What’s Motivating More Buyers To Choose a Newly Built Home?

Brooke Thedford • January 6, 2025
Planning to buy a home soon? Why not go for something brand-new? Because data shows a lot more buyers are seeing the appeal of new home construction these days – and you may find out it’s what you want too.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains that newly built homes accounted for 15% of all homes sold last year. That’s a significant increase, and is actually the highest percentage in 17 years (see graph below):

To get a closer look at why so many people are opting for a brand-new home, NAR surveyed recent buyers. And here are the top reasons why new builds gained so much popularity (see graph below):

Avoiding Renovations or Problems with Plumbing or Electricity (42%)

According to buyers, the number one benefit is the peace of mind that comes with getting brand-new everything. Because let’s face it, buying a home right now is pricey. And with inflation also putting a pinch on your wallet, you want to do everything you can to cut down on any additional costs. Enter new builds.

A home that was just built is less likely to have unexpected repairs, and that means less maintenance you’ll need to budget for upfront. Plus, since many builders include warranties on their homes, that’s an added layer of protection for your wallet on some of the home’s major systems.



Ability To Choose and Customize Design Features (27%)

You may also get the chance to personalize parts of the build to your unique tastes. That can be as small as which knobs go on the cabinets and which light fixture goes in the dining room to as big as floor plans and siding color. So, if you’re not finding a home you like, it may be time to build one.


The Amenities of New Home Construction Communities (25%)

Many new developments also offer amenities like parks, pools, fitness centers, and community spaces. These features could help you feel more connected to your neighborhood and can be a great perk for your lifestyle.


Lack of Inventory of Previously Owned Homes (15%)

Since the supply of existing homes (homes that were previously lived in) is still lower than the norm, more people are asking their agents if they can see what builders have available – and builders aren’t disappointing. Right now, new builds make up a larger portion of the homes available for sale than the norm. So, checking out these homes can really open up your pool of options. And don’t worry – builders are not overbuilding. They’re just catching up after years of underbuilding.


Energy Efficiency (14%)

Not to mention, newly built homes usually have the latest energy-efficient materials and technologies. This not only feels good, but can also lead to lower utility bills and a reduced environmental footprint. In a U.S. News Real Estate interview with Kevin Morrow, Senior Program Manager at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), this topic came up:

“The more energy-efficient mechanics of the house also help reduce utility bills for new home buyers . . . Newly-constructed homes often include green systems and appliances—like high efficiency stoves, refrigerators, washing machines, water heaters, furnaces, or air conditioning units—that homes built years ago might not.”


Smart Home Features (11%)

And last on this list is the integration of smart technologies. Tech-savvy buyers often want the latest and greatest advancements – and new home construction usually delivers.


The Importance of Using Your Own Agent

Newly built homes are becoming a top pick for buyers these days, and it’s easy to see why. If you’re feeling motivated to see what’s out there, just remember you need to have your own real estate agent.

Builder contracts often have some complex terms and complicated fine print. If you bring your own agent, you’ll have someone to advocate for you, make sure you’re getting quality construction, and guide you through the process from start to finish. 


Bottom Line

Imagine skipping the hassle of renovations and having the freedom to pick out the exact design features you want. If this sounds good to you, connect with a local agent to make sure you’ve got an expert on your side to help you negotiate with the builder so you can buy a new home with confidence.

It’s Getting More Affordable To Buy a Home

By Brooke Thedford • March 6, 2026
There’s finally a little good news for anyone who’s been priced out or sitting on the sidelines. Buying a home is getting more affordable. Monthly payments have started to come down, and the squeeze buyers have been feeling for the past few years is slowly loosening. Now, that doesn’t mean everyone can suddenly afford a home, but with how tough the market’s been, the improvement we’re seeing matters. Affordability Is Finally Moving in the Right Direction One of the best ways to see this shift is by looking at how much of a household’s income it takes to buy a home. According to Zillow, housing is typically considered affordable when it takes 30% or less of your monthly income to cover your expenses. That includes your mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, and basic maintenance. For the past few years, the math was well above that threshold, and it made buying a home unachievable for many. But now, we’re slowly moving back toward a balance. Zillow research shows it’s taking less of a typical household’s income to buy a home than it did just a few years ago (see graph below):

The Credit Score Myth That’s Holding Would-Be Buyers Back

By Brooke Thedford • January 17, 2026
Would-be homebuyers aren’t sitting on the sidelines because they don’t want to buy. They’re sitting out because they think they can’t. And sometimes, it’s their credit score that’s holding them back.

Expert Forecasts Point to Affordability Improving in 2026

January 17, 2026
In 2025, affordability was the best it’s been in 3 years. And experts agree the momentum will keep going in 2026. And that’s based on their analysis of the key factors shaping the housing market in the year ahead: mortgage rates, inventory, and home prices. Lower Mortgage Rates Are Already Here Mortgage rates have already come down from their peak. By some counts, they dropped by almost a full percentage point over the course of the last year. And that’s a big deal, even if it doesn’t sound like it. But how low will they go? And should you wait for them to come down more? Here’s your answer. Forecasts suggest they’ll stay pretty much where they are now and hover in the low 6% range throughout 2026 (see graph below):

Turning a House Into a Home: The Benefits You Can Actually Feel

December 29, 2025
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The Top 2 Things Homeowners Need To Know Before Selling

By Brooke Thedford • December 8, 2025
And here’s where the mismatch is coming from. A few years ago, you could set any price and buyers would come running, no matter what the price tag said. Odds are, you’d still sell for over asking. But things are different now. Buyers have more options than they’ve had in years, so they can afford to be more selective. If your price feels even a little high to them, it’ll get overlooked in a heartbeat. And for the homeowners who had that happen, some end up pulling their listings instead of making a simple adjustment that could have changed everything. Which is a shame, honestly. Because a small price tweak is usually all it takes to bring buyers in and get the deal done. According to HousingWire , the average price cut right now is just 4%. Think about that. Other sellers are listing too high and giving up rather than dropping their price 4%. If they’d just started 4% lower, they may have already sold. So, before you list, talk to your agent about what’s working nearby. They’ll help you find the sweet spot that’s competitive, realistic, and still protecting your bottom line. And here’s the kicker. If you’ve been in your home for a while, your equity gives you room to set your list price more competitively and still come out way ahead. Unfortunately, those other sellers didn’t seem to realize that. 2. Don’t Rush the Process Another common misstep: expecting your house to sell in a weekend. Many sellers right now remember when homes sold in as little as hours – and they expect that to happen today. But in most markets, that’s not the reality anymore. It takes closer to 60 days to go from listed to sold, which is actually normal (see the gray in the graph below):

Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home?

December 1, 2025
Affordability is still a challenge. There’s no question about that. But the market has given savvy buyers a head start. Mortgage rates have already come down over the past few months. And the drop we’ve seen saves you more than you’d think. How Much You’ve Already Saved, Without Realizing It Let’s put some real numbers to it. Rates peaked for the year in May when they inched above 7%. But since then, they’ve been slowly declining. Now, they’re sitting in the low 6s. And while that may not sound like a big deal, that change translates to real dollars. According to data coming out of Redfin, the typical monthly payment on a $400,000 home is already down almost $400 since May. That means if you’re buying a home now, you’re saving hundreds of dollars every month compared to what you would have been able to get earlier this spring. That’s real money that makes a real difference for buyers who paused their plans because they thought homeownership was out of reach. And while it may be tempting to wait even longer to see bigger savings, that’s a gamble that could cost you. Here’s why. Where Experts Say Rates Are Headed For starters, most experts say mortgage rates are likely to stay pretty much where we are today throughout 2026. So, there’s no guarantee we’ll see a rate much lower than what we have now. Only one expert forecaster is saying rates could fall into the upper 5s next year (see graph below):

The VA Home Loan Advantage: What Every Veteran Should Know Right Now

November 10, 2025

Why Some Homes Sell Quickly – and Others Don’t Sell at All

November 3, 2025
Your house needs to stand out and grab attention from day one. That’s especially true when you consider why the number of homes for sale is up. Here’s how it works. Available inventory is a mix of: Active Listings: homes that have been sitting on the market, but haven’t sold yet New Listings: homes that were just put on the market Data from Realtor.com shows most of the inventory growth lately is actually from active listings that are staying on the market and taking longer to sell (see the graph below). The blue bars show active listings. These are the homes that are sitting month to month and not selling. The green bars are new listings, the homes that were just put on the market. And it’s clear there are fewer new listings compared to how many are staying on the market unsold.

The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know

October 31, 2025
Monthly Payments Are Coming Down One of the clearest signs of this shift is in monthly payments. The latest data from Redfin shows mortgage payments on a median-priced home are now $283 lower than they were just a few months ago (see graph below):

2026 Housing Market Update

October 31, 2025
More Homes Will Sell With all of the affordability challenges at play over the past few years, many would-be movers pressed pause. But that pause button isn’t going to last forever. There are always people who need to move. And experts think more of them will start to act in 2026 (see graph below):
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