Buying new is a smarter choice than buying used

COURTESY PHOTO The St. Croix model by Engle Homes is available in Southwest Florida. Sure you can get some great bargains on resale homes in today's market but, as the old saying goes, "you often get what you pay for." Besides obvious issues like repairs and maintenance, there are a lot of important intangibles that make buying a new construction home such a great advantage over a resale.

• Less Maintenance and Repairs - According to Jay Coughlin, regional vice president of Engle Homes, "all new Engle Homes are built with new, energy-efficient materials and appliances, so less maintenance is typically required than with resale homes. Also, you have the option to make it yours by selecting your own flooring, cabinetry, colors, and fixtures." By contrast, the average consumer purchasing a resale home in 2004 spent an average of nearly $10,000 in the first year of ownership on repairs and replacement — just imagine that figure at today's prices.

• Energy Efficiency - While a new home features more modern architecture and layouts such as great rooms, bigger closets, and additional bathrooms, they are also very well-insulated — thanks to better windows, more efficient heating and cooling equipment, and greater use of insulation. An older home is not likely to have such beneficial or energy-efficient features.

• Safe and Sound - "A new home is going to be safer for you and your family," remarked Coughlin. "The codes of today vs. years ago are much more stringent and beneficial for everyone." Safety should always be top of mind — with a new — construction home, you have the guarantee of new pipes and electrical.

• Peace of mind. New-home builders

like Engle offer complete home warranties with their homes; the home's major appliances and systems also include manufacturers' warranties. This peace of mind cannot typically be found in an older foreclosure or resale home.

As buyers search for their dream homes, they often hear a variety of opinions on whether to buy a newly built home or a foreclosed/ resale home. Engle Homes has done the research, made the comparisons, and

stands firm in claiming that buying a new construction home is a smarter choice than buying what someone else may, or may not have, taken care of. Taking all the challenges and considerations to task, Mr. Coughlin summed it all up with this statement, "the choice seems to be clear — you can either buy a problem, or buy a dream."