"The nation might be in the clutches of a dire housing shortage, but builders won’t be putting up enough new homes this year to make much of a dent."

"One of the reasons many homebuyers are drawn to buying a brand-new home is that they often get to choose many of the home’s features to suit their tastes. With a resale home, you pretty much get the place as is. But with new construction, you can call the shots on countertops, fixtures, flooring, paint colors, and so much more to make your home feel like, well, you!"

“It is true that new-construction homes, on average, are 10% to 15% higher in sales price than resale homes, but that doesn’t mean that they are less affordable,” says Bob Seeman, vice president of sales for New Homes at Realtor.com. “Simply put, total homeownership costs are more than a monthly mortgage payment alone.”