Why Buying a Brand New Home is the Best Option

The most obvious reason to buy a newly constructed home is that everything is new, something we Americans love. But that barely scratches the surface of the multitude of reasons why buying a newly constructed home is best.

No Wear and Tear

Besides the fact that new things look great, there's also the fact that because they're new, there's no wear and tear to worry about. When you buy a home that someone else has occupied, no matter how well they've maintained it, there will inevitably be things worn out from use and will need repair at the least and at worst, replacement. That adds to the already hefty cash outlay for things like moving costs, window treatments, and the list of new things you'll need when you move in.

Building Codes

New homes will, of necessity, comply with all state and local building codes. A used home may have complied with the codes that existed when it was built, but is likely in violation of newer building codes. The same is even more likely true when it comes to environmental codes, since these have gotten stricter in recent years. Another plus -- the electrical system in a new home is likely to be high-tech ready to handle all of today's electrical components and gadgets.

Home Systems and Components

Newly constructed homes will have all the latest technological advances in heating and cooling, low-flow bathroom fixtures, energy-efficient appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers and clothes dryers, etc. That means a newly built home will save you real money on energy bills and be eco-friendly in terms of water conservation too, just by virtue of the latest most up-to-date appliances and systems.

Even More Energy-Saving Advantages

According to Kevin Morrow, senior program manager for The NationalAssociation of Home Builders' green building programs, newly constructed homes use energy more efficiently in two ways:

1. They tend to have a tighter-sealed building envelope that helps prevent conditioned air (warm air in winter, cool air in summer) from escaping. The more efficient envelope is the result of higher efficiency insulation, doors and windows. Many of today's windows are not just double-paned, but triple and even quadruple-paned windows that are designed to really minimize the transfer of heat from warm to cold or vice-versa.
2. Green energy-saving heating and cooling systems are far more efficient than their predecessors. And although owners of preexisting homes can retrofit their systems, the cost to do so is pretty significant, and still won't result in the same energy savings that a newly constructed house will bring, given that the house itself won't be as efficiently insulated as a new one is.

Lower Maintenance is Built-In

Today's new homes are engineered specifically with the aim of reducing maintenance requirements. For example, exterior trim is often built with composite products instead of wood, which can rot or need repainting. Today's building engineers try to look ahead and design homes that won't saddle an owner with lots of maintenance chores (and bills) down the road.

Warranties

In addition to using lower-maintenance materials, builders often offer warranties that stipulate that they'll take care of any repair work should it become necessary for at least the first year. In addition to that, most of the systems and appliances in a newly constructed home are covered under warranty for multiple years, leaving the homeowners free to just enjoy living in their new home. When you buy a resale home, even a home inspector may not pick up on hidden problems that only become evident in a couple of years, resulting in an unexpected expense for the buyer.

Fire Safety

Newly constructed homes often contain fire safety features that are not likely to be present in homes built years ago. Fire-retardant carpeting and insulation as well as hard-wired smoke alarms are a few of the fire safety features that help ensure safety in a new home. Older home usually have nothing more than battery-operated smoke alarms, which can fail to operate if their batteries run out. A hard-wired smoke alarm runs off of the home's electricity, and if the electricity fails, they have batteries as a back up, offering double the protection.

Better Financing

New home buyers are often able to take advantage of home mortgage perks made available through larger builders, who usually have their own mortgage companies, or they'll offer to pay down points on the loan or pay closing costs. A private seller of a resale home is not likely able or willing to offer that kind of help. Even without help from their builder, a buyer of a newly built home is an attractive prospect to banks versus a buyer of a resale home that needs an appraisal and is generally riskier for the bank to invest in.

Location, Location, Location

New homes are often part of developments with new roads, new utility systems, larger lot sizes, etc., that make them particularly attractive in terms of location. And developers often plan a development's location based on its proximity to good schools, nearby shopping, quick access to highways, etc., all adding up to good neighborhoods for home buyers.


If you're one of the millions of Americans that have decided to buy a newly constructed home, you've made a wise decision. If you're living in the Mid-South and are considering investing in a new home for your family, we invite you to visit a BRANNONBUILT new home just south of Memphis, TN in Southaven, Mississippi today!


Resources: http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2011/07/20/9-reasons-to-buy-a-newly-built-home  and  http://homebuildingsmart.com/advantages-of-buying-new-construction/