Building A Home Versus Buying One In 2023

Some borrowers aren’t sure whether to consider buying an existing home or building one from the ground up using a One-Time Close construction loan. Others are convinced the only way to go in 2023 is to build and customize the property as much as possible.

Are you undecided about building or buying?

Energy-Saving Features Of The Home

If you decide to buy existing construction or go the fixer-upper route, you have the ability to add features to the home that might not exist in it before the loan is approved. Adding energy-saving features to an older fixer-upper may or may not be a chore depending on how extensive the upgrades need to be.

This can be daunting for some; they would rather build new instead of trying to get creative with ways to upgrade an older, less modern house.

Government-backed mortgages typically have the option to add an Energy-Efficient Mortgage package to the loan for approved energy-saving upgrades. Conventional loans may, depending on the lender, also offer an equivalent. Be sure to ask, as you may be able to use this option whether you buy or build.

Borrowers looking to renovate an existing home should consider adding features like smart thermostats, remote-controlled HVAC systems, water conservation, etc. 

Those who build make these choices when approving construction plans, those who buy existing construction must also decide which features to add or improve.

Buying A Older Home?

As mentioned above, buying an existing home could present challenges if it's too old to have these installed already. Some decide to build for exactly this reason. They would rather build to suit instead of trying to retrofit an older home with new tech.

And then there are other upgrades you would typically make when buying a fixer-upper such as improved storm doors and windows, energy-saving appliances, etc.

You may be able to upgrade these using an EEM option, but if you are building your home from scratch, you can choose the most efficient options available--no upgrades necessary.

Building A Home

Buying an existing house means deciding which things to upgrade and which to save for later. Building means making good choices about the quality of the features the home will have.
Building a home eliminates some of the questions about adding smart home tech or energy-efficient features. 

You will definitely want them, and they can be included in the basic planning stages of the construction loan.

If you choose to build, be sure to compare budget, midrange, and upscale options for both the construction materials, countertops, carpets, etc. but also the appliances and systems of the home. You want to know what the price ranges are and whether it makes sense to spend more in a given area such as solar or HVAC, and less in other areas like cosmetic features, siding, etc.

Want More Information About One-Time Close Loans?

We have done extensive research on the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) and the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) One-Time Close Construction loan programs.

We have spoken directly to licensed lenders that originate these residential loan types in most states and each company has supplied us with the guidelines for their products. We can connect you with mortgage loan officers who work for lenders that know the product well and have consistently provided quality service.

If you are interested in being contacted by a licensed lender in your area, please send responses to the questions below. All information is treated confidentially. 

OneTimeClose.com provides information and connects consumers to qualified One-Time Close lenders to raise awareness about this loan product and to help consumers receive higher-quality service.

We are not paid for endorsing or recommending the lenders or loan originators and do not otherwise benefit from doing so. Consumers should shop for mortgage services and compare their options before agreeing to proceed. 

Please note that investor guidelines for the FHA and VA One-Time Close Construction Program only allow for single-family dwellings (1 unit) – and NOT for multi-family units (no duplexes, triplexes or fourplexes).

In addition, the following homes/building styles are not allowed under these programs: Kit Homes, Barndominiums, Log Cabin Homes, Shipping Container Homes, Stilt Homes, Solar (only) or Wind Powered (only) Homes. 

Contact Us:  Send Us Your Request – Spam Safe 

Please send your email request to [email protected] which authorizes OneTimeClose.com to share your personal information with one mortgage lender licensed in your area to contact you. 

1.  Send your first and last name, e-mail address, and contact telephone number.

2.  Tell us the city and state of the proposed property.

3.  Tell us your and/or the Co-borrower’s credit profile: Excellent – (680+), Good - (640-679), Fair – (620-639), or Poor- (Below 620). 620 is the minimum qualifying credit score for this product. 

4.  Are you or your spouse (Co-borrower) eligible veterans? If either of you is an eligible veteran, down payments as low as $0 may be available up to the maximum amount your debt-to-income ratio per VA will allow – there are no maximum loan amounts as per VA guidelines. Most lenders will go up to $1,500,000 and review higher loan amounts on a case-by-case basis. If not, the FHA down payment is 3.5% up to the maximum FHA lending limit for your county.