New construction is nice, but there are hidden costs that can ready get you…especially if you are like me and like to decorate. 🙂 New construction usually means at least blinds for ALL the windows (can easily be $1,000-3,000), new fridge, water softener, deocrative window treatments, sprinkler system, etc…even just putting sod down is quite expensive.
I prefer the charm of older, established neighborhoods with mature landscaping and the character of an older home; however the I do apprechiate the “newness” of brand new contruction – everything is so sparkling and smells fresh. I have lived in both. One of the best ways I believe is to buy a home that’s 2 years old – it’s still very new, yet the previous owner has probably already shelled about the money for the hidden costs and has made the builder fix all the little problems that show up in new contruction. However in this market finding a 2 year old house that isn’t distressed would be pretty hard. Plus I am not so confident in the quality of homes built in the last few years. A good friend of mine in North Carolina just bought her dream house (and I mean DREAM house), it was about 18 months old, just beautiful and still so brand new, yet they didn’t have to put a alot of money into the little upgrades (window treatments, etc) that can nickel and dime you to death.
