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While buying a newly built home may not be the first thought to come to mind for homebuyers, purchasing new construction is a common option that comes with distinct benefits in today’s market.

Currently, about one-third of all homes for sale are newly built and are often a boon to homebuyers who’ve been struggling in hot markets to find pre-existing properties at an affordable price.

“New construction should be on the radar of all prospective homebuyers, given declining housing affordability and limited existing home inventory,” says Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders.

New construction can refer to single-family homes, condos, or apartments, and are available across the U.S. Here’s a thorough rundown of the benefits of buying a new build—followed by some of the potential downsides—so that homebuyers can weigh the pros and cons and decide whether it’s right for them.

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Named for the shape of the container used to hold salt in colonial times, these homes have a steeply sloped roof that is much longer on one side than the other.

Saltbox houses are common in New England, and back in the 18th century, housed many famous pioneers and patriots, including the second U.S. president, John Adams. Sturdy and understated, they are found by the bushel in historic registers and are very popular today. Read on for a brief history of this quaint architectural style, and why it has such enduring appeal.

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Home shoppers, especially first-time buyers and those with tight budgets, have been through the wringer lately. They’ve struggled with skyrocketing prices and historically low inventory. Inflation and rising rents have cut deeply into their savings accounts, and, lately, mortgage rates have hit 20-year highs.

Now, add one more searing pain point to the list: Bigger-than-ever down payments are expected in many areas before sellers will even consider an offer. Even in lower-priced markets, down payments have generally gone up in the post-COVID-19 housing era.

It’s exacerbating one of the traditionally most challenging parts of homebuying: saving up for the cash down payment. And it’s enough to dissuade some cash-strapped buyers from buying altogether.

While putting down 20% of the purchase price is the gold standard, in many highly competitive real estate markets, buyers are now expected to contribute significantly more. Yet—in other parts of the country, buyers can get away with kicking in just a fraction of that.

The Bucks County borough may be small, but it has a lot to offer — and much lower taxes than towns on the other side of the Delaware River.

An International-style home in Riverwoods, a two-bedroom townhouse in Savannah and an 1845 farmhouse in Manchester.

The Bucks County borough may be small, but it has a lot to offer — and much lower taxes than towns on the other side of the Delaware River.

NAR NXT in Orlando will feature sessions on fair housing, politics, market forecasts, MLS data-sharing and a proposed update to the Realtor Code of Ethics, among other topics.

The newly released NAR 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is packed with powerful data to guide your lead generation efforts in 2023. There has been a major shift in several essential areas that will allow you to capture market share in areas you may not have considered in the past.  

The new offices located in the historic resort will build on the brand's existing presence on Hawaii Island in Keauhou, Waimea and Hilo.

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A midcentury modern house in Prairie Village, KS, is drawing attention not just for its unique design, but also for its eye-popping list price of $975,000.

The minimalist home is priced well above the median home price of $375,000 for Prairie Village, and it has just one bedroom and two bathrooms. But it is big on style, designed by famed architect Bruce Goff and built in 1967.

“The house is known as the Searing House (named after its owners), and this is the first time it has been on the market since it was built,” says listing agent Katherine Lee, of Bash & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty.

“Bruce Goff designed three homes in Kansas City, and this is one of them. The house is located in Prairie Village, which, back when Kansas City was being developed, was notorious for its Cape Cod–style homes, so this was very unique,” Lee explains.

Fannie and Freddie remain profitable but are setting aside pots of money to cover future losses that could result from falling home prices.

The modern home, designed by architect Wallace Cunningham and constructed from glass, steel and concrete, was named "Cascade" for its structure, which seems to flow down the hillside like a waterfall.

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When Brad Jobe and Brian Ford took on a Tulsa, OK, home flip, they knew it would be no small task.

“It was pretty much a wreck,” says Jobe, a furniture maker. “It hadn’t had any repairs in 30 years.”

But he and Ford, who has a background in homebuilding and reconstruction, clearly saw potential in the 1970 midcentury modern with its beamed ceiling and stone walls in the living room.

They bought the nearly 6,000-square-foot home on a half-acre in July 2021 for $945,000. After renovating the home inside and out, they listed it for $2,675,000 with Blake Loveless of Walter & Associates.

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Flipping guru Tarek El Moussa has just one project left with ex-wife Christina Hall. Set to air in early December on HGTV, “Flip or Flop: The Final Flip” will document the former couple’s last attempt at transforming a tired residence into a renovated dream.

This final flip with Hall doesn’t mean El Moussa is now sitting on the housing sidelines, waiting for the episode to air. Even an iffy real estate market hasn’t slowed down his torrid pace.

El Moussa’s LLC currently owns 47 properties in Southern California, and some of those homes will roll off his books shortly. Six of his completed projects are on the market, including three pending sale. With so many properties under his wing, he has plenty of material for his new show, “The Flipping El Moussas,” set to premiere on HGTV in 2023.

We took a look at the half-dozen El Moussa homes up for grabs. It’s easy to spot elements of his signature style. While some of the homes proved immediately tempting to buyers, others needed a price reduction to reach a quick deal. Join us for a look at El Moussa’s latest projects—beginning with the priciest flip in his inventory.

A home for sale today is nearly twice as likely to be newly built than in 2019 as a glut of unsold projects reaches the market, according to a new report from Redfin.

The house contains multiple decks with views of the Pacific, a surfboard storage room, a private staircase to the beach and main rooms that seamlessly transition onto its deck, according to the listing.

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Renovation expert Jasmine Roth is a sucker for a good family story, and does she ever find one on the latest “Help! I Wrecked My House.”

In the episode “Empty Nester’s Woes,” Roth meets Cory and Paul, who have raised four sons in the midcentury house they bought 27 years ago. Now that their “boys” have moved out and started their own families, these parents are left to make the house work for just them—and the kids and grandkids when they come to visit.

They’ve started a few projects, like ripping out shelves and closets and adding a new HVAC system, but there’s a lot of unfinished business in the house—including holes in the outside walls. Without the boys around to help with the heavy lifting, the couple are at a loss to finish what they’ve started.

So Roth comes in to tie up loose ends and make the home work for Cory and Paul as they start this new phase of their life. They’ve given Roth a $110,000 budget to complete the process, which includes redoing the living room, family room, dining area, and primary suite.

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With a massive list price of $30 million, a huge, waterfront home in Windermere, FL, is now the area’s most expensive, and largest, listing.

The property sits atop the home listings in both Windermere and nearby Orlando, according to Realtor.com®.

The 30,000-square-foot house comes with 18 acres on the banks of a lake near Orlando.

“This accumulation of acreage is very unusual, and you have almost 50,000 square feet of structures on the property,” says Mick Night. Night and John Pinel, both of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, are the listing agents for the property.

Finding the right broker is an essential step in growing your real estate business. Chris Heller offers the warning signs to watch for when it's a bad fit.

Competition and a slowing market are making international expansions an increasingly important part of many U.S. companies plans for growth, including eXp Realty.