| What's
Good About a New House?
 Why do so many home
buyers want to purchase a brand new house? There's something special about
being the first person to live in a house. Also, a new house supposedly
has all the latest equipment and special features that home buyers want.
However,
the new houses may have the latest energy efficient windows, heating and cooling, and other
features, but the new house construction quality may not match the quality
of some older homes.
Another major
problem with brand new houses in new subdivisions is there is no way to
predict how the development will turn out. Home buyers in the early phases
of a new subdivision are often shown plans for the entire development. But
if homes sales don't go as well as expected, developers often “adjust”
the types of homes built in the later phases.
When buying a brand
new house, consider the reputation of the builder. The best home builders
are proud of their reputations and names. If there is a problem
with a house they built, they quickly take care of it, even if the result
is a loss for the builder.
Before buying a
brand new house, ask the developer or builder for addresses of houses he
built in the last five years. Go visit those houses. Knock on a few doors.
Ask how the buyers were treated by the builder. Were they satisfied? Did
they have any unresolved complaints?
But please remember,
no brand new house is perfect. There are always problems. However,
the best builders stand behind their work and quickly resolve any
difficulties. The worst builders refuse to respond to home buyers'
reasonable requests.
Canadian Home Builder's Association
The
Tarion Warranty Program
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