in new homes are higher quality and require less maintenance than materials used 20 years ago. Newly constructed, custom built homes can also include wonderful amenities like built-in top of the line appliances, built-in vanities and medicine cabinets, whirlpool tubs and more electrical outlets.
New homes are built with latest safety features
Today’s homes are built stronger and safer than ever before. Features such as improved electrical and wiring systems, better air filtration systems, better insulation, and built in smoke detectors protect against fire. New homes built with solid concrete not only offer superior fire protection, they also fortify your home against heavy winds and flooding. This level of protection is almost impossible to find in an existing home.
Newly constructed homes are not only safer for you and your family, they are less expensive to insure. Most insurers offer customers discounts of up to 20% on homeowners insurance for brand-new homes. Additional discounts are available if your new home has safety glass and upgraded hurricane protection features.
Reduce your heating and cooling costs with an energy efficient home
New homes are built to consume half the energy of homes built 25 years ago. The addition of better windows, heating and cooling equipment, air filtration systems and improved insulation contribute to increased energy efficiency. Using less energy to heat and cool your home reduces the strain on your wallet on the environment. Maintaining good air quality in your home with better filtration systems can improve your overall health by reducing airborne allergens and irritants.
Older homes are often heated by outdated furnaces and cooled with window unit air conditioners. Both options are expensive and in some cases, unsafe. In many existing homes, poor insulation combined with old frame buildings that often allow drafts can make your energy costs soar. Outdated electrical systems found in some older homes can contribute to higher energy costs, and older homes may have lead paint, asbestos or mold problems that endanger the health of the home’s occupants.
Build your Daytona Beach home to your specifications
Many new home builders offer buyers the freedom to build the house that suites their individual lifestyle and personality. Builders of high quality, custom homes, offer their buyers a choice of several spacious floor plans so they can build the house that best meets their customer’s needs.
For example, some builders specialize in light, air floor plans that utilize the best window and skylight placement combined with strategically placed sun spaces to bring as much light into the home as possible. This may be an in important feature to plant enthusiasts and those who appreciate a light, bright home.
Design options to express your personal style
Exterior packages usually include usually include a choice of exterior paints, stucco designs and landscaping options such as trees and shrubbery. Buyers of newly built, custom homes can expect to be given several interior package options. Choice of carpet colors, wall coverings, paint colors, lighting fixtures and tile color are some of the many options available. Options offered vary from builder to builder, but with a bit of research, you can find the right builder for your needs.
Existing homes can’t measure up
New homes of today have an average of 700 more square feet of living area, larger closets, bathrooms and kitchens, more windows, and more garage space than older existing homes. In fact, it is not uncommon to find older homes that have three or more cramped bedrooms and just one tiny bathroom!
Why settle when you can have your Daytona Beach home custom built to your specifications? Doesn’t it make sense to get exactly what you want rather than settling for less?
The benefits of building your new home in Daytona Beach are numerous. The Daytona Beach Area is known for its beautiful white sand beaches, excellent outdoor recreational opportunities like golfing, fishing and boating, an abundance of shopping and dining establishments and a wealth of exciting activities for the entire family. From fine dining to casual waterfront cuisine, flea markets to high-end boutiques, LPGA to NASCAR, Daytona Beach has something for everyone.
If you want to explore some of Florida’s other famous attractions, Daytona Beach is within easy driving distance of Orlando, St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Kennedy Space Center. Fine dining, music, art, museums, gardens, professional sporting events and so much more await you in these beautiful cities. Orlando’s world renowned theme parks are less than an hour’s drive.
Why build a new home rather than buying an existing home?
Primarily, because when you build a new home, you know exactly what you are getting. You can’t say the same for an existing home, and the older the home the more problems it could have. For instance, many Daytona Beach home buyers of existing homes find themselves faced with repair costs from day one. Some repairs are simple. Others, such as pluming and electrical failures, insect infestation or wood rot problems can require a large initial outlay of cash by the new owner.
When you build a new home, everything is brand new and often under warranty. There is no need to worry about the possibility of costly repairs. As an added bonus, materials such as windows and trim in new homes are higher quality and require less maintenance than materials used 20 years ago. Newly constructed, custom built homes can also include wonderful amenities like built-in top of the line appliances, built-in vanities and medicine cabinets, whirlpool tubs and more electrical outlets.
New homes are built with latest safety features
Today’s homes are built stronger and safer than ever before. Features such as improved electrical and wiring systems, better air filtration systems, better insulation, and built in smoke detectors protect against fire. New homes built with solid concrete not only offer superior fire protection, they also fortify your home against heavy winds and flooding. This level of protection is almost impossible to find in an existing home.
Newly constructed homes are not only safer for you and your family, they are less expensive to insure. Most insurers offer customers discounts of up to 20% on homeowners insurance for brand-new homes. Additional discounts are available if your new home has safety glass and upgraded hurricane protection features.
Reduce your heating and cooling costs with an energy efficient home
New homes are built to consume half the energy of homes built 25 years ago. The addition of better windows, heating and cooling equipment, air filtration systems and improved insulation contribute to increased energy efficiency. Using less energy to heat and cool your home reduces the strain on your wallet on the environment. Maintaining good air quality in your home with better filtration systems can improve your overall health by reducing airborne allergens and irritants.
Older homes are often heated by outdated furnaces and cooled with window unit air conditioners. Both options are expensive and in some cases, unsafe. In many existing homes, poor insulation combined with old frame buildings that often allow drafts can make your energy costs soar. Outdated electrical systems found in some older homes can contribute to higher energy costs, and older homes may have lead paint, asbestos or mold problems that endanger the health of the home’s occupants.
Build your Daytona Beach home to your specifications
Many new home builders offer buyers the freedom to build the house that suites their individual lifestyle and personality. Builders of high quality, custom homes, offer their buyers a choice of several spacious floor plans so they can build the house that best meets their customer’s needs.
For example, some builders specialize in light, air floor plans that utilize the best window and skylight placement combined with strategically placed sun spaces to bring as much light into the home as possible. This may be an in important feature to plant enthusiasts and those who appreciate a light, bright home.
Design options to express your personal style
Exterior packages usually include usually include a choice of exterior paints, stucco designs and landscaping options such as trees and shrubbery. Buyers of newly built, custom homes can expect to be given several interior package options. Choice of carpet colors, wall coverings, paint colors, lighting fixtures and tile color are some of the many options available. Options offered vary from builder to builder, but with a bit of research, you can find the right builder for your needs.
Existing homes can’t measure up
New homes of today have an average of 700 more square feet of living area, larger closets, bathrooms and kitchens, more windows, and more garage space than older existing homes. In fact, it is not uncommon to find older homes that have three or more cramped bedrooms and just one tiny bathroom!
Why settle when you can have your Daytona Beach home custom built to your specifications? Doesn’t it make sense to get exactly what you want rather than settling for less?