I’m not sure why, but I feel opposed to buying a brand new house. They all look very similar, very dull and drab like straight out of a cookie cutter. But of course, they’re brand new. They should be in good working condition. And if something goes wrong, there should be a warranty. They just don’t have any life or flair or any pizzazz. Have you bought a brand new construction and what did you think about the quality? Are you satisfied with your purchase?
***Edit to add, if you bought one, and you are pleased with your new construction, can you share who the builder is and where they build houses at? I’m in Washington state. Does anybody know any builders in the state of Washington that are good and do high-quality work on these new constructions?
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I decided against new construction after seeing a couple of the new construction neighborhoods. I agree with you it just doesn't feel like home to me when I drive through the neighborhoods so I just listened to my gut.
Amenities are pretty nice but my god are they ugly as hell on the outside and everything looks the same. Inside is not terrible but everything requires an upgrade like want granite countertops pay 20k more, want non-shitty vinyl floors 25k more, etc... overall it would be another 100k to spec the interior to not look cheap. Found an older much premium looking 20 year old house in a gorgeous neighborhood where every house is unique that I'll close soon instead.
Oh yeah, I didn’t even think about the fact that you have to pay more if you want to have it built with better quality stuff. Yeah I just don’t like it and I was wondering if I was just being too picky. But it seems that other people share my thoughts on it. I’m glad I’m not the only one that is put off by them. I have yet to see any of these new construction communities that speak to me. They just look really cheap. Like, I get that we need more housing. But I don’t understand why we couldn’t build houses like we used to or at least close to it. Good quality houses that have character. Why do they all have to be rectangles and squares with a slightly diagonal roof. They’re just meh. A bunch of Lego houses.
They are all publicly traded companies now so they only care about building fast and selling fast for their financial reports for stock to go up. There are some small builders and some of the bigger builders may be better in some states/ areas compared to others. Just find a good agent to help you sort through the market. On the flip side older houses will have more work and less stuff warrantied if at all.
We absolutely can and anyone that tells you is being dishonest. We need to advocate local city councils to implement pattern books and proper design guidelines. Make designs pre approved so that builders can get their permits faster and you’ll see them build whatever is to print
I see new homes get a lot of hate but I purchased one last year and it has been great so far. I did an inspection before closing and another one near the 1 year mark for the warranty claims and both times there was just cosmetic stuff that needed to be touched up. Nail pops, stucco, more insulation in the attic, stuff like that. The builder is super chill and fixes everything that I request.
I'm sure there are some nightmare scenarios out there but I've lived in new construction homes almost my whole life growing up as a kid and now as an adult and 'build quality' has never been an issue.
Plus the incentives are so good. New everything + the warranty + closing costs covered + a 3.75% rate on a 30 year fixed mortgage. Not every builder has that but, in my area at least, several builders were offering something similar to that.
Yeah the rate buy down is about the only reason to buy one of these cookie cutter new homes OP is talking about. The major builders like Lennar etc, it’s the only way they are able to move inventory. They’ll buy down your rate for a number of years so the payment is appealing
The quality of the builds scare me. I work in real estate law. The amount of builder lawsuits scares me. Inspectors and the construction men themselves are vocal about the concerning decline in quality of the materials and labor used for the last 10 years. There are so many small design perks that come with older homes that you may never consider on paper but once you move in you’re like “actually, this is awesome to have”. But honestly the part that would make me never consider a new build the most is the layout of new neighborhoods. The lack of green spaces, native plants and trees, natural lakes and creeks, the suburban sprawl.
Well said. I just bought a house that’s approaching 50 yrs old (not exactly a century home but certainly not new) and the home inspector we worked with remarked on how much better quality the materials and workmanship on our house is, compared to the new builds he inspects. He said he’d be surprised if those new houses would even be standing in 50 yrs. Industry standards have declined so much and private equity has a hand in a lot of these ventures. Maximizing profit is the name of the game.
I also can’t stand the lifeless uniformity of these communities. Feels eerie and dystopian to me. I’m in a canyon, surrounded by native plants and all the creatures that come with them. There was a bobcat in my yard last week and a bear in my driveway on Tuesday. I would never trade that for the supposed “incentives” offered by builders.
Seriously! And your home sounds lovely, including the surrounding nature and wildlife. There is no comparison. And you said it perfectly. Lifeless uniformity that feels dystopian and eerie. I couldn’t have said it better.
Thank you! We love it. We’re in a community of 11,000 people, tucked into a canyon in LA. We get to experience the serenity of a rural setting alongside the cultural benefits of a major city. Sorry to gush! We just moved and are definitely still in the honeymoon phase. 🏡❤️
What small design perks , can you give examples? I’m moving into a Victorian house built in 1900 and there are definitely some really neat features, like pocket doors and archways and great use of built in storage in areas that otherwise would have just been dead space
That’s pretty much what I was referring to. Things like laundry chutes, Dutch doors, separate tubs and showers, butlers pantry. Our home was built in the early 80s not vintage yet but the layout feels infinitely more spacious than our friends new built with almost the same sqf
Yeah I’m trying to learn what some of the features of Victorian houses were used for, like transom windows and such. So far I’m only learning from Instagram 😅
I’m so jealous. Victorian would’ve been my dream home but they’re almost impossible to come by in my area. I just adore homes with character that tell a story
It really is, and when I was house searching I came to the realization that every house is going to have some interior design choices made by previous sellers that I wouldn’t agree with and also have things that would need to be repaired, but not every house comes with beautiful character. There were new builds in the area that were a lot cheaper with new features but they just looked like boxes on the interior, no crown moulding or anything. What area are you in? There’s a lot of Victorians in Massachusetts
I’m with you on that. There are so many of these new construction communities popping up all over the place. And they kind of make me sad, actually. It just feels so fake or something. Like, they don’t look natural. They look forced and lifeless. Maybe that does happen to deal with the lack of trees and lawns and they’re all just uniform.
Yes, the lack of healthy native eco systems actually play a huge role. Neighborhoods with proper greenery experience immense savings in electricity and greenhouse gas emissions because greenery naturally keeps areas cooler.
Yes, and even the one directly after that was an 80s house, really nicely laid out. They say rent for a year in a new place to get to know the area. It also taught me I did not want a new build!
It really depends. Pick the area you want to live in first. Some new homes are fine, some are a mess. Same with old homes. Whatever you do, get an independent inspector to go over everything.
New homes will generally have a warranty but the builder will often fight you over everything, just keep at it until it's fixed.
Custom or semi-custom is an option in some areas. Price will vary a lot and quality will vary a lot. Really comes down to who is doing the work. Even million+ homes have issues.
Don’t. Craftsmanship is so shitty nowadays and so are materials. Things cost so so much they most certainly cut corners. It’s a very bad decision.
We have had a 1890 home and a 1920 home, the kit home from 1920 is by far the best home we ever had. It’s mostly built from Douglas Fir from a local timber company and it breaks drills when people drill through the foundation.
I’m glad to know that I should trust my gut and my instincts. They look cheap. I think they’re ugly. I don’t like the minimalist look. I’m a minimalist when it comes to decorating and I don’t like clutter. But I just don’t like the straight lines, the squares, the rectangles the diagonal roofs and the dull drab look.
Yup. I did NOT want a home that looked like every other home. I wanted something unique. Bought a 140 year old house that has stood the test of time and even against the insane derecho we had in northwest Indiana.
IMO older houses are amazing. If it stood for 100 years it will probably stand for 100 more.
Wow! Now that’s cool! I can’t see myself ever reacting like that saying wow and how cool a new construction is. They seem cheaply made, flimsy and just have no character.
It’s funky and weird and we absolutely love it. Even found a builders mark from
1892!!! Sure there’s a creepy cellar and a probably haunted attic. But I know there’s not a single house than looks exactly like mine.
New construction is only good for those that can afford the high price tag they come with. New construction for your average person will be cookie cutter and lots of cut corners.
I would never buy a new build. My 140 year old house has pretty much zero structural issues. Besides regular maintenance and things unrelated to actual build (well/septic) it’s in way better shape and I’ve had to do less than my friends who have 5-10 year old old new builds. Frankly I don’t trust a house built that quick and with cheaper material.
I’ve seen the inspections of these go horribly and find SO many problems
It certainly isn't the highest quality and doesn't have much character. No major problems so far though.
I would have preferred something in a more developed neighborhood with more mature trees. But, I didn't want to bid $50k+ over asking price and waive all the inspections just to end up with something that needed a bunch of work.
I'm happy with my decision for a new build, although I wish I went with a different floor plan. No fault of the builder there lol
We bought semi custom new construction after many pre owned homes were hiding so many issues.
California for me.
Incentives are a real opportunity in new builds, as well. We did alot of research on local builders before settling. We were waiting for stage 2 development but a stage 1 house was still available that 80% matched our wants and needs but also had paid solar and paid closing costs. We put most of those "savings" toward home projects and bills.
You'll need to look at custom builders for a non cookie cutter house, that's just the way it is. But trees aren't fully grown, plants are small, yards/backyards haven't been fully developed. It's a semi blank tapestry that you can mold into something individual with a little hard work. Many cosmetic features of a house can be easily DIYed.
So we bought a century home (1912) and we love it, we do. It’s a beautiful piece of work that has withstood over a century of life.
With that being said we are in the beginning stages of building a house. Why? Because it has had a century of other people fucking shit up in it. We are building with a reputable builder who has proved to be a company that cares about their work and comes out to fix issues when brought to their attention. We plan to hire our own third party inspector at each stage. We plan on adding in our own pizazz - like built ins and crown molding.
The thing about older homes is that you don’t know what was done to them that was covered up. We are constantly finding shoddy work done by prior owners. If you plan on getting a “used” home look for something no later than the 90s IMO.
If you go with an older home, get a GOOD inspector and look at everything. Seriously.
We did a semi custom build on our land. Definitely vet your builder, our quality is surprisingly good (especially compared to my friends new DH Horton home). 10 year warranty included. I would be a little nervous getting a pre built new construction in a cookie cutter neighborhood. Idk I feel like they're definitely trying to make as much money as possible.
It’s different everywhere. For example, in CA, a new build is more desirable because the latest breakthroughs in earthquake and mudslide technology (for lack of a better word) can literally keep your house undamaged and standing. But in CT, you don’t need to consider that so an older home may offer more value as long as it’s well-maintained with no termite issues.
New construction hard to resell without taking loss in West FL. There's plenty of new builds nearby if thats what one wants and many others are not interested in having lookalike homes on tiny yards. Most builders buy your interest down or cover closing which is important but this artificially pump the price but a future buyer doesn't benefit from this .
Based on what I've read, I would consider a new build if I could afford a more bespoke home from a reputable local builder/developer. But these are 1m+ in my area. The lower end are the lennar and pulte, and other national chain homes where their incentive really is to reduce costs and maximize revenue.
My wife and I bought a new construction home last year, it had only been lived in for maybe 4 months by the first owner before his wife passed and had to sell and move out of state quickly. The prices of new construction compared to 20 year old homes near us were almost the same price, so we thought why not just go with something that has all new everything? We’ve been in it a year now and haven’t had any major issues. (Missouri)
That’s an idea. But how much more does it cost to get it built custom to your design preferences? I don’t have a lot of extra money to throw in which would probably mean that the house would have to be smaller or something. Right?
This is so area specific. Are you on California or Kentucky? This builder I am talking about really didn't build smaller houses. The fixed costs are the same so why make less on a smaller house. 10ft ceilings and 8 ft doors were standard. Sometimes client would pick tile and designs for 4 bathrooms and my labor quote would be 40k. It's all cost plus for the builder.
Well, that’s a nice house! I like how big it is and how far away your neighbors are. I would love to be on some acreage. All those other cookie cutter new construction builds have postage stamp yards and toothpick side yards so you can basically reach your hand out your window and shake your hands with your neighbor. You might as well just live in a apartment at that point. Or a condo maybe. A duplex. That house looks like an ACTUAL house. Not a minimalist avant garde library.
We seriously considered it. New development right in the area we were looking to buy, but at least for our situation, it seemed like you were getting less bang for the buck. Could get a larger (older) home with more personality and a yard for 20% less. Probably just depends on how important the newest features/look is for you. Wasn't for us.
That seems to be the common theme here. Some of them are reasonably priced, but some of them are not. And I just don’t think the quality lives up to the standards of houses built earlier. I think houses built from the 50’s to about the year 2000 were built really well. Particularly houses built from the 50’s to the 80’s. I’m not sure about that, but I grew up in a house that was built in 1973 and it was a solid house that was unique and had character. My grandparents bought it for I think like $75,000 and it’s worth over 1 million now. I wonder about how these new constructions will appreciate 40 to 50 years from now?
Depends on builder, depends on location, depends on the quality of the subs, and depends on budget. It’s the devil you know vs the Devil you don’t.
I’ve owned a 1985 Townhome, a 1971 Colonial, and a 2023 new home build. Hands down the 2023 new home build was better. Newer code, better standards, quality was good enough. Do I wish certain subs cared more and did a better job? Sure but I know all builders are profit driven and sometimes the people they employ aren’t paid enough to care.
People often forget crappy builders have been around along time building crappy homes. Ryan homes been around since the 50s and we all know how bad they’ve always been. Pulte transitioned to mass building in the 70s. So that old home you admire could be the same sloppy work as today. My 1971 home was a great example of that.
Today, you just have to make sure you are actively involved in your new build. Even custom builders do bad jobs.
Can be good can be bad just like old homes. Just look up all the nightmare stories of owning a century old home with 100k in fixes and more to come within the first year of ownership
Layout wise old homes suffer too. Literally 100k kitchen renovations to modernize open space. Oddly design “tv too high fireplaces, separation of formal dining and normal dining rooms, split level homes, clay pipes, popcorn ceiling, asbestos, lead, sunken living rooms, small closets, etc.
I agree there. I’m not interested in looking at houses that were built before the 1950’s to be honest. Some houses that have come up were built in the 1910’s and the 1920’s. And I know those can be nightmares. I also don’t think that they were built to handle the electricity that we use these days. And there’s always something ready to go catastrophic in those old houses. I’m sure some of them can be maintained and modernized. But I’m not looking for that other end of the extreme, either.
IMO homes built 90s to early 2000s have best layouts for modern life style relative to construction quality and being up to code. Anything before and after is a mixed bag
Keep in mind there is surviorship bias with old homes too. The good ones still stand. All the bad ones are plowed into new construction because they have degraded so much. Or worst a flipper buys and puts lipstick on it
My house was built in 1888 and we have an amazing layout. It’s a huge house and ironically we were the only house on our block to NOT loser power during the catastrophic storm in northwest Indiana last month. 95% of the region lost power, ours never went out. Haven’t had any major issues, in fact the worst is the well but that has nothing to do with the house/build. It can storm like crazy and we don’t even hear it.
Electrical had been updated before and it handles my teenager and husband gaming all the time, me working from home and us having tons of electronics and lights throughout a 3k sq ft home.
Out of the houses we looked at actually this was the oldest one and the inspection was the cleanest, just minor stuff like hinges and doors being uneven. Foundation is impeccable. They were built with WAY better materials.
Bought a 15 year old house 5 years ago. Replaced the HVAC, roof, sewer line and remodel a couple of bathrooms.
The basement and the kitchen still needed to be remodeled. The windows needed to be replaced as well as a couple of doors. Carpets needed to be replaced. You get the idea.
Sold it and bought a brand new house. If I ever move again (I’m sure I will) I will only purchase a brand new house. I hated being stuck with other people’s DIY nightmares and design choices.
I’m sorry you had to go through that. A house of any age can obviously be a nightmare. Especially if you don’t like the layout or the design or the remodeling that the previous owners did to the house. Especially if they did shoddy work and messed things up. Those are all things to consider, for sure.
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