When Buying A New Build

Most of us want a home with character and mature trees rather than a newly built box in a cookie cutter neighborhood. Nobody wants their home to look identical to their neighbor's. There is an assumption that purchasing a newly built home is "selling out", or giving up on the perceived "American Dream". We somewhat felt that way for along time, but when it came to purchasing our first home, we were thankful for the new build option. The housing market is and was extremely competitive, and cash buyers/investors seem to swipe up the ideal homes for first time buyers. Today we are grateful for the opportunity to be homeowners; in two years we've purchased two different homes in two different states, and both were/are new builds.

There are several positives with purchasing a newly built home, and regardless, purchasing your first home is exciting and worthy of celebration. 

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Everything is New

This is probably the best part of a new launched property, everything, regardless of how cheap the quality, is new. Baseboards, tile grout, windows, appliances, and all of the the other parts of a home that are challenging to clean are initially brand new and clean. Nobody has ever lived in your home, the home was built from the ground up for your family and you.

Many newly built homes comes with carpet, and there is relief knowing that the carpet is new and "clean". We still don't prefer carpet, but when the budget allows, it's a simple thing the pull up and exchange for hardwoods or laminates. 

It's so much easier to clean a brand new home before moving in, and sometimes, the builder will have a cleaning crew come through to clean all of the dust from final installations. Our first home, the one we purchased in Texas, had tile throughout, except for carpet in the bedrooms, and the tile had a thick layer of dust residue that we had to clean. After purchasing our second home we realized that this dust was common for a new home. Typically there is much construction happening in a new neighborhood, and dust prevails. If you have the budget to hire a floor company to come through and deep clean the flooring it may be worthwhile. We've spent months walking on dust, and one or two times with a mop isn't enough remove all of the dust. 

Emily Henderson

You Have A Blank Slate

New builds often lack character, too few windows, and the overall character of a home from say, 1940. But, you do start with a blank slate. Unlike purchasing a "used" home, you can update/change all that you want without having to contend with the previous homeowners and their specific tastes, (like blue floral wallpaper). One way to quickly add some character to your home is to visit a second hand or antique shop for some unique artwork or furniture. 

Sometimes we forget that social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest are littered with home ideas, and these ideas can surely be implemented in a newly built home.

Domino

It really is all about making your house your home, no matter what type of home you have. Consider your personal style as well as the geography and climate in your area, and make it lovely. And congratulations on becoming a home owner (borrower, haha). 

*This is a collaborative post.

Hurd & Honey