1. Minimal Repairs or Updates to Your Home
When buying a new home (spoiler alert), everything is new. This means new plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. While your home will still require regular maintenance, you won't be spending your time right after you move in making updates and repairs as you might with an existing home. When you build a new home, you select the floor plan and personalize the design features, so there may not be a need to spend any time remodeling. From the floorboards to the fixtures, everything will be what you selected for your home, giving you peace of mind in the quality of your new home.
2. Home Personalization Options
One of the most exciting parts of buying a new home is the opportunity for personalization! Now's the time when you can choose options such as floor plans, home features, and designer selections that fit your style. Unlike a resale home, buying new allows you to be a part of the new home building process, giving you the opportunity to watch your dream come to life. When it's finally time to move in, you already feel at home.
3. Modern Design
Existing homes, depending on the age, can often feel closed-off and cramped. While the possibility of remodeling can help open things up, it's not always as simple as tearing down a few walls. On the other hand, the floor plan design of your new home represents the latest concepts and design trends such as open space, large kitchens, and of course, extra closet space. Because your new home will be personalized with design features chosen by you, the new home will fit how you live.
4. Updated Building Processes and Materials
The materials used in new home construction are likely more advanced and energy efficient when compared to those materials used in most older homes. Newer construction materials may help with insulation, which helps keep your home nice and cool for the summer and reduces heat loss during the winter. Aside from the benefits you’ll receive in the form of comfort, this may offer a cost-savings benefit to your monthly energy bill, too. Newly built homes may also feature the latest safety features, adding yet another layer of comfort to your daily life.
5. Wired for Technology
New homes are often wired to handle today's latest technology such as state-of the-art Wi-Fi and smart home products. With a resale home, you'll likely have to retrofit the home to accommodate these technology features, which may get very expensive. A new home may offer technology integrations, like SheaConnect™, that can simplify your routine and make life in your new home more convenient.
6. Energy Efficiencies that Come from New Homes
Your new home's appliances may also be more energy efficient than those in an older home, with features such as touchless faucets, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and Energy Star-certified appliances. Although these may have a higher-up front cost than the appliances you’d find in an existing home, energy efficient appliances may help make sure that you don’t break the bank when the electric bill comes in.
7. New Home Warranties for Your Protection
When you buy a new home, you often get a new home warranty to cover repairs that may come up within your first year of ownership. A new home warranty helps you worry less, and live more.
Shea offers a proactive 1-5-11 warranty program to make sure everything is working well in your new home. The Warranty Team schedules three appointments – after 1 month, after 5 months, and after 11 months – from the home's closing date to make sure everything measures up to expectations. If, by chance, something is not performing properly, Shea Homes can help make sure it does!
8. Financing Incentives that Come with New Homes
New home builders may offer financing incentives that can help offset some of the up-front costs of buying new. While these may vary depending on market conditions, it is something to consider when buying a new home. Learn more about what to consider for first-time homebuyers.
9. Potential Community Amenities for Your Benefit
Some new construction homes may be in communities with amazing resort-style amenities. For example, a new build community can offer many amenities, such as pools, parks, trails, restaurants, and athletic clubs. Additionally, new home builders can sometimes build their homes within master-planned communities. These master-planned communities can sometimes even include their own golf courses, schools, and shopping centers. If you happen to purchase a new construction home that contains these amenities, know that they may have the potential to assist with your home’s resale value in the future.
How to Find the "Right" New Home for You
Embarking on the road to homeownership can be an exciting experience, but it can also be overwhelming. Buying a new home is one of the largest decisions you can make, so it’s important to find a builder that helps you feel comfortable and confident with your decision.
With Shea, you're never alone in the journey. With our Find Your Home search, you can look for your perfect home by location, type, features, etc., and in our Resource Guide, you'll find more homebuying tools, such as:
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The Homebuying Experience - expert guides and checklists designed to help the first-time buyer through the new home experience.
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Securing a Mortgage - important information for understanding mortgages and how to find the right home loan for you.
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Homebuying Glossary - a handy list of all the terms you need to know to navigate the homebuying process with confidence.
Contact us if you'd like to chat with a New Home Advisor or sign up below to get more new home content sent straight to your inbox. Already know what you're looking for? Start your search today for the home of your dreams.
*Incentives vary and may be in the form of price reductions or credits toward the purchase of upgrades and are subject to change without notice. In addition, a credit towards closing costs may be available but only for those financing their purchase with Shea Mortgage. Buyers are not required to use Shea Mortgage as their lender. Buyers may select any lending institution of their choosing for the purpose of securing mortgage financing, are not limited to Shea Mortgage, and are free to decline any closing costs credits tied to the use of Shea Mortgage.