While some adults may move away from their home towns at least once in their lives, others have never done so at all. Even though some people may choose to relocate for school or work, they often return to where they grew up or relatively close by.. A recent survey showed 63% of adults have actually moved to a new community at some point, while 37% haven’t chosen to leave their longtime, familiar communities.
When it comes time to buy their first or subsequent home, individuals and couples alike may be searching for houses that have never been lived in before. Given that there are several custom-built home communities available, it’s not surprising that Zillow reported 46% of buyers would prefer to purchase a brand new homes. This amounts to nearly half of all prospective home buyers!
There are a variety of reasons that people have for wanting to purchase new homes, which are literally those that have not been previously lived in. “Energy efficiency” was at the top of the list for 48% of these prospective buyers. Some recent buyers wanted to avoid having to renovate, while others didn’t want to have or deal with existing, or potential, electrical or plumbing issues. This was the case with 34% of the individuals that recently purchased new custom homes.
Couples that are planning to have a family or already do so, will be concerned about the quality of the local school district. This tends to make a significant difference as to where they will ultimately decide to buy. When homes are located in quality school districts, this can affect their value by as much as 20%. In other words, they may need to pay a bit more for new homes in quality school districts.
Current homeowners in excellent school districts may be interested in selling at this time. Whether they’re planning to retire to a another community or just downsize because their children have left the proverbial nest, younger homeowners may be interested in these previously lived in homes due to the quality of the school districts alone. There are, however, new homes located in areas with high-ranking school districts.
It’s interesting to note that many current buyers are purchasing their very first home. This applies to 32% of the people searching for brand new homes, many of which are considered to be luxury homes. Custom built homes, as previously mentioned, are also at the top of the list for first-time home buyers.
A recent survey, however, showed that 52% of home buyers are experiencing challenges. They’ve stated that finding just the right home has proven to be the most difficult part of the process. Since 92% of buyers are using the Internet to locate properties for sale, this may be part of the issue. When buyers work with an experienced real estate agent, for example, these professionals can expedite the process. This is because real estate agents are aware of current listings and can direct their clients to homes with the desired square footage, floor plan, and other features that they desire. Furthermore, a local real estate agent will also know which neighborhoods have the best schools, parks, and other welcome amenities.