As long as people have been buying homes, there’s been the debate about whether to buy an existing home or build a new one. Both options have benefits, but we think that new homes are better, and here are our top ten reasons:

1. All the Choices Are Up to You

When you build your own home, you get to choose everything, from the floor plan to the cabinets, to the upgrades you want. You will have a say in all of the elements of your new home, and that’s a great feeling!

2. No Inherited Problems

Every single pre-owned home out there is likely to have at least one inherited problem. Whether it’s something relatively simple to change like damaged flooring, or significant and costly issues like structural problems or termites.  When you buy an older home, make sure you have a little more wiggle room in the budget to fix a leaky roof or waterproof your basement.

3. New Homes Come with Warranties

When you buy a new home, you get a warranty on the home itself, as well as on many of the materials and products used in the home. That often means that you will get a few years of maintenance free living, which you won’t get with an older home.

4. New Homes Are More Efficient

There have been significant improvements in insulations, building materials, HVAC and electrical, as well as water saving advances in modern plumbing.  New appliances are more efficient, and everything, in general, will work better, and use less energy and water.

5. No Air Quality Concerns

Aside from better HVAC equipment, there’s no worries about hidden asbestos in your brand new home, or concerns about mold in a forgotten corner. Which means that when you move into a new home, you can literally breathe easy.

6. Better Technology

Nearly every building material and method has improved significantly in the last decade. Windows perform better.  Doors are more resistant to the elements.  Spray foams are better insulators and provide strength and underfloor heating has improved in leaps and bounds. When you choose to buy a new home, you are getting the latest, most technologically advanced materials, and that means a better, more comfortable home.

7. Better Amenities

Many new homes today are built in planned communities, which incorporate better amenities for the families that live there. From parks and playgrounds to community centers, schools and child care facilities, you’re likely to get a better thought-out community when you buy new.

8. Safety Features

Older homes were built to older codes and standards. Some of those may not be as safe as the codes and standards today. From the angle of your stairs, to the type of wiring to the structure of your home, new homes are, in general, safer than older ones.

9. The Feeling of a New Home

Finally, there’s that intangible something that comes from knowing that you’re the first person to eat breakfast in your kitchen, or bathe in your tub. There’s something special that only a new home can give you, and if it’s important to you, then a pre-owned home will never suffice.