We all love “shiny and new” — and newly-built single-family homes are downright irresistible.  And when the existing home inventory is limited, and consumers have confidence in the market, a significant number of homeowners will consider a newly-built residence.

However, it’s not a slam-dunk decision. There are benefits and disadvantages to purchasing a new build. These are some of the factors to consider.

New build pros

 

 

A new build isn’t someone’s leftover home

The only thing better than a new car smell is the new house smell. The first home I ever purchased was a new build and, as a germaphobe, I loved the idea that no one else had ever hung clothes in my closets, cooked in my kitchen, parked in my garage or sat in my garden tub. Admittedly, I have no idea what the contractors and workers did before I moved in. As a true germophobe, I still scrubbed every single surface. But I didn’t have to scrub as hard since there weren’t any previous owners.

 

 

 

A new build is up to code and up-to-date

“People like to say that we ‘don’t build them like we used to.’ This is a good thing,” Nathan Outlaw, President of Onvico in Thomasville, GA, says. “Code and energy requirements have come a long way and buying a well-built new home will be much less stressful than remodeling an older home.”

That’s because homebuyers can avoid those unexpected expenses that occur when workers find issues like asbestos or old plumbing that needs to be replaced. Homeowners can also incorporate the latest trends in kitchen and bathroom technology to maximize the home’s potential.