Flip Side: Buy Don't Build
I pointed out some of the benefits of building your own home in an earlier post. What about the flip side of that? There are benefits to buying a home instead of building it.
COST: There can be a higher cost to build. The market has picked up, making it a buyers market. There may be houses that have the bells and maybe not all the whistles you want but the price is just right. Purchase at the right price and you have more money in the bank instead of all of it in your home.
ENVIRONMENT: You don't think about it but you do have an impact on the environment when you build a new house. You are using new materials, further pushing the urban sprawl and paying a large bundle of money building a LEED certified home. You can save money on a house all ready on the market and add energy saving materials.
HASSLE: The next point is about the hassle. It's not "buy the house and move right in". There are many players in this game. The builders, their contractors, supply companies; even you and your partner. Many times during the building process, buyers get impatient, worried and start to micromanage the process. Avoid this and buy a home already standing.
LOW QUALITY: What's the saying, "They sure don't build 'em like they used to". Unfortunately, that fact is true in many cases. You see older homes that have beautiful crown molding and perfectly placed small tiles. Builders used to cared about their craft. Newer homes use less quality materials, and place high value on speed instead of craftsmanship to keep their costs down.
MATTER OF OPINION: As a Realtor it is my job to help you wade through your options. It can be hard to decide. But at the end of the day, you get to pick the option that fits YOU best!
Source: G.E. Miller. January 5, 2014. 5 Reasons Why you Should Not Build a New Home