[Pros and Cons] of New Construction Homes in Arcadia

As we close out 2017, the consumer trend is favoring new construction homes. A new construction home will reflect the current trends in color, style, floor plans and overall desires of what buyers are looking for. More importantly, the new construction homes in Arcadia are big enough for the couple or growing families who live in them. If a buyer purchases a home while it is still being built, they most likely will have a say in the materials being used and colors for the finishing phases of the house. This would be considered semi custom.

When looking at a neighborhood like Arcadia, the homes were built in the 1950's and 1960's which does not reflect the needs of buyers today. We have a need to live in a home with vaulted ceilings, a large island in the middle of the kitchen, large walk in closets (even his and hers closets!), a pool, a large walk in shower, a separate Jacuzzi or soaking tub and a house with an open floor plan because we want something that is perfect for entertaining. That is not what houses built in the 1950's and 1960's are equipped with.

As every buyer learns very quickly, each house has a compromise. Nothing is perfect. Arcadia is hot, hot, hot! Remodeled homes and new construction homes in Arcadia are hot, hot, hot because everyone wants to be apart of the growing trend to nest in Arcadia, but no one likes that the original, charming Arcadia ranch homes are small. If the buyers are not willing to conduct a remodel (regardless of the size) then the next best option is to buy a new construction home.

Open houses are where I hear the most feedback. Even if I am holding a huge, beautiful house open that is top of the line quality with a price tag of over $2,000,000.00 yet everything is brown, people tell me how dated it is. That seems to be the only thing they notice and simply can not get past that. They want to paint everything to a lighter color, replace the kitchen cabinets so they are white, remove the Travertine floor and lay down a light wood color in its place. If the house is a Mediterranean style then the house should be appreciated as such. It clearly was not meant to be a farm house. Transforming it from Mediterranean to a rustic farm house would take a heck of a lot of work!

The exact opposite happens when I hold open houses at my listings that are new construction homes. These have white kitchens, brick on the outside, ship lap on the walls and gray paint, the only thing I hear is how beautiful it is. People would be willing to buy these new construction homes even if it is too big, too small or out of their price range. This light, bright, clean and airy style appeals to the majority of consumers. It is always “exactly what they are looking for” when it comes to looks, style and materials. Then that leaves us with the floor plan, size, the price tag and if there is a pool or not.

As you can see, when you combine the right style of house with the best location, there is no doubt an explosion of demand. Arcadia is, has been and will continue to hit the nail on the head. Investors can not flip these new construction homes fast enough. Between the gorgeous curb appeal these houses have of white paint with brick, grass, rustic farm house hardware and light fixtures, front patios and two car garages to the inside which has vaulted ceilings, all white everything with a splash of gray, a huge island, an open floor plan, no carpet and subway tile, new construction homes are irresistible and in high, high demand.

Pros and Cons of New Construction Homes

There are pros and cons to purchasing a new construction home. The one obvious plus is that a new construction home has never been lived in. For those germaphobes out there, this is the best news in the world. These homes are also not in need of any house or yard maintenance any time soon which is part of the reason the price is a little higher than a resale home. They will be more energy efficient homes and, again, reflect a style and floor plan that will be more fitting for current buyers.

For those who are wanting a great investment, this might not be the way to go. The buyers do end up paying more for a new construction home since it is move in ready. When it comes time for you to sell, you may have an advantage since the house will be newer and check more boxes for buyers than older homes. The question now becomes, “Can you get your money out of it?” and no one will know until the time comes.

Although it is brand new and you can potentially have your choice of what color palette you want, you can not go back and redesign the floor plan. Last but not least, these homes, particularly in Arcadia, tend not to have large backyards and may have that right on top of each other feel. The large house footprint is on a smaller lot. There is the compromise again! An incredible house that matches your exact requirements but it lacks a backyard. The struggle is real.

Keep in mind that these new construction homes and subdivisions have upgrades which will add up fast. Being mindful of the extra add-on's will cut back on the cost of your brand new home. Not to discourage you, but I have witnessed clients agree to many more upgrades than they were intending and realized after the fact that many were unnecessary. I completely remodeled my own home so I understand the feeling of getting sucked into making decisions that feel big at the time then you later wonder why such a minor detail felt like the biggest decision on the planet.

These are just a few things for buyers to consider when house hunting. If you are a project person then a brand new home might not be the right direction for you. If you need as much space as you can get and want a home that is stylish then a brand new home would be something for your to consider. There is no right or wrong here, it is just what is right for you and your family.

New Construction Homes and Subdivisions in Arcadia

While Arcadia is known for its charm, brick and heard turning estates, developers are sweeping through Arcadia and creating subdivisions of new construction homes. These new construction homes are filled with everything a buyer could possibly want. Of course each subdivision offers multiple floor plans in addition to quality semi-custom finishes, open floor plans, luxury appliances, either a private or community pool and so much more.

Some recognizable subdivisions with new construction homes in Arcadia are Novella at Arcadia, The Villas at Baker Park, Manor 38 and The Sycamore . They range from townhouses to two story single family homes and the price varies from a half a million dollars to $1,500,000.00. All include lush, mature landscaping as well.

A Little Tidbit about Property Taxes

Investors who are scraping original homes one by one have found a way to keep property taxes down. They knock down everything except for one wall which allows the year built to read the original year on the tax record. When investors leave one wall up, the house is still scraped and it is technically a brand new home with the advantage of lower annual property taxes.

The year built on the tax record will read a newer year if the original house is completely scraped and a new construction home is built. The new construction homes and subdivisions mentioned above are all built recently; therefore, the annual property taxes will be slightly higher.