Used home or new home in Wylie, Texas (countertops, get credit)

[keyasa]

We r thinking to buy a house in Wylie, Texas. Ashton woods is building their last phase on Sage creek. While choosing lot and uprades, we found a 2 and 1/2 years old used home in the same community build by them. It is bigger and has lots of upgrades I might go for my new house. The price of the used house is 10K lower than the base price of new house. Should we consider buying the old house instead of building new in the same community?

thanks for ur advice in advance.

[DFWMike]

heck, I would. The way the market is right now, you're going to take a loss on that new purchase price, at least for the short term. No older than that neighborhood is, you're not taking much of a hit buying the preowned home. In fact you already have 10k more in equity right off the start if prices go back up to where they were last year.

[USA_Mom]

Yeah I would too with the upgrades et al especially.

[KantLockeMeIn]

Depends... the advantage of building is that you can get exactly what you want. If you're happy with the existing home, then go for it. But if you really wanted that living room to be a study, or the kitchen sink to be on the other wall, then consider building.

[momof2dfw]

Also take into consideration all of the things added to the existing home that you would have to pay for in a brand new home: blinds, shutters, window treatments, more landscaping. The flip side is if none of those things are to your taste along w/ paint/flooring that you would have to change out. The existing home if the street is finished out you know how the neighbors keep their house/yard up. On the new build you can't always know that.

[ChristieP]

I would totally go for the existing home! As Momof2 said, there are SO many things that cost when buying a new home. She didn't mention the most expensive two: a fence and putting in the yard!

Plus, the seller might be able to cut you a deal on the existing home...

[intence]

Won't the builder cut you a deal on the new home?

[galore]

Originally Posted by twojciac

Depends... the advantage of building is that you can get exactly what you want.

This is true.

But also realize that a tract builder usually sets a very tempting base price and then has extreme markups on "upgrades".
For example, when I bought my previous home new in 2000, the standard flooring was carpet and really cheap ceramic tile. I asked how much slate would be in a few areas and the quote came back at 12 thousand $$. I chose vinyl instead (a downgrade, which I did NOT get credit for, of course) and put in the slate for <$4000 after I bought the house.

So if you want to buy a new house because you can customize it, be prepared to pay a lot. I'd buy the cheaper used one and remodel to my exact taste instead. Much better deal and also doesn't show up in the appraisal district for property taxes.

[USA_Mom]

Mom and Galore have some great points. I am lucky that DH's family is in construction so we know kind of what is "the right price" for an upgrade give or take (plus DH can do 99% of stuff himself except for countertops he isn't that great at it).

Another plus IMO with an existing house is like Mom mentioned with the neighbors, window stuff, sod/landscape, etc. All that adds up and a lot of communities require it within 30 days, so it's not like you can hang a sheet in the window and hope no one notices the backyard (if they don't sod it we had a house like that once). That's a lot of money to outlay at once. Anyway I just wanted to concure with those thoughts.

Another thing I like also in older subdivisions are BIG TREES But that's personal preference.

[sk17]

anyone have any info on high schools and activities for teenagers? we are thinking of moving to wylie shortly. my 12 yr old loves basketball and is an avid player, my 15 year old is into dancing and drama. any info would be great! thank you!