6.05.2020

The House Battles: Buying vs. Building

(Photo by Dhruv Mehra on Unsplash)

Congratulations--you’ve hit the point where you can finally upgrade from your tiny apartment to a full-fledged house. Your mind is probably awhirl with all the possibilities that come with choosing a new home, but one question seems to stand out from the rest: should you buy a house or build a new one?

The drive to find “the perfect home” can be overwhelming, so let’s talk about the logistics of buying vs. building a new home.


Buying a house

The most significant advantage of the home buying process is that it’s more convenient and much less expensive. The average cost to build a new home in 2017 nearly topped out at $500,000, so the more cash-strapped house hunters will probably want to buy an existing house. Furthermore, a seasoned real estate agent can help facilitate the home buying process, making the whole thing a lot less stressful for first-time homebuyers. A good agent will help you find properties you like, answer any questions or concerns you may have about a property, and, most importantly, help you negotiate a good deal.

Buying an existing home also means you’ll be moving into an established neighborhood, with schools, shops, and a tight-knit community. For this reason, purchasing a current house can be an excellent way to transition into homeownership.

For this reason, purchasing a current house can be an excellent way to transition into homeownership, so you might want to check out some of the Knoxville homes for sale if you're looking to become a homeowner in this area.

However, one of the drawbacks of buying a house is you won’t get to customize it too much beyond flooring and wall color choices. Any other renovations will cost you a pretty penny, so if you’re adamant about customizing your new home, building a new house from the ground up might be the better option for you.


Building a new house

While building a new home from the ground up is not nearly as convenient or cost-effective as buying an existing home, you can customize every single part of it. You also might have an easier time building the house if you choose to construct it in an existing development.

However, customization isn’t the only selling point of building your own home from scratch. You can also construct a more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly house. Older homes historically have some pretty dangerous substances built into their framework, like asbestos and lead paint. On that note, you’re much more likely to find mold or other problems that compromise the integrity of the house’s structure, especially if you choose a home that’s 50 years or older.

Most people don’t realize that building a home can be an emotional investment, too. Watching your empty lot transform into your dream home is a lengthy and often tedious process. But few feelings compare to the one of satisfaction and achievement that you feel upon walking in your front door for the first time. If you have the budget and the determination, building a home can be an incredible learning experience.


Hopefully, you’re a little more informed on the pros and cons of building vs. buying a new home. It’s wise to research contractors, real estate agents, and the neighborhoods in which you’re interested in living before you choose any house. Best of luck on your new home journey!

2 comments

  1. The biggest advantage of building your own custom home is that you get to make all the decisions ranging from specific features you want to the type of materials you want to use. This way your home will end up being more of a reflection of your unique tastes and personal style.

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  2. Custom home builders are a team of craftsmen professionals who specialize in home design. This team partners architects, designers, agents, and builders together to bring your dream home to life. Customized builds can mean that you select an already designed floor plan and make customizations for a semi-custom home. Or that you work with the team from the ground up designing every aspect of your new home.

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