It's a question you’ve probably asked yourself in your home-buying journey: Is it better to buy an older home and renovate it, or build a new home? Maybe you’ve looked at a few used houses already and saw the costs of updates stacking up. Yes - the used home has a deck, but the homeowner put it in themselves and after 5 years every step on it feels like you are walking on a sponge. You can't smell the cats or dogs through the listing photos either. Or kitchen ceiling feels a few inches lower because the newly installed tile is on top of old hardwood which was laid overtop of the original vinyl flooring... the list goes on and on.
Renovate or Buy New: Cost
The initial price tag on a new home is higher than an older home. But that doesn’t mean the cost savings of that older home will stick with you for long. By the time you add in all the things you need to change to make that home suite your style and lifestyle needs you may not be saving any money. Older homes tend to be less energy efficient, so they’ll cost more to heat and cool. And, depending on the state of the older residence, you may be reaching into your pocket to pay for updates sooner than you expect. When we dug into the numbers, we found that buying new makes more financial sense than buying a home that needs serious remodeling. That’s not even taking into account unplanned upgrades or issues. Which leads us to…
Buy New or Used: Repairs, Replacements and Upgrades
Here’s a big pro of buying a newly constructed home: No need for repairs or upgrades for the foreseeable future. That’s because you picked the layout, the flooring, the colors, everything ahead of time. Your bathrooms and kitchen are in pristine condition. The same can’t be said about older homes. You might need to think about replacing the hot water heater, HVAC system, or roof within the first few years of living there. Or you might need to do some serious renovations early on to fit your family’s needs. If you’re not a lover of home projects – and don’t want to deal with living in a construction site for a chunk of time – then you may want to seriously consider buying a new home.
Buy New or Used: Does Your Home Match Your Lifestyle?
Some renovations are doable, such as replacing your kitchen countertops or even adding a half bathroom. But others aren’t so easy, like adding on bedrooms or expanding a living room. When looking at homes, you need to make sure you pick one that fits your lifestyle. That means a house that can easily support you and your family (no matter the size).
A new home is the clear winner when it comes to finding a match for your lifestyle. You can design the perfect home to fit your family’s needs, whether it’s an expansive kitchen for entertaining, enough bedrooms for everyone in the house, and a backyard big enough for all the activities you love. No compromising needed.
Building a new home is the less expensive long-term option. There should be no hidden costs or unexpected repairs for years after moving in. That means no move-in renovations, no “dealing with it” for a while, and no frustration trying to fit your lifestyle into your older home. We did our research on buying an older home and remodeling it, but honestly, building a Creative Home is the better option to fit your needs, your budget, and your expectations.
Creative Homes Quick Move-in Option
If you're looking to move now, we have Quick Move-in Homes for sale throughout the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin. This way you still get the many perks of buying a new Creative home -spotless clean, new build warranty, innovative design, energy efficiency, beautiful design finishes and more- while not having to wait for the completion of your build or waste your time looking at used homes that are not worth your time and money. Also, to mention the resell value of a brand-new home if you do have to sell your home! View our Quick Move-in Homes here.
Whether you choose to build with us or buy a finished home, we are here to deliver an unmatched customer experience and provide the confidence and certainty you need in a life changing purchase! For more information, reach out to Olga for fast answers.
Best quality and people to work with. This is the 4th home I have built in my lifetime and by far the best of the best.
Our family recently purchased a move in ready home from Creative Homes and we absolutely love it. The design and quality of the home was done with great attention to detail. The staff, in all phases of our purchase, was amazingly accommodating and professional. I would recommend Creative to anyone who is looking to move into a new house or build a new house!
I want to take a minute and write to you to express our gratitude for you and the whole Creative Homes Team. You made our dream come true, and every time I enter our new home I cannot believe it is ours. Thanks again!
