Here you are, weekend after weekend searching Zillow and other real estate sites searching for the new home of your dreams. You eventually come to the realization that the only homes meeting your expectations are too big or too expensive. Definitely a dilemma in today’s Charlotte housing market, especially if you are an empty nester and wanting to live close to the inner city.
You can buy a brand-new home in one of three ways: buy a spec home; select a semi-custom home that is part of a new development; or hire a general contractor to design and build a purely custom home to your specifications.
All three options provide multiple benefits; nothing beats the feeling of being the first to live in a shiny, new, untouched home. When buying a new home, you will not have to deal with emotional ties from a previous owner that can sometimes get in the way of negotiations. New homes are also more efficient, require fewer repairs, less maintenance and are less likely to have been built with toxic materials.
Spec homes and semi-custom homes offer benefits such as convenience and potential cost savings. Once you find a new home in your price range, you can make an offer, close, and move in, usually within a month or two. Builders of spec or semi-custom homes are typically anxious to sell. The house may have been sitting on the market and the builder may want to close the deal so they can move on, this might open up an opportunity to negotiate in free upgrades or additional discounts.
There are some definite cons when buying a spec home or semi-custom home that will not be present when building a custom home. Before you get all caught up in the shiny hardwood floors and sparkling new paint of an existing home, you need to consider your lifestyle and preferences over the long run.
New spec homes are typically built far from the city so you must decide if the commute will start to wear on your quality of life. Existing new builds are many times cookie-cutter and built right on top of each other, will this be something you can live with? The biggest disadvantage may be that you just don’t get exactly what you want and have to settle.
One of the advantages of building from the ground up is you get to choose your builder. Who you select as your general contractor will be very important as that will dictate your satisfaction with the entire process. When you build from the ground up, you get to select the location and size of the lot and if you are lucky, in your desired area. Your floorplan, finishes and cost can all be easily controlled when you build from the ground up as long as you have a solid contract with a reputable builder.
The obvious advantage of building a new home is you get exactly what you want. You will feel a definite emotional connection to a home that you created from scratch. Contact us today so we can help design your creation matching your personality and style.