Why Newer is Better: A Look at the Facts
By: Kelsey Renteria
It’s a question that home buyers are often faced with: do I buy a new home, or a pre-owned home? There can be a certain charm to an older home-but that comes at a price that may not be worth it. Here we’ve outlined why living in a new home isn’t just nice to live in-it’s actually a huge relief for your wallet.
The Insurance Factor
Insurance costs in the Coastal Bend are, by nature, a bit higher. Why is that? Nueces County is one of the 14 counties in Texas that requires windstorm insurance, alongside your normal homeowner’s insurance. With an older home (which isn’t built to current windstorm code), you will see a HUGE jump in your insurance costs. Hogan Homes are not only built to the current windstorm code of that year-they are also constructed with Acme Brick and James Hardie Exterior Trim & Siding, which makes the home 100% masonry.
No Expensive Updates Needed
One of the most obvious reasons: a new home is going to have all the latest and greatest materials, and modern color options. Instead of having to worry about redoing a kitchen, new floors, modernizing lighting features and painting those ugly accent walls, our homes are ready for you to design it the way YOU envision it-whether that be quartz countertops, ceramic faux wood tiles, colored cabinets and much more.
A Home Warranty = Less Maintenance
The home buying process can be stressful. And once it’s done, shouldn’t you be able to relax and enjoy your home? Old homes inevitably come with a laundry list of maintenance, from plumbing to foundational problems, year after year-and it can become a money pit. Hogan Homes offers a warranty on craftsmanship and manufactured products for your first year, and beyond that, we offer manufacturer warranties on most everything in your home. Plus, our brick exteriors are easy to maintain, and you get a 10-year structural and foundational warranty, the StrucSure Home Warranty.
A 60% Savings in Energy Costs
Anyone in South Texas knows-the summer heat is no joke. Hogan brings the most energy efficient home possible through specific products like: Radiant Barrier Roofing, Energy Efficient AC Systems, Blown in BIBS insulation and vinyl double pane low – e windows. That means a 60% more efficient home-and you can literally see the savings every year with a HERS score (equivalent to a MPG sticker on a vehicle). Your HERS score will show you how efficient your home is running and how tightly sealed it was built.