New Homes vs Existing Homes

New Homes

Freshly constructed homes have good quality control standards, newer construction techniques, and better energy efficiency than many older homes. They often carry a 1+ year warranty and good financing options. The downside is that while they are easy to get into, it is very difficult to sell them for a few years (especially if the builder is still in the subdivision), and the final price is often higher than an older home (though they usually require very little up-front money, and many builders will give thousands of dollars of upgrades and incentives.) The neighborhood will not be established, there will be very few shade trees like in an older neighborhood, and it will have more of a frontier feel. If you like ?new? and ?shiny? like a new car, then the clean smell of a new home will be your thing.

Existing Homes

These are owned by homeowners who want to sell their homes. They have been seasoned, and may be better constructed than newer homes. Many people like the fact that they have the charm and history of having been lived in - in fact, many buyers think that a new home is "cold" if it hasn't been lived in. Their age gives them respectability, and they are in established neighborhoods with tall trees and established neighbors and schools. They may be funky/customized with interesting quirks. These are for people who like "established" OR "different." They are much easier to sell soon after you buy one. Many also carry a 1-year warranty. They may not appeal to people who like being the first in a home or who want one built especially for them.

Which do you like better - New or Existing? People who like one may not like the other, though there are many exceptions who like both.

Posted by Jim Henderson on December 13, 2008 at 12:00 AM

About Jim Henderson
Jim Henderson is affliated with Greenridge Realty, which is located in Grand Rapids, MI. For further assistance please use the contact information located on the right.

As of 05/23/12 the Jim Henderson RePage is ranked at 3,331 with 420 points.

Local Information for Grand Rapids, MI

Latitude: 42.960476 -- Longitude: -85.65828

ZIP Codes for Grand Rapids, Michigan	49501 49502 49503 49504 49505 49506 49507 49508 49509 49510 49512 49514 49515 49516 49518 49519 49523 49525 49530 49544 49546 49548 49550 49555 49560 49588 49599
Area Code for Grand Rapids, Michigan	616
Time zone for Grand Rapids, Michigan	EST

Other Area Cities: Grand Rapids, MI Comstock Park, MI Cutlerville, MI Grandville, MI Wyoming, MI Walker, MI Kentwood, MI Rockford, MI Hudsonville, MI Jenison, MI

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Over 2,000 years ago, the Hopewell Indians occupied the Grand River Valley. Around 1700 A.D., the Ottawa Indians moved into the area and founded several villages along the Grand River. The Grand Rapids area was first settled by Europeans near the start of the 19th century by missionaries and fur traders, who generally lived in reasonable peace alongside the Ottawa tribespeople, trading their European metal and textile goods for the fur pelts. Joseph and Madeline La Framboise established the first Indian/European trading post in West Michigan, on the banks of the Grand River near what is now Ada. After the death of her husband in 1806, Medaline La Franboise carried on, expanding fur trading posts to the west and north. La Framboise, a mix of French and Indian descent, later merged her successful operations with the American Fur Company and retired, at age 41, to Mackinac Island. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Michigan 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Grand Rapids	Michigan	United States
Population	197,800	9,938,444	281,421,906
Median age	30.4	35.5	35.3
Median age for Male	29.4	34.3	34
Median age for Female	31.7	36.6	36.5
Households	73,217	3,785,661	105,480,101
Household population	188,106	9,688,555	273,643,273
Average household size	2.57	2.56	2.59
Families	44,370	2,575,699	71,787,347
Average family size	3.24	3.1	3.14
Housing units	77,960	4,234,279	115,904,641
Occupied units	73,217	3,785,661	105,480,101
Vacant units	4,743	448,618	10,424,540

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New Homes vs Existing Homes

Local Information for Grand Rapids, MI

Latitude: 42.960476 -- Longitude: -85.65828

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