6 minute read
New Homes Offer Buyers Unrivaled Benefits, Both Inside and Out
The Torrey Pines home at Northwoods Villas at Woodcreek Farms by Executive Construction Homes
In the Northwoods Villas community northeast of Columbia, the homes come with sparkling kitchens outfitted with stylish countertops and fixtures, handsome exterior brickwork, and hardwood floors that gleam under recessed lighting. But there are also plenty of perks that potential buyers don’t see — from spray-foam insulation and energy-efficient appliances, to the latest in exterior sheathing.
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They’re just some of the benefits of new construction, which can be found all around a Palmetto state whose population is booming due to transplants and an increased manufacturing presence. New homes can save residents money, thanks to more energy-efficient appliances and building materials, and the need for fewer repairs. They can also offer a more desirable style of living, thanks to the open floor plans and modern fixtures preferred by many homeowners today.
No wonder, then, that so many types of home buyers are choosing new
NICOLE DAVIS, EXECUTIVE CONSTRUCTION HOMES
Mungo Homes
construction —from seniors who want a low-maintenance home, to transplants who don’t have relationships with contractors or repairmen in the area, and more.
“I’ve seen the most notable traffic for new home sales from active and retired military, as well as first-time millennial home buyers. Active and retired military love the convenience of many of the new home communities vicinity to major highways, as well as community amenities such as pools, tennis courts, and community gathering places where they can get to know other families because they are new to the area,” says Shayla Riley, 2019 Sales Executive of the Year with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
“Millennial buyers are taking full advantage of the low cost of living in the Midlands, in part due to the city’s push to encourage the talent retention of recent local college graduates by creating new job opportunities in the tech and food supply industries. New construction is also attractive to the 24-40 age demo
graphic because many homes include smart-home features like the ability to synch door locks and lights to mobile devices. Millennials love the high-tech features of many new home construction options.”
Good financial sense
New home communities typically offer updated floor plans that maximize open concept living, along with elegant kitchens set around a large island ideal for gathering. New homes also often come
Cobblestone Park
5 Links Crossing Drive Blythewood, SC 29016 803-333-8105
Recipient of The Phoenix Award and the Community of the Year Award by the Building Industry Association of Central South Carolina.
This gated community in Blythewood offers resort style living for the whole family. Community amenities include golf, tennis, pool, fine dining, parks and more! Located just minutes from Downtown Columbia and I-77.
Kingsley Downes
111 Highborn Way Lexington, SC 29072 (803) 683-7276
At Kingsley Downes you will discover expansive living spaces with luxury features included throughout the homes. This central location includes easy access to I-20, shopping, dining, and recreation plus award winning Lexington 1 School District including River Bluff Highschool.
Home and Community information, including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Pictures, photographs, colors, features, and sizes are for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Buyer should conduct their own investigation of present or future availability of school districts and assignments. D.. Horton has no control or responsibility for any changes to school districts or assignments should they occur.
Sterling Ponds by Eastwood Homes
with sought-after benefits like a master bedroom on the ground floor and a flex room, which older homes built years earlier — before such layouts became popular — typically lack.
But the benefits extend well beyond the floor plans. “New construction homes are built with the most up-to-date building codes for safety, they are significantly more energy efficient, they include new appliances, and they include new home warranties,” says Nicole Davis, 2019 Sales Executive of the Year at Executive Construction Homes represented by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
Lived-in homes also carry the potential for replacing big-ticket items like an HVAC unit, water heater or roof, which can run into the thousands of dollars. Most new homes come with a “2-10” warranty that covers appliances and mechanical systems for two years, and the structure through year 10. Builders will often include a first-year warranty on many interior features, Riley says.
“New homes typically benefit buyers financially, mainly because the warranties take care of many of those first couple of years of major repairs,” says Riley, based in Columbia. “Also, the
Great Southern Homes
Pool at Cobblestone Park
warranties are transferrable if they need to sell (the home) in the future. And new home communities generally appreciate in value quarterly, so many new home buyers have the ability to move in with equity and really take advantage of their return on investment when they go to sell their home.”
An abundance of amenities
Amenities are often what bind a neighborhood together, and new home communities offer no shortage of them. While older neighborhoods may have a community pool, new construction communities are built with living in mind. Toward that end, they can feature everything from parks and walking trails, multiple pools and playgrounds, to even schools and some retail and restaurant offerings adjacent to the neighborhood.
“Not only do new communities offer physical benefits, but they offer the experience of creating new friends and long-term relationships,” says Davis, based in Elgin. “As a community grows from the beginning stages, homeowners create lasting memories together in the neighborhood. These experiences are what bring people together and what truly make up a neighborhood.”
Some new home communities even include golf courses, private docks, computer centers, and event venues for happenings like weddings and baby showers. There are also the subtle amenities, Riley says, like sidewalks and common areas with pet waste stations that enhance your quality of life but are often missing from older neighborhoods.
From things to do outside the home to the design of the home itself, new home communities offer a degree of flexibility that’s hard to find elsewhere. “New home construction gives buyers the freedom to create their home designed to fit their style and function, versus trying to fit into someone else’s idea of how a home should look and feel,” Riley says. “Buying new locks in your value, and protects home shoppers from increasing home prices in hot real estate markets. Whether they are relocating or on a tight budget, new home construction gives buyers the opportunity to control their costs by choosing the options they need and want.” u
