The location is always most important to me. I wouldn’t buy an established house if it required too much work.

My parents built when I was a child & said it was the biggest mistake of their lives!
I’ve had other friends build & say it was the best decision they made!
Personally I would prefer to buy something & renovate as that it something that interests us however some others prefer to build.

older homes have big blocks which is a bonus, and an established garden – check out a few I really believe you get a gut feel if a home is right for you. Good luck!

We bought an already existing house. We didn’t want to wait for a house to be built.
But a lot of people like the second option too.

my nan spent approximately 5 years building a house that she designed from the ground up. the problem was it was too big for her by the time it was finished. She lived in it for a year or 2 and then sold it at a loss.

it is up to you. work out the cost and go from there. i would love to get the land but i don’t know if i want to go through all the stress of trying to build etc so buying a house seems so easy. if you had a huge family or special requirements for a home, then building it to suit your lifestyle would be the go.

I would say it really does depend on where you want to live – an established area, or a new subdivision. Next consideration is price – can you afford to buy or build in the area you like? Good luck with whichever option you choose.

Also, go with the option that most excites you!

Having done both – they both have pros and cons definitely. We bought our first house for a bargain price. It was liveable but pretty basic. We ended up building in underneath it and landscaping the yard but the rest was just cosmetic, thankfully! We then sold for a profit and bought a block of land. We had to rent while waiting for our house to be built. Luckily it was my brothers house because we had to stay longer than intended!
In the end the house we built has been worth it but it was a bit of a headache getting to this point.
I guess it all depends on what you are more comfortable with. Starting fresh is awesome but buying pre existing isn’t bad either. You can still personalise it and make it your own.
In saying that though…I’m pretty sure that I’m cured of building ever again haha
Good luck with your decision

Old or new – houses cost money, but they are worth it. The type of house depends upon your needs and wants. Make your list of pros and cons and it will help you to decide on old or new.

We bought our block, went through exhibition homes and then finally got plans drawn up to our requirements, got a builder ect (in other words subbied it out) a lot of work on our part but totally worth it and that was 37 odd years ago.
Mom165081 gives a great response.
Personally for me it’s like buying a used car (you can end up with someone else’s problem)
BUT on the other hand you just may well get a gem.
Best of Luck in what ever you choose.

Both have pros and cons. Old houses can be in “better” areas – but if they require renovations or updating, beware – the costs can escalate. Ours has dated bathroom, kitchen and laundry which we are not upgrading as costs too much. We have also had plumbing issues, electrical issues and broken tiles on roof that needed fixing. If you like old and like to see what it is you are buying, then that could be good. Also, if you have the skills to renovate, then definitely worth it. Buying an established garden is a big bonus. Older houses often come on bigger blocks of land.

New houses have issues too – we had one and found quite a few teething problems with it – also, once lived in for a bit the shine wears off. Often cracks appear and as everything “settles”. Didn’t like the smaller block size and having to build up the garden from scratch.

The neighbourhood is more important that the age of the house. Also, remember the saying “good fences make good neighbours” Try driving around your preferred areas at odd times like at night, early morning, during peak hour etc.

Good luck with whatever choice you make!