At Highland Builders, we’re all about educating you on your options when it comes time to buy or build your new home. With such a large selection of gorgeous turnkey homes in new developments, it’s hard not to be swayed by a home you can stand inside, and envision your family living in, before you buy. New, production homes are popular for this very reason.
Production builders are in the business of mass producing homes in new communities. Home styles and designs are based upon a library of home plans that the builder uses. The bones of the home, the floor plan, are established well before a potential buyer would even step foot inside. A buyer can customize certain features of the home like cabinetry, countertops and lighting, but floor plans are limited to what the builder offers.
Related: What’s the real difference in a new home and a custom home?
Custom home builders take a completely hands on approach, and not a single aspect of your home is pre-set, no standards or packages. The land, neighborhood, home plans, you name it, it’s all your decision. If you choose this route to buy your next home, you’re the homeowner, in the driver’s seat, not a buyer searching for something perfect that already exists.
But don’t custom homes cost much more than new homes?
People believe that building a custom home is only attainable if they have more money than they know how to spend. After all, a custom home equates to a dollar figure with lots of zeroes, right? Wrong! It is entirely possible to build a custom home within your budget—you must know how and where to spend your money, and Highland Builders is here to help.
The major cost variations are reflected in the early stages of the home building process. This is often why the buyer of a new home has no clue what they’re missing out on. Here, we’ll focus on the 3 categories that make up the cost difference—buying land, real estate fees(s) and financing.
Take a look at this side-by-side comparison of the money spent on each category for a $350k home. The takeaway here is that by custom building a home you could save up to $80k that you’d otherwise spend on buying a new home. When building with us, you can put that money towards the actual house.
| Custom Home Build | New Home in Neighborhood | |
| Buying Land | $52,500-70,000 | $105,000 |
| Real Estate Fees | $0 | $21,000 |
| Financing | $7,000 | $14,000 |
| TOTAL
$63,000-80,500 savings |
$59,500-77,000 | $140,000 |
When you buy a new home from a builder, you’re essentially a home buyer just like everyone else in the market. In this instance, these figures show us that less than 50% of what you’re buying you’re able to see, touch and feel once you’re moved in. On the other hand, if you build a custom home with us, you’re the homeowner from the start—meaning no decision is final until you’ve signed off on it. On the surface, you may think custom homes are out of your reach financially, when in fact you’re getting way more out of your money, and you’ll have far more to show for it in the end.
We build it with you—not for you
At Highland Builders, our take is that every element and decision should reflect what’s important and of value to you. If you’re thinking about moving, we encourage you to really consider the differences between buying new and custom building. It’s also worthwhile to look into the option of remodeling your home. Many clients come to us under the assumption they want to custom build, but once we ask them what they want that their current home doesn’t offer, we may come to the realization we can deliver those wants by remodeling.
Related: Not convinced moving is the right choice? Remodeling is a great option!
Curious to learn more about the cost differences in buying a new home and custom building? Want to explore the option of remodeling your home to meet your changing needs? Highland Builders can assist with both! And, you don’t need to be ready to move or sign a contract just to talk with us. We believe the best place to start is with a conversation. Start one today—contact us at (804) 449-6006.
