Buy Austin Texas & Round Rock New Homes or Resale Homes?

Which is a better financial deal for you, buying new Austin Texas Real Estate or a resale home?

The majority of Austin homes for sale are resale homes, but about 1 in 5 homes SOLD every month are new builder homes. Your "best" choice, of course, is that it depends on what you need and where you want to live – and how much financial ‘risk’ can you tolerate? See more information at our home page.

Resale Austin homes are typically much closer to town or your job, are in more established Austin neighborhoods, more landscaping done, and typically there's more decorating done on them already. When you find a house you love – you can simply buy it (where as you might have to wait 2-3 months for an Austin new builders home to be completed.) They often have older floor plans, smaller bedrooms, not as modern kitchens and family rooms – and outdated things like appliances, cabinets, countertops and fixtures.

Resale home buyers "typically" end up with more out-of-pocket cash expenditures and maintenance, as older appliances, older air conditioning, heating, roof, exterior siding, and mold issues typically need repaired, replaced or cleaned – so you’re fixing or paying a handyman/contractor – more frequently. And, you are "risking", based upon the age of the house and it's condition, that you might have some major expenses – like replacing an air conditioner or roof leak years after you buy the home. Make sense? This can 'break' a first-time homebuyer and really screw up anyone's finances and budget!

Austin New homes, on the other hand, offer newer floor plan designs, more ‘innovative’ use of interior space, more modern efficient cooling and heating systems, new appliances with warranties – and offer you the "choices" to design your new kitchen cabinets/counters, carpets and flooring, and paint colors – so you’re buying or building the ‘exact’ house you really wanted. The biggest ‘issue’ with new homes is that you may have to wait to buy a new house – or go through a "ping pong ball lottery" to get a premium lot or location, not unless the builder already has ‘inventory’ homes available (most do!) You’ll typically spend less cash on repairs and have less maintenance on new homes (everything is brand new!) and the builder warranty covers most everything else. This "lower risk" makes new homes a bargain for anyone - young or older.

Austin new home builders are offering fantastic mortgage financing rates too, so you can usually get a far LOWER interest rate – than current market interest rates. Special financing, virtually no closing costs out-of-pocket (ask me which builders offer this!) "builder paid points" and $0 Down loan options make Austin new homes a great buy!

The draw back is that you typically have to get a loan through their in-house lender to get extra incentives and the "special" design center bonus cash.

The BIGGEST draw-back negative to buying new homes is that MOST new home builders are now building to spec – which means you'll have to wait a full 6-10 months or longer to close and move in.

Which is better for you?