By The National Association of Home Builders
Recent research shows that single-family builders use an average of 10 different green products or practices with each new home they build.
That’s good news for the wave of consumers taking advantage of the home buying season to find a home that’s perfect for their lifestyle. That makes it even more important to understand the many advantages of owning a newly constructed home.
The National Association of Home Builders asked builders in January about the green products and practices they use with homes they built during the past year. Among the most popular green products: low-e windows, high efficiency HVAC systems, programmable thermostats, ENERGY STAR appliances, and energy-efficient duct systems.
The most common green practices include improving the home’s thermal envelope, using moisture-control measures to enhance durability, and using efficient construction techniques to minimize material usage.
The survey also revealed that 22 percent of single-family builders always or almost always have their homes certified to a green standard.
Home buyers rank energy efficiency features among the most desirable things they want in a new home. They also want the ability to select their favorite appliances, flooring, paint colors, and other design elements to give their home a personal touch from the day they move in.
Indeed, those characteristics are just some of the countless advantages of buying a new home. There are many other benefits of owning a new home that might be less obvious, but are often found to be just as valuable.
Strong Sense of Community One of the built-in benefits of many new homes is the new neighborhood. When families move into a new community at the same time, lasting bonds of friendship and neighborliness often form right away. Many home builders will host community block parties in these developments to help neighbors of all ages meet and connect.
Ability to Entertain Older homes are often smaller and therefore more challenging to host gatherings with friends and family. Today’s home builders are creating more open spaces with higher ceilings, larger windows, and expansive great rooms for added convenience and modern living.
A Clean Slate When moving into a new home, you won’t have to spend hours stripping dated wallpaper or painting over an ugly wall color. There are no oil stains to remove in the garage, no windows to replace, no walls to be torn down. Everything is already just the way you want it.
Peace of Mind Building standards have changed a great deal over the decades, almost as fast as technology has evolved. New homes can accommodate today’s advanced technology and be customized to meet the individual home owner’s needs. Knowing the home was built to the latest safety codes gives the owner added assurance.
For more information on the benefits of a new home, contact the Greater Brazos Valley Builders Association at info@gbvbuilders.org or visit NAHB at www.nahb.org.
