If you’re in the market to upgrade your living situation in Baneberry Estates, the choices can seem overwhelming. Choosing between a single-family home and a high-end condo or apartment, deciding on what features go on your non-negotiables list, and even deciding which neighborhoods or parts of town you want to consider are all substantial decisions that only you can work through. But once you’ve settled those, there’s one more question to answer: buy a used home, or build a new one? And the answer for this one is clear. Here are three reasons why building new is the obvious choice.

Customized Just for You

When you shop the market of available used homes, you’ll have to search far and wide just to find a home that almost checks all your boxes. But when you build new, you have control over so many aspects of your home, including the layout, the design, and the color scheme. These days this is usually true even when buying a new build in a planned development. The builder may offer a number of predesigned layouts, but you’ll still have ample opportunity to customize your new build and create the perfect space for you.

Don’t Live With the Previous Owner’s Mistakes

Any used home will bear the scars of its previous owners, and you can never be certain what the previous owners or tenants did on the property. A pre-purchase inspection only goes so deep. You don’t want to be stuck with massive repair costs due to hidden (and shoddy) DIY work left in place by a previous owner. Nor do you want the inevitable and expensive repairs required in older homes.

A new build is a blank slate: no fear of what the previous owners did wrong, and no fear that your home is a ticking time bomb. Many new builds also come with a builder’s warrantee of some sort, so be sure to ask your builder what kinds of warranties they offer.

Save Money in the Long Run

It’s true you may pay an up-front premium for a new build, but consider that there’s more to this equation than up-front costs. Remember that used homes can have costly mistakes and repairs-in-waiting hiding in the walls. And new homes usually retain their value better than already-used ones. Also, new builds tend to be much more energy efficient than older homes, saving you money on utilities. All these savings add up.

If you’re in the market to buy a home, don’t buy used; build a new one instead. Having the freedom to customize your home, eliminating the possibility of previous owners’ mistakes and damage, and achieving long-term savings and value make this a no-brainer.