With summer sales kicking off, many buyers are scouring the internet daily, even hourly, to see what houses become available to purchase.
But did you know that there are homes available to purchase that you won’t find on the internet? That’s because they haven’t been built yet! Yes, I am talking about purchasing new construction.
Here are five benefits of purchasing new construction:
- Avoid bidding wars
When you are ready to put a home or lot under contract with a builder, the second you hand them your earnest money, it’s yours. It is first come, first serve. They typically do not allow for multiple offers. The price is the price and if you’re willing to pay it, it’s yours!
- New = low cost on maintenance
Since every part of the house is brand new, the builder works diligently to make sure that everything is working the way that it should be. That means that you won’t be stuck with a large repair bill shortly after moving in because the 20-year-old AC system decides to go out the week after you purchase. BUT if something does go wrong…
- New construction comes with builder warranties
Ok, so even things that are brand new can break from time to time. But builders provide warranties! Although each builder will offer slightly different coverage, most builders will warranty cosmetic items for the first year and the major structural items and systems for 10-20 years. So, in theory, unless you want to make your own changes not covered by warranties, your maintenance costs should be very, very low.
- Customize your dream home
Since you are starting from the ground up, there are a lot of items you can make your own. Each builder is going to have different options available, but most builders will let you do everything from choosing your paint colors and flooring to adding additional lighting or a pot filler in the kitchen to extending the back patio or adding additional space for a 3 car garage. If what you want is not on the MLS, you should consider building it.
- Newer neighborhood infrastructure
Most new construction homes are located in newer neighborhoods with newer infrastructure. No cracking sidewalks, no concerns about broken storm drains or sewer lines with tree roots. The community pools and playgrounds are safe and clean. The yards are graded with water flowing to the streets instead of sitting in your backyard every time it rains. This is an easily overlooked benefit of newer homes because we don’t usually think about the local infrastructure when buying. But it’s important!
In summary
All of these reasons sound great, so why doesn’t everyone build brand new? Well, one of the biggest reasons is that it takes time. The average build from contract to close usually takes about 7-9 months. It takes intentional planning. And a lot of buyers need to move faster than that when they make the decision to move.
But even if building from the ground up doesn’t work on your timeline, a lot of builders have homes (called spec homes) that are ready to purchase or will be ready in the next few months. You typically won’t get the opportunity to customize a spec home, but you can move in quickly and still reap the other benefits of it being brand new!
If purchasing new construction interests you, there are a lot of opportunities to do so in our area. Contact Edgewater Realty today so we can walk you through your options!
Below is a list of New Construction neighborhoods in Galveston County and Clear Lake!
