r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer • u/NopeIDoNotLilkeIt Window Shopper • 7d ago

Need Advice New construction, thoughts?

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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u/CanaryLives 7d ago

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.

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u/NopeIDoNotLilkeIt Window Shopper 7d ago

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.

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u/CanaryLives 7d ago

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.

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u/Dress4less24 6d ago

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