To Build New or Buy an Existing Home?
Categories: Blog, Dutchess County, Energy Efficient High Performance Home, Home Buying, Orange County, Rieger Homes, Uncategorized | Posted: February 21, 2024
One of the most frequently asked questions when looking for a new place to live is whether to consider new construction or existing homes. The answer is to consider both, but to be realistic about the pros and cons, as well as your needs and expectations.
Pros of New Construction:
- Your choice of location.
- Your choice of home style and the ability to customize the layout.
- Newer, energy efficient products such as highly efficient air conditioning and heating equipment, windows, doors, and insulation
- Energy efficient framing techniques.
- Newer technology such as wiring for WIFI and other communication equipment, LED lighting, and water saving plumbing fixtures.
- Choice of finishes and colors to your taste. No need for months, if not years of honey-do projects to replace that old shag carpet, remove wallpaper, retile or update the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Warranties – In addition to the manufacturers’ warranties on the components that make up your home such as windows, doors, roofing, siding and appliances, Rieger Homes offers a 1 year warranty on all workmanship and materials, a 2 year warranty on the significant parts of the heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems and a 6 year structural warranty.
- Fully inspected home at various stages of construction by the building inspector and electrical inspectors.
- Lower Maintenance Costs – a new home has much lower maintenance costs.
- Lower utility costs – typically a new home has much lower utility costs.
Cons of New Construction
- Longer time until move-in (unless you purchase one of Rieger Homes’ already standing new homes)
Pros of buying an existing home
- Quicker closing time
- There may not be new construction available in the specific area you wish to be in.
Cons of buying an existing home
- Repairs – as homes age, they need repairs. A new roof, windows or heating and cooling system could add thousands to the price of your home.
- Concessions – You may not find a house that contains every need or want on your list or may need to accept things you don’t like in order to get what you want. You may also settle on an outdated floor plan that will require renovation.
- Updates – You will probably not wish to live with the design choices of the previous owner. Whether it be the carpet, out of date tile, kitchen cabinets or popcorn ceilings, be prepared to set aside some money to make the space more to your liking.
- Environmental Concerns – depending on how old of a home you might buy, you may end up dealing with harmful chemicals like lead paint or asbestos tile.
- Hidden Problems – You do not know what might be lurking behind the walls of an existing home.
There are pros and cons to each choice. As a home builder of over 60 years, our choice would be to build new, to plan and design a space just for you. If you are looking for a new home and would like to learn more about new construction, we would like you to consider us to be your Builder. Rieger Homes is your Orange and Dutchess County new home builder of choice. We have been a leading home builder in the Mid-Hudson Valley for over 60 years. A family owned company under its second generation of leadership, we are committed to building a successful relationship between our family of professionals and your family. Our goal is to assist you and your family in building a new home of your dreams. We are proud of our superb reputation throughout New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley. Please check out our beautiful neighborhoods and exciting homes and floor plans and contact us to plan your new home. Happy home shopping!
