New homes in Indy (insurance, how much, home builders)

[patrickmich]

It is overwhelming the number of new home builders, and all of their
uniquely named developments. There are seemingly hundreds of
developments, each offering an array of new home model choices.
Does anyone have any insight into new home builders in Indy?
Can you tell me what the advantages or disadvantages might be
to buying a new home compared to buyer a used home?
Any advice you could give related to choosing a new home versus
a used home in the Indy area would be appreciated.
Thanks

[McFlubber]

The newer homes tend to be more cookie cutter in style. The materials they use are cheap and things don't last. For example, one of my kids banged into a wall and put a hole in it right before my eyes. Before I left that home we ended up repairing 5 holes in the walls, part of the banister broke because it wasn't installed properly, the linoleum was coming up in the kitchen and had to be completely replaced because the glue let go, and the carpets were coming up along the edges because they weren't tacked down correctly. The front door wasn't hung properly, the roof vents were never put in, the flashing wasn't installed around the windows, and there was no insulation around the electrically outlets, so we would get blasts of wind shooting at us. That's just to name a few problems. I had a friend whose windows weren't properly placed, so her curtains always looked crooked, her bathroom sprung a leak causing a flood in her home, and they discovered on the first cold night that the furnace was never actually installed.

I prefer the older homes. The older homes are sturdier and will probably be here longer than the newer ones with proper up keep. You'll have to do repairs along the way as with any home. In 50 years, I'd say the older homes of today will still be in better shape than the newer homes being built if they're standing at all. We're in an older house (1960's) now, and I love it's charm and character. I had forgotten what it was like having solid walls and strength in a home. I'll never buy "new" again.

Just my opinion. Good luck with your search!

[patrickmich]

how shiite, I hope not all builders practice this type of cheapness.
Your post really does make older houses seem the better choice.
What is the general cut offs that you would use to distinguish between
old, newer, and new? Thanks

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by patrickmich

how shiite, I hope not all builders practice this type of cheapness.
Your post really does make older houses seem the better choice.
What is the general cut offs that you would use to distinguish between
old, newer, and new? Thanks

Generally production home builders are all cookie cutter for the most part. Pulte, Ryland & Hanson & Horn are all technically production builders, but you can customize somewhat, but they all use the same subs who get paid better the quicker they get done.

Here's what happened to us: Centex didn't cut a big enough gap in between the concrete floor and insulated fiberboard in our garage in about a 12 inch section. I'm sure they did the entire job in 2 hours and moved on to the next house. So ... 8 years later and after finding someone to buy our existing home from us, we now have mold in an 8 x8 foot section because of their chop chop work. Basically, everytime we drove into the garage with wet tires, the fiberboard sucked up whatever was flowing from the concrete floor. We now have to have the area completely remediated and new fiberboard put up or else we can't sell ...

So bascially, if you want to avoid cookie cutter, and you can afford it, go custom. At least that way, you know that your house isn't one of hundreds being worked on at the same time. If not and you want to build new, HIRE AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR. Builders hate to hear the "I" word, but Indiana doesn't have the county inspection standards that states like Illinois has (we built a production home in Illinois and we couldn't believe how much hassle the county gave the builder ... which was great for us!!). Get it inspected pre-drywall so they can see all the electrical before it's covered up and then have a pre-closing inspection and make ALL contracts you sign with the builder contingent upon any inspections. That protects you because face it, any contract you sign with a builder "ain't" protecting you.

Now, that being said, as someone who is getting ready to purchase their third existing home, I like going that route because when we built, yea, it was all shiny and smelled new, but you end up putting so much money into a new home (landscaping, painting, etc.). So you are paying a premium for a shiny new house, when you can get something that's probably better built and not so cookie cutter if you buy existing ...

[sweetana3]

No matter what you buy, custom, new, used, somewhat new, old, etc., PAY for a good inspection, attend the inspection, talk to the inspector, look at every inch. Poke the wood for rot, check the age and interior of the furnace, check all the faucets and water pressure.

Stop thinking about the color of the walls and the furniture in the house and get underneath it and talk about what will need to be fixed and when. Now is the time to go over the systems and anything you can think of. Check each and every window for opening and closing, things like that.

The inspection can take hours.

Even a house being built like someone else said is worth having your own inspector to make sure it is built properly. Have them come out on a schedule.

[patrickmich]

wow gutsy moves, having an inspector inspect a new house before drywall, and inspecting it again before closing. But I think if you've gone through the home buying process enough times, and been burned by bad craftsmenship liked Domer, then you're more empowered to be gutsy. Being a first time buyer, I lack that kind of nerve.
One thing that baffles me regarding used houses versus new:
Am I correct in thinking that older houses aren't necessary cheaper
than new houses because of appreciation. A house might have cost
$$$ when it was new. But it appreciated to $$$$$ after ten years.
So older houses seem to keep up with the prices
of new houses, right?

[Southside Shrek]

Domergurl
make sure they put up new drywall which is not Made in China and filled with asbestos. Otherwise you can go from a mold to an asbestos problem.

I don't want a new home because of the lousy and even hazardous materials they're putting into newer houses.

[domergurl]

Most of the time, you can get a better deal buying used. My suggestion would be to look a little at both. Realtors can be your representative at new home community too.

[sweetana3]

Price is depended on three things, location, location, location. People will pay more for less to live in specific areas or sometimes on specific streets.

I used to hear that a house in Center Grove down south of town could be worth $10,000 more than a similiar house across the street and it was soley due to school district.

The same house in Meridian Kessler will cost up to or more than $50,000 more than the same bungalow in Irvington. It is location, amenities and being able to say you live in Meridian Kessler. Ditto Broad Ripple.

I know a couple who were at their new house almost every day during construction to measure and ensure the builders kept it clean and built it straight. She even brought over her shop vac and cleaned out vents and all.
But a professional building inspector can tell you things you might not know about flashings, air circulation, water concerns, etc.

When you consider the investment the house represents to most buyers, a good inspection is cheap insurance and for an older house can help schedule those big ticket items for replacement.

And I agree that a lot we are discussing about inspectors is because you are buying in Indiana. North Carolina especially around Raleigh had a strict and tough complete inspection by the county at several stages during construction. In our subdivision I remember, they held up building because the framing was not to plan or to code, a chimney had to be torn down because the inspection was not done to ensure it was safely built, a building was stopped because the foundation was one foot to close to the street. I think in all there might have been four inspections before a certificate was approved.

It did not catch things like later developing plumbing problems that were not evident during building but caught a lot of things hidden by walls.

[domergurl]

Indiana's county building inspectors are a joke. I had a neighbor up in Valpo who was diligent about watching their home be built. The county showed up 2 times total during the construction process. And then to make matters worse, the title company allowed them to close without an occupation cert.! So it's a cluster-youknowwhat all the way around. I remember when we built in Illinois, we had to peel at least 20 stickers off our front window from the county. Red ones meant that something needed to be fixed and green was the final sticker. The county sent someone out every week during the construction and until that occupation cert was turned into the title company, we couldn't close. Not in Indiana. Maybe that's why there are some many home builders here ... it's too easy for them!