Is New Construction A Good Investment?

Definition of "Is new construction a good investment?"

Jo Ellyn Yturraspe real estate agent

Written by

Jo Ellyn Yturraspeelite badge icon

Coldwell Banker Realty

Investing in real estate has branched out considerably. Many investors in the industry have branched out from rental properties and commercial real estate to house flipping, real estate development, and many others. With so many options available, it’s hard to determine which niche will provide the highest return for your investment. A high percentage of investors will put their capital in older properties that might need some work after the purchase, which means extra costs that come out of the investors’ pocket. However, that doesn’t hold true if you buy new construction. Therefore, you may be wondering if new construction is a good investment or not? Let’s find out!

Investing in new constructions may seem more profitable than you think, and if the trend picks up, many will be left wondering if house flipping is still a thing nowadays? It can certainly be if you know what you are doing, but more often than not, an older house that costs about $100,000 is most likely going to need some work to bring it up to code. Maybe the unexpected will show up during the first snowstorm, affecting the structure of your home, which means more costs. What seemed a good deal, in the beginning, might turn out to be a money pit after all, and no investor wants to see that happening.

Here is where new constructions come into play, and it turns out that real estate investors can see a much better return on investment(ROI) by renting out brand new homes. One of the beauties of investing in a new home is escaping the endless costs of older homes. Of course, you might pay more than what you would typically for an older home, which in term lowers the cap rate. But, aside from not having to deal with unexpected costs for repairs, you leverage a few other things such as location, warranty, and new appliances, as well as discounts.

One of the greatest benefits of having a brand new building is the location. You are getting an A-area home in one of the cities’ up-and-coming areas. For the value of the new construction, you also get excellent infrastructure, good schools, and low crime rates, which is what renters are looking for. Builders often put warranties on properties, which cover any damage within five to ten years. Factor in the new home appliances, and you have yourself a winning investment for your portfolio.

Many would argue that new homes are better built than old ones, but that is not always the case since in an area with high demand for housing, builders are rushed to push more constructions faster, which more often result in poor quality. However, buying a property from the builder rather than a homeowner allows you to research the company more thoroughly to get a good idea of the quality they offer based on people’s ratings and past project evaluations.

You can always get in touch with local real estate agents not just for buying property from homeowners but also to learn more about builders in the area and their work. Keep in mind that some old homes are not a bad investment if you know what you are looking for; therefore, weigh the pros and cons of new constructions vs old homes and find out what works for you.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

Personal income minus personal income tax payments and other government deductions. It is the personal income available for people to spend or save; also called take-home pay. It may be a ...

Total transfer of one's rights under a real estate contract to another. ...

Geographic area that has been designated by local government to have historical importance. The municipality provides various incentives including tax breaks to rehabilitate and preserve ...

Same as term insured loan: A loan indemnified against default by the borrower. Such loans may be a mortgage loan insured by a standard mortgage insurance policy or by FHA mortgage ...

Lessening of work assignments such as when a real estate management firm reduces the number of buildings assigned to each manager. By reducing someone's schedule, he will probably do a ...

The actual, physical and tangible fact in a given situation; a substantive body of positive evidence. ...

Interest based on a 360-day year instead of a 365-day year. The former is referred to as simple interest and the latter is termed exact interest. The difference between the two types of ...

Borrower who gives property as collateral for a loan. ...

(1) Price a buyer is willing to pay, or bid, for a certain piece of property. It is the highest price offered to buy the property. (2) Price per share that shareholders receive when they ...