When you decide it’s time to move, determining whether you should buy a new construction home or an existing home can be a challenge. There are many advantages to each, and with every buyer’s situation being different, the benefits of buying new or existing may be different. However, the team at Keystone Homes believes that there are three unique ways that buying a new home can be an advantage no matter what your situation is:

Maintenance: The cost to maintain a brand new home is considerably cheaper than paying to maintain an existing home. According to a 2009 American Housing Survey, 73 percent of new homeowners spent less than $25 a month on routine maintenance costs, as new homes are built to minimize maintenance requirements.

Utillities: Paying the utility bills on a new home can save owners a significant amount of money when compared to the cost of utilities on an older home. An American Housing Survey that was conducted in 2011 found that on a median square foot basis, owners of new construction homes paid 68 cents per year for electricity while owners of older homes paid 81 cents per year. Savings were even more significant for those new homes using natural gas, as new homeowners paid just 34 cents per year while older homes cost 50 cents per year.

Insurance: New homes tend to have lower insurance costs due to the fact that they’re newer and in better condition. There are several factors that go into determining your insurance rate, such as the home’s heating and plumbing system, electrical wiring and whether or not the home is constructed from sturdy, fire-resistant materials. Most new homes are constructed with these types of materials, making them cheaper to insure, unlike homes built with soft, flammable materials like wood.

If you’re looking for a new home near Augusta, be sure to visit one of Keystone Homes’ communities. As an energy-efficient builder, Keystone Homes incorporates features such as tight construction, radiant heat barrier roof sheathing, house wrap, OSB, low flow shower and toilet heads and ENERGY STAR-rated appliances.

For more information on the new energy-efficient homes under construction from Keystone Homes, visit www.BuildKeystone.com.