- the first was about 10 years old when we bought it. we lived in it for 29 years.
- the second was a new townhouse built by a local builder. we lived in it for four years.
- then we retired and bought a new (Pulte) house in a 55 & older retirement community in Bluffton SC and lived in it 7 years.
- after SC we moved back to Virginia and I swore that we would never buy another house. after renting for 5 years, and moving 6 times in 6 years, we had it with renting (and crooked landlords). late 2017, within a month of turning 71, we bought a new house built by a local builder.
our first house was best. the second was ok. the third was a disaster. the fourth ranks #3.
many who bought new houses in the past 50 years know what this chart shows:
many who bought new houses in the past 50 years know what this chart shows:
that the quality of construction of new houses over the past 50 years is poor when compared to the quality of homes built 50 years ago. basic systems, e.g. structure, roof, floors, windows, weather protection, HVAC, appliances, etc., are less reliable in many new houses today than those built 50 years ago.
why? the reasons are probably many--
- builder incompetence and greed
- decline in skilled labor
- government's failure to protect consumers
- consumer reticence
- a costly legal system that protects builders more than it protects consumers
what's the solution? I honestly can't tell you. It looks to me like the trends that are so obvious in the chart will continue--bad news for new home buyers--that's you and me.
