Home buyers often look for a place to better suit their family’s changing needs and modern lifestyle in the spring, and it doesn’t get any better than a newly-constructed home. During New Homes Month in April, the home building industry is sharing just some of the advantages of newly-constructed homes.
“Newly-constructed homes today can’t be beat for convenience, safety, energy-efficiency and comfort,” said Aaron Kalizewski, President of the North Coast BIA. “They provide outstanding value and investment in your family’s future.”
Analysis by the National Association of Home Builders, using data from the Census Bureau’s 2011 American Housing Survey, shows that maintenance and operating costs are lower for new homes. Even though new homes tend to be larger, energy costs are about 10 percent lower in new homes compared to existing homes one very important feature of brand new homes is peace of mind for a family’s safety. A new home was constructed with the proper permits, has passed recent and thorough inspections and conforms to current building codes. There’s no worry that renovations or repairs were done by an unskilled do-it-yourselfer, wiring is old or connected incorrectly, or outdated techniques or materials were used.
New home owners won’t be surprised with repair bills for issues such as structural defects, hidden water damage, faulty appliances or more that may not have been discovered during the home inspection of an existing home. A new home is under warranty and any issues that arise or appliances that fail during the warranty term will be fixed at no cost to the home owner. Maintenance cost on average were 56 percent lower in new homes $547/year versus $241/year for homes built after 2008.
Today’s appliances, entertainment resources and home automation systems require state-of-the-art technology capabilities. New homes are outfitted with the electronic and wiring components that can accommodate high-definition televisions, full-house sound systems, hard-wired fire and security alarms and more.
New homes are always move-in ready. Home buyers can work with the builder before construction beings to select the appliances, cabinets, countertops, floor coverings, paint colors, custom features and other design elements that meet their family’s needs and tastes. There’s no need to spend time painting, tearing out unwanted features or having daily life disrupted while a contractor makes changes.
Existing homes often don’t have features that cater to modern lifestyles, such as open space floor plans, walk-in closets and pantries, creative storage solutions and conveniently-located laundry facilities – but newly-built homes do.
Finally, new homes are highly energy-efficient, which can save the home owner significant money over time and also helps the environment. New windows, doors and insulation better control the home’s interior climate, and ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and other modern components such as tankless water heater and new HVAC systems help save costs on utility bills.
New homes not only benefit the home owner, they benefit the community.
